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Built with athletes in mind, the Zoma Start mattress employs a trifecta of proprietary foam materials to help active folks get better sleep. But does the bed actually pull off this performance-driven aim?
To find out, I put this bad boy through its paces, personally assessing its construction and feel to determine exactly what kind of sleeper might benefit most from its unique vibe.
Curious for my thoughts? Then keep on reading for my Zoma Start mattress review. Or if youโre short on time, you can skip straight to my review summary.
Zoma Start
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Zoma Start Video Review
Note: The Zoma mattress was recently renamed the Zoma Start mattress. Our video review still reflects the old name.
Brand Snapshot
Zoma describes itself as a โperformance-enhancing sleep systemโ in that all of its products are specifically designed to help athletes, gym rats, and other active folks achieve restorative slumber. This, the brand claims, leads to better athletic performance both in and outside the gym.
To support this sporty mission, Zoma has crafted its flagship all-foam mattress as well as the Zoma pillow and foundation. We wonโt be getting into these other products in this review, so letโs turn our attention back to the brandโs namesake bed.
What is the Zoma Start Mattress Made of?
The Zoma Start is built with three layers of zoned memory foam, poly foam, and high-density poly foam. Itโs a straightforward construction intended to be as pressure-relieving as it is supportive. The mattress also features some fun fabrications intended to amp up certain benefits for those athletic sleepers in the bunch.
To see how this all comes together, letโs take a peek under the cover!
Cover โ The Zoma cover is made of a mesh-like material thatโs pretty breathable, which could help hot sleepers snooze a little cooler at night.
Comfort โ Below the cover, youโll land on a layer of zoned Triangulex Foamโข. In my opinion, this material is most similar to memory foam in that it has a slow response to pressure that allows the sleeper to sink in for targeted relief at the shoulders and hips. Itโs a fairly thick section of the stuff, which could be an attractive feature for side sleepers to take note of.
Transition โ Up next lies a layer of the brandโs Reactiv Foamโข. Like poly foam, this material has a quick response to pressure that should help curb some of the sinkage of the gentle foam above it.
Base โ The base of the mattress is comprised of a thick layer of high-density poly foam. This section mainly functions to bring shape and stability to the overall structure, imbuing the bed with some foundational support.
How Does the Zoma Start Mattress Feel?
Now that weโve taken a look at the construction specs, letโs see how these materials affect the bedโs feel, starting with firmness.
As with any feel factor, firmness is a subjective measure that can change a lot depending on oneโs body size, shape, and weight. Therefore, my response to the mattress could be different from your own. For reference, Iโm 5โ10โ, 190 lbs. and sleep primarily on my stomach.
After testing out the Zoma Start in multiple positions, I decided to give it a firmness rating of 5.5/10. When compared to the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness, itโs clear this mattress is quite soft.
If Iโm being honest, I was kind of surprised by the softness. Though I was expecting to sink into the top section of memory foam, I assumed the subsequent layers of firm poly foam would curb this sinkage and lift my body up and out of the structure. However, this wasnโt totally the case, and I found I was positioned more โinโ the bed than โon topโ of it. This isnโt a bad vibe necessarily, but one that will probably work best for strict side sleepers in need of deep pressure relief at the shoulders and hips.
Zoma Start
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Testing the Zoma Start Mattress
But firmness is hardly the only factor to consider when buying a new mattress! So, I thought it might be useful to run some tests for Pressure Relief and Motion Transfer.
Pressure Relief
Iโve touched on pressure relief a few times in this review already, but here weโre going to fully assess the Zoma Startโs capacity for alleviating tension in the shoulders, hips, and lower back. To do this, Iโm going to use a pressure map.
Though it sounds complicated, itโs actually quite simple: I roll this gizmo out, hop aboard, and let the map do the rest! As I move around the structure, the gadget records the force my bodyโs exerting on the structure, and makes a colored โmapโ of the pressure. Blue indicates areas of low pressure and red indicates areas of high pressure.
Back โ Lying on my back, I felt as though my weight was evenly distributed across the structure. I could feel the memory foam filling in the space at my lumbar region, which provided some pretty satisfying pressure relief to my lower back. However, I did feel somewhat stuck in the bed, which made changing positions difficult. If youโre a combination sleeper you may want to check out our best mattresses for combination sleepers instead.
Side โ When I turned onto my side, the pressure relief party really started. The top layer of memory foam cushioned my shoulders and hips as I sank into the bed, ensuring that they wouldnโt jam up too much in the night. If youโre a strict side sleeper, Iโd definitely give the Zoma Start a look.
Stomach โ However, this same comfort didnโt translate to stomach sleeping. The softness that makes this bed great for side sleepers makes it detrimental for those who sleep in prone, mostly because the gentle memory foam causes the hips to sink out of alignment with the shoulders. Strict stomach sleepers will likely want to go with a firmer structure.
Motion Transfer
Next up, letโs talk motion transfer! This variable refers to the amount of movement detectable from one side of the mattress to the other, and could be a crucial factor for folks to consider if they share a bed with a child, partner, or rowdy pet.
To illustrate this motion transfer, I dropped a 10 lb. steel ball from heights of 4 inches, 8 inches and 12 inches and measured the disturbance it caused: the bigger the lines, the bigger the disturbance.
These are great motion transfer results! Iโd attribute this mostly to the top layer of memory foam, which works to absorb and dampen movement across the structure. Given its performance on this test, Iโd definitely recommend the Zoma Start for couples.
Should You Buy the Zoma Start Mattress?
You did it! You made it to the end of the review! Nowโs the time when we synthesize all the information weโve gone over and answer the question you came here asking: Should you buy the Zoma Start mattress? To help you decide, letโs wrap up this baby with a few final pros and cons.
Zoma Start
Product Details
Our Recommendation
Zoma Start Mattress Recommendations
- First and foremost, I think this could be a great mattress for side sleepers. The plush memory foam provides plenty of pressure relief at the shoulders and hips, helping to alleviate tension in those sensitive spots.
- In general, the Zoma Start will work well for those who love memory foam! Though thereโs some dense poly foam in the mix, the dominant vibe is one of sinkage and body-contouring.
- Another bonus of memory foam? Itโs excellent at motion isolation, as it works to absorb and dampen movement across the structure. Couples, take notice!
Zoma Start Mattress Complaints
- Since the Zoma Startโs a fairly soft all-foam bed, Iโm not sure Iโd recommend it for stomach sleepers, who typically need pretty firm support at the hips and lower back.
- Additionally, thereโs not a lot of bounce to this structure, so it may not be the best fit for those in need of optimized mobility. For a bouncier mattress check out our best innerspring mattresses.
Company Policies
- Trial โ 100 Nights
- Shipping โ Free
- Warranty โ 10 Years
How Much Does the Zoma Start Cost?
Zoma Start
Product Details
Our Recommendation
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38โณ x 74โณ x 10โณ | $599 |
| Twin XL | 38โณ x 80โณ x 10โณ | $699 |
| Full | 54โณ x 75โณ x 10โณ | $749 |
| Queen | 60โณ x 80โณ x 10โณ | $849 |
| King | 76โณ x 80โณ x 10โณ | $1,099 |
| Cali King | 72โณ x 84โณ x 10โณ | $1,099 |
| Split King | 38โณ x 80โณ (x2) x 10โณ | $1,398 |
Still deciding? Take a look at our mattress performance ratings for the Zoma mattress below.
Zoma Mattress
The Zoma has a soft memory foam feel that youโll sink into for great pressure relief. This bed was designed with athletes in mind and I think side sleepers will like it.
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.8