The Bad Back Years
For when your back starts having opinions.
The evidence on mattresses and backs points the same way: medium-firm, not hard. So that is what this is. A 2,000-spring unit in five zones with a firmer centre third under your hips, 5 cm of 60 kg memory foam to take the pressure off your shoulders, and a steel edge so the sides do not collapse when you sit to put your socks on.
It comes in Medium and Firm tension, and in king and super king you can have one tension on each side with no seam on top.
Who this chapter is for
- Over 40 and waking up stiffer than you went to bed, with a mattress that has gone soft in the middle.
- People who have been told to buy a firm mattress and are not sure that is right. Usually it is not.
- Couples where one of you wants it firmer than the other. Split tension is for you.
| Single 3ft · 90 × 190 cm | £389 |
| Double 4ft 6 · 135 × 190 cm | £649 |
| King 5ft · 150 × 200 cm | £799 |
| Super king 6ft · 180 × 200 cm | £949 |
Chapter opens early 2027. Prices shown include delivery.
7.5/10
What it feels like, and who it suits.
No showroom, so we tell you everything a showroom would. If the feel is wrong after 30 nights, we swap it.
This chapter is 7.5 out of 10 on our scale, where 10 is a board. The dashed band, 6 to 7.5, is where most people sleep best.
Very good: the zones hold your hips level
Very good
Very good in Firm tension
Medium to about 16 stone per person; Firm above that. Split tension if you and your partner differ.
Sprung or platform-top divan, or slats no more than 7 cm apart with a centre rail in king and super king.
Standard or deep fitted sheets (27 cm).
Pocket springs move independently, so you feel little of your partner turning. Split tension in king and super king if you want different support each side.
Rotate head to toe every three months in the first year, then twice a year. Use a breathable protector. Never fold it. It is one-sided: do not flip it.
Roughly 31 to 36 kg in a double. Our two-person team carries it in; you never lift it.
Every layer, by density.
This is the spec sheet the factory works to. If a layer is not listed here, it is not in the mattress. The cutaway is drawn from the spec, to scale, and the same scale is used for every chapter.
Read top (sleep surface) to bottom (base). Heights are to scale. Spring counts are stated for a 5ft king, the industry convention. Foam densities are the figures we specify to the factory in writing for every layer.
What happens when you order.
1. We make it
Your Bad Back Years is made to order in Yorkshire in 10–14 days, with the build date on the label and your tension recorded on the order.
2. Two people deliver it
Flat, never rolled. Carried to the room you choose, unwrapped, placed on the base, packaging taken away. Old mattress collected if you asked.
3. 30 nights, then 10 years
If the feel is wrong after 30 nights we swap it within the range, in one visit. After that, the 10-year guarantee covers the build. Full terms.
The Bad Back Years, answered.
Should I choose Medium or Firm?
Medium for most people, including most people with a sore back. The surface feel is medium-firm in both. Firm changes the support underneath, for heavier builds or people who already know they prefer a solid bed. If you are unsure, take Medium; if it is too soft for you after 30 nights, we will swap it.
What does zoned mean?
The 2,000 springs are arranged in five bands from head to foot. The centre band, under your hips and lower back, uses springs that are firmer than the shoulder band. It keeps your hips from sinking lower than your shoulders, which is what keeps your spine level on your side.
Is it hard?
No. Hard mattresses are the most common mistake people with back trouble make. This is a medium-firm, roughly 7.5 out of 10, with real pressure relief on top. If you want plush on top and firm underneath, that is The Hotel Bed.
How does split tension work?
Two spring units side by side under one comfort layer: Medium on one side, Firm on the other. There is no ridge on top. It is available in king and super king for a small extra charge and is made to order like everything else.
Is this an "orthopaedic" mattress?
If you are searching for one, this is the mattress to look at, but we do not use the word. "Orthopaedic" has no standard behind it, no test and no body that checks it; it almost always just means "firm", and the evidence for sore backs points to medium-firm, not hard. What this mattress actually has is what people want when they type that word: zoned springs that hold your hips level, a real pressure-relieving layer, a steel edge, and a Medium or Firm tension you choose. The full explanation is in our guide on what "orthopaedic" means.
Something else? Ask Chapter answers from our pages in seconds, or email [email protected] and a person replies.
Read before you buy.
Side sleepers and sore hips: what the top layer of a mattress has to do
Most people sleep on their side and most mattresses are not built for it. Why the hip and shoulder take the load, what pressure relief actually means, the mistake of going firm, and the numbers to look for.
Buying a mattress together without falling out: how couples actually decide
One of you wants firm, one wants soft, one sleeps hot, one is heavier, and you have one bed. The three questions that settle most of it, the features built for couples who differ, and the compromise that satisfies nobody.
Bought a firm mattress and it is too hard? Three fixes, cheapest first
A firm mattress that feels like a board is the most common mattress regret. Give it thirty nights, check the base, add the right topper, and know when a swap is the honest answer.
Mattresses for heavier people: it is about wire gauge and density, not "firm
Over about sixteen stone, most mattresses are not built for you, and the answer is not simply firmer. The three numbers that matter, what wears out first, weight limits, and what to ask before you buy.
What changes about a mattress after sixty, and what to look for
Getting in and out, sitting on the edge, sleeping lighter, running cooler or hotter, and not wanting to turn a heavy mattress. The practical things that change, and the spec that answers them, without any medical claims.
What does "orthopaedic mattress" actually mean? Less than you think
There is no standard, no test and no body behind the word. It usually just means firm, which is not what the evidence recommends for a sore back. What to look for instead, and the questions that get you a real answer.
The next ones.
A mattress lasts eight to ten years, and life moves on. These are the chapters people go to next.
The Hot Flush
For menopause, summer, and one leg out.
The Hotel Bed
Why is it always better in a hotel? This is why.
The Empty Nester
The spare room. Finally.
Be first when we launch
A mattress lasts eight to ten years. We will write to you once when we open, and again when it is time to think about the next one. That is the whole list.