Comparison
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Cover
The Plank mattress is wrapped in durable-feeling non-removable cover. We call this type of cover a "tight top" since it's quite tightly stretched without much loft.
Cooling Cover option
A recently added option is a cooling cover. The fabric on both sides is made with phase-change material, and is an option that adds about $125 to the price. We tried a model with the cooling cover and it did feel cool to the touch.
Phase-change material can be thought of as tiny beads filled with wax. As the wax warms, it draws heat from your body and begins to melt. The net effect is that the cover stays cooler while you are falling asleep. It doesn't always feel cool to the touch -- eventually your body will warm it up.
Comfort & Feel
There are three aspects that make up our assessment of comfort and feel. We call these "preference-based characteristics" because no rating here is better or worse – rather, the attributes that are most desirable to you will be determined solely by your personal preferences. We apply the same classification standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.
Softness ( what’s this )
The Plank bed has two sides; one called Ultra Firm, which on our scale we would call an Extra Firm. It's just about the firmest mattress we have tested, and the effect is a bit like laying on a very plush carpet, or one of those thin mattresses used for camping. It would also compare to a softer futon. The flip side of the bed is what the company calls Firm. We would call it a Medium Firm, but to the firmest side of Medium Firm, very close to a Firm.
Not sure what softness is best for you? Take our Mattress Match Quiz and find out.
| Softness Level - Ultra Firm Side (1=Least Soft, 9=Most Soft) |
2 | Extra Firm |
| Softness Level - Firm Side (1=Least Soft, 9=Most Soft) |
4 | Medium Firm |
Cushioning Depth ( what’s this )
As one of the firmest mattress we have tested, it's unsurprising that the Plank doesn't allow you to sink much at all. Cushioning depth is what can give you a "hugged" or "cradled" sensation from a mattress versus more of a "floating on top" feeling, and the Plank is definitely the latter.
| Cushioning Depth (1=Shallowest, 9=Deepest) |
2 | Shallow cushioning |
Responsiveness ( what’s this )
We look at responsiveness in two ways. First, we examine how quickly a mattress springs back after being depressed, then we take a look at bounce qualities.
Since the Plank mattress does not include any memory foam, we were not surprised to find that it did not have any of that slow-responding melting quality of memory foam. Rather, it springs back into position quickly.
As for bounce, we would not expect much (if any) from an all-foam mattress, but the Plank did have a little what we call mid-level bounce -- the type of bounce some couples prefer. There was hardly any bounce right at the surface, or deep bounce, where your whole body would spring back up.
| Memory Feel (1=Least, 9=Most) |
1 | None |
| Bounce (1=Least, 9=Most) |
3 | Very little bounce |
Back Support & Pressure Relief
The two things that you should always be sure to get from your mattress are spinal alignment (commonly thought of as "back support") and pressure relief. Unfortunately, no mattress will deliver these two things equally well for all sleepers. In particular, spinal alignment and pressure relief capabilities will vary across sleepers with different weights, body shapes, and sleep positions. To help you determine how this mattress will perform for you, we break down our spinal alignment and pressure relief assessments by sleeper type.
The Plank fits into a unique category, meant to appeal to those who value it's extra firm feel, and who are perhaps willing to compromise on spinal alignment to get that super-firm feel.
Spinal Alignment
The key to good back support is maintaining proper spinal alignment while you sleep. This means that the mattress should hold your spine in roughly the same position it's in when you're standing. The ability of a given mattress to do this will generally depend on your weight, sleep position, and body shape.
Here is how we break down the spinal alignment of the Plank mattress on the Ultra Firm side:
| Weight | Range | Back Sleepers | Side Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Lighter | <150 lb | 8 |
4 | 9 |
| Average | 150 to 200 lb | 9 | 4 | 9 |
| Above Average | 200 to 250 lb | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| Heavier | >250 lb | 10 | 5 | 9 |
Back Sleepers:
Our 200-pound tester felt this mattress to be very supportive in this position, and even with its shallow cushioning and extra firmness, he still felt his hips sinking just enough for the mattress to support his lumbar area. We felt that people of our tester's weight, as well as those heavier, would have a similar experience. Lighter people might want to flip the mattress to the Firm side, as their hips simply might not be heavy enough to achieve any compression at all on the Ultra Firm side.
