Pocket coil or hybrid: what really changes
744, 850 or 1,092 coils, Euro top or tight top, memory foam: what a mattress’s construction tells you about its feel, and what it doesn’t.
On a mattress spec sheet, 2 numbers catch the eye: the coil count and the height. They help you compare, but they don’t tell the whole story. To see why, just take a close look at the 5 Bon Sommeil models, made in Québec in a factory in Laval. The layers and coil counts we show come from each model’s specifications.
Pocket coils in 2 sentences
Each coil is wrapped individually and moves on its own, which helps reduce motion transfer when you share a bed. All 5 mattresses in the collection are built on pocket coils, from 744 to 1,092 in queen size.
Some coil units are zoned, meaning the coils aren’t all the same from one end of the bed to the other:
- Essentiel: 850 zoned coils, firmer in the middle of the bed, softer at the shoulders.
- Ricardo: 1,092 multi-zone coils, with a Gelflex lumbar zone, a denser gel foam in the centre of the mattress, where your weight is concentrated.
- Legacy: 1,092 multi-zone coils, with reinforced edges and centre.
So what does “hybrid” mean?
The word gets used in many ways. In our collection, every model combines pocket coils with layers of foam above them. The one we call a hybrid is the Legacy: it’s the only model that combines pocket coils with gel-infused memory foam, with 2 in of that foam under a 14 in Euro top.
What that changes: your body settles into the mattress. It’s the most contouring feel in the collection. The gel limits heat build-up at the surface. The Legacy also carries the longest manufacturer’s warranty, 15 years, non-prorated.
What the coil count tells you, and what it doesn’t
Look at these 2 pairs:
| Model | Coils (queen) | Top | Above the coils | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levis | 744 | Tight top | ¾ in fibre, 2 foam layers of 1 in each | Firmer |
| Impulsion | 744 | Euro top | ¾ in fibre, ½ in gel foam, ½ in foam, 1½ in convoluted foam | Balanced, more responsive |
| Ricardo | 1,092 | Tight top | ¾ in fibre, double ½ in foam layer, Gelflex lumbar, 1½ in convoluted foam | Firm |
| Legacy | 1,092 | Euro top | ¾ in fibre, 2 in gel memory foam, ¾ in transition foam, 1½ in convoluted foam | Contouring |
Same coil count, opposite feels: the Ricardo is the firmest of our display models, while the Legacy, with exactly the same number of coils, is the most contouring in the collection. The Levis and the Impulsion also share a coil count, and yet the Levis is the firmest in the collection and the Impulsion is balanced. What makes the difference is the top and the foam layers.
So the coil count tells you how many independent coils support the mattress in a given size. It doesn’t tell you whether the mattress is firm or soft, and it isn’t a quality score. To compare with a mattress from another brand, 2 precautions:
- Compare the same size. Our counts are for queen size.
- Be wary of an “up to” figure. It doesn’t tell you how many coils are in the size you’re buying.
Euro top or tight top
A Euro top, or pillow top, adds a comfort layer sewn on top of the mattress. A tight top is stretched flat, without that layer. In our collection, the 2 tight-top models, the Levis and the Ricardo, have the firmest feel. The 3 Euro-top models range from balanced (Impulsion, Essentiel) to contouring (Legacy).
Heights range from 9 in (Levis) to 14 in (Legacy). Height doesn’t follow firmness: at 11¾ in, the Ricardo is thicker than the Essentiel and the Impulsion, and firmer. It does matter for your mattress protector, though: standard fit up to 11.5 in (Essentiel, Impulsion, Levis), deep fit up to 16 in (Legacy, Ricardo).
So which one should you look at?
- You’d rather feel the support than the softness: the Ricardo, or the Levis if you want firm, simple and the lowest price.
- You want a Euro top at the best price on display, with a balanced, responsive feel: the Impulsion.
- You’re not sure yet whether you prefer firm or soft: the Essentiel, our starting point.
- You want the contouring feel of memory foam over pocket coils: the Legacy.
To see all 5 builds side by side, with the price in your size, visit the Compare page.
Try them in store
Spec sheets point the way; lying down is how you decide. The Impulsion, Essentiel, Ricardo and Legacy are on display in our 3 stores, in Montréal, Laval and Longueuil. Take around 10 minutes per model, and try the Ricardo and the Legacy one after the other: it’s the best demonstration of what the coil count doesn’t tell you. See our stores
Published October 1, 2026 · Written by the Bon Sommeil team
