GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress review: Responsive memory foam for all body types – CNET

GhostBed stands out in the mattress industry for a few reasons: first, its beds are high-quality and tend to utilize multiple different foams in one mattress to provide a unique, but comfortable feel. Second, you have to admit the brand has a pretty-attention grabbing name.

The GhostBed Flex mattress is one of its high-end options, boasting a thick and supportive mattress construction. Although it has cooling tech inside, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a cooling mattress. (I’d check out our best list for the best cooling beds if that’s what you’re looking for.) However, the GhostBed Flex mattress offers a comfortable feel that is hard not to like, and a supportive construction suitable for any body type. Here is my GhostBed Flex mattress review and my thoughts on who might want this sucker in their bedroom. 

Read more: How CNET tests mattresses: we do the work so you don’t have to

First impressions 

This is one premium-looking mattress – it looks like it belongs in a luxury hotel or a fancy master bedroom. More importantly, it feels like an expensive mattress, too. It’s a bed that I think will appeal to a wide range of people thanks to its burly construction and classic, neutral-foam feel that doesn’t suck you into the layers. It’s soft without being too soft, and provides enough support that my back doesn’t sink into the mattress. While everyone experiences a mattress differently, I see the GhostBed Flex hybrid mattress satisfying a lot of sleepers. 

Firmness

The heavier you are, the softer a mattress is going to feel. With that in mind, for a medium-sized person between 150 to 230 pounds, this bed will feel around a medium or a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It’s pressure-relieving, but it’s also supportive enough to keep my spine and neck in a neutral alignment. This is another reason why I find this bed so accommodating; a middle-of-the-road firmness level is suitable enough for almost all sleeping positions (back, side or stomach). 

Comfort

An average mattress is around 10 to 11 inches thick, but the GhostBed Flex bed is a whopping 13 inches. Trust me, those extra two inches make a difference. Not only in comfort, but also in support and durability.

Here are the different layers of foam and steel that make up the inside of a Flex mattress. 

• The first layer is a thin slab of foam. It’s not for comfort, but to support the steel coils and remaining layers above.
• An 8.5-inch pocketed coil system where each steel coil acts individually from one another to help improve motion isolation. The edges are also made with reinforced “Spirited Edge” coils that are stronger and more sturdy to prevent that falling-off-the-edge feeling.
• The “Ghost Bounce” layer is a unique material to the brand. GhostBed says it’s designed to be responsive and bouncy like latex foam, and pressure-relieving like memory foam. 
• The next two layers are made with gel memory foam, which helps regulate temperature better than standard memory foam. 
• On top, there’s a quilted cover woven with cooling fiber. 

Feel

Although there are layers and layers of memory foam, you might be happy to hear that this bed doesn’t overwhelmingly feel like memory foam. You know what I mean: that sinkhole feel that makes you feel like you’re stuck inside the top layers of your mattress. It’s lighter, airier and responds more quickly to pressure like neutral foam does. So, while you can feel a trace of the memory foam, it’s very comfortable and pressure-relieving without the downsides of the traditional material. 

Motion isolation

Hybrid mattresses tend to be on the bouncier side compared to foam mattresses, but beds like the GhostBed Flex Hybrid mattress do a pretty good job at isolating movement. Memory foam is notoriously good at this – in fact, it was made by NASA to help absorb the shocks in its craft’s seats. So, movement shouldn’t bother you when it comes to this bed. 

Edge support

Thanks to the GhostBed Flex’s hybrid design and extra strong steel coils along the edges to improve edge support, this bed passes with flying colors. This might be important to someone who shares a smaller mattress and sleeps near the edge of the bed to make room for their partner (or pup). 

Temperature

Even though there is cooling technology in the cover, I wouldn’t call this a cooling mattress. GhostBed sells a GhostBed Luxe bed that really walks the walk, so I’d check out that one if you’re looking for a bed to relieve your hot-sleeping habits. Otherwise, I’d say this bed sleeps cooler than your typical memory foam bed, but it’s still temperature neutral. 

Who is this bed best for?

Not all beds are designed for everyone, but the GhostBed Flex comes pretty close. Here are the types of people I think it suits best based on sleeping position and body type. 

Sleeping position

Side sleepers benefit from a soft, pressure-relieving bed that cradles the hips and shoulders. Back and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, typically need a firmer bed that keeps their spine in a straight alignment to avoid back pain. Conveniently, the GhostBed Flex mattress does both. Unless you’re a back or stomach sleeper over 230 pounds (in need of a firmer bed), or a side sleeper under 150 pounds (in need of a softer bed), this bed should accommodate your needs. 

Body type

Hybrid mattresses that are made with both foam and coils can accommodate all body types, including heavier people who weigh over 230 pounds. Thanks to its 13-inch construction, the Flex is even more supportive than the average hybrid bed. 

Price

This is definitely one of the downsides to the GhostBed Flex Hybrid. I really like this mattress, but it’s going to cost more than your average bed-in-a-box. The good news is, however, that GhostBed offers aggressive discounts on this bed. A queen size retails around $2,205, but I’ve seen discounts up to $800 to bring it around the $1,500 range. It’s still a little pricey, but if you have the money to invest in a new bed, it might be worth it. 

Warranty, trial, shipping, returns

GhostBed, like most online brands, offers generous policies to sweeten the sound of buying over the internet:

• Free shipping and returns
• 101-night trial
• 25-year warranty

It’s worth noting that your mattress will be delivered rolled up inside of a box. You’ll have to take it out of its packaging and into its foundation before testing it out, and don’t be put off by the off-gassing smell. It’s unpleasant, but it goes away after a day or so and it’s standard among most bed-in-a-box mattresses except those made with natural and organic materials. 

Final verdict 

GhostBed calls this bed its “luxury hybrid mattress,” and I’d have to agree. It screams quality and even though I don’t think it’s a true cooling mattress, it is darn comfortable and accommodating. 

You might like this mattress if:

• You sleep on your back, side, stomach, or combination.
• You want a mattress with a medium firmness level.
• You want a hybrid mattress made with foam and coils.
• You want a blend of neutral foam and memory foam.
• You want a mattress with great edge support.

You might not like this mattress if:

• You’re on a budget.
• You want a solid firm or plush soft mattress.
• You want an all-foam mattress to save money.
• You like a true memory foam bed.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.