Side Sleepers:
We would not recommend the Plank bed for any side sleeper. There just isn't enough 'give' on either side of this mattress for our tester's shoulder to sink into the mattress and keep his spine in alignment.
Stomach Sleepers:
The Plank bed is excellent for stomach sleepers, as it fully supports hips in this position resulting in no hammocking or over-arching of the back. Note that you will want to use a very thin pillow, or no pillow at all, so maintain good spinal alignment while stomach sleeping.
Pressure Relief ( what's this )
When a mattress pushes back against your body with too much force in a concentrated area, the result can be pain, soreness, loss of circulation, excessive tossing, and other problems. In general, such "pressure points" are of greatest concern for side sleepers, since that's the position in which your body's weight is distributed over the smallest surface area. To find the right mattress for your needs, keep in mind that the pressure-relieving capabilities of any given mattress will vary depending on the sleeper. Factors like your weight and body shape (e.g., broader shoulders and/or hips) will determine how far you sink into the mattress, and the pressure relief offered by that mattress will vary widely at different depths.
Because this is such a firm mattress, pressure relief is not a strength, and we would not recommend it for side sleepers that have joint issues and pressure relief needs.
| Weight | Range | Typical Curves | Extra Curvy |
| Lighter | <150 lb | 3 | 3 |
| Average | 150 to 200 lb | 3 | 3 |
| Above Average | 200 to 250 lb | 4 | 4 |
| Heavier | >250 lb | 4 | 4 |
Other Features
Beyond the preference-based characteristics of comfort and feel, and the body matching for spinal alignment and pressure relief, a mattress will have a number of other attributes that can make it a better or worse choice for you. We call these "priority-based characteristics" because they are areas in which a mattress can be better or worse, but that will have differing amounts of importance to each sleeper. So, determining how much importance to give to these features will be entirely a matter of your own personal priorities. As always, we apply the same ratings standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.
Motion Isolation ( what’s this )
With a bowling pin standing upright on the Plank bed, we tested motion isolation by dropping a 16-lb. bowling ball on it, as well as the whole weight of our 200-lb. tester. In both drop tests, the bowling pin wiggled quite a bit but didn't fall. Motion isolation was a little better on the softer side of the bed.
We felt that the Plank bed would be a good choice for couples who don’t want to feel their partner getting in and out of bed or repositioning.
Worth noting: The optional cooling cover is quite slippery. If you place the mattress atop a box-type foundation with a fabric cover, you may find the mattress can slide.
| Motion Isolation Rating | 8/10 | Good |
Temperature ( what’s this )
For most people, we do not think that the Plank mattress will feel hot, not because it has any special cooling properties, but because unlike most foam mattresses, you simply don't sink into it, leaving most of your body exposed to air.
A new option is the cooling cover with phase-change material, designed to help keep you cool while you fall asleep. But even without the cooling cover, we don't think the Plank mattress will feel hot due to the very shallow cushioning.
| Stays “Cool” Rating | 7 /10 | Good |
Edge Support ( what’s this )
All foam beds typically have a poor reputation for edge support -- important for those who like to sit or lay right on the edge of their mattress. However, because the Plank bed is so firm, we found that it actually had good edge support, especially notable since it has no particular edge-support features.
When laying on the edge, particularly on the Extra Firm side, our tester did feel a little tilted, but he never felt unstable or like he would roll off. We did note that the softer (Firm) side of the bed was better in this respect.
| Edge Support Rating | 8 /10 | Very good |
Ease of Repositioning ( what’s this )
One of the highlights of the Plank mattress, for our tester, was ease of movement, which was almost effortless. If you tend to change positions a lot, this bed performed extremely well in our view.
| Repositioning Rating | 10 /10 | Exceptional |
Green Features ( what’s this )
For mattress shoppers concerned with the use of natural materials, sustainable manufacturing practices or the like, we offer our subjective evaluation of any efforts taken by the company to make the mattress more green, healthy, or safe.
