Helix Moonlight Elite Review

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 Moonlight Elite	Average
Overall Score	9.18	8.54
Price (Queen)	$2,999	$1,495 (Hybrid only)
Cooling – Score	10	8.6
Sinkage – Depth	3.04″	2.18″
Sinkage – Feel	Extremely Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	8.8	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	7.64 m/s²	8.68 m/s²
Response Time – Score	8.2	8.8
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.4 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	1.4 sec.	1.0 sec.
Bounce – Height	7.56″	9.17″
Bounce – Feel	Low	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	8.7	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	4.25″	4.00″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Good
Sex – Score	7.9	8.3
Pressure Relief – Score	10	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	5.5″	4.1″
Mattress Thickness	15″	12.2″
Off-Gassing – Score	8.1	8.2
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	7 days	7 days
Company – Score	9.7	8.6
Trial	100 nights	173 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	40% have lifetime warranties, average of other 60% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Helix Moonlight Elite Different?

The Helix Moonlight Elite is a 15″ hybrid mattress with an overall performance level that is significantly better than the average mattress, but also a higher price point, 2X the cost of the average hybrid (costing sleepers an extra $1500 for a queen-sized mattress).

Advantages

Advantages include better cooling performance, lower levels of motion transfer (12% less than average), and exceptional pressure relief. The Moonlight Elite has a 5.5″ comfort layer, which includes a 1.75″ quilted cover.

Neutral Factors

This mattress has extremely deep sinkage and low levels of bounce. Depending on the exact feel you’re looking for, these factors could be good or bad.

Disadvantages

This mattress has a lower sex score, 7.9 out of 10, largely due to the low levels of bounce. The higher price may also be an issue for some sleepers.

If you’re on a tight budget, I’d recommend checking out our review of the Helix Moonlight Luxe, which has a slightly thinner profile, soft feel, and yet still very impressive performance (overall score: 9.08—ranking in the top 20%).

The Helix Moonlight Elite has outstanding cooling. During our tests, I did not feel any significant level of heat retention around my body.

The Moonlight Elite is equipped with an advanced cooling cover (Helix calls it GlacioTex) that creates a significant cool-to-the-touch feel.

Even after lying on the mattress for the duration of our entire cooling test, the cover still kept its cooler feel.

Beyond the cooling cover, we have high-performance poly foam and memory foam. These layers are all doing a nice job of avoiding 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

Lastly, we have ample airflow coming in from the 8.0” pocketed coil unit and microcoil layer, which serves as an air gap directly within the comfort layer.

In our objective temperature tests, we measured a max surface level temperature of 89.5° F. This is 0.3° less than the average of 89.8° F, based on all of our tests to date.

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 Moonlight Elite has extremely deep sinkage. During our tests, we measured a pressure point sinkage depth of 3.04″.

This is 0.87″ more sinkage than the average sinkage depth of 2.17″, based on all of our tests to date. Despite the deeper sinkage, the mattress creates a balanced feel around the body.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

The mattress uses a mix of poly foam, memory foam, and microcoils to create a more even feel. Unlike many other Helix Luxe and Elite models, the Moonlight Elite contains a relatively small quantity of memory foam. Just 1.25” out of 5.5” of total comfort material.

Having poly foam in place of memory foam helps the mattress maintain its fast material responsiveness, balanced feel, and avoid any type of a stuck feel.

The Helix Moonlight Elite has a low level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 7.64 m/s².

This is 12% less motion transfer than the average of 8.68 m/s². The thicker-than-average comfort layer, ultra-dense 7.0 PCF memory foam within the core, deeper sinkage, and soft feel are all contributing factors helping to reduce motion transfer on the mattress.

These material choices are also the reason for the lower-than-average bounce, which further reduces motion transfer.

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 0.13 seconds.

Motion drops off significantly immediately thereafter and by 0.79 seconds, we return to near-zero levels of energy.

Overall, I’m pleased with the motion transfer dynamic. Motion intensity is below average, while motion duration is kept to a reasonable level. As such, I don’t expect motion will be a problem for most sleepers.

