Casper Wave Review

In recent times, hybrid mattresses have popped off with their various pocketed spring, and body-conforming technologies. But how good these are mattresses actually? Well, in this Casper Wave review, you’ll get to find out about one of them.

Since 2014, Casper has been a New York-based mattress provider with the sole purpose of creating bed products from top-quality materials. They operate both online, and have their own retail stores.

Now, without going into much more detail, we’ll start off this Casper Wave review by listing its positives, while also touching on some features of the Hybrid Snow option. Then, I’ll give you some insight into the less favored features of the mattresses.

Also, we’ll compare the Casper Wave foam mattress with some of its predecessors and other similar bed products. Finally, you’ll get familiar with the prices, trial periods, warranty, and shipping. 

So, let’s get right into it!

TL;DR: The Casper Wave is a hybrid mattress made out of 4 layers of polyfoam/memory foam, and a pocketed spring base. It is a medium-firm bed, and it is a great choice for pressure relief, especially if you're a side or back sleeper. Also, you are offered to upgrade your mattress to a Hybrid Snow for a cooler sleeping experience.

Casper Wave Review: PROS

Did you know that modern mattresses are prone to have better qualities in alleviating back pain and reducing stress?^[1] For this reason, I’ll start off by listing the most prominent features of the Casper Wave foam mattress from a research-based perspective.

Here you’ll learn about each layer of the bed, and how the composition of the mattress may positively impact your quality of sleep. Let's begin.

Structure

Now, the Casper Wave has 5 layers of premium foam, primarily made to alleviate back pain, and provide cushioning for your hips. 

First of all, the mattress is topped with Caspers’ own breathable foam layer called AirScape, which is also infused with cooling gel. This gives the mattress a refreshing feeling, and a body-conforming feature, which we’ll get to a bit later. 

Next up, we have another layer of AirScape. This one has an exceptional amount of perforations, so the heat escapes that much easier. And, needless to say, it gives you a cooler sleeping experience.

Then, we have the third layer which is known as the Zoned Support Max. It is a memory foam-based surface, divided into 3 target areas: spine, shoulders, and hips.

What this means is that the mattress will be softer just beneath your shoulders, but firmer around your hips and spine, keeping your body aligned from head to toe.

Moving on, we have another Zoned Support Max layer which is structured a bit differently. It has gel pods below the waist and back areas for spine support, and a pattern of circular-shaped support areas that reinforce the layer above. 

Finally, at the bottom, we have the pocketed spring layer which adds a bit of punch to the Casper Wave. You’ll get some extra airflow, alongside slightly reinforced edge support, and just a tiny bit of bounce.

So, the Casper Wave has an option which is called Snow Technology. What does it do? 

Well, essentialy, the top layer is replaced by a QuickCool Cover that is infused with Phase Change Material, which makes the mattress much cooler on top. Also, the second layer with perforations is replaced by a cooling-gel-infused AirScape surface that also adds some cooling features.

Likewise, you get an extra AirScape layer in the middle which is wrapped in 6 HeatDelete Bands. These bands are intended to push aside the heat, and move it through the perforated layer, so less of it gets trapped inside the mattress. 

And that’s basically it with the structure section of the Casper Wave review. So, now that you know what’s inside the mattress, let’s look at its top features. 

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Pressure Relief

Hybrid mattresses, just like memory foam ones, are known to have some of the best pressure relief capabilities. I mean, hybrids are basically all-foam, they just have a pocketed coil layer at the bottom. So, how do these two types of layers work in terms of pressure relief?

Well, the two polyfoam layers on top act as conforming elements, so you feel snug and free to move around without sinking too far down. 

Then, there is the memory foam layer, which we’ve touched on previously. It is placed in the middle of the Casper Wave on purpose, so it can actually perform its body-contouring features by molding to your body. 

Finally, we have the polyfoam layer with gel pods that helps align your spine with the rest of your body. It is structured with these small bumps in the waist and lower back areas to replicate the natural curvature of the body. This way, you'll be lying down with good posture, which may even reduce neck and shoulder pain.^[2]

But, what about the spring layer? Does it actually help in terms of alleviating pressure? 

It surely does, let me tell you how it works in the Casper Wave.

Now, we know that the Casper Wave is topped with 4 layers of foam, which automatically helps alleviate pressure. However, if you’re on the heavier side, then the layers might not do you any good, and you may experience some sinkage. So, here’s where the pocketed spring layer comes into play. 

