Helix PLUS Mattress Review – How Does It Support Heavier People?

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief and more.

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In This Review

I talk about my experience with the Helix Plus, the brand’s model for heavy bodied individuals. I go over how this bed works for each sleeping position, its firmness, feel and more.

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Helix mattresses range from soft to firm, from Plush to supportive. At the far end of their support spectrum is the Helix Plus, a mattress made specifically for larger sleepers. At 6′ 7,” I’m a heavier person. 

I personally tested this mattress to assess its firmness, feel, support and more. My unbiased Helix Plus mattress review should help you figure out whether this bed will work for you.

I Recommend the Helix Plus for…

• Heavyweight individuals. Here at Mattress Clarity, we define “heavyweight people” as anyone over 230 lbs. This bed is designed specifically for this body type. It’s very supportive, and it contains durable materials that won’t sag as time goes on. 
• Back sleepers. This bed is very firm, but the top comfort layers are soft. This provides the best combination of comfort and support for back sleeping.
• Folks who prefer a bouncy bed. This is a hybrid mattress, meaning it combines coils and foam. The presence of coils gives this bed a bouncy feel.

I Don’t Recommend the Helix Plus for…

• Side sleepers. This bed is quite firm and not the best for side sleeping. Some heavyweight side sleepers may prefer the upgraded Helix Plus Luxe, which has a thicker comfort layer.
• Fans of all-foam beds. If you want to sink into an all-foam bed and feel the foam contour your body, you may want to get one of the best memory foam mattresses. 
• Budget-minded shoppers. At full price, this bed is just shy of $1500. While it is included in seasonal discounts, if you’re on a strict budget, you may want to look at some of our best cheap mattresses.

How Firm Is the Helix Plus Mattress?

Our Mattress Clarity firmness scale goes from 1 to 10, with 1 being very soft and 10 being very firm. I put the Helix Plus at a 7.5/10, firmer-than-average. The top foam layers of the mattress are slightly soft, but they are high-density and not particularly easy to press into.

Beneath the comfort layer, the coils add even more support and firmness to the mattress. I will note that I’m 270 lbs. People in the 300 to 500 lbs weight range might feel like the Helix Plus is softer, as their weight will compress these layers more. Overall though, I felt well supported on my back and stomach, which is expected for a mattress this firm.

Helix Plus Mattress Test Performance: My Overall Thoughts

When we test mattresses, we cover a number of categories to assess how each mattress performs. After compiling all our scores for each test, the Helix Plus mattress earned an average score of 4.25/5. It earned high marks in support and edge support, and we expect this bed to last a long time, too.

We’ll go into more detail on each category below, but scroll over each of the categories in our chart below to see what each category means.

Poor

Average

Excellent

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1

2

3

4

5

4.25

5

4.5

4

3

4

4.5

4.5

4.5

Helix Plus Mattress: Performance

Support: 5/5

To test out support, I quickly change between each of the three sleeping positions. I started out on my back, and I have to say, I was blown away by how well the Helix Plus felt in this position. I gently sank into the top layers, but not so much that I felt stuck. The coils at the bottom of this bed do a fantastic job supporting my weight.

Moving over to my side, I didn’t feel that great. This is a firm mattress, and the firmer the bed is, the more likely it will be that side sleepers feel pressure in their shoulders and hips.

And when I moved over to my stomach, I again felt really well supported. Stomach sleepers want to make sure that their hips are elevated so their spine doesn’t sink into the bed. This could cause back pain problems if it goes on for too long. But that’s not the case with the Helix Plus. In fact, I named it one of the best mattresses for people with back pain. 

So while I don’t think this is the best bed for side sleeping, I still give it a perfect score for support. I didn’t feel like I was going to completely bottom out of the bed in each sleeping position.

Edge Support: 4.5/5

Edge support refers to how well you might feel resting toward the edge of the bed. I usually test this out by sitting along the edge and then resting along the perimeter of the mattress.

The Helix Plus is a supportive mattress and features firm coils toward the edge of the bed. Because of this, I felt quite secure sitting near the edge of the mattress, and lying down near the edge, I didn’t feel like I was going to roll out of bed and onto the floor.

To push this test even further, I busted out my tape measure. I held it just above the edge of the bed, then sat down to see how much I compressed the mattress. There was about 5” of sinkage here. And while that may seem like a lot, it really doesn’t feel like it. Overall, the Helix Plus has a great amount of edge support.

