Helix Crib Mattress Review + Video - Is it the Best?

A premium dual-sided crib mattress with excellent firmness, fit, breathability, washability, and build quality.

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: September 19, 2026

Mommyhood101 independently curates baby gear to inform decisions; AI may assist with editing. If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

We put the Helix Crib Mattress through our hands-on testing, evaluating unboxing, off-gassing, materials and construction, infant and toddler firmness, breathability, waterproofing and washability, dimensions, weight, crib fit, comfort, certifications, and overall value.

Overall, we came away very impressed.

Let's see how it performed relative to the best crib mattresses we've tested!

Full disclosure: Helix provided us with a free sample of this crib mattress for testing and sponsored this article, but all opinions are our own. As always, follow manufacturer instructions and current safe-sleep recommendations when using any crib mattress.

Our Helix Crib Mattress Review

Bottom line: The Helix Crib Mattress is one of the most impressive foam crib mattresses we've tested. It combines excellent infant firmness, a more comfortable toddler side, outstanding fit in a standard crib, a removable waterproof and machine-washable cover, impressive airflow through its three-dimensional surface, excellent construction quality, and GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certifications.

Here are our findings, right up front: what we loved, and the few things that could be improved.

✔️  Excellent build quality.
✔️  Dual-firmness design.
✔️  Extra-firm infant side.
✔️  Softer toddler side.
✔️  Excellent compression results.
✔️  Breathable 3D surface design.
✔️  Removable waterproof cover.
✔️  Machine-washable outer cover.
✔️  Excellent SBS cover zipper.
✔️  Clearly labeled sides.
✔️  Perfect 28" × 52" crib fit.
✔️  Ships completely flat.
✔️  No expansion period necessary.
✔️  Absolutely no off-gassing odor.
✔️  GREENGUARD Gold certification.
✔️  CertiPUR-US certified foam.
✔️  Fiberglass-free foam.
✔️  Made in USA.
✔️  Made to order.
✔️  120-night sleep trial.
✔️  Limited Lifetime Warranty.
❌  Polyurethane foam construction.
❌  Fairly heavy at 16.3 pounds.

There is a lot to like here. Helix didn't reinvent the crib mattress core in the way brands such as Newton have done with woven polymer, or premium natural mattresses have done with coconut coir, latex, wool, and other materials. Instead, Helix took a more conventional foam construction and executed nearly everything around it exceptionally well.

For families who are comfortable with a high-quality certified polyurethane foam mattress, the Helix is an excellent option.

How We Tested

We tested the Helix Crib Mattress hands-on in a standard full-size crib, focusing on the features we consider most important for infant and toddler sleep: firmness, fit, materials, off-gassing, breathability, cleanability, weight, construction quality, and ease of use.

We inspected the mattress immediately after delivery, measured its dimensions and weight, examined all labels and construction details, removed the outer cover to inspect its zipper and underlying fire-retardant encasement, and inspected the two internal foam layers.

We also installed the mattress into a Delta Children Cuna Convertible 9-in-1 crib, evaluated gaps around the full perimeter, and used an 8-pound weight to compare compression between the infant and toddler surfaces.

Finally, we evaluated airflow through the three-dimensional cover and used the mattress with a 3-month-old baby on its infant side, allowing us to assess its real-world fit and usability in addition to its specifications.

Quick Review Video

Here's our quick video showing some of the things we loved about the Helix crib mattress:

Unboxing & First Impressions

Our first pleasant surprise came before we even opened the box: the Helix ships flat rather than compressed and rolled.

We strongly prefer flat shipping for crib mattresses. There is no waiting several hours or days for the mattress to expand, no curled corners, and less concern about temporary lumps or uneven areas caused by prolonged compression.

Inside the box, the entire mattress was sealed in a substantial clear plastic bag.

That provides useful protection against dust, dirt, and moisture during shipping and warehousing.

Once removed from the bag, the Helix immediately made an excellent first impression.

The three-dimensional surface looks and feels premium, with a soft honeycomb-like texture that creates noticeable depth and airflow channels.

Even more impressive, our mattress had absolutely no noticeable off-gassing odor.

That's unusual for a newly manufactured polyurethane foam mattress. Many foam mattresses need anywhere from several hours to several days before their characteristic "new foam" odor disappears. We put our noses right against the Helix immediately after opening it and couldn't detect anything objectionable.

That's exactly the sort of first impression we hope to get from a mattress using low-emission certified foams and materials.

Labels & Manufacturing

Helix does an excellent job making the dual-sided design intuitive. Rather than making parents search through a manual or remember which fabric pattern corresponds to which developmental stage, the infant and toddler sides are clearly identified with stitched labels along the mattress edge.

The law label on our sample identified registration number UT 2801 (AZ), listed Helix Sleep Inc. at 5301 W Bethany Home Road in Glendale, Arizona, and specified a finished size of 52 × 28 inches.

