I am looking for a good waterproof mattress protector for a waterproof mattress that wont make me sleep hot and is breathable. Anyone have any suggestions? I have tried the Luna and it didn't work, it slept hot. I have not heard good things about the protect a bed brand either. Wool is nice but it is very expensive.

Hi Rskman,

Part of the problem I think is that memory foam by itself tends to be hotter than other foams and the waterproof protectors that use a "breathable" membrane also sleep hotter than mattress protectors that are only water resistant (such as wool). While either of these two by themselves (a version of memory foam or even a"cool" version of memory foam and a waterproof mattress protector) may work well for some people, the combination will also create a "too hot" sleeping environment for others who sink more deeply into a memory foam mattress or who are naturally more sensitive to heat.

I personally don't think that there is a "breathable/waterproof" mattress protector in existence that is as breathable as a wool or cotton protector (without the membrane) and that won't sleep hot for some people ... especially with memory foam. All the different brands use a similar membrane although using a natural fiber in the material rather than a synthetic fiber will probably be slightly cooler version (synthetic fibers are generally hotter than natural fibers).

It may be worthwhile to look for the best value in a wool protector (Natura and Dormeir are two that are usually considered to be high quality but there are others as well). These are more expensive as you mention (and worth looking for better "deals" in various outlets since their prices vary) and are only water resistant (meaning that they will absorb a lot of moisture without allowing it to pass through into the mattress or in case of accidents giving you lots of time to remove the bedclothes without it going through to the mattress) but they are far more breathable and sleep cooler.

The interacting factors that generally work together to create breathability or "coolness" are the type of foam in the upper layers of the mattress (some memory foams are far more breathable than others), the type of quilting in the mattress (if any), the type of ticking material used (natural vs synthetic), how deeply a person sinks into the mattress, how closely the mattress materials wrap themselves around you, the amount of heat generated by a person, the individual sensitivity to heat, the type of protector used, and the type of sheets and blankets used. All of these (with the probable exception of personal sensitivity) can be adjusted and their cumulative effect determines how hot a person will sleep. Sometimes adjusting one or two of these will result in getting into someone's temperature comfort range without having to give up "waterproofness".

Always tradeoffs ...

Phoenix

thanks Phoenix.
My tempflow came with a bamboo covering, which I like. I am a hot sleeper, not because of the memory foam, i have always been a hot sleeper. Before the memory foam I had a water bed which i loved because it was cool and absorbed my heat. My wife hated it I came home one day it was gone (lol) Anyone want a queen bookcase water bed frame in the so cal area?

So far I am enjoying the tempflow, my wife claims it is cold when she gets in it, which it is and it takes a while to warm up. I just want to protect the mattress without loosing its ability to breath. I spent a lot of money on it and dont want it ruined from perspiration, etc. As you know I tried the luna and woke up hot, they explained this as "Luna Mattress protectors work with a cotton terry surface material back coated with a membrane layer allowing air vapors to pass through much like the characteristics of human skin." This completely explains why it sleeps hot, vapors is such a tiny amount that it wouldn't let the mattress cool. I am trying to stay away from anything with a backing, either vinyl or like the luna. I think the Natura has a backing, not sure. I also heard it used to be sold at costco but its not online so I will have to check that out in the store. The Dormier I had heard is the same as the one made by duxiana but I will have to go to a store and see if that is true and the cost. My concern with that brand is if I put it on and it doesn't work for me I am out over $200 just to try it out. I also found another wool pad online at www.greenmountaindiapers.com/bedding.htm but again its expensive and not returnable. I also had concerns that the way it is made it would bunch up on the bed . With all the memory foam beds that are sold you would think someone would have come up with a solution for this.

Hi Rskman,

The tempflow is one of the "coolest" memory foams. I have a tempflow pillow and was impressed with the breathibility of the memory foam they use ... as well as it's lack of smell (and he sent me a brand new one so whatever I could smell would be the worst of it).

Bamboo is also very breathable and temperature regulating so that too is a "cooler" choice.

Overall ... because of your tendency to sleep hot ... the best option is probably a thin wool protector which only has a little bit of wool in it (less than say 10 oz/sq yd) and is more stretchy so it interferes less with the memory foam.

The breathable/waterproof polyurethane membranes are a great compromise for most people (like gore-tex and similar materials in sports clothing) but they are a compromise by their very nature because having a pore size that allows for airflow but not water penetration means less breathability.

The Natura had several models of mattress protector. The Deluxe (which I purchased when it was on sale at Costco) and the other "protect" series has a polyurethane membrane along with the wool but there is less wool in it than their other models. They also have several wool and cotton mattress pads without the membrane (like the Dormeir but they have more wool).

Most of the wool pads and protectors that have stretchy corners or sides so they won't bunch up so much in sleeping but they will tend to compress over time. Thicker wool layers are softer and quite frankly nicer but they also have a greater risk of compressing and will affect the feel of the layers underneath them more.

This stayclean protector from Walmart (video is here) may be worth testing if for no other reason that you can return it if it doesn't work.

So as it stands your upper layers that could make a difference in sleeping temperature (from the foam up) look like this ...

Tempflow memory foam ... cooler than most memory foams in both the foam and in the design.

Bamboo Ticking ... cooler than most tickings.

Mattress protector ... still to be decided but hopefully cooler and more breathable than the Luna

Sheets ... unknown but linen (flax) might be a very "cool" choice if you haven't tried them.

Pyjamas (if any) ... unknown ... but more natural materials would likely be cooler than synthetics.

Blankets ... also unknown but perhaps worth some experimenting

Sleeper ... clearly tending towards hot ... and probably not adjustable

Phoenix