Helix Dawn Elite Review

COUPON: Save 27% off your entire Helix order with code NAPLAB27. Expires 8/1/25.

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

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

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

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

Factor	Helix Dawn Elite	Average
Overall Score	9.12	8.55
Price (Queen)	$2,999	$1,520.05 (Hybrid only)
Cooling – Score	10	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	2.59″	2.18″
Sinkage – Feel	Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	7.4	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	10.68 m/s²	8.66 m/s²
Response Time – Score	8.4	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.4 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	1.2 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	7.62″	9.16″
Bounce – Feel	Low	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	9.7	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.50″	4.00″
Edge Support – Lying	Outstanding	Good
Sex – Score	8.1	8.3
Pressure Relief – Score	10	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	6.0″	4.1″
Mattress Thickness	15.5″	12.2″
Off-Gassing – Score	8.3	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	6 days	7 days
Company – Score	9.7	8.6
Trial	100 nights	172 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	40% have lifetime warranties, average of other 60% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Helix Dawn Elite Different?

The Helix Dawn Elite is a 15.5″ hybrid mattress with an overall performance level that is better than average, but also a price tag that is higher than average—97% more than the average hybrid mattress.

Advantages

Advantages include 10/10 cooling performance, better edge support, and exceptional pressure relief. Off-gassing is also one day faster than the average as well. The Dawn Elite also has a thicker comfort layer (6.0″ thick) and a thicker total mattress thickness as well—15.5″ thick, 3.3″ thicker than the average mattress.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has deep sinkage and low levels of bounce. Both of these factors are considered to be neutral since different sleepers will have different preferences in these areas.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of the Dawn Elite include the higher levels of motion transfer, slightly slower material response time, and a shorter 100-night trial period (72 nights shorter than average). The price may could also be considered a disadvantage as this mattress costs 97% more than the average hybrid.

The Helix Dawn Elite has outstanding cooling. During our tests, I felt no significant heat retention around my body.

The Dawn Elite has a number of material and design choices that help notably improve cooling performance.

First up, we have the cooling cover, which Helix calls GlacioTex. The cover has a cool-to-the-touch feel, and during our tests remained cool on my skin.

In addition, we have high-performance foams at every level of the mattress. These foams breathe well and do a good job of avoiding excess heat retention.

• 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

Last but not least, we have a pocketed coil unit and a layer of microcoils within the comfort layer. These layers are bringing more air into the mattress and also serve as air gap layers that simply aren’t going to retain heat.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 89.1° F. This is 0.7° cooler than the average of 89.8° F, based on all of our tests to date.

After getting off the mattress, the temperature declined by 4.8 degrees from minutes 0 to 1, which is 0.2 degrees cooler than the average 0 to 1 minute decline of 4.6 degrees.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

When we consider the combination of objective data, my subjective experiences, and an analysis of the materials, I’m confident in my view that cooling is outstanding.

The Helix Dawn Elite has deep sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 2.59″. This is 0.41″ more sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.18″, based on all of our tests to date.

The mattress creates only a slight level of body contouring hug. The mattress creates less sinkage for lighter parts of the body, however, heavier parts of the body, namely the butt and midsection, do sink down further into the mattress.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

Sleepers who weigh more will experience a little more sinkage into the mattress, while sleepers who weigh less will experience a little less. Notably, the mattress does not create a floating feel, which is often common in firm mattresses.

While the sinkage, hug, and contour are not dramatic, there is still a modest level of body contouring hug. The firm feel of the mattress works to restrain that hug, but it’s still there, creating pressure relief and comfort.

The Helix Dawn Elite has a moderate level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 10.68 m/s². This is 23% more motion transfer than the average of 8.66 m/s².

The Dawn Elite has more motion transfer than other Helix Elite models we’ve tested.

When we consider the design and comfort dynamic, the increase in motion makes sense. The slightly firm feel and limited use of memory foam are both contributing to higher motion transfer.

With just 1.25” of memory foam, with the higher-density 0.75” memory foam layer being positioned further within the core of the mattress, there just isn’t enough memory foam to help resist the increase in motion resulting from the slightly firm feel.

