Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air Review

In This Review
Performance Tests | Firmness | Support & Sleeping Positions | Design | Materials | Comparisons | FAQs

How We Test

The Ascend Air is an adjustable firmness mattress. You can adjust the firmness from 0 to 50. According to Habitat Furnishings, the vast majority of all sleepers will use a firmness in the 40-50 range (which is a medium to medium firm feel).

All of our tests that follow utilize a firmness rating of 40 / 50, unless otherwise indicated.

In addition, the Ascend Air mattress comes with two foam layers, a layer of gel memory foam and a layer of natural latex. You can position either layer to be the top layer.

In our tests, we placed the latex layer on top with the gel memory foam in the core. This layering creates better cooling and a more generalizing contouring hug. Placing the memory foam layer on top would decrease cooling performance slightly, but create a more dramatic contouring hug.

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 10 different factors that impact the performance, comfort, and value of the mattress. We then take the results of that test and compare to every mattress we’ve tested to date.

Check out the full performance table below to see how this mattress ranks:

Factor	Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air	Average
Overall Score	8.40	8.57
Price (Queen)	$2,548	$2,275 (Adjustable only)
Cooling – Score	9.0	8.7
Sinkage – Depth	2.35″	2.14″
Sinkage – Feel	Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	6.0	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	13.96 m/s²	8.78 m/s²
Response Time – Score	9.9	8.9
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.2 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	0.4 sec.	0.9 sec.
Bounce – Height	8.24″	9.53″
Bounce – Feel	Moderate	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	8.1	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.75″	4.04″
Edge Support – Lying	Fair	Good
Sex – Score	8.2	8.4
Pressure Relief – Score	9.0	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	6.0″	4.1″
Mattress Thickness	12″	12.0″
Off-Gassing – Score	10	8.1
Off-Gassing – Smell	None	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	0 days	7 days
Company – Score	7.8	8.7
Trial	90 nights	177 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	25% have lifetime warranties, average of other 75% of mattresses is 13 years

How is the Ascend Air Different?

The Habitat Ascend Air digital mattress is different than many other popular bed-in-a-box options currently on the market. Let’s hit the highlights below.

#1. Air Support

The Ascend Air is a pretty unique product because it is not a traditional “air mattress”, but it does use an air chamber support system. This air chamber system is topped with comfort foam so this mattress begins to perform like a hybrid.

#2. Adjustable Firmness

The firmness can be changed via a remote control, which is very quick and easy to use. Firmness range extends from level 0 up to level 50 (or around 3.5 out of 10 up to 6.5 out of 10).

#3 Interchangeable Foams

The foams are also interchangeable, allowing you to swap the latex foam and memory foam, for a different feel. The zipper on the quilted cover provides easy access and the foams are not glued together.

Cooling performance of the Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress was excellent. While there was a slight level of heat retention, it wasn’t anything overly significant.

What little notable heat retention there was not localized around any particular part of my body, but instead well dispersed across my body where it contacted the mattress.

• Baseline Temperature – the temperature of the mattress before anyone lies on it
• Maximum Temperature (0 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after lying on it for 15 minutes
• Ending Temperature (5 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after being lied upon and having no one on it for 5 minutes

The Ascend Air mattress can be configured with a layer of latex or memory foam on top. We tested with latex as the top layer, which has less heat retention compared to memory foam and many other poly foams.

The Ascend Air uses a thick 2.0” quilted cover on top for immediate softness. That cover seemed to do a good job at remaining breathable throughout our tests. Objectively speaking, we measured a maximum temperature of 88.1° F.

This is 1.6° less than the average max surface level temperature, which is 89.7° F (based on all of our tests to date).

The max temperature difference is significant. A max temp of 88.1° means the Ascend Air starts considerably cooler than most others we’ve tested.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

Time Elapsed	Temperature
1 minute	84.3°
2 minutes	83.2°
3 minutes	82.4°
4 minutes	82.0°
5 minutes	81.4°

If we examine the design of the mattress we can see why. The mattress uses a 2.0” quilted cover, 2.0” of latex foam, and 2.0” of memory foam.

