When it was released towards the end of 2020, the Simba Hybrid Pro was tagged as the brand's "most advanced mattress ever". Slightly awkwardly, Simba went and released an even more advanced model fairly shortly afterwards. But we're focusing on the Hybrid Pro here, which for its balance of exceptional features to not-extortionate price has picked up the T3 Award for best mattress in both 2021 and 2022.
There are currently four mattresses in Simba's range, all hybrids: the Essential is the cheapest and most basic, then there's the Original, followed by the Pro that I'm focusing on here, and finally the Hybrid luxe. As you more up the range, Simba adds more layers, mostly aimed at delivering better comfort, support and airflow. So the seven-layer Hybrid pro contains more springs and an extra, temperature-regulating wool layer. This is in comparison to the four-layer Simba Hybrid Essential mattress and the five-layer Simba Hybrid mattress, while if you shell out for the 10-layer Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress, you're getting yet more springs and bamboo-infused wool.
Although it's not the priciest in the range, there's no question that the Hybrid Pro is still an investment. Although do bear in mind that you should never have to pay full price: there are Simba mattress discount codes and deals of around 40% off throughout the year – in fact, they're some of the best cheap mattress deals around.
I've been testing this model for over a year now. Read on for my full Simba Hybrid Pro review. Or, head to our Simba vs Emma mattress or Simba vs Brook + Wilde showdowns to explore how this brand compares to its main competition.
- Simba Hybrid Pro vs Eve Premium Hybrid: Two top-end hybrids go head to head
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Simba Hybrid Pro review: design and comfort
The Simba Hybrid Pro is a hefty 28cm deep, which is in line with other equivalently engineered mattresses, such as the Brooke + Wilde Elite Mattress. It's available in Single, Double, King or Super King sizes in the UK.
I mentioned the Hybrid Pro's seven-layer construction, as compared to the five layers of the regular Simba Hybrid mattress. The layers are: a "super-soft" breathable top layer (with improved, er, softness compared to the non-Pro version); a natural wool layer to help with heat regulation (unique to the Pro; replaced in the Luxe with bamboo-infused wool); an open-cell Simba-Pure foam layer; two layers of titanium 'Aerocoil' springs, featuring up to 5000 springs total (the non-Pro only has one layer); 'high-definition' Simba-Pure foam with edge support; and a supportive base layer of Simba-Pure foam with softer zones for better comfort for side sleepers.
Whew, it's a lot. But the great news is that I found the end result to be extremely comfortable. The top layer of softness lives up to its name, giving you something to sink into as you lay down… but just a little. Then you hit the supportive layers underneath, and there's a strong level of firmness here. Simba rates the Hybrid Pro as a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, that feels about right to me. I've found it great for supporting the back while still being a long way away from feeling hard. For side sleeping, it's forgiving enough to shape around you and still hold well.
That underlying firmness means it's easy enough to move yourself around on, and the support extends well to the edges – you won't feel like you're at risk of sliding off when you get close to them, and sitting on the edge of the mattress feels secure too.
I'm pretty impressed by how well it isolates the movement of different people in the bed – the soft layer on top seems to absorb a lot of smaller movements, and then the multiple layers underneath means bigger shifts have much less impact than they do with cheaper, simpler mattresses. It's still a single mattress unit, so you will still be able to feel someone getting up or really thrashing around in their sleep, but I've found it great overall for keeping the bounce from someone else's movements really low.
When it comes to the airflow and heat management that Simba has talked up so much, that gets a big thumbs up from my partner, who regularly suffered from overheating on a standard memory foam mattress. Using the Hybrid Pro has meant keeping a much more reliable temperature, helping materially with more consistent sleep. I don't usually have issues with mattress temperature, and I found it to be little different to other mattresses. So in the case of temperature control, this mattress rates neutral at least, really positive at best.
One thing to note is that the top cover of the mattress is not removable and washable. This is a little disappointing, as most pricier mattresses do have a removable top cover nowadays. Simba says you could use a sponge to clean spots as necessary, but a mattress protector you can bung in the washing machine is a must here.
- Memory foam vs spring mattress: what's the difference?