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

In our motion transfer chart, which visualizes our accelerometer data, we can see the highest motion peaks from 0 to 0.21 seconds. We see a sharp decline in motion after 0.21 seconds and by 0.65 seconds we’ve returned to near-zero levels of energy.

Certainly, I would have liked to have seen a lower motion intensity, but if there is a silver lining it’s the relatively restrained motion duration.

If you are super sensitive to motion transfer, then the Dawn Elite could be a bit too much; however, for most sleepers, I don’t expect this level of motion will be problematic.

The Helix Dawn Elite is a mixed bag for material responsiveness, with a fast mostly recovered response time and a moderate fully recovered response time.

In our mostly recovered test, we measured a recovery speed of 0.4 seconds, which is 0.02 seconds faster than the average of 0.42 seconds, based on all of our tests to date.

In our fully recovered responsiveness test, we measured a recovery speed of 1.2 seconds, which is 0.21 seconds slower than the average of 0.99 seconds.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

While the limited use of memory foam meant slightly higher motion transfer, it also means faster material response times. The Dawn Elite has the fastest fully recovered response time among the entire Helix Elite lineup.

While the memory foam within the quilted cover and core of the mattress do mean it’s slightly slower than average, it’s not a slow recovery time by any stretch.

Ultimately, having a mattress with a slightly firm feel and a comfort layer that is primarily high-response poly foam means that the total responsiveness feel on the mattress is excellent. The comfort dynamic, combined with these material responsiveness speeds, ensures the mattress is always easy to move around on.

The Helix Dawn Elite has a low level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 7.62″. This is 1.54″ less bounce than the average of 9.16″, based on all of our tests to date.

The Dawn Elite utilizes a super thick 6.0” comfort layer. This notably thicker-than-average comfort layer is absorbing a ton of bounce energy.

This mattress has a substantial euro top quilted cover, in addition to a thicker-than-average comfort layer and 1.25” of memory foam. This combination is certainly helping to reduce the total bounce level.

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

The limited bounce is a bit of a double-edged support. On one hand, the lower bounce is helping to keep motion transfer in check. However, that lower bounce is also a major detractor for sex performance.

All that to say, I do think this mattress would have benefited from a bit more bounce, even at the expense of a little higher motion transfer.

The Helix Dawn Elite has excellent sitting edge support and outstanding lying edge support.

In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 3.50″. This is 0.50″ less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.00″, based on all of our tests to date.

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

While lying directly on the edge of the mattress, I felt that the support was outstanding in all sleeping positions.

The Dawn Elite has several design and material choices helping to improve edge support, including the slightly firm feel, thicker than average total profile height of 15.5”, high quality foams at every level, and lastly, two rows of reinforced coils running along the entire perimeter of the mattress.

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

These edge support coils in particular look and feel incredibly robust and they do a nice job at supporting the body for both sitting and lying near the edge.

The Helix Dawn Elite has good sex performance. On the positive side, we saw perfect scores from pressure relief and cooling, in addition to minimal noise.

Edge support wasn’t flawless, but at just 3.50” of sitting edge sinkage it’s notably better than average and more than good enough to create a robust edge for amorous activities.

A more supportive edge is beneficial for the dance without pants as it extends the usable surface area of the bed.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	7.2	Moderate
Edge Support	20%	9.4	Excellent
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	10	Outstanding
Cooling	5%	10	Outstanding

Lastly, we need to talk about bounce. The Dawn Elite has 7.62” of bounce, which is considerably lower than average. When it comes to bounce for sex, more is almost always better.

The lower bounce makes sex a bit more strenuous and tiring. It’s also the single biggest factor that’s holding the Dawn Elite sex score down.

The Helix Dawn Elite has an outstanding level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt no pressure points anywhere on my body. The mattress was comfortable and it was easy to lie in the same position for an extended period of time.

The mattress is equipped with 6.0″ of comfort material, which is 1.84″ more comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.16″, based on all of our tests to date.

Often, firm mattresses can create an excessive level of pushback with limited sinkage, but that’s not what we measured or experienced here. This mattress is able to create a slightly firm feel, while at the same time delivering amazing pressure relief.

