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Engineers Tony and Terry Pearce founded Purple back in 1989. At first, the brothers took their engineering expertise to the world of polymers, developing many stretchy and elastic compounds that have real-world use today in many different applications. Holding over 30 cushioning patents, the brothers decided to get into the business of mattress manufacturing.

The brother used their engineering acumen to create tooling that allows them to manufacture premium quality mattresses at affordable rates, making the new Purple mattress an affordable and highly functional bed with plenty of unique design features.

SleepOvation “700-in-one” mattress features a unique design and its something we have ever seen before from any other manufacturer. This mattress is a collection of 700-individual mattresses measuring  2 ¼” x 2 ¼”. SleepOvation packs their hybrid, specialized foam into a cylinder and then encase the foam in a fabric cover.

SleepOvation then mounts this tiny mattress to a .078″ high carbon steel pocketed coil, to provide additional firmness and support. As a result, the SleepOvation contain 700-motion independent units that offer unmatched pressure relief and comfort.

The independent suspension on offer form the 700-tiny mattresses distributes bodyweight to relieve hip and lower back pain. The hybrid foam found in the top layer of each mattress provides excellent pressure relief, allowing you to “sink-in” to the bed, rather than sleep “on” the bed.

While the SleepOvation may feel soft and spongy on the surface layer, the coiled springs provide a medium-firmness to the mattress. The independent cushions provide superior motion isolation and comfort. The 700-independent tiny mattresses allow for excellent airflow between each unit, providing a crisp and refreshing sleep experience.

The new offering from Purple is almost the exact antithesis of the SleepOvation. The Purple Hybrid mattress uses the same hybrid concept, with supportive coils in the base of the mattress. Purple shield the springs with a felt lining for additional responsiveness and protection of the layers.

Whereas the SleepOvation uses 700-tiny memory foam mattresses, the Purple mattress uses a cross-grid of a unique proprietary foam that conforms to pressure points. The grid works with the same principles of independent pressure-relief zones as those found in the SleepOvation, but with the idea relying on the edge of the “Smart Comfort Grid,” where the SleepOvation relies on the 700-tiny mattresses that form the grid.

The foam in the Purple Smart Comfort Grid has 30 patents, matching up with SleepOvations 31, but we feel that the Purple is every bit n innovation in mattress technology as the “700-in-one.” The Smart Comfort grid provides unmatched airflow through the sleeping surface, making it the ideal mattress for anyone that sleeps “hot.”

When it comes to evaluating the firmness comfort and support of these mattresses, we’re assuming that everyone is like us – 5’10 in height, and 160-pounds in bodyweight. If you’re within 30-pounds of this bodyweight and a few inches in height, then our findings should equate to what you can expect from the performance of these mattresses.

The Purple Hybrid mattress has fantastic support from the hybrid coil base, with a range of firmness called, “the comfort level,” ranging from 1 to 4. No matter whether you enjoy sleeping on a soft or a firm bed, Purple has something you’ll find comfortable. With the purple, we find that it’s a mattress that you sleep “on,” and it lacks the sinking feeling of the SleepOvation.

The SleepOvation “700-in-one,” is a dream. The moment you collapse onto this bed; you find yourself feeling like it’s wrapping you in a cloud. The independent mattresses allow you to sink into the bed, allowing you to “sleep-in” the mattress rather than on top of it like the feeling of the Purple. While it’s soft on top, the SleepOvation feels firm in all the right spots, similar to a comfort level 3 on the Purple.

Both mattresses provide exceptional pressure relief, especially on the hips and shoulders when sleeping on your side. The independent cushions in the SleepOvation give way under your pressure zones while providing your lower back with the additional support it needs at the waist.

The Purple Hybrid also does a marvelous job of spreading the pressure out across the surface of the mattress, and we found that side sleeping on the Purple was also as comfortable as the SleepOvation.

When it comes to support, we think that both mattresses have excellent supportive properties, but we believe that the variable firmness in the Purple comfort levels allows you to dial in your preferred level of comfort to a higher degree.

If you’re someone who likes to sit on the edge of the bed while you do your make-up, then you’re going to prefer the purple. The side of the SleepOvation doesn’t provide much in the way of seating support. However, when you’re asleep, the mattresses around the perimeter provide a cuddling effect that keeps you in place.

Both beds offer excellent motion isolation, making them ideal for couples. Should your partner get out of bed in the middle of the night, they’re unlikely to disturb your sleep. However, we found that the SleepOvation has superior motion isolation between the two – even if it was only marginal at best.

If you enjoy the feeling of “sinking-in” to your bed, then we recommend you go with the SleepOvation. The 700-tiny mattresses provide independent pressure relief while allowing you to sleep in the bed, rather than on its surface like with the Purple.

Off-gassing describes a process where the mattress “gasses-off” volatile organic compounds, (VOCs.) In the cases of both mattresses, the majority of the off-gassing happens at the factory before packaging, so that it doesn’t have to occur in your home.

When you open your packaging and leave your new mattress to start uncompressing on the bed frame, you may notice a peculiar smell, similar to the new-car smell you get when roiling a new vehicle off the showroom floor. The gassing-off process usually lasts anywhere between 48 to 72-hours.

During this period, it’s fine to sleep on the mattress, and you won’t get any adverse health effects for the process. There’s hardly any noticeable difference between the two products on this issue.

For airflow and breathability of the mattress, we have to give this to the New Purple Mattress. The Smart Comfort Grid provides exceptional aeration throughout the bed, keeping you dry, comfortable and fresh on the warmest nights.

While memory foam is known to “sleep hot,” the SleepOvation does a fantastic job of dispersing the heat by providing a tiny gap between each of the 700-mattresses in the “700-in-one.” The gaps allow for excellent airflow through the mattress, and we never found that we woke up feeling overly-warm.

Absolutely anyone can benefit from sleeping on either of these outstanding mattresses. However, we think that both of them suit different needs depending on the person’s lifestyle and sleeping habits.

If you’re a person that likes to linger in bed or spend hours lying on your mattress reading a book, then we think that you’ll gain more pleasure out of the SleepOvation. It’s so comfortable lying in the mattress, and we believe that it’s great for watching TV in bed or lounging around with your partner for an afternoon nap on the weekends when it’s raining outdoors, and there’s nothing better to do.

If you’re an athletic person, and you see your bed as a tool for recovery, then you’ll gain more benefit from the New Purple Mattress. It’s not that the SleepOvation can’t assist your recovery as well, but we think that you have more choice to dial-in your level of comfort for your preferred firmness.

If you’re a heavy person, then you might want to consider buying the Purple. The independent mattresses found in the “700-in-one” provide exceptional support and comfort while lying down, but when you sit up and try to get out of bed, you may find that you feel a little “bogged down.”

When we take an unbiased look at both mattresses for our final assessment, we have to say that we think the Purple wins hands down for those most innovative design and materials in the construction. The Purple foam is resilient, comes in four different comfort levels to suit any firmness preference, and offers unbelievable airflow through the mattress.

However, if we had to choose between which one we would put in our bedroom, we would have to go with the SleepOvation. While memory foam may be older than VHS technology, there a reason why it stood the test of time – it’s comfortable and supportive. When it comes time to retire after a long day, we want luxurious comfort in a medium-firm mattress, and that’s everything that encompasses the SleepOvation.

If you’re on a budget, then the New Purple Mattress is your best option for a product with class-leading technology and excellent comfort levels. However, if you have the money to spare, then we recommend the SleepOvation every time – invest in the best, you deserve it.

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