I tested the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper − now, my waking aches and pains are gone

Coop Retreat Mattress Topper | $299 at Coop Sleep Goods

You might be able to save some money when you shop the mattress sales.

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Since I moved into my new apartment, I've been sleeping on the rental mattress: an old-fashioned innerspring. While I had hoped to get used to its firm, inflexible feel, I've been waking up with aches and pains in my joints most mornings. Even if I could afford to buy my own mattress, I doubt my landlord would let me replace it. So, when I was assigned to test the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper, I jumped at the chance.

Known for their best-selling memory foam pillows, Coop also makes a mattress topper, filled with the same cross-cut memory foam and microfiber blend. At five inches thick, it forms a plush pillow-top to soften up your sleep surface. For the first few nights, I found the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper a little lumpy, but the foam soon flattened around my body and I was sleeping better than I had in months.

The Coop Retreat Mattress Topper is seriously sinky, so you'll need a supportive mattress underneath to keep your spine in alignment. I wouldn't recommend the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper for stomach sleepers or anyone who appreciates a firmer surface. Still, if you're looking to add some plush comfort to an old mattress, then this is one of the best mattress toppers you can buy.

Coop Retreat Mattress Topper review

I slept on the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper every night for two months before I published this review. For the sake of a fair fight, we score each mattress topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. I'm pleased to report that the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper excels in (almost) all areas, though the thermoregulation leaves a little to be desired.

Full disclosure: I started testing the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper before the implementation of our more scientific testing process. Going forward, tests will look a lot more quantitative, but I still feel confident in the scores I gave and how this topper compares with others I've tested.

Coop Retreat Mattress Topper specifications

Who would suit the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper?

• Back and side sleepers: according to Coop, the Retreat Mattress Topper should support all sleep positions, but I think it's better suited to back and side sleepers. This topper offers supreme 'sink-in' comfort, and just enough support to keep your hips, knees, neck, and shoulders aligned. Back sleepers should sleep on a firmer surface to keep their spines straight: I suggest the Nolah Mattress Topper.
• Anyone who suffers from joint pain: memory foam is made to cushion your joints and bear their weight to relieve pain. Where a firmer surface would apply more pressure to the affected area, the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper acts as a pillow. I typically suffer from knee pain, but a few nights into testing, I noticed that the pain subsided.
• Buyers on a budget: until you can afford to buy a new mattress, the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper makes an easy, affordable upgrade. Or perhaps you're breaking in a new mattress: this puffy pillow-top might feel a little lumpy to begin with, but as soon as it conforms to your body, you'll wake up feeling refreshed.

What's it like to sleep on the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper?

• Pressure relief (4/5): it took me a few nights to get used to the plush feel of the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper, but now I love it. I sleep on my side, so I need my knees to stick together, instead of overlapping − that's when I start to feel a twinge in my lower back. The Coop Retreat Mattress Topper allowed me to sleep in the optimal position. The foam cushioned my body and cradled my joints.
• Thermoregulation (3/5): memory foam isn't the most breathable mattress material. All that dense foam leaves little room for air to flow. As a hot sleeper, I felt a little nervous to start testing the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper. I was pleasantly surprised to find cross-cut, shredded foam inside the topper, which sleeps cooler than a solid block. Still, I wouldn't say that this is one of the best cooling mattress toppers on the market. That title belongs to the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper, which incorporates conductive materials (namely, graphite) to dissipate heat, wick moisture, and block odors. For natural cooling, I suggest something like the Avocado Organic Latex Mattress Topper.

• Motion isolation (5/5): I felt like I was really sinking into the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper, which makes for excellent motion isolation. To test it out, I filled a cup with water and set it in the center of the topper, before applying pressure across the surface. The closer I moved to the glass of water, the more it started to shake, but it never spilled a drop of water. You should be able to sleep comfortably on the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper beside a pet or partner. Still, for optimal motion isolation, you want a solid base of high-density memory foam: I recommend the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Topper.
• Edge support (2/5): your average pillow-top falls down in the edge support test. The soft squishiness of the center extends around the edges, making it harder to sit or sleep at the side of the bed. Sure enough, when I sat on the side of the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper, I sank straight through to my mattress underneath. If you like to sit on the side of the bed to get dressed or nurse a baby, you need a mattress topper with superior edge support, such as the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper.
• Delivery: the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper arrived vacuum-packed in a cardboard box, which was easy enough to lift and carry from my lobby into my apartment. I opened the box, cut the plastic, and rolled out the topper onto my bed. That's when I noticed that a lot of the pleats had bunched together in transit. I had to pummel the pleats until the pillow-top puffed up. I used the corner straps to secure the topper onto the mattress. Since the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper adds five vertical inches to my bed, I struggled to stretch my fitted sheet over the mattress. You might need to invest in a set of the best bed sheets with deep pockets. The Coop Retreat Mattress Topper comes with a carry case for easy transport to your new home, college, or vacation spot.

How does the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper rate online?

The Coop Retreat Mattress Topper boasts a 4.8 average star rating from 180 verified reviews. 'Absolutely love this topper,' reads one recent review: 'by far the best purchase I've made this year. It fills a multi-purpose for us, adding extra cushioning to our firm fold-out couch for guests and softening up our mattress in the master bedroom. My only critique is that the elastic bands don't like to stay in place.'

It's a common concern among Coop reviewers, and one I noticed, too. As I stretched the straps over the corners of the mattress, it began to pull at the bottom of my bed. Before you buy, it's worth learning how to keep a mattress topper from sliding across the bed.

Should I buy the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper?

A Coop Retreat Mattress Topper costs $299 for a Queen. I'd say it's worth it, especially if you're struggling to sleep on a firm mattress and waking up with aches and pains. For renters, like me, who can't switch out their mattress, and anyone who can't afford a brand-new bed, the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper would make an ideal short-term solution. Unless you're a hot sleeper, or you're looking for a firm mattress topper, I see no reason not to buy the Coop Retreat Mattress Topper.

Coop Retreat Mattress Topper | $299 at Coop Sleep Goods

You might be able to save some money when you shop the mattress sales.

View Deal

How we test mattress toppers

Our mattress testing team is made up of seasoned product testers across America. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, body types, and sleep styles. If you comb through our back catalog of reviews, you should be able to find a tester who sleeps like you. We test each mattress topper for a minimum of 30 days in our own homes to give you the best indication of long-term performance.

We assess each mattress topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we lie down on the mattress topper and switch between our stomachs, backs, and sides, paying close attention to how our bodies feel in each position. The best mattress topper is soft enough to cushion your joints yet firm enough to keep your spine straight. To assess thermoregulation, we sleep on the topper through heatwaves and cold snaps, making note of any times we wake up in a sweat. Where possible, we ask hot sleepers to test cooling mattress toppers.

To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the center of the topper. Then, we place a weight on the topper, moving it incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the topper might be for couples and light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the topper and measure how far we sink. The further we sink, the worse the edge support, and the less suitable the topper for anyone who likes to sit or sleep at the side of the bed.

We also consider all the practical parts of buying a topper, from the details of delivery to the ins and outs of unboxing. We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to pick out common pros and cons. Finally, we bring it all back to the price to help you work out value for money. To find out more about how we test mattress toppers, consult our expert explainer.