The comfort layer is absolutely packed with high-performance poly foam and memory foam. We have a 1.5” 3.5 PCF poly foam, a 0.5” 7.0 PCF memory foam, in addition to other poly foam layers at a 1.5 PCF.

PCF stands for pounds per cubic feet and it’s a measure of foam density. Higher density foams are heavier, resist sagging better, last longer, and are generally more comfortable.

The 3.5 PCF poly foam is excellent, but the 7.0 PCF memory foam is incredibly impressive and also uniquely rare. Foams in the 3-4 PCF range would be considered high density and high quality.

To see a foam a 7.0 PCF is unheard of. In fact, the Helix Elite line is the only mattress series I’ve ever seen a 7 pound foam used in.

All that to say, the high-performance foams are a major reason for the fantastic pressure relief created by the mattress.

In our pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PIS of 0.79. This is well within the low-pressure range that we look for and hope for.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.13	0.79

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.08	0.70

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.08	0.46

When I consider our objective pressure mapping tests, material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be outstanding.

The Helix Dawn Elite had a strong smell upon the initial unboxing. The mattress smelled for 6 days. This is 0.5 days shorter than the average smell duration of 6.5 days.

Helix has an excellent company score with consumer-friendly terms and conditions. The mattress includes a 100-night trial period and a lifetime warranty. Shipping and returns are both free as well.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	8.0	100 nights
Warranty	10%	10	Lifetime
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	10	$0
Trust	50%	10	Outstanding
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing 99+ brands tested to date, the average trial period is 173 nights, 73 nights more than Helix offers. Helix also offers a lifetime warranty, an advantage only offered by 39% of all mattresses we test.

Helix has been around since 2015, and based on my experiences with them and feedback from my readers over the years, they are a brand that I have a high degree of trust with.

All Helix mattresses are made in the US.

The Helix Dawn Elite comes in a single firmness, 7 out of 10, with a slightly firm feel.

The slightly firm feel makes this is an ideal choice for many back and stomach sleepers, but some side sleepers may find it’s a bit too firm.

Support on the Helix Dawn Elite is outstanding. During our tests, I felt well supported in all sleeping positions. The mattress is equipped with a 9.5″ support layer.

This is 1.58″ thicker than the average support layer thickness of 7.92″, based on all of our tests to date.

For a mattress to create ideal support, we need to keep the spine supported and in a neutral alignment, while also delivering amazing pressure relief and comfort. The Dawn Elite is able to achieve both of these requirements with ease.

The pressure relief created by the mattress allowed me to remain comfortable in the same sleeping position for an extended period of time. In addition, we have ample support materials to fully support the body in all sleeping positions.

That said, the slightly firm feel does make this mattress better suited to the needs of back and stomach sleepers. This isn’t to say some side sleepers won’t also enjoy it, but you’ll need to be sure you are okay with a little more firmness.

Check out the table below to see the sleeper weights and sleeping positions that would be best suited for this mattress.

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

Lastly, the mattress uses a zoned coil unit. The zoning means there is more support in the middle of the mattress, which helps to improve support where most sleepers carry most of their weight. In addition, it helps to resist sagging in the center of the mattress.

Based on all of my tests to date, an analysis of the materials, and my subjective experiences, I’m confident that most sleepers will find support on the Helix Dawn Elite is outstanding.

Design

The Helix Dawn Elite is a 15.5″ hybrid mattress that comes in a single firmness option—Slightly Firm. It has a high-profile design that is a part of Helix’s top-tier collection.

Helix divides its mattress collection into three tiers—Core (Standard), Luxe, and Elite. As you’d expect, higher tiers also have a higher price tag.

The Helix Dawn is the most budget-friendly, the Dawn Luxe is a balance of great performance and still a reasonable price, and the Dawn Elite (this review) is the most expensive and highest-tier model.

Materials

The Helix Dawn Elite is 15.5″ thick and contains a combination of foam, microcoils, and a pocketed coil base.