These resilient coil springs are put into small foam cloths, and they only move when there’s pressure applied. This makes them much softer, and more responsive to body movements at the top. So, the springs won’t feel as "springy" per se, and will provide some stability, at the obvious cost of bounciness.

So, now that we have the pressure off our shoulders (I had to), let’s see how well the Casper Wave deals with motion.      

Motion Isolation

Another feature that most all-foam and hybrid mattresses have in common is great motion isolation. Especially when there are layers of memory foam involved, providing the obvious body-contouring aspect.

In fact, the combination of polyfoam and memory foam is usually the best at dealing with motion transfer. So, the Casper Wave definitely comes out on top, with the memory foam layer being sandwiched by 4 layers of polyfoam and latex.

But, then again, you might wonder if the pocketed springs affect motion up top. Well, there’s nothing to worry about. 

The pocketed springs, as the name suggests, are put into these foam sleeves, and they only move when there’s pressure applied. Better yet, this spring base is topped with 4 layers of foam, so, even if the springs were to move on the other side, your partner probably wouldn’t feel a thing.

Likewise, Casper Wave reviews showed that the motion isolation was quite superb, especially for couples and co-sleeping families, where there’s a lot of movement going on.

All in all, I'd say the layers of memory foam and polyfoam give great motion isolation, especially when they’re put together. And it’s even better for back and side sleepers. Why? Let’s find out.

Best for Side and Back Sleepers

Side sleepers require cushioning around their hip and shoulder area, while back sleepers need extra support for their spine. This is where a mattress like Casper Wave could come in handy.

So, the whole mattress is pretty much foam-based, so it automatically becomes great in terms of cushioning certain areas around your body that require pressure relief.

This particular mattress has a medium-firm surface, which actually is on the softer side. But, that is completely fine for side and back sleepers, because they need that additional cushioning around the hip, spine, and shoulder areas.

Not only that, the Zoned Support Max layer has gel pods placed at areas where your back and hips go. This helps align your spine with the rest of the body, and gives some support for your hips.

So, now that we’ve figured out what types of sleepers will enjoy this mattress, let’s look at how well it handles temperature. 

Snow Technology Cooling

Cooling mattresses are hard to come by, especially if you’re looking for an all-foam or a hybrid. Now, here’s the interesting part. The Casper Wave has an optional feature that turns it into the Casper Wave Hybrid Snow, obviously for an additional price. 

Without going any further, I'll quickly mention that this particular section of the Casper Wave mattress review is actually directed towards the Hybrid Snow variant. By selecting this option, you'll get all the same features of the Wave, but with some additional layers for cooling and airflow.

I’m sure you’re quite confused, but, trust me, it’s really simple. So, how does it work?

Now, the Hybrid Snow has a different top cover which is called the QuickCool, and an extra AirScape layer, hooked up with 6 HeatDelete Bands. This keeps the heat out of the mattress, which obviously results in a much cooler sleep experience during the night. 

In fact, the QuickCool cover has this phase change material which makes the mattress significantly cooler to the touch. Especially when you clamber on top of it for the first time. That’s because it has twice as much cooling gel infused in the cover. 

Likewise, Casper Wave reviews from customers showed that the Snow Technology did have an impact on the mattress temperature, which was especially crucial for hot sleepers. 

So, that’s definitely a great improvement when we compare the Hybrid Snow to the regular Wave Hybrid without the cooling feature. In fact, the absence of temperature control in the Casper Wave is a major drawback that we’ll touch on a bit later.

Now, the last advantage that we’ll talk about in this Casper Wave review is edge support. 

Edge Support

So, if you’ve ever owned an all-foam or hybrid mattress, then you’ve certainly experienced some very poor edge support. This involves sagging, sinking at the edge of your bed, and possibly rolling off your mattress (if you’re an active sleeper, of course).

To my surprise, the Casper Wave has pretty decent, reinforced edges. That is primarily because it has that pocketed spring base at the bottom, and the springs go all around the mattress, so it gives it much more stability.

That being said, it’s pretty usual for a hybrid mattress to have decent edge support, but it’s not overly reinforced, so people on the heavier side may experience some sinkage.

However, the edges on the Casper Wave are definitely better than on an average foam-based mattress, so there shouldn’t be issues while sitting or lying on the side of the bed.

Now, that we’ve established the main advantages of the Casper Wave, let’s see in which departments the mattress is lacking. 

