Mattress Topper Reviews – Summary Memory Foam Mattress Topper Reviews Latex Mattress Topper Reviews Wool Mattress Topper Reviews Mattress Topper Reviews > Featherbed Topper Reviews Featherbed Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons Based on 4,607 Actual Consumer Experiences What You Need To Know THE GOOD: Featherbeds (also known as feather mattress toppers) are often effective at softening a firm mattress. They typically cost less and sleep hot less than the average mattress topper. THE BAD: Regular fluffing / shaking is needed to maintain most loft and comfort. Lumpiness / clumping is possible. Thickness and cushioning may be inadequate for some people. Feathers may poke through the cover, causing discomfort. Dry cleaning is often required. THE TOPPER: Despite its name, a featherbed is not an actual bed or mattress but a mattress topper. The product is filled mostly or entirely with feathers from the wings and backs of geese and duck.
THE COMPETITION: Mainly fiberbeds and wool toppers. Learn how featherbeds compare in the mattress topper comparison. Featherbed Ratings: As a Group The ratings show how featherbeds compare to the average topper as evaluated by consumers. For ratings on individual models, see the following section. Prices often range $60-$155. The average price is $87 which is well lower than that of the average mattress topper ($141). Given their relatively low price and general effectiveness at softening a mattress, featherbeds are a solid value. Featherbeds have similar longevity / durability as other topper types. About 20% of owners report that some feathers escape the topper, especially during shaking / fluffing. The product will lose at least some of its loft and softness over time. Heavier featherbeds tend to be thicker (and softer) than lighter ones. Sleepers will sink in and be surrounded more by a thicker topper. About 20% of owners with back pain report their featherbed helps to reduce it.
Feathers poking through the cover may cause discomfort and even pain. Featherbeds provide limited conforming-to-the-body support especially without regular shaking and fluffing. Unlike memory foam and latex toppers, featherbeds do not reduce your motion from reaching and disturbing your partner. No lumpiness / clumping Lumpiness and clumping of the feathers is possible without regular shaking and fluffing. Easy to move on Featherbeds tend to provide little resistance to changing positions, getting up off the bed. While better than memory foam and latex, odor is still a problem for about 6% of owners. Bothersome heat retention is reported by no more than 3% of owners. Featherbeds tend to sleep warm in winter and cooler in summer. The feathers or lining inside may make a soft crunching / crackling noise when compressed. Mostly well suited, aside from the occasional poking feather. Easy to lift, handle, move Weight is often 14-18 lbs (queen) which is about average for mattress topper.
Proper fit / secure Most featherbeds simply lie on top of a mattress without corner straps or elastic skirts to fasten them. If placed between the mattress and a fitted sheet, featherbeds tend to stay mostly in place. Shaking / fluffing is needed to maintain loft and comfort – from every day to every few weeks depending on owner preference. Product may cause bed to appear somewhat lumpy and uneven. Dry cleaning is often recommended. The following table compares featherbeds that have at least 80% owner satisfaction based on 200 or more consumer experiences. Natural Baffle- channel Featherbed Cluster Top Baffle Box White Goose Feather & Down Contains down (for added softness) twin, full, queen, king, CA king twin, full, queen, king * Heavier featherbeds tend to be thicker (and softer) than lighter ones. Sensation of Lying on a Featherbed Owners often compare sleeping on their featherbed to "sleeping on a cloud," and the words "cozy," "soft"
and "fluffy" are often used to describe the topper. who say that the product makes no difference in comfort often described the product as "too thin" and that it flattensThose who say the product reduces comfort often say it causes pain due to feather poking or lumpiness. Featherbed manufacturers often tout that they use baffled channels in their products. designed to keep the feathers in place and therefore prevent clumping and the formation of peaks and valleys. Owner experience data, however, shows that baffling has limited effectiveness in many cases, and that you should expect some feather clumping whether the product is baffled or not. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric. Owner experience data shows little to no correlation between the thread count and owner satisfaction. However, a higher thread count may be somewhat more likely to prevent feathers from escaping. At Amazon: A Top-Rated Featherbed About our featherbed topper review and research
About 59 million Americans have had a recent episode of back pain, and about 80% of all people will have back pain at some time. Whether you already struggle with back pain or are trying to prevent back trouble, there are dozens of opportunities in your daily routine for you to protect your back -- or put it at risk. Help Your Back in Bed You spend about a third of your life sleeping. One of the best ways to protect your back is with a mattress and sleep positions that support it, says Lauren Polivka, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Balance Gym in Washington, D.C. “If you don’t have the right support system, you can set yourself up for injury.” Make bedtime a haven for your back by: Getting the right mattress. No matter how comfortable a squishy-soft feather bed may seem at first, a firmer mattress is usually the best for your back, Polivka says. “The types of beds where partners can choose a different level of support can be good, because differences in body structure and size can make what’s comfortable for one person different from another.”
Keep your bed in shape. If you’re waking up stiff and sore, check your mattress. How long has it been since you replaced it? “It’s the same as with running shoes: you put a lot of pressure on the mattress and deforming the foam over time,” Polivka explains. Twice a year, flip the mattress over and check for divots, dents, wear and tear and breakage. If there are spots where the mattress isn’t springing back the way it used to, it’s time to spring for a new one. Consumer Reports recommends that you consider changing your mattress if yours is at more than 5 to 7 years old.The worst sleep position for your back? “It puts your neck in a more extended, rotated position -- because you can’t sleep face down -- and that puts the most strain on your joints,” Polivka explains. Instead, sleep either on your side or your back, using pillows for support. If you prefer your side, the best aid is a body pillow that can support your weight between your knees and help align your arms.