Cooling: 4/5

During my tests with the Helix Plus, I didn’t really notice a lot of hot spots developing, and I felt relatively cool and comfortable while I slept. However, to put some numbers along with this test, I brought out my temperature gun.

I made sure to test the temperature of the surface when it hadn’t been rested on for several hours. The temperature gun read about 71 F. I then climbed into bed and lay down for several minutes. When I got up, I used the gun again and it read 75.1 F.

So, overall, the bed only got four degrees warmer after resting on it. And this is with just the standard cover. Helix does offer a cooling GlacioTex™ cover. If you’re an exceptionally hot sleeper, I’d recommend going for that. But overall, the Helix Plus shouldn’t sleep too hot for the average person.

Motion Transfer: 3/5

When I talk about motion transfer on a mattress, I’m talking about how well the bed can absorb movement. This can be important for couples,especially if one partner is a light sleeper. When someone changes positions, the other person might feel that on their side of the bed.

There are a couple ways I test motion transfer. First, I placed a glass of water in the center of the mattress. Then, I pressed into the other areas of the mattress and noticed some disturbance in the water. 

Then I tested this with my colleague, Elisa. When she got in on the other side of the bed and switched sleeping positions, I felt some of her movements transfer to my side of the mattress.

Because this mattress didn’t perform particularly well in these tests, I gave it a motion transfer score of 3/5. If you’re looking for a mattress that isolates motion well, take a look at our list of the best mattresses for couples. 

Response: 4/5

The higher the responsiveness score, the easier the bed is to move around on. While the Helix Plus has some good memory foam layers at the top, the presence of coils means that this bed will always feel bouncy.

If you’re just sleeping still, then the foam will do its job and fill in the gaps around your body. But you’re not going to feel stuck in this foam, and changing positions shouldn’t take too much effort because of the coils at the bottom.

Durability: 4.5/5

As I’ve mentioned a few times, the Helix Plus is a mattress designed for larger people and features high-density foams and supportive coils. Both of these materials are very durable and shouldn’t sag or break down when faced with the weight of heavier sleepers. 

The mattress should stand up to at least 10 years of use before owners start to see indentations or sagging. See our top picks for the best mattress that won’t sag for more information.

Because I expect the Helix Plus to last almost the length of its warranty, I decided to score it fairly high, although not quite perfect.

Helix Plus Mattress Company Policies Scores

Trial Period: 4.5/5

Helix offers a 100-night trial period on the Helix Plus. This gives you just a little over three months to decide if you love the mattress or not. This trial period is fairly standard in the mattress industry,, but three months is plenty of time to break in your new mattress, which is why I scored it a 4.5/5.

It’s worth mentioning that many brands won’t accept returns until 30 days have passed since delivery, and Helix is no exception. So, if on day 31, you’re not happy with your Helix Plus, you can return it for a full refund as long as you do so within the 100-day trial.

Warranty: 4.5/5

You’ll have a 15-year limited warranty on the Helix Plus mattress. This is a bit longer than the industry standard, which is usually about 10 years. It’s not the longest warranty, but 15 years is still a substantial amount of time for a warranty, which is why I rated it almost perfect.

You can read more about what the warranty covers on Helix’s website. But in short, this warranty will typically cover manufacturing defects. The warranty will be void if intentional damage is done to the mattress.

Helix Plus Mattress – Other Factors to Consider

We’ve covered a lot of ground with the Helix Plus mattress. But there are still a few more things you might need to know about the Helix Plus mattress before clicking “check out.”

Two-Hour Nap

I’ve been known to switch between my back and my side while I sleep. But for my nap test, I decided to stick with sleeping on my back. To me, this sleeping position is really where the Helix Plus shines. The top layers of foam did a great job of providing me with a little bit of body contouring, but I didn’t sink straight through them either.

It’s also nice knowing that, while I didn’t get the GlacioTex™ cover, this bed was able to stay relatively cool while I slept. Hybrid beds are always going to work well for hot sleepers just because you’re not sleeping on a solid block of memory foam. Coils are great for letting air flow through easily. And because of those coils, I found it really easy to get out of bed when I was done with my nap.

