We Slept On It: Douglas Summit Mattress Review

Until recently, I have never experienced a consistent deep sleep. I’m a light sleeper with a tendency to tense every muscle in my body while I dream. This causes me to wake up often throughout the night and find myself sore and aching in the morning. For the past year and a half, I’ve been sleeping on a firm coil mattress and loving it. But when I wanted to upgrade to a queen bed, I decided to try a foam mattress. Enter: the Canadian-designed and -manufactured Douglas Summit mattress. (Note: Douglas provided a free mattress for my review.)

Getting to know the Douglas Summit mattress

The Douglas Summit features impressive cooling technology, with both a cooling, machine-washable cover and gel layer. It also has three enhanced foam layers to help prevent motion transfer (meaning that if one partner moves around, the other shouldn’t feel it). 

The foam layers have two additional inches of height on Douglas’ original model, totalling 12 inches for more full-body, medium-firm support. This was the main feature that drew me to the Douglas Summit mattress: I was hoping that the sinking feeling of foam would encourage relaxation while also providing support, since I typically sleep on my back. 

The Douglas Summit’s three interior layers help prevent motion transfer. (Photo: Courtesy Douglas)

The cooling technology was also a major draw as I refuse to sleep without a blanket, even in the hot summer months.

Setting up the Douglas Summit mattress

The mattress, which costs $1,300 for a queen model, arrived promptly and was delivered directly to my doorstep. The mattress weighs 76 pounds and was easily carried upstairs by two people. It was simple to unpack: We laid it on the frame, cut open the packaging and let it unroll. It initially had a faint off-gassing odour, but that quickly faded within a few days. 

While my standard queen sheets did fit the mattress, it was a snug fit, causing the mountain pattern on the mattress cover to show through. (This serves as a good reason to invest in higher-quality sheets.)

My Douglas Summit mattress review

I first found the Douglas Summit surprisingly supportive for a foam mattress. It truly lives up to its description as medium-firm. Despite having the luxurious sinking feeling, it still manages to feel quite sturdy and firm. 

The foam used in the Douglas Summit mattress offers a luxurious sinking sensation.

In terms of motion transfer, the Summit also excelled—I could barely feel any movement when someone was on the other side. But what truly impressed me was its cooling technology, particularly invaluable during the summer heat. Despite soaring temperatures outside during my testing period, I found myself surprisingly cool throughout the night, even though I was sleeping under a duvet.

Our final verdict on the Douglas Summit mattress

After a month with the Douglas Summit, I still found myself longing for my old hybrid mattress. The sinking sensation of foam hasn’t entirely won me over. Nevertheless, I do enjoy the Summit’s medium-firm support. I also think this mattress caters well to many kinds of sleepers; it felt supportive whether I was sleeping on my back or side. The edge control is particularly noteworthy—I’ve never felt at risk of rolling off the bed. 

Thanks to Douglas’ 365-day trial, I’ve decided to stick with the Summit mattress. Although I don’t love the sinking sensation, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality. With time, I believe I’ll fully adjust to the foam and enjoy even deeper nights of sleep.

Pros

• Excellent cooling and motion transfer technology 
• High-quality, medium-firm support
• Machine washable cover
• 365-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty
• Great for hot sleepers
• Comes with a complimentary bedding bundle (sheets, pillows and mattress/pillow protectors)
• Made in Canada
• Free pickup and return (though you need to wrap the mattress in plastic at the time of pickup)
• Good edge support

Cons

• Regular queen sheets are a snug fit; will need to use thicker sheets to avoid seeing the mountain pattern of the mattress
• Ideal for lightweight and average-weight back and side sleepers; not great for heavyweight sleepers
• Not ideal for sleepers who need ample back support

How We Test Mattresses At Chatelaine

Our testers sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 days, which experts recommend as a decent window for determining whether a mattress is the right fit for your needs. (For more expert insights on mattress shopping, see our post on buying a mattress below.)

Aside from comfort, we evaluate each mattress on the following criteria:

Edge support What is the degree of support around the edges of the mattress? This is important for people who frequently sit on the edge of the bed, as if there isn't strong edge support the edges will start to sag over time.

Motion isolation Could we feel our partner's movements—whether it's tossing and turning or getting up in the middle of the night? A mattress with strong motion isolation will prevent this.

Off-gassing How long did it take for the mattress to lose any noticeable odour after being unpacked? Clean, easy-to-breathe air is important to us.

How well it kept us cool Did the mattress trap heat as we slept, or did we feel cool throughout the night?

Return policy Does the company allow for at least a 30-day trial period?

Did our standard sheets fit? Some mattresses are deeper than others, which can interfere with how sheets fit.

Weight How much does the mattress way? Some experts correlate mattress weight with mattress quality, meaning a heavier mattress is likely to be made with better quality materials.

Above all, please note the mattress-buying process is highly subjective and it's a big purchase. This is why it's crucial to buy a mattress with a generous exchange or return policy.

Find more expert advice for buying a mattress online or in-store.