Slumberland Response Latex 3.0 reviewed

The Slumberland Response Latex 3.0 is a 34cm plush-top hybrid: a deep quilted top and a layer of graphite-infused latex sit over 3,750 pocket springs in three layers. It is the most cushioned model in the redesigned Response Latex range and the only one that Bensons for Beds sells in soft, medium and firm.

Construction

The National Bed Federation’s buying guide puts typical pocket spring counts between 600 and 2,500 and notes that some mattresses go “up to 3 or even 4,000”, so 3,750 sits near the top of the market. The extra layer of mini springs and the plushtop are what you pay for over the Response Latex 1.0 and 2.0: they let the shoulder sink in a little further, while the latex keeps the surface lively instead of the slow sink of memory foam (Response Latex 3.0 at Bensons).

We describe the Medium version and rate it 5 on our 1 to 10 scale. Soft suits lighter side sleepers, medium suits most side and back sleepers and couples who sleep in different positions, and firm suits back sleepers who still want the plush top. With three layers of individually pocketed springs, one partner turning over should disturb the other less than on a single-layer unit.

A single costs £1,149.99 and a double £1,199.99. Bensons says the Response Latex range is handmade to order in its Kitemark-approved UK factory, and the mattress carries an 8-year guarantee. At 34cm it needs fitted sheets with a deep pocket.

Who should buy it

The Response Latex 3.0 is worth its price if you sleep on your side, or share the bed with someone who sleeps differently, and want the springiness and cooler feel of latex. It is also the softest way into the latex range, since the 1.0 stops at firm. Back sleepers on a budget get similar support from the Response Latex 1.0, and anyone who prefers to sink into the surface should compare it with the Air 9.0 memory foam model.