The Helix Moonlight Elite is a mixed bag for material responsiveness, with a fast mostly recovered response time and a slow 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 1.4 seconds, which is 0.41 seconds slower than the average of 0.99 seconds.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

The Moonlight Elite benefits from a material construction that is mostly poly foam, coils, and microcoils. These layers are faster to respond and spring back to shape incredibly quickly.

However, we still have 1.25” of memory foam within the mattress that takes longer to recover back to its original shape. It’s these memory foam layers, in combination with the deeper sinkage resulting from the softer feel, that cause the mattress to take longer to complete the full recovery.

While the responsiveness isn’t ideal, it’s still not bad by any stretch. Provided you like the deeper sinkage and soft feel, I don’t think this response time will be a problem for most sleepers.

The Helix Moonlight Elite has a low level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 7.56″. This is 1.62″ less bounce than the average of 9.18″, based on all of our tests to date.

The Moonlight Elite’s low bounce is a result of the soft feel, deep sinkage, and thicker-than-average comfort layer. This combination of material and design choices disperses energy, which results in a lower level of bounce.

The lower bounce makes it more difficult to move around on the mattress, change positions, and get out of bed. However, that low bounce is also the reason motion transfer is low.

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

Bounce is a double-edged sword that, when low, has a positive impact on motion. However, that same lower bounce negatively impacts sex performance and ease of movement.

The Helix Moonlight Elite has good sitting edge support and excellent lying edge support.

In our sitting edge support test, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 4.25″. This is 0.25″ more 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 excellent in all sleeping positions. This mattress utilizes reinforced edge support coils that run along the perimeter of the mattress.

These coils have a sizable impact on edge support. In addition, the thicker-than-average total profile height, the thicker-than-average comfort layer, and high-performance materials at every level further help to reinforce and improve edge support.

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

While the soft feel and deep sinkage do mean edge support is a little worse on the Moonlight Elite compared to other Helix Elite mattresses, when compared to the broader mattress market, this is still an excellent level of edge support for both sitting and lying.

The Helix Moonlight Elite has fair sex performance. On the positive side, we saw perfect scores for pressure relief, cooling, and noise. Edge support earned a good score, but it’s also far from perfect.

We measured 4.25” of sitting edge sinkage on the Moonlight Elite, which is slightly worse than average. Even so, it should still be robust enough to make the edge a functional and usable part of the mattress for amorous activities.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	7.2	Moderate
Edge Support	20%	8.4	Good
Noise	5%	10	Minimal
Pressure Relief	5%	10	Outstanding
Cooling	5%	10	Outstanding

Lastly, we need to talk about bounce. Bounce measured at 7.56”. This is notably less bounce than average. The reduced bounce makes it a bit more strenuous and tiring to have sex on the mattress.

All things considered, sex performance on Moonlight Elite is fine, but it’s also not a miracle worker.

The Helix Moonlight Elite has an outstanding level of pressure relief. During our tests, I felt no pressure points on my body.

The mattress is equipped with 5.5″ of comfort material, which is 1.35″ more comfort material than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.15″, based on all of our tests to date.

The Moonlight Elite has a balanced feel due to the layered material design and reliance more on poly foam instead of memory foam for the comfort layer.

This helps to avoid any type of excessive stuck feeling and pressure points that can result from that type of comfort dynamic.

In addition, we see incredibly high-performance foams at every level on the mattress. Within the primary comfort layer we have a 1.5” 3.5 PCF poly foam, a 1.0” 2.5 PCF poly foam, and a 0.5” 7.0 PCF memory foam.

PCF stands for pounds per cubic feet. It’s a measure of density. Higher density foams typically feel better, last longer, and better resist sagging.

2.0 to 3.0 PCF is a more typical range, so seeing a 1.5” layer at a 3.5 PCF and a 0.5” at 7.0 is fantastic. These higher-density foams are a major reason why pressure relief excels on the mattress.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.12	0.73

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.06	0.50

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.09	0.60

In our pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PSI of 0.73, which is well within the low-pressure range we want to see.

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 Moonlight Elite had a strong smell upon the initial unboxing. The mattress smelled for 7 days. This is 0.5 days longer 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 Moonlight Elite is available in a single firmness, 4 out of 10, with a soft feel.

