Douglas Summit Review
Product Research: Our Process
Douglas Summit: Is It As Premium As They Claim?
Our Verdict
While the 365-night trial and the 20-year warranty may entice you to invest in this mattress, this mattress did not outperform similar mattresses from its competitors. Even with 2” more foam, the enveloping feel I experienced in Douglas Original and Alpine was still present. Common customer complaints include diminishing support, foul odour, lack of cooling, and lack of motion isolation, as seen in the reviews below. If you are looking for better alternatives, I would suggest The Casper Mattress, or The Endy Plush as they performed better on all our tests and are in a similar price range.
Douglas Summit: Is It As Premium As They Claim?
Mattress Sizes & Prices
| Size | Price | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | $999 | 38″ x 75″ x 12” |
| Twin XL | $1049 | 38″ x 80″ x 12” |
| Full / Double | $1149 | 53″ x 75″ x 12” |
| Queen | $1299 | 60″ x 80″ x 12” |
| King | $1399 | 76″ x 80″ x 12″ |
| California King | $1399 | 72″ x 84″ x 12” |
| Split King | $2098 | 76″ x 80″ x 12″ |
Purchasing and Returns
Unboxing and First Impressions
The Douglas Summit arrived in a compact box, and judging by the condition of the box, I felt the delivery was not handled well. Upon unboxing, the mattress took about 15-20 minutes to expand to its full form, but as it did not feel sturdy enough, I decided to give it a full 48 hours before I tried it out. One thing I observed in customer complaints and experienced myself was the strong odour and off-gassing smell of this mattress that took more than a week to dissipate. Compared to other mattresses we’ve tested from brands like Endy, Casper, and Silk & Snow, the Douglas mattress was underwhelming.
Construction
1. Douglas CoolSense® Cover
The machine-washable cover is made with cooling-infused nanofibers meant for temperature regulation.
2. 2.5” ecoLight® Cooling Gel Foam + Polar® Temperature Balancing
A layer of cooling-gel-infused memory foam meant to regulate temperature.
3. 2.5” Premium Elastex® Foam
Body-contouring memory foam.
4. 7” Motion Isolation Support Foam
Foundational support foam.
Comfort
Douglas Summit may have a 2” additional height of memory foam, but it did not provide any significant improvement in comfort for me compared to the other Douglas mattresses. My hips and shoulders sunk further into the mattress than my stomach, leading to discomfort in my lower back after sleeping. Further, the lack of ergonomic pressure relief kept the tension I held in my shoulders, so I suffered from sore muscles for the entire time I was testing this mattress. While it is difficult to say the mattress caused this pain, it did dissipate as soon as I switched from the Douglas to the Casper.
Firmness
The Douglas Summit scores 4 out of 10 on our firmness scale, leaning towards medium-soft. Due to the lack of firmness, I was sinking in 4-6 inches deep every time I got in the bed, and had trouble getting in and out of bed. If you’re a back or stomach sleeper, or heavier-bodied, I would not recommend this firmness for you, as it may not provide adequate support.
Motion Transfer
During our sleep tests for Douglas Summit, we noticed significant movement in the water vessel on the mattress as the sleep tester got in and out of bed. The vibration took X seconds to stop, suggesting that motion on the mattress’s surface is not well isolated. If you share your bed with someone, or have a pet who climbs on the bed, my advice would be to look for alternatives that offer better motion isolation, such as The Casper mattress.
Cooling
Although the mattress felt cool to the touch at first, after 3 hours of lying on it while I was reading, the mattress’s surface temperature raised as it captured my body heat. My partner, who is a hot sleeper had trouble falling asleep as the mattress retained heat, even when we paired it with cooling sheets.
Edge Support
The Douglas Summit does not feature improved or reinforced edges in comparison to the other Douglas models. When testing the mattress by sitting on the perimeter, I sank about 5 inches deep and slid off the mattress easily. When lying down closer to the edge, I observed a similar imbalance. Due to the medium-soft nature of the mattress that extends to the edge of the mattress, if you’re someone who often sits on the edge of your bed, or are larger-bodied, the Douglas Summit may not provide the support you seek.
Sinkage and Responsiveness
One common disadvantage of the Douglas Summit is the enveloping feeling you get when you get in and out of bed, creating a sensation of feeling “stuck”. As we observed less bounce, the sinkage is not offset and may be frustrating to sleepers who seek a responsive sleep surface.
How does it suit different sleeping positions?
Side Sleepers
The Douglas Summit is soft enough to provide comfort for side sleepers who prefer their mattress to be more cushiony. However, heavier side sleepers may feel the sinkage to be too deep for their liking.
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers may find this mattress to lack the firmness they desire, and may be concerned with the sinkage in their lumbar region. However, for lightweight back sleepers, the Douglas Summit can be comfortable enough.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers will find this mattress to be too soft for them, causing their hips to sink too deep and not supportive enough to maintain spinal alignment.
Combination Sleepers
Combination sleepers may find the Douglas Summit difficult to sleep, due to the enveloping feel. Lightweight combination sleepers may find they can move easily, but bigger bodies may feel stuck when they try to move throughout the night.
Lightweight Sleepers
For lightweight sleepers, the Douglas Summit can provide adequate support and comfort, as they do not require more support or firmness.
Heavy People
Heavier individuals should consider better alternatives that provide ample firmness and support for them. Casper Dawn Firm mattress is a durable, budget-friendly option to look into.
Should You Buy the Douglas Summit?
Although the Douglas Summit is more expensive than the Douglas Original and Alpine, we did not observe a significant performance improvement that justified its price point. During our tests, we found the mattress lacks support, comfort, motion isolation, cooling, and edge support.
Unless you purchase this mattress for short-term use such as a vacation home, or for a growing child, this mattress may not be the investment you were looking for. However, if you are looking for a mattress in a similar price range, there are plenty of suitable options. The Casper mattress for a medium-firm feel, the Casper Dawn Firm for a firmer feel, or The Endy Plush for a more cushiony feel will address most of your sleeping concerns more effectively.
Please note: All prices referenced in this article reflect MSRPs and are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of February 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Douglas Summit Compares to Similar Mattresses
|
Douglas Summit |
The Casper |
The Endy Plush |
Douglas Alpine |
|
| Rating |
6.51/10 |
9.40/10 |
9.20/10 |
6.78/10 |
| Firmness |
Medium-soft: 4/10 |
Medium-firm: 6.5/10 |
Medium-plush: 5/10 |
Medium-soft: 4/10 |
| Material |
Memory Foam |
Memory Foam |
Memory Foam |
Memory Foam |
| Cooling |
|
|
|
|
| Best For |
Side Sleepers, Lightweight Sleepers, Short term use |
Suits a wide range of sleepers |
Suits a wide range of sleepers |
Side Sleepers, Lightweight Sleepers, Short term use |
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