Casper Wave Review: CONS

In this Casper Wave review section, we’ll be looking at some drawbacks that are pretty usual for regular foam mattresses and hybrids. 

Poor Cooling without Snow Technology

Now, earlier we’ve talked about the Casper Wave Snow Hybrid which is basically an upgraded version of the regular Casper Wave. Difference is - the Snow Hybrid has some extra cooling layers that help with the temperature control. 

But, how is the Casper Wave without the Snow Technology? Well, all I can say is that the extra cooling option is there for a reason.

So, the temperature control in the original Wave Hybrid shouldn’t be an issue for regular folks. However, hot sleepers won’t have a very "cool" sleeping experience. While the airflow is supported by perforated foam layers, and a pocketed spring base, it won’t have enough juice to push out excessive heat.

That is basically the "curse" of foam-based mattresses, and very few of them can actually get the temperature control right, if any. So, if you experience hot sleep on a daily basis, then I'd suggest looking at some of the best cooling mattresses.

In fact, I’ll do you one better and give you my top choice, which is a Saatva Classic mattress. Its innerspring design creates superb airflow throughout the bed, and makes it the coolest kid on the block.

Now then, let’s move on to another issue that pretty much all packaged mattresses have, which is off-gassing.

Off-Gassing

So, if you don’t know what off-gassing is, then, let me tell you - you’ve definitely experienced it. Try to remember the last time you’ve unboxed something. Was there a funky/plasticy smell coming from the packaging? Well, there you go, that’s literally what off-gassing is. 

Now, the gasses that get released are called VOCs which are harmless, because modern mattresses are tested by organizations like CertiPUR-US which ensure the safety of your bed.

This goes without saying, but the Casper Wave will come in a large box. Likewise, throughout the whole delivery process, it won’t have any way to air out, so you’ll definitely notice that smell. 

I mean, it’s really not that bad, so, rest assured, that you won’t need a gas mask to open the package. 

However, it’ll become much more noticeable when you lie down on the mattress. Therefore, airing the Casper Wave out before you actually sleep on it is very advisable. For instance, you may take it outside, or leave it in someplace that has good ventilation for a couple of days. 

This way, all the excess smells will dissipate, especially when most of the layers on the Casper Wave mattress are perforated. 

Now, we can move on to firmness which is a very subjective matter. Here's why.

Not Great for Stomach Sleepers

So, it’s widely known that stomach sleepers require a much firmer surface, especially if you’re on the heavier side. That’s because if the mattress is too soft, then your whole midsection will sink into the middle, which may result in your body being misaligned.

In this Casper Wave review, we’ve touched on the huge amount of layers that this mattress has. More than that, since the mattress is a hybrid, it has a pocketed spring base, which you would think is enough to prevent sinkage.

However, that is not always the case.

Truth be told, the foam layers are not that dense, and the pocketed coil base doesn’t provide much lift to hold you up for long. Which may result in sinkage.

However, if you’re an average weighing person, and you sleep by yourself, then sleeping on your stomach shouldn’t be an issue. Some Casper Wave reviews suggested that the mattress was even too firm. So, it could be a blessing in disguise for some stomach sleepers.

In any case, if you want to be less concerned about sinkage and weight, then you may explore some of the more firm mattresses on the market. For instance, the Saatva HD, which is a really tough mattress. And I don't mean it in a bad way.

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It's great in terms of durability, firmness, breathability, and is probably one of the best choices for any stomach sleeper, or a heavier person.

So, we’ve covered all the pros and cons of the Casper Wave. In hindsight, it looks to be one of the better hybrids, however, we have no idea how it compares to other similar mattresses. 

Now, we’ll do this sort of a side-by-side, and put the Casper Wave up against other beds. This way we’ll know in which aspects these mattresses come out on top. Let's get to it.

Casper Wave Hybrid vs Purple 3

I’ll be comparing these two mattresses on multiple criteria, so you know which are more applicable to your needs. 

In fact, I’ve decided to grab some features that were mentioned in this Casper Wave Hybrid mattress review. I’ll weigh them up with the same features in the Purple 3. This way, you’ll know which mattress has advantages that reflect your needs. 

Firstly, let’s talk about structure. While we already know that the Casper Wave has a zoned memory foam layer, the Purple 3 mattress has a dense GelFlex layer. It is essentially made out of a very flexible material, and has some body-contouring capabilities, same as memory foam.

Table: Pressure relief features of Casper and Purple mattresses

However, it’s hard to say whether memory foam is any better than GelFlex, so things such as pressure relief and motion isolation capabilities are very subjective.

