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A good, firm mattress supports your body without recreating the experience of drifting off on a hardwood floor.
Our stomach sleeping tester was immediately comfortable on this hybrid bed.
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As part of the Helix Core Collection, it’s among the brand’s most affordable models.
Naturally, these cost extra.
We’re keeping a close watch in the run-up to theMemorial Day mattress sales.
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Starting from the top, the Dawn comes with a soft-touch BreatheKnit cover as standard.
However, hot sleepers can choose to add aGlacioTexcooling pillow top for $299.
For further customization, Helix offers an ErgoAlign upgrade for $199.
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That’s followed by two layers of Helix Response Foam.
If you opt for the ErgoAlign upgrade, this is where your zoned foam will sit.
It takes three weeks to properly adjust to a bed, but we have developed a clear initial impression.
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Helix claims the Dawn is an 8 out of 10 on themattress firmnessscale, with 10 being rock-hard.
It’s a similar rating to many of the beds in ourbest firm mattressguide.
From our initial testing, we say this is accurate.
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Other members of the testing team praised how the mattress cradles their spine when sleeping on their backs.
We’ll need to do more testing here, as the foams might soften with use.
Since getting the mattress home, our lead tester has felt some pressure build up in the legs.
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Our subjective thoughts are gathered over the three-week testing period with input from a broader testing panel.
Edge support
Edge supportrefers to how strong the mattress feels when sitting or lying on the sides.
We test edge support using a 55lb weight, measuring how far it sinks into the mattress.
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In the center of the Helix Dawn, the weight sank around two inches.
For good edge support, we expect a similar level of sink at the sides.
Motion isolation
Goodmotion isolationprevents movement from one side of the bed bouncing across to the other.
It tends to be a feature of thebest memory foam mattresses.
We test motion isolation by balancing a wine glass on the mattress (representing a person asleep.)
The more the wine glass wobbles, the worse the motion isolation.
Real-world testing is needed to determine if your partner’s late nights will actually disturb your rest.
Typically, cooler is better when it comes to a mattress.
We haven’t felt cool, but we haven’t felt overly warm, either.
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The Dawn Mattress comes flattened, vacuum packed, and rolled.
The unboxing process was easy, although we do recommend an extra pair of hands.
Even the full-size mattress we’re testing is heavy.
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Once out of the packaging, the Helix Dawn Mattress expanded quickly.
We did detect someoff-gassingwhen unboxing our model.
Open a window when unboxing to help the scent dissipate quickly.
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Customer reviews are largely positive, particularly among sleepers seeking a firm mattress.
Helix Dawn Mattress: Should you buy it?
TheHelix Midnight mattresshas a comparable build but uses softer foams for more cushioning.
Upgrade to the GlacioTex cover if you sleep hot.
Or check out theSiena Memory Foam Mattress, which has a similar feel at a lower price.
There’s no ‘sink’ to cause bad backs.
It scored well in our objective tests, offering good motion isolation and edge support.
We’re excited to see how it performs over a longer testing period.
Keep watching for our full review.
