Nest Sparrow Detailed Mattress Review

In 2011, mattress veteran and big wave surfer Joe Alexander, realized that, like a bird when it wants to build a nest, sourcing materials locally was the only way to build his beds.  Hence Nest Bedding, a family owned factory direct mattress company out of Chico, CA was born.  Alexander also knew that offering consumers an opportunity to lay on a mattress was also important and he opened his first store in 2012.  Today, Nest has 9 stores across the States (incl. showroom partners Sandman Sleep in Chicago and Columbus!) offering organic, natural, and certified luxury products.

Sustainability is paramount.  To back it up, they recently introduced a lifetime renewal exchange for its luxury mattresses. The LRE is a one-time comfort guarantee that can be redeemed anytime, even after their industry leading 356 day trial.  You can renew your mattress when it’s right for you. Instead of removing and replacing your mattress, you can breathe new life into your mattress with an exchange for a brand new comfort layer and save the environment from another mattress disposed of and yourself the time and money it takes to shop for a new mattress.

Before we dive into the Sparrow’s three comfort levels, let’s have a look at the reason Nest Sparrow is ranked as one of the most comfortable and supportive mattresses on the market.

The Cover

The Sparrow begins with a plush quilted gel memory foam top that gives a touch of softness without sacrificing the support underneath. THERMIC® is Nest’s patented temperature regulation technology that keeps the fabric cool.  It is a phase change material that cools the skin by absorbing heat when the body temperature goes up and releases heat when the temperature cools down to maintain a consistent sleeping temperature.  The superior temperature regulation helps keep you cool and dry throughout the night.  No more tossing and turning because you are hot.  .

Comfort Layer

Nest chose 3 inches of cooling gel infused Energex™foam to provide pressure relief.  Energex is a hybrid between traditional gel memory foam and latex delivering the best of both worlds.  Energex has all of the contouring properties of exceptional memory foam but also the responsive bounce of latex.  You won’t feel that sinking-in-the-sand stuck feeling on the Sparrow!  The cooling gel pulls heat away from the body, keeping you cool all night long.  

It’s important to note that the foam comes as one solid piece as opposed to multiple layers of gel foam and memory foam because one piece provides greater pressure relief.  Two or more layers compete with each other as the surface friction makes it difficult to provide consistent pressure relief.

Support System

The Sparrow’s hybrid’s support system employs 6” edge reinforced steel individually pocketed coils sandwiched between two 1” dense Smartflow Support Foam layers.  Nest reinforces the edge with stronger gauge coils around the perimeter for greater edge support.  The high grade made in America steel provides superior support throughout the life of the mattress and is guaranteed for 20 years.     

Tufting

Tufting is the process where the individual parts of the mattress are either sewn or glued together to prevent slippage.  In the Sparrow’s case, Nest chose top tufting between the cover and the Thermacil temperature regulating gel, where the cover is sewn into the layer.  Tufting helps keep everything nice and together so there is no unnecessary shifting of the bed materials.  This is just another example of the little details Nest takes care of so you can rest easy.   

Does The Sparrow Sleep Cool?

YES!  We found the Sparrow to offer a cool to neutral (i.e., not hot) temperature control.  Being cool at night is all about being dry.  The Sparrow accomplishes the cool factor through a 3 step heat dispersion process: 

1. The Thermacil phase change material sewn into the cover is cool to the touch, immediately reducing skin temperature.
2. The gel infused comfort layer pulls heat from the body (and doesn’t return it!)
3. As the mattress is a hybrid, air is able to flow and circulate in-between the coil system

Final result – the Sparrow will keep you cool and dry throughout the night allowing your body to get the rest it deserves.

How about Edge Support?

The Nest Sparrow has very good edge support.  Nest surrounds the outer edge of the mattress with stronger springs to make sure the mattress edge is “sag free”.  This edge support increases the sleeping area so, for example, if one partner is a bed hog, the other partner can rest soundly on the edge.  No chance of falling off, just sayin’.  Finally, when you get out of bed in the morning, it helps you get out!  