It is extremely robust and uses many different layers to produce a truly dynamic feel. From top to bottom, here is a full list of the materials used in this mattress:

• 2.25” quilted cover
• 0.50” memory
• 0.75” micro coils
• 1.00” poly foam
• 1.50” poly foam
• 0.75” poly foam
• 8.00” pocketed coils
• 0.75” support foam

The table below shows a more detailed look at the exact specifications of the materials used in the Helix Dawn Elite, according to the manufacturer.

Thickness	Layer Type	Density
1.0″	Pillow Top	1.5 PCF
0.75″	Gel Memory Foam	1.8 PCF
1.5″	Poly Foam	3.5 PCF
0.75″	Microcoils	N/A
0.5″	Memory Foam	7.0 PCF
8.0″	Pocketed Coils (Zoned)	N/A
0.75″	Support Foam	1.8 PCF

The Cover

The Helix Dawn Elite is made of GlacioTex Elite cooling fabric and has a cool-to-the-touch feel. This fabric comes standard on the Elite, but is a $199 upgrade for the Helix Dawn or Helix Dawn Luxe.

The cover has a zipper on half of the mattress to allow you to insert or remove the top grouping of comfort materials.

Helix recommends spot-cleaning the cover as needed. The cover is not machine washable, nor can you remove it entirely from the top of the mattress.

The Helix Elite series has the option to include graphite cooling ribbons (aka: CoolForce), designed to pull heat away from the body, at an additional cost of $199.

The mattress we tested in our studio did not have these cooling ribbons, as shown in the photo above, but the photo is from the Helix Plus Elite, a sister model within the same Elite collection (our tests of the Helix Plus Elite included the optional CoolForce).

The Comfort Layer

Unlike other Helix collections, the Elite collection is the only one which is a removable top comfort layer. The comfort insert is shipped separately from the rest of the mattress and needs to be added prior to sleeping on the mattress.

Simply unzip a portion of the cover, slide the comfort insert in, and zip it back up.

The comfort layer is 6.0″ thick, if we include the 2.25″ quilted cover. Below the quilted cover is a 0.5″ poly foam (gray), followed by a 0.75″ microcoil layer. The microcoils have small coils pocketed in thin fabric, designed for enhanced pressure relief. The 1.0″ memory foam (white) below the microcils has a firmer feel and helps support sleepers as they engage more deeply with the layers.

The bottom piece of the comfort layer is a 1.5″ poly foam (gray) that closely mimics the feel of a support layer.

The Support Layer

The support layer is 9.5″ thick and made of two poly foam layers and an 8.0″ zoned pocketed coil base. The poly foam placed at the top of the support layer is 0.75″ thick and the layer directly below is 0.5″ thick, designed as the base of the mattress.

The coils themselves move independently of each other, with targeted zones that place stronger coils in areas where there is stronger pressure (ie: midsection).

Together, these foams and coils work together for better support, pressure relief, and overall mattress performance.

Product Evolution

Helix, as a brand, launched in 2015 with a handful of mattresses that sleepers selected based on the results of an on-site quiz.

In 2020, the brand shifted from custom mattresses into a series of collections, starting with the Core collection and the Luxe collection. In 2023, the Elite collection was added as well, providing a total of 3 tiered collections.

In 2024, Helix added the option of ErgoAlign support foam, and then in 2025, Helix added the optional graphite cooling ribbons. These two features can help customize and improve any mattress, regardless of what collection it falls under.

For example, you can add the cooling ribbons to the Helix Dawn (core collection), the Luxe version, or the Elite version. You can add the ErgoAlign layer to the Core or Luxe version (it comes standard on Elite versions).

In addition, in 2025, Helix redesigned its entire lineup. Here are the major changes from the redesign:

• Aesthetic changes on the covers
• Improved cooling cover (optional on Core and Luxe models, comes standard with all Elite models)
• Slightly different layer stack for foams
• Different / new / updated foams, most notably a new 3.5-4.0 PCF foam that’s included on all Luxe models and a new 7.0 PCF foam that’s included on all Elite models

Other Mattresses to Consider

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Check out some of the top FAQs on the Helix Dawn Elite mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.