However, the support layer is a thin rubber bladder of adjustable air. That air layer isn’t going to absorb heat the same way an all-foam layer will.

As a result, there is physically less material to absorb and retain heat compared to many other mattress types. Heat dissipation on the Ascend was good as well, with a decline of 3.8° from minutes 0 to 1.

This is about average compared to all of our mattress tests to date (for minutes 0 to 1).

All things considered, I’m pleased with the cooling performance of the Ascend Air mattress. I expect most sleepers will find it cool enough to be comfortable.

The Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress has a deep level of sinkage. In our tests, we measured a sinkage depth of 2.35”.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

The Ascend Air mattress has 0.11” more sinkage than the average based on all of our tests to date.

However, it is important to remember that the sinkage depth will vary based on the firmness setting.

All of our tests are based on a firmness of 40.

A lower firmness rating means more sinkage, and a higher firmness rating means less sinkage. Even with the latex layer on top, there was a fairly dramatic contouring hug.

The 2.0” quilted cover more precisely conforms to the exact shape of your body. Even with the latex layer between the quilted cover and memory foam, there is a significant level of hug.

Some will love that feel, others may not. Even at a 50 / 50 on the firmness scale the hugging contour is still moderate.

Motion transfer on Ascend Air mattress is high.

In our tests, we measured an acceleration range of 13.96 m/s². This is 135% more motion transfer than the average (based on all of our tests to date). On average, we see acceleration at 5.93 m/s².

The level of motion transfer is documented in the video below.

As with many of our tests, the variable firmness may change the performance. I would expect the motion to be slightly better the softer the mattress is.

At a firmness of 40 / 50 there is quite a solid level of support and pushback. That pushback, especially from the tightly compressed air, creates this high level of motion.

Looking at our motion transfer chart (which visualized the accelerometer data), we can see a huge motion peak at 0.06 seconds.

A high level of motion persists up until 0.63 seconds, before returning to near-zero levels by 0.91 seconds. The lowest motion transfer mattresses are able to disperse all motion within 0.3 seconds.

As a result, Ascend Air lags behind considerably in terms of motion duration and motion intensity. If you or your partner are easily disturbed by motion during the night you may want to consider a different mattress.

The Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress has a very fast response time. In our tests, we measured a mostly recovered response time of 0.2 seconds and a full material recovery time of 0.4 seconds.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

This is very nearly tied with the fastest responding mattresses we’ve tested to date (which are 0.2 seconds to mostly recover and 0.3 seconds to fully recover).

On average, based on all of our mattress tests to date, we see mattresses mostly recover in 0.52 seconds and fully recover by 0.94 seconds. The Ascend Air mattress is considerably better than the average.

By any standard, it has a very fast material response time that will help to make it easy to move around on the mattress and prevent any type of “stuck” feeling.

There is a moderate level of bounce on the Ascend Air mattress. In our tests, we measured 8.24” of total bounce height.

This is slightly less bounce than the average of 9.29” (based on all of our tests to date).

The level of bounce is also documented in the video below.

I like to see bounce levels in the 8-12” range. This is enough to help make it easy to move around on and improve sex, but not so much as to introduce new issues.

The Ascend is on the lower end of my ideal range, so it won’t be amazing for sex (which we discuss more below).

Edge support on the Ascend mattress is a bit of mixed bag. Sitting edge support is excellent, but lying edge support leaves much to be desired.

In our sitting edge support tests, we measured 3.75” of sinkage at the edge. This is excellent support.

On average, based on all of our tests to date, we see 4.64” of sitting compression. Anything less than 4.0” would be considered excellent.

As a result, the Ascend Air is fantastic when it comes to sitting edge support. However, when I tested lying edge support I did not feel well supported.

The level of edge support while seated is documented in the images below.

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress there is a sensation of being rolled off the mattress and a basic lack of support.