Will The Sparrow Stand the Test of Time?

Nest believes so much in the durability of its mattresses that it offers a lifetime comfort renewal guarantee.  If for any reason, during or after the trial period, you feel that the comfort layer has lost its support, Nest will send you a new one, which can extend the life of the mattress for years.

Nest is truly made for every-body.  Their dual comfort capable kings allow couples with varying sleep comfort levels to rest easy in the same bed.  Coupled with the lifetime comfort guarantee, and 1 year trial and Nest should be on the top of list for everyone who prefers a hybrid solution.  Let’s take a closer look at the different styles.

Sparrow Plush

From the moment you lay down on the Sparrow Plush, it is obvious by the luxurious pressure relief of the cooling gel infused cover that you’ve arrived on the soft plush version.  The gel top will envelop and contour to your body more than its firmer cousins such as the Medium.  That said, after a few minutes, as you settle into the mattress, you can begin to feel the superior support from the pocketed coils.  You will feel that support system very slightly underneath to help with alignment to give you enough resistance to push back to fill the space inbetween your body and the mattress.  You will feel more “in it” (as opposed to on top of it), but you won’t be losing the support.  

With the plush, exclusive side sleepers get the best of both worlds as they will get the most pressure and spinal alignment due to the sinking of the hip and shoulder regions.  Because the bed envelops you more, some think that might make the bed sleep warmer or even hotter.  This is not the case with the Sparrow.  The phase change cover layer, and cooling gel combined with the air flow design keep this plush bed cool all evening long.

The sweet spot for weight is up to 190 (especially for side sleepers).  Above that weight, you’ll start to lose the benefit of the pressure relief from the gel as your body rests more on the springs.  At that size, you might consider the Medium model as the comfort layer provides additional support and comfort relief.  

• On Sandman’s Firmness Scale, we rate Softer a 4.5 out of 10.
• Primarily designed for side sleepers.  Side/stomach or side/back sleepers might feel more support on the Medium.  
• Even though you sink into the comfort layer, the superior airflow design and advanced cooling technology will keep you cool and dry all night long. 
• Edge support is very good – minimal side sagging here!

Sparrow Medium

Sparrow is Nest’s most popular mattress, and the medium is its most popular comfort level.  Immediately upon laying on the medium, you can feel the cooling gel take you in but you quickly feel the substantial contouring nature of the the gel foam cradle your body and all of your pressure points.  Almost immediately you will feel the support of the coil system begin to push back and cradle your body no matter which position you sleep. The Medium is a MULTI SLEEPER, designed to support all sleeping styles, side, stomach, back and any combination therein.  You will feel just enough pressure relief on the top of the mattress but you are also going to have the support system that is going to keep you “on” the mattress rather than “in” the mattress as in the plush.  

The sweet spot in weight is up to 220 pounds.  No matter your sleeping style, you cannot go wrong with this mattress.  It has all of the cooling factors minus the deep enveloping sinking feeling.  The comfort layer is 3 inches to give it a slightly firmer feel.  The Luxury in the Medium comes in the top comfort layer.  It has a little less pressure relief than the plush, a little more pressure relief than the firm, but with the same support to keep your body aligned correctly.

• On Sandman’s Firmness Scale, we rate the Medium a 6 out of 10.
• This is a MultiSleeper, designed for all sleeping styles.   
• The luxurious comfort layer provides a little bit of sink, but even so, the superior airflow design and advanced cooling technology on the top layer will keep you cool and dry all night long. 
• Edge support is very good – minimal side sagging here!