Off-Gassing

The Helix Plus is a bed-in-a-box mattress, meaning it comes shipped in a cardboard box. When I opened the box, took out the rolled-up mattress and cut away all the plastic, there was an initial chemical smell. However, I placed the Helix Plus in the bedroom, opened the window, and gave it 48 hours to air out. I didn’t notice any chemical smell after this.

Noise

The Helix Plus mattress has coils. As I moved around on the bed, I didn’t notice a lot of noise. However, my Helix Plus was brand new right out of the box. Because this mattress features coils, over time, the coils might begin to squeak.

Sex

Couples who are looking for a mattress for sex should be on the lookout for a bed with a good amount of bounce. Mattresses with coils tend to be very bouncy, and this makes it easy to move around on the top of the mattress. This bed is fairly responsive, so repositioning and moving around shouldn’t be much of a problem on the Helix Plus.

Mattress Height

The Helix Plus mattress is 11.5” tall. This is about the average mattress height, which usually ranges from 10” to 12” tall.

Sleeping Position & Weight

Your body type and sleeping position play a big role in how comfortable a mattress will be. Because the Helix Plus was made for heavier bodies, it may not be a great choice for most lightweight and average-weight people.

I fall into the heavyweight category, and I found the most comfort on my back. I gently sank into the top foam layers, but those sturdy coils at the bottom of the bed kept me well supported.

Now, this is a firm mattress. As such, it’s really not the best for side sleeping. I found a significant amount of pressure beginning to build up in my hip and shoulder here. But when I moved on to my stomach, I felt some good support. 

I would imagine that for people lighter than me, this bed would still be a good match for both back and stomach sleepers. The top foam layers will be able to provide that perfect combination of comfort and support for these sleeping positions.

But because of how firm this bed is, I don’t recommend it to strict side sleepers, especially those who are around 130 lbs and lighter. Again, this is a bed that’s designed to handle heavier weights, so it’ll feel too firm for lightweight side sleepers.

Sleeper Weight	Back Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers
Lightweight (under 130 lbs)	Good	Bad	Excellent
Average (130 – 230 lbs)	Good	Fair	Excellent
Heavyweight (Over 230 lbs)	Excellent	Fair	Good

Heavyweight Tester – 6’7”, 270 lbs

“As someone who falls in the heavyweight category, I can safely say that this bed works really well for this body type. If you’re like me, you should really enjoy this bed if you’re a back sleeper. I didn’t love this bed for side sleeping, however. It’s just too firm.The Helix Plus Luxe could be a better choice for heavyweight side sleepers.” – Marten

Average weight Tester – 5’3”, 150 lbs

“The Helix Plus is designed for people who are bigger than I am. I felt really well supported when I rested on my stomach. But overall, I think this bed was just too firm for me. I felt pressure along my shoulders and hips, and I wasn’t able to compress the foam that much on my back.” – Elisa

Helix Plus Mattress Construction

Let’s take a look at the high-quality materials that Helix uses in the Helix Plus mattress.

Cover

On the outside of the Helix Plus there’s a “Breathe Knit” cover. This cover has a soft feel to it and is designed to, as the name suggests, breathe and let air flow through the cover fairly easily.

I reviewed the standard version of the Helix Plus, but you also have the option to swap this cover for a GlacioTex™ Pillow Top for an additional fee. This material is a special kind of polyester that can pull body heat away from you to keep you cool while you sleep.

Comfort Layers

Right underneath the cover you’ve got two layers of foam. The topmost layer is called “Ultra Dense Helix Dynamic Foam.” In more simple terms, this foam was designed to offer pressure relief and cradle joints. 

The second layer of foam is more responsive and mimics the bouncy feel of latex foam. This helps give the comfort layer its responsive feel, so sleepers don’t feel “stuck” in these memory foam layers. It also acts as a transition layer and can offer some good lumbar support for back sleepers.

Support Layers

The support layer of the Helix Plus contains tall coils that are individually wrapped and made to handle heavier weights. They are also firmer toward the edge of the mattress to help provide more edge support for heavier people. The coils rest on a layer of Helix’s DuraDense Foam that is durable and helps support the rest of the mattress.

How to Try and Buy the Helix Plus Mattress

Helix is an online mattress brand. This means that you won’t find a brick-and-mortar Helix store. However, the good news is that Helix offers a 100-night trial period on all its mattresses. This gives you a little over three months to test out your Helix Plus.