In the case of the Plank mattress, the company makes no claims about the use of natural materials, however all of the foams used are certified to the CertiPUR-US standard, which verifies that a material has low VOC off-gassing as well as a lack of chemicals and other substances regulated by the CPSC.
We gave the mattress an informal 'sniff test' and noticed nothing beyond a normal 'new mattress smell' that typically dissipates in a couple of days. In fact, it seemed to our tester that there was less of that smell than with other beds.
| Green Rating | 4 /10 | Fair |
Adjustable Base Compatibility ( what’s this )
If you plan to use your mattress atop an adjustable base, the Plank mattress won't be damaged in any way. However, as you can see below, it didn't conform very well to our adjustable base. While we would expect a break-in period for all mattresses used on an adjustable base, other mattresses did a better job conforming when our base was fully articulated. This wasn't something we noticed while in the bed, but as soon as we got out, it popped right up. We also noticed quite a lot of bunching of the cover quilting. We would expect better conformance after a break-in period, but out of the box, the Plank wasn't the best.
| Adjustable Base Use Rating | 6 /10 | Pretty Good |
Price, Value & Longevity
How Much Does a Plank Mattress Cost?
Prices shown are list prices. Remember that GoodBed keeps our site current with the best available discounts on all online mattresses, many of which are exclusive discounts for our readers.
What Are You Getting?
The Plank mattress is an 11-inch mattress that occupies a unique niche--aimed at those who prefer an extremely firm mattress. While the materials of its construction are not groundbreaking, this level of firmness can be hard for consumers to find, especially among online brands, which tend to hover in the "medium" range.
How Long Will the Plank Mattress Last?
When it comes to estimating the comfort lifespan of a mattress, we tend to use foam density as our best, albeit imperfect, predictor of how long a foam will retain its shape and resiliency. Most of the foams used in the Plank bed are well established in terms of predictability. The only red flag of note is the 1.8-lb foam quilted into the cover. However, there's so little of it that even if it did lose resiliency, we doubt it would be noticeable. If we had any concern, it might be for very heavy persons over 200 pounds, who might be heavy enough that the foam breaks down more quickly over time. In that case, a firm bed with an innerspring support core might be a more durable option than an all-foam bed, regardless of brand.
Overall Value
On balance, we feel that Plank mattress is an excellent value for those shopping for a very firm bed. Price wise, it sits right in line with the competition among all-foam beds that don't offer its unique firmness level.
| Value Rating | 7 /10 | Good value |
Other Factors to Consider
Delivery
- Free delivery to your door
Plank's manufacturer, Brooklyn Bedding, includes free delivery to your door, which is not particularly unusual among its competitors.
Returns
- 120-day trial period
- Full refund, including return shipping within trial period
The company offers buyers a 120-day trial period, and requires that buyers try the mattress at least 30 days before returning it. Returns within the trial period are free, with return shipping included. See Brooklyn Bedding's return policy
Warranty
- Warranty Length: 10 years
- Indentation Coverage: 1” and above
One of the biggest, if not THE biggest complaints about any mattress from consumers regards body impressions—the inability of a mattress to spring back, eventually creating a low spot/sinkhole in the mattress. As such, mattress warranties all contain a term defining how big a sag or ‘body impression’ (measured when no one is on the mattress) is considered a defect, and thus covered under the warranty. The industry standard for mattresses is generally between ¾” and 1.5”. Brooklyn Bedding has chosen to cover indentations that meet or exceed 1” for the Plank mattress. Practically speaking, that means any softening or sagging would need to be at least that deep before the warranty would offer you protection.
See: Brooklyn Bedding warranty policy
