Review: Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress

Kind of like Lord of the Rings, what is the best mattress out there to rule them all? Typically, as a professional mattress tester of over five years, I’d tell you it differs from person to person. But there are always the rare few models that manage to pull off the near impossible for a mattress to accomplish: being a supportive and comfortable fit for anybody, regardless of build or sleeping position. The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is one of those mattresses, and one of the rare few near-perfect beds I've tested to date. Here's why.

Light as a Feather

Photograph: Julia Forbes

A commonality among Nolah mattresses is the use of something called AirFoam, which Nolah created to improve on memory foam performance factors: pressure relief, support, and durability. AirFoam is also meant to sleep cooler, since sucking in body heat is a known problem with memory foam. Can I prove that these things are actually at play when I sleep on a mattress? Scientifically, no—I can’t necessarily break out the beakers in the bedroom. But what I can tell you is that the model I regularly use, the luxury firm, does a swell job with pressure relief and lumbar support.

This mattress’s full government name used to be the “Nolah Evolution 15,” with the number denoting the full height of the mattress. It’s definitely a taller mattress, and I use a frame lower to the ground to accommodate that (and my dogs’ smaller legs). The newer iterations of the Nolah Evolution have the upgrade option of throwing on a Glacio-Tex-covered pillow top, which from other Nolah models I can tell you is very much cool to the touch. The standard pillow top’s organic cotton cover (which I have the most experience with) is breathable, but it isn’t going to give you that refrigerator-opening-blast-in-the-face coolness. The pillow top is your first pass at getting pressure relief from the mattress, and it lets the heavier areas of your body sink in a bit so they’re not chafing against the mattress. So, side sleepers, pay attention to what I’m saying here. It’s our top-tested pick for y’all for a reason!

However, the pillow top isn’t doing all the heavy lifting for temperature control and pressure relief. A “Heat Escape Gusset” encircles the pillow top, which is essentially just mesh that is supposed to let heat escape from within the pillow top. After the pillow top comes the “Zoned AirFoam HD” layer—a fancy way of saying that this layer is for advanced pressure relief due to both the foam structure and perforation.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

These holes allow the hips and shoulders to get a generally softer feel, while a firmer one is upheld right under where your spine curves. A 2-inch layer of comfort foam follows for—you guessed it—more pressure relief, along with a transition layer protecting the foam from the coil core. The coils are pocketed, allowing each one to react to your body instead of making it a group project like traditional innerspring beds of old. They’re also reinforced in the center and along the edges, which is just an extra-firm feel to keep these particular areas extra-supported. Lastly, everything is set up on a foam base, which lets the coils really do their thing without being compressed by contact with your bed frame.

Ultimate Sleep Experience

OK, enough shop talk. Here’s what I like from testing this mattress. I remember when Nolah first launched the Evolution back in 2020, and it was touted as a good option for side sleepers with all the pressure relief and lumbar support features. When I eventually tried it (and various iterations afterward), it consistently delivered on these marks. Something that has always stood out to me as a major value add was the three firmness options available: plush, luxury firm, and firm. Having a variety of firmnesses is an easy way to make a mattress more accessible to all kinds of sleepers, especially with different body types and sleeping positions.

I landed on “luxury firm” for a couple of reasons, chief among them being that I’m part of a dynamic sleeping duo. In other words, my husband is a back sleeper, and I’m a stomach sleeper (who is desperately trying to be a side sleeper, mind you). All to say, these sleeping positions can require different firmness levels for adequate support, preferences not even being factored in. Luxury firm is the middle ground, and we’ve found it to be a welcoming amount of softness that doesn’t cancel out the feeling of support.

While I'm on my side, my hips and shoulders get hugged, and if I’m on my stomach, my lower back stays lifted. Everything remains relatively on the same level—hips, lower back, and shoulders—which is what you want for even spine alignment. When on your back, your spine curves away from the bed, but the pillow top takes up that space nicely. That way your back doesn’t feel like it’s being left out support-wise, and this eliminates a potential cause of back pain.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

I do pick up on some rocking if my husband moves around in his sleep, which isn’t ideal, but it’s not the most disruptive I’ve ever tested. I’m often relegated to the very edge of the mattress while my dogs stretch out (a mother’s sacrifice, I tell you). The reinforced coils are fine for supporting you while lying down, and your weight is evenly distributed across them. Sitting is a whole other ball game, especially if you're like me and sit at the foot to put on your socks.

And cooling—let’s talk about that. Granted, I’ve only ever tested versions with the organic cotton cover, as the new and improved Glacio-Tex cover is a new development. Even with the AirFoam and heat escape gusset at play, it stays at room temperature. This is fine for my needs, but I make sure to use cooling sheets and keep the fan running. If you’re a hot sleeper by nature, or have medical conditions like POTS or menopause and really need that cool-feeling mattress, you may need to go all in on the upgraded pillow top.

A small detail that I must highlight as well is that the mattress has handles. Shockingly, this is pretty rare in the online mattress space—at least in the models I’ve tested in my time. They’re located on the sides and have been very handy (pun intended) for when I rotate my mattress every few months.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

The highest compliment a mattress could get from a longtime mattress reviewer isn’t just a good review. It’s going so far as to get the mattress for themselves. And if you haven’t picked up on it by now, I have the Nolah Evolution hybrid at home. I also recommend it to friends and family, and if you see it in our guides, know it was probably me pushing to add it as a recommendation.

Now, goodbye for now, and excuse me while I swan dive into my bed for a nap.