Back sleepers should put a pillow between their knees.Do you jump (or roll grumpily) out of bed when the alarm clock rings? Instead, take a minute to stretch fully and let your body wake up before getting a move on. This can help prevent injuries, Polivka says. Back Pain in the Car Do you spend more than an hour a day in your car? You’re not alone -- 85% of Americans commute by car, reporting an average of 50 minutes a day behind the wheel. Bad positioning in your vehicle can quickly add up to back pain. Here’s how to make your commute less taxing on your back. Get the right vehicle. If you’re debating between a wagon and a minivan, or a sports car and a sedan, the bigger vehicle is usually the better choice -- for your back, not necessarily the environment. “Bigger cars allow you to make more adjustments in your seating,” explains Polivka. The more vertically you can sit, allowing you to keep your knees level with or below your hips, the better for your back.
“That puts the least compression on your lumbar spine.” Set your seat properly. Don’t push it so far back that you have to lean and hunch forward to reach the steering wheel.Some people rush right out and buy support pillows for use in their car, only to find it useless for their specific needs. “Get a few towel rolls and small throw pillows from home and try them out,” Polivka says. “Some people need support higher, between their shoulder blades, while others need something lower at their lumbar spine. Try before you buy.”If you have a long trip ahead of you, stop about every hour to stand, stretch, and redistribute your weight. Protect Your Back at Work Many of us are desk jockeys. We sit through most of our day, often in the same position, hour after hour, talking on the phone and staring at computer screens. Is it any wonder we’re stiff? “Sitting hurts your back more than standing,” says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, a vice president with Champion Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama.
“That’s because your legs are shock absorbers, and when you sit, you end up putting all that weight on your spine. Most of us let our chests fall forward and slump when we sit, which dramatically increases the pressure on the spine.” Position your computer properly. You should be seated at eye level to your screen, so that you don’t have to look too far down or too far up to do your work.You don’t necessarily need the perfect, custom ergonomic chair, Nessler says. “There are lots of expensive, ergonomic chairs, but nothing replaces common sense.” Get a chair that provides support for your middle and lower back. “If your knees are at 90 degrees and your spine is at a neutral posture, that’s the right position for you.”“If the balls of your feet are supported on something, it makes it easier to rest on the ‘sit bones’ deep in your glutes, which helps unload your spine,” Polivka says.Set a timer on your computer and, every 45-50 minutes, get up for a few minutes to stretch and walk around.
When you sit back down, make sure you’re getting into a supported position with a neutral spine -- neither slumped forward nor pushed back. If you don’t work at a desk and you stand or lift things a lot at work, then your job has its own set of back hazards. One of the most important things for someone who stands a lot, whether you’re a grocery clerk or a college professor, is wearing the correct kind of shoe. “You want the right type of cushion and sole,” says Polivka. “Not a Converse sneaker or a ballet flat with no support. You want a shoe that can cushion and absorb the forces coming out of the ground. Lots of companies now are making nice dress shoes that have arch support in the feet.” Whether you’re delivering a lecture or ringing up groceries, you should also keep a small footrest near you, where you can put one foot up to unweight one side of the body, then switch. Do a lot of lifting on the job? Read on for more back protection tips. Back Protection at Home
While working outside the home or inside the home, or both, many people spend a lot of their time bending and lifting -- whether they’re grabbing a file, mopping a floor, or unloading a warehouse truck. A little-known fact: You can hurt yourself just as much while lifting something small as you can while hoisting a huge, heavy box. “I’ll see people who’ve bent over to pick up a coin and they’ve thrown their back out,” says Nessler. Use the right form and technique to bend, lift, and reach. “When I check in at the doctor’s office, I’ll see a receptionist rummaging in a file cabinet below her, bending down at the waist with her hips straight,” says Polivka. “It makes me cringe!” There are three key “lift postures” that many physical therapists recommend:This is for heavy objects. Get your body as close to the object as possible, plant your feet shoulder width apart, squat down, wrap your arms around it, and stand up, using the power of your legs.
“Whether it’s a baby or a heavy box, keeping the item as close to your trunk as you can allows your trunk to act as the stabilizer,” says Nessler.This is for small objects like that dropped coin. It would be silly to do a full power squat lift for a coin or a pen. Instead, put all your weight on one leg, and using the opposite hand, brace yourself with one hand on a desk, chair, or other sturdy object. Then bend straight from the hip, letting the non-weight-bearing leg come off the ground a little behind you as you pick up the object.This is for heavier objects when you can’t use a squat lift -- like groceries in a car trunk or a baby in a crib. Stand with your knees shoulder width apart, as close to the object as you can get. Bend at the hips, sticking your buttocks out behind you. Grab the item and lift, pulling it as close to your body as you can as you lift up. Put it down the same way. “Some things, you just can’t lift,” says Polivka. If you’re using the right posture to lift something and still feel pain in your back or joints, stop lifting.