While many sleepers may find this feel comfortable, it is most likely to be suitable for side sleepers and less so for back and stomach sleepers.

Support on the Helix Moonlight Elite is outstanding. During our tests, I felt well supported on the mattress, but especially while lying on my side. 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. Ultimately, this is a soft mattress and one with a deeper sinkage.

This makes it best suited to the needs of side sleepers. Some back and stomach sleepers may find that the deeper sinkage simply doesn’t create the right type of support for those sleeping positions.

If you are a moderate or heavier-weight sleeper in particular, I would urge caution for back and stomach sleepers. Beyond sleeping positions, the mattress more than accomplishes everything we hope and look for in great support.

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	Yes	Yes
150-250 lbs.	Maybe	Yes	Maybe
250-300 lbs.	Maybe	Yes	Maybe

We have a thicker-than-average support layer, pressure relief that excels, and high-quality materials at every level.

This combination means we have a mattress that allows sleepers to remain comfortable in the same position for an extended period of time, while also providing ample support to the body and maintaining a neutral spinal alignment (especially as a side sleeper).

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 Moonlight Elite is outstanding.

Design

The Helix Moonlight Elite is a 15″ hybrid mattress that comes in a single firmness option—Soft. 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 Moonlight is the most budget-friendly, the Moonlight Luxe is a balance of great performance and still a reasonable price, and the Moonlight Elite (this review) is the most expensive and highest-tier model.

Materials

The Helix Moonlight Elite is 15″ thick and contains a combination of poly foam, microcoils, and a pocketed coil base. From top to bottom, here is a full list of the materials used in this mattress:

• 1.75” quilted cover
• 1.5” poly foam
• 1.0” poly foam
• 0.75” micro coils
• 0.5” memory foam
• 0.75” poly foam
• 8.0” pocketed coils
• 0.75” support foam

The table below shows a more detailed look at the exact specifications of the materials used in the Moonlight 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
1.0″	Poly Foam	2.5 PCF
0.75″	Microcoils	N/A
0.5″	Poly Foam	7.0 PCF
8.0″	Pocketed Coils (Zoned)	N/A
0.75″	Support Foam	1.8 PCF

The Cover

The cover of the Helix Moonlight 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 Moonlight or Helix Moonlight 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.

Although the mattress we tested did not have them, the Helix Elite series does have the option to include graphite cooling ribbons (aka CoolForce), designed to pull heat away from the body, at an additional cost of $199.

For reference, the Moonlight Elite mattress we tested comes standard with the GlacioTex cooling cover, but did not have the graphite cooling ribbons, yet it still earned a 10/10 for cooling performance.

The Comfort Layer

Unlike other Helix collections, the Elite collection is the only one that has 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 5.5″ thick, which includes the 1.75″ quilted cover. This is notably thicker than the average comfort layer. Directly below the quilted cover, we see two poly foams (a gray foam and a teal foam). The top layer of poly foam is 1.5″ thick and the secondary layer is 1.0″ thick.

Following the two foam layers is a 0.75″ pocketed microcoil layer. Microcoils can be a great way to improve pressure relief and cooling performance within the comfort layer of a mattress.

Beneath the microcoils is a 0.5″ memory foam (gray foam) that acts as a transitional layer between comfort materials and support materials.

The Support Layer

The support layer is 9.5″ thick and made of coils and foam. Directly below the foam of the comfort layer, there is a 0.75″ poly foam layer (green foam), which acts as another transitional layer between foam and coils.

The heart of the support layer is an 8.0″ pocketed coil system. Each of these coils is designed to move independently of each other, with targeted zones that place stronger coils in areas where there is stronger pressure (ie: midsection).

Below the coils is a 0.75″ support foam at the very base of the mattress (light green foam). This layer is the firmest of all foams used in the mattress and offers stability and structure for the coils, as well as all other layers above.

Product Evolution

Helix 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 and ErgoAlign foam to the Helix Moonlight (core collection) or the Luxe version. ErgoAlign comes standard with all Elite.

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 7.0 PCF memory foam that’s included with all Elite models

Other Mattresses to Consider

Frequently Asked Questions

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