Sizes and Prices of the Helix Plus Mattress

Size	Dimensions	Price
Twin	38″ x 75″	$811.30
Twin XL	38″ x 80″	$936.30
Full	54″ x 75″	$1061.30
Queen	60″ x 80″	$1498.80
King	76″ x 80″	$1811.30
California King	72″ x 84″	$1811.30

How the Helix Plus Mattress Compares

There are a lot of mattress brands out there, and shopping can be overwhelming. To help out, let’s do a little comparison shopping. Let’s see how the Helix Plus differs from another one of Helix’s models, as well as from two other popular online brands, Saatva and Brooklyn Bedding.

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Helix Plus Mattress

Firmness

Firm: 7.5/10

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Helix Plus Mattress Review

Product

Helix Midnight Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Score

4.1 / 5

Check Price

Read Helix Midnight Mattress Review

Product

Saatva Mattress

Firmness

Multiple firmness options

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Saatva Mattress Review

Product

Brooklyn Bedding Titan Plus Luxe

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Brooklyn Bedding Titan Plus Luxe Review

Helix Plus vs Helix Midnight

Helix has a number of mattresses available, and one of its most popular is the Helix Midnight. The main difference between the Plus and the Midnight is firmness. The Midnight is Helix’s classic medium-firm mattress and can fit a wide range of body types. The Plus is designed specifically for heavier bodies and it’s much firmer than the Midnight.

Side sleepers will enjoy the Helix Midnight more because of this difference in firmness. The Midnight has a little more give and can cradle joints a bit easier than the Plus. However, it’s too soft for stomach sleepers. The Plus is designed for support, so stomach sleepers will be able to keep their hips elevated and protect their spine better on this bed.

Be sure to read more information in our Helix Midnight mattress review.

Helix vs Saatva

One other popular brand is Saatva. The Saatva Classic is an innerspring mattress that comes in three different firmness options, whereas the Helix Plus only has one. Both beds have that bouncy, responsive feel regardless of firmness. But those who prefer to select their firmness option should go with Saatva. However, Helix does have a quiz that can match you with a mattress.

I tested the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic, and it’s just slightly softer than the Helix Plus. It has a thinner comfort layer, and contains two sets of coils rather than just one. The layer of micro-coils in the Saatva classic allow for a bit more body contouring than the foam in the Helix Plus does. Plus, the coils are zoned, which means they feel firmer in the center of the bed than at the head and foot. The zoned construction allows for more lumbar support, which can help alleviate pain.

Because of this, Saatva might be a better choice for back and stomach sleepers who are dealing with back pain.

Read more about this mattress in our Saatva mattress review.

Helix vs Titan

The Brooklyn Bedding Titan was also created to appeal to heavier people. It contains high-density memory foam as well as responsive foam and supportive coils. The Helix Plus and Brooklyn Bedding Titan mattresses really are quite similar in terms of their design and overall feel.

That said, the Titan is firmer than the Helix Plus; it feels like a 9/10 and the Helix Plus feels like a 7.5/10. They both don’t let sleepers sink in too far, but the Titan still feels significantly firmer.

The main difference between the two mattresses is the price. The Titan comes from Brooklyn Bedding, a producer of affordable value mattresses, and it has a lower price point.

Read more in our Brooklyn Bedding Titan Luxe mattress review.

Helix PLUS FAQs

Is the Helix PLUS mattress any good?

The Helix PLUS mattress is definitely a good mattress. It features high-density foams and supportive coils, making it a durable option for heavier sleepers. It should be able to handle heavier weights and should be a good long-term investment.

Is the Helix PLUS mattress good for heavy people?

The Helix PLUS mattress is a solid choice for heavy people. It is designed to support heavier weights and its durable, high-density foams shouldn’t sag too quickly. Larger back sleepers, stomach sleepers and much heavier side sleepers will like what they find with the Helix PLUS.

How firm is the Helix PLUS mattress?

On our firmness scale, the Helix PLUS translated to a 7.5/10 rating, resulting in a firmer-than-average feel. Lighter sleepers might feel like the mattress is even firmer and much heavier sleepers might think the mattress is softer.

Does the Helix PLUS mattress sleep hot?

The Helix PLUS mattress should not sleep too hot. It features a breathable cover and coils that allow for a good amount of airflow.

Helix Plus Mattress Video Review