Simba Hybrid Pro review: delivery and small print
No surprise for a Simba – this comes vacuum packed and rolled tightly in box. In most of the UK, there's free weekday delivery on a date of your choosing, and opt for either zero-contact delivery to your front door, or delivery to your room of choice. There are a few paid-for extras you can opt into too: an extra £20 lets you narrow delivery down to a more specific time slot, it's £10 for delivery on a weekend, and £40 to have your old mattress removed.
The box makes it easier to move than having it unfurled when in the house, naturally, but it is a lot of weight packed into a small space (especially if you go for a Super King, as I did), so be careful when handling it for larger mattresses especially. For moving it around once you've expanded it, there are four handles along the sides of the mattress (except on the Single and Small Double mattresses). It's big and hefty, but not too hard to move, in the grand scheme of mattresses. Simba says you should rotate the mattress once a month for the first three months, then every three to six months, and the handles help there a lot.
Simba offers a generous 200-night trial for testing the mattress. This is double the standard 100 nights, but not the most generous trial around (a generous few will let you try a mattress out for a full year). If you really don't like it, they'll collect it from you for free for a full refund. If you order from Simba directly, this is simple, otherwise you can request it from the store you ordered from.
Simba Hybrid Pro review: price and alternatives to consider
The Simba Hybrid Pro sits towards the higher end of the market when it comes to price. At RRP, it'll set you back £1,159 for a UK Single, £1,599 for a UK Double, £1,749 for a UK King and £1,829 for a Super King. Be aware though, that RRP fluctuates fairly regularly, and there are so many deals that you can basically discard it, in any case.
In the 'high-end hybrid' market, there's a few alternatives you could consider. For around the same price, you could go for the Brook + Wilde Elite, which boasts similarly high build quality and excellent support, and gives you the option of picking your firmness level (soft, medium or firm).
Another mattress to consider is the slightly cheaper Eve Premium Hybrid (see how the two compare in our Eve Premium Hybrid vs Simba Hybrid Pro article).
If you don't like the sound of the softer top layer, you might also want to look at the model up, the Simba Hybrid Luxe. This offers a more uniform firmness (it's quite a firm mattress in general – we'd rate it an 8 out of 10) and claims to have superior cooling properties (we didn't have any issues with overheating on either model). That one is a fair bit pricier though.
Head to our Simba mattress discount codes and deals page for a closer look at the kind of offers to expect from Simba, and check our widget below for the best current prices.
Simba Hybrid Pro review: what did other people think?
Mattress comfort is extremely personal, so it helps to get opinions from varied sources. Simba's mattresses have been popular for some time, which means there's lots of information about the long-term quality of the products, and the customer service. As a brand overall, Simba's reviews are overwhelmingly positive, reaching 4.4 stars over ~35k reviews on TrustPilot. Reviews praise the comfort of products, as well as the communication and timely deliveries.
Of the negative reviews, some note that they were still too hot using it, while some others had issues with the shape, usually after at least a year. However, most of those people seem to have had no problems taking advantage of Simba's return policy and still note great service, while many people who had issues after more time seem to have been able to gain a replacement under the 10-year guarantee without problem.
There are also a handful of reviews that say it's a little soft if you lie on your back, that it lacks a bit of stability and that it sleeps slightly warm. I didn't have any of these issues, but if you're concerned, the Simba Hybrid Luxe is both firmer and has features in place to promote better airflow.
Should I buy the Simba Hybrid Pro mattress?
I love the Simba Hybrid Pro. After over a year of testing, I remain impressed with its balance of comfort and support, its temperature control, and other little improvements to sleep quality, such as strong movement isolation.
The only obvious issue is that Simba doesn't offer any firmness variability, and while being fairly middle-of-the-road in firmness means it should suit most people, if you have a strong preference outside of what it offers, you may need to look elsewhere. However, Simba's generous 200-day trial is a real bonus here, since you can give it a really good test before deciding.
The price is high too, of course. For the quality of the sleep it's given me, I'm happy to say that it's worth it – and it's certainly in line with other premium mattresses – but it will still put it out of some people's budgets. However, there are often big discounts to be had on Simba's models, so be sure to check for those before making your decision. If it's within your price range anyway or a discount brings it within it, I'd completely recommend it.
First reviewed: February 2021