Sparrow Firm

The Firm is slightly firmer than the medium.  We rate it more of a Luxury Firm+ than a hard firm mattress.  This is mainly due to the comfort of the pillowy cover.  It has a denser 3” thick comfort layer than the medium. Exclusive back and side sleepers will get the most comfort from the Firm.  Side sleepers will also have a comfortable experience but you will lose the softer luxury feel as the medium.  You will definitely not sink as much as you sleep “on top” of this mattress.  The bed still packs in all of the same cooling features as its cousins so you will sleep cool and dry throughout the night.  If you do end up on your side, you won’t have as much pressure relief.  You will, however, have the same cooling factors and of course support. 

• On Sandman’s Firmness Scale, we rate Firmer a 7.5 out of 10.
• Stomach and back sleepers will get the most benefit out of the Firmer version.  Any side sleepers should look more toward the Medium, or possibly the Plush.
• The firm comfort layer provides very little sink, but even so, the superior airflow design and advanced cooling technology will keep you cool and dry all night long. 
• Edge support is very good – minimal side sagging here!

All Nest Sparrows have very good motion isolation.  Simply put, you will not feel your partner move at night.  Whether they are a toss and turner, an early riser or using the facilities, it’s not the bed that will wake you.  However, there are differences among the styles due to their construction.  Plush and Medium will have the least amount of motion transfer because the high density gel foam by its very nature does not transfer motion.  It absorbs energy.  Any motion might come from the springs below, but the pocket coil system separates the springs further isolating any motion transfer.  The combo of gel foam and pocketed coils will have minimal transfer.  Now, the firm, due to its rigid structure and latex hybrid feel is a more responsive material.  However, to counter the additional motion possibility, Nest uses a 3 inch gel foam to provide the extra absorption, mitigating motion transfer as much as possible.  If you need total motion isolation, then look more towards the all foam mattresses.  However, the superior design and attention to detail get the Nest hybrids as close to no motion as possible.

The Nest Sparrow comes in a box. It’s crazy to think that a king size Sparrow with powerful springs and dense foams can be compressed, but it can.  And, with no sacrifice to quality and durability.  Some people ask if compressing the springs will hurt their integrity.  Nothing could be farther from the  truth.  Springs are actually shipped compressed all over the world (to save space).  The springs integrity is damaged if they are pulled excessively or bent out of position.  But, the way Nest compresses its mattresses, they keep their shape and strength.  The box arrives via Fedex or White Glove Delivery if you choose.  Simply unbos the mattress.  Rest it on the bed frame and remove the plastic wrapping and the bed will decompress before your eyes.  You can begin sleeping on the bed and enjoying a restful night sleep that same day.

Nest offers a full 1 YEAR trial period, certainly one of the best in the industry.  In addition, Nest offers a lifetime comfort renewal exchange guarantee.  If, for any reason, you wish to have a softer, firmer or your current comfort layer is reaching that age, you can request a new one be sent at no charge.  Nest truly makes it hassle free as they do all the heavy lifting.  Here’s how the systems works:

1. The trial begins when you RECEIVE the mattress (the fedex delivery day).
2. You can sleep on it for 365 nights.  As there can be a slight break-in period, Nest asks that you not initiate a return during the first 30 days.  
3. If it’s not the mattress of your dreams, reach out to Nest via phone, email or chat (on their website), provide your name and order number and let them know if you wish to RETURN or EXCHANGE.  
4. Returns: Nest coordinates a donation or recycling pickup on a day of your choosing.  They handle everything and there’s nothing you have to do besides letting them know the best pickup date.
5. Full 100% refunds (no fees!!) are issued within 5 days of the pick-up. 
6. Exchanges: For an exchange, Nest will send the new comfort layer to your home.  Unzip the cover and insert the new comfort layer.  

Nest doesn’t stop there!  They offer a lifetime warranty on every mattress.

Yes, Nest offers pay-over-time financing through Affirm.

Nest has 9 stores on the West Coast. However, if you are in the Chicago or Columbus, OH area, please visit our Sandman Sleep Chicago Showroom or our Sandman Sleep Columbus Showroom to try out the Nest line of mattresses (we’ll even help get it ordered for you!)