The level of edge support while lying is documented in the images below.

If we look at the design of the mattress, this makes sense.

You have 6.0” of comfort material on top of an adjustable bladder. Which in itself isn’t problematic. However, to contain that bladder we have fairly basic foam rails. It’s those basic poly foam rails that are responsible for most of the edge support.

The design of those rails being more or less disconnected from the mattress, means you end up with a level of lying edge support that isn’t tremendously robust. The softer the firmness setting the worse edge support will be.

As a result, you really need to have your body positioned directly over the adjustable air bladder (which is several inches from the edge) to achieve an appropriate level of support.

To score sex performance we look at a number of different factors that all play a role in quality sex. Three of the most important factors include:

In addition to the factors above, there are a few other things to consider as well, like pressure relief and cooling.

Here’s a look at our complete sex formula:

Sex Score Formula = (Bounce * 0.6) + (Edge Support * 0.2) + (Noise * 0.1) + (Pressure Relief * 0.05) + (Cooling * 0.05)

We use the following scores, plugged into the formula, to derive a sex score for each mattress.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	7.6	Moderate
Edge Support	20%	9.1	Excellent
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	9.0	Excellent
Cooling	5%	9.0	Excellent

This mattress has moderate levels of bounce. For good sex, I generally like to see a little higher levels here.

Sitting edge support really helps this mattress in the sex category. While the edges aren’t amazing for sleeping, for sex, lovers will typically utilize a wide enough section of the edge to receive better support (similar level to what we measured on sitting edge tests).

Increasing the firmness to a maximum 50 / 50 will further improve sex performance since the mattress will be able to provide more pushback.

Pressure relief on the Ascend Air mattress is excellent. In our tests, I felt plenty of pressure-relieving comfort in all sleeping positions. The Ascend really has a lot going for in terms of pressure relief.

We have a 2.0” quilted cover, 2.0” latex layer, and 2.0” gel memory foam layer. Those 6.0” of comfort material alone would be sufficient to create ample comfort.

However, when you couple those layers with the adjustable firmness of the air bladder you have a more precise level of comfort control.

Some sleepers feel better pressure relief with very little sinkage, while others need lots of sinkage.

The Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress gives you that control. The robust 6.0” comfort layer and adjustable air bladder give me great confidence in the pressure-relieving ability for all types of sleepers and body weights.

This mattress uses both latex and gel foam, so there probably was a smell at some point.

However, Habitat Furnishings may have allowed the foams to fully off-gas before shipping out. In any case, by the time the mattress arrived here, there was no smell.

As a company, the terms and conditions of Habitat Furnishings are good, but not great. The mattress comes with a 90-night trial period and a lifetime warranty.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	6.0	90 nights
Warranty	10%	10	Lifetime
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	7.0	$99
Trust	50%	8.0	Good
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Shipping is free. However, returns cost $99. I’m not thrilled with any return costs, but $99 isn’t crazy.

The Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air has an adjustable level of firmness. The scale ranges from 0 up to 50. During performance tests, I tested several firmness levels.

Ascend Air Firmness	NapLab Firmness
Level 0	3.5 out of 10
Level 15	4.0 out of 10
Level 25	5.0 out of 10
Level 35	5.5 out of 10
Level 40	6.0 out of 10
Level 50	6.5 out of 10

Using our standard firmness chart, I found a level 0 to be equivalent to a 3.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale. At level 0, I experienced a lot of sinkage and it really lacked the feeling of adequate support.

A level 10 on the Air Ascend was equivalent to a 4.0 out of 10 on our firmness chart. Similar to level 0, this firmness was just too soft and I experienced a lot of sinkage and lacked adequate support.

I found a level 15 to be around a 4.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This is the least firm feeling that I still feel a reasonable level of support. However, I would not recommend it for sleepers over 200 pounds

If you’re looking for the softest feel that would be supportive enough for most body types, level 25 is a good place to start. This was around a 5.0 out of 10 on the NapLab firmness scale.