Likewise, the Casper Wave is on the softer side of medium-firm, while the Purple 3 is almost firm. So, the Purple 3 is probably better for stomach sleepers, but it may feel a bit too firm for side and back sleepers who require more cushioning.

Now, what about temperature control?

Well, the Wave Hybrid has perforated AirScape layers which aren’t ideal if you’re a hot sleeper. On the other hand, the Purple 3 has that gel grid layer which is said to have one of the best cooling properties, but it may not be as comfortable for side and back sleepers that sleep hot.

So, how much do these mattresses cost?

Well, both the Casper Wave and Purple 3 are pretty much in the same price range, so it really depends on which features are more important to you.

Table: the prices of Casper and Purple mattresses

All in all, if I was a back or side sleeper, who was looking for something that has a bit more cushioning, then I’d go for a Casper Wave.  On the contrary, if you want a firmer surface to sleep on, especially if you’re a stomach sleeper, then the Purple 3 would seem like a decent enough choice. 

Casper Nova Hybrid vs Wave Hybrid

So, now that we’ve compared the two similar beds from different companies, let’s look at how the Wave matches up against another mattress of the Casper family - the Nova.

At this point, you’ll need to consider only a couple options, because these two are closely similar.  Here’s a quick rundown of what you should look out for when choosing between the two:

• Price. So, the Nova Hybrid comes out on top in terms of price, because it has a much simpler structure, obviously at the cost of the following two features.
• Firmness. The Casper Wave is a lot firmer than the Nova, because it has a more supportive than a plush feel. Therefore, the Wave should be a bit more comfortable for stomach sleepers compared to the Nova.
• Zoned Support. Finally, the Casper Wave comes out on top with the Zoned Support Max layer which is a bit more enhanced than the one in the Nova. 

Now, who do I think won the match of Casper Wave vs Nova? 

Well, in brief, the Nova Hybrid takes the cake in terms of price, but, at the cost of having one less layer, being less firm, and with less zoned memory foam capabilities. So, if these features seem crucial to you, then be sure to go with the Wave Hybrid. 

Price

At this point of the Casper Wave review, we’ve already established its main features, and saw how it compares to other mattresses. Also, as you can see, the Casper Wave is quite pricey. 

As a side note, if you want my advice, I'd go for a Casper Wave Hybrid King-Sized mattress, because it's just gonna be a lot more durable, and larger in size. So, you won't have to worry about getting a new one in the future. 

Either way, the prices listed below were at the point of writing this article, so they may change:

• Twin - $1,845.00
• Twin XL - $2,995.00
• Full - $3,595.00
• Queen - $3,995.00
• King - $4,595.00
• CAL King - $4,595.00

Likewise, if you want to cut the price a little bit, then check out our coupon page for a nice discount on Casper products.

So, now you’re probably wondering if that’s all you get for paying such a price for a mattress. Well, not entirely. Casper wants to make sure that this mattress would be a one-time purchase, and can serve you for a long period of time.

Therefore, you’ll get a 100-Night Risk-Free Trial during which you may return your mattress for a full refund. On top of that, you are given a 10-Year Limited Warranty which covers defects that were caused by the manufacturer.

P.S. you can do a quick nap test on the Wave mattress at a Casper retail store to see if it's even worth your attention. 

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Conclusions 

While getting a good nights' sleep feels fantastic, having some quality rest on a comfortable mattress will feel even better. As always, you should figure out your sleeping position, and what mattress type is best for you.

So, we may conclude this Casper Wave review on a high note - it’s definitely a decent enough mattress that has similar qualities to other hybrid beds. It compared really well with the Purple 3, and got some things significantly better over the Casper Nova.

Table: Information on Casper

However, some features that I didn’t like were its temperature control and firmness. The thing with temperature is - you need to pay a lot of extra money if you want additional cooling.

Likewise, in this Casper Wave review, I’ve briefly touched on firmness, which is totally fine for most people. But some lighter weighing people and stomach sleepers may find it too soft.

Anyways, thanks for reading my article on the Casper Wave, and I hope you found what you were looking for. If not, then check out our reviews on some of the best mattresses, or look for specific products at Saatva, Puffy, or Layla. 

Scientific References

1. Jacobson B, Boolani A, Smith D: 'Changes in back pain, sleep quality, and perceived stress after introduction of new bedding systems'

2. Lee W, Ko M: 'Effect of sleep posture on neck muscle activity'