Moving along, we tested level 35 and found it to be around 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

Level 40 was a 6.0 out of 10 and level 50 was closer to 6.5 out of 10. Even at the firmest setting on the Air Ascend, I would not call this an extremely firm mattress.

Support on the Habitat Furnishing Ascend mattress is great. During my tests, I felt well supported in all sleeping positions. Notably, support on the Ascend mattress is dynamic. You can increase or decrease the level of firmness using the cordless remote.

Your body type and sleeping position will determine the ideal firmness level for you. Heavier weight sleepers should use a firmness rating in the 40 to 50 range. Lighter-weight sleepers may prefer a rating in the 15 to 35 range. Stomach and back sleepers will need something in the 35 to 50 range.

Ultimately, the adjustability is a major advantage, as it allows you to get a more precise level of support that’s tuned specifically to your needs and desires. Moreover, if you sleep with a partner, you can both individually control your side of the mattress.

Overall, I’m exceedingly pleased with the support dynamic on the Ascend mattress. There is ample support for all body types and sleeping positions.

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Back Sleepers
Under 150 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
150-250 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
250-300 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes

My only word of caution is for those sleepers who are looking for a soft mattress. While the Ascend mattress can drop to a very soft to soft rating, I would not recommend it.

At this firmness level, it simply does not have sufficient support. You’ll end up with deep sinkage in the middle and a significant lack of support.

The Ascend mattress is at its best when you keep the firmness range between a medium soft and a slightly firm feel. Anything softer than a medium soft (a 15 out of 50 on the remote) and you end up missing out on support.

Design

The design of the Habitat Ascend Air is a digital, adjustable firmness mattress that uses a combination of foam and an air chamber system for comfort and support.

It has a 12″ profile and the top foam layers are adjustable, depending on the type of feel you’re looking for.

Materials

As mentioned above, there is a plush quilted cover, followed by comfort foams, and an adjustable air chamber support base.

The exact thickness of these layers is listed below.

• 2.0″ quilted cover
• 2.0″ latex foam
• 2.0″ memory foam
• 6.0″ adjustable air base

The Cover

The cover of the Habitat mattress has a plush, Euro-style finish to it with quilted accents. It is made of quilted bamboo, which is soft, breathable and has some stretch to it as well.

The top cover has a zipper closure that wraps around the perimeter of the mattress. This zipper provides access to the comfort layer and support material below.

The Comfort Layer

The comfort layer of the Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress is made up of a quilted cover, a perforated latex foam, and gel-infused memory foam.

The latex foam is 2.0″ thick and aerated with round holes that continue across the entire surface of the mattress. Latex foam is known for having a faster response time and better cooling performance than traditional memory foam.

Below the latex foam is a 2.0″ layer of gel memory foam. This layer improves pressure relief while offering deeper compression and hug.

It’s important to add here that you can swap which foam is on top. Putting the latex on top helps with cooling and response. Putting the memory foam on top would provide more hug and contour.

The Support Layer

The base of the mattress is the air support system. This layer is 6.0″ thick and is an adjustable support layer than supports the foam materials above.

All larger mattress foundations are shipped as split units, including Queen, King, and California King. Smaller sizes like twin and full are shipped with the foundation as one piece.

This support layer is made of a fabric-backed vulcanized rubber air chamber that easily adjusts for varying levels of firmness and support.

These air chambers are adjusted with wireless LED remotes and a piston air pump that feeds air in or out of the chamber.

The Pump

The air pump is attached to the mattress through a series of hoses that powers the support system.

While the pump is a little bulky, it is fairly easy to hide this system under the bed or within a piece of furniture, depending on the setup and style of your bedroom.

There is a memory setting that allows the mattress to remember exactly how you like the feel and will add or subtract air to meet the desired feel.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Not sold on the Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air mattress? Check out the three top-rated mattress alternatives below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Check out some of the top FAQs on the Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air digital mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.