Here's that label:

The label also states that the mattress is made in the USA of imported and domestic components, with a listed net material weight of 15 pounds, 11 ounces.

Something else caught our attention: the manufacturing date.

Our order was placed on September 2, 2026. The mattress was manufactured on September 10 and arrived at our door on September 16.

In other words, our particular mattress was manufactured after we placed the order and arrived only six days after it was made. That's impressive and suggests true made-to-order production; either that or an exceptionally short manufacturing-to-customer inventory cycle.

Either way, ours certainly wasn't sitting compressed in a warehouse for months before delivery.

Specifications & Measurements

Before getting into the individual tests, here are the most important specifications and our own measurements:

Dual-Sided Construction

The Helix uses a true two-stage design, with an extra-firm infant surface and a separate, softer firm toddler surface.

This is exactly what we like to see in a crib mattress. Young infants benefit from a very firm, flat surface, whereas an older toddler can tolerate and appreciate a little more cushioning and pressure relief.

Curious about what creates the difference, we opened the outer mattress cover.

Underneath it is a separate fire-retardant encasement with its own zipper.

For inspection purposes, we briefly opened that inner encasement to document the underlying construction. Helix's care instructions say the inner fire-retardant encasement should not be removed for cleaning.

Inside, the construction is refreshingly straightforward.

There is an approximately 5-inch-thick dense, firm foam layer forming the primary infant support surface, paired with an approximately 1-inch softer foam layer on the toddler side.

That construction explains the obvious difference in feel. The infant side resists compression very effectively, while the toddler side adds enough cushioning to make the mattress more comfortable without feeling excessively soft or unsupportive.

Waterproof Cover & Cleaning

One of our favorite features is the Helix Easy Airflow Cover.

Rather than requiring parents to add a separate waterproof mattress protector, Helix integrates waterproof protection into the removable outer cover. This is especially convenient because adding additional thick layers over a breathable mattress can sometimes diminish the airflow properties you paid for in the first place.

The cover is secured with a substantial SBS zipper.

SBS is a well-established zipper manufacturer and is generally considered a high-quality, lower-cost alternative to YKK. Ours operated smoothly and the stitching around it looked clean and durable.

The care label makes cleaning straightforward.

Helix instructs parents to unzip and remove the outer cover, zip it closed before washing, machine wash it alone in cold water on a delicate cycle, and tumble dry thoroughly on low heat. Do not bleach it, and replace the cover if it becomes damaged.

The inner fire-retardant encasement stays on the mattress and should only be spot-cleaned with a damp cloth and mild soap.

For middle-of-the-night diaper leaks, spit-up, and eventual toddler accidents, being able to remove and machine wash the entire outer cover is a major practical advantage.

Breathability

The Easy Airflow Cover has a thick, three-dimensional honeycomb-like construction that creates small air spaces across the mattress surface.

You can feel the difference simply by running your hand over it: the fabric isn't lying completely flat against the mattress core. Instead, its three-dimensional structure creates a surprisingly airy surface.

We also performed a very informal airflow demonstration by pressing our faces directly into the uncovered mattress surface and attempting to breathe through it:

Air passed through the cover surprisingly easily.

We repeated the same test with a second adult and got the same impression.

Important: This is only an informal demonstration of airflow through the cover, not a standardized safety test, and parents should never intentionally place an infant face-down to test a mattress. Current safe-sleep recommendations call for placing babies on their backs on a firm, flat sleep surface with only a fitted sheet.

It's also important to distinguish the Helix design from mattresses such as the Newton. The Helix has an impressively breathable cover, but its polyurethane foam core is not an open woven structure that you can breathe directly through. In other words, most of the Helix's airflow benefit comes from the three-dimensional space immediately around the sleep surface.

We still found that design quite effective and think it should help air move across the mattress surface and reduce the warm, clammy feel of a conventional flat waterproof cover.

Materials & Certifications

The sewn-in materials label provides more transparency about the cover construction.

The cover top is listed as 100% polyester, the cover border is 100% polyester, and the inner cover is 80% rayon and 20% polyester.

The mattress uses flexible polyurethane foam, and Helix states that it is fiberglass-free. The foam is CertiPUR-US certified, while Helix also advertises GREENGUARD Gold certification for the mattress/material system.

Those are meaningful certifications. CertiPUR-US evaluates flexible polyurethane foam for content, emissions, and durability, including low VOC emissions and restrictions on several substances of concern. GREENGUARD Gold focuses more broadly on low chemical emissions into indoor air.

Our complete lack of noticeable off-gassing odor was certainly consistent with the low-emission positioning.

That said, materials are also the Helix's biggest weakness relative to some of our favorite premium crib mattresses.

There has been substantial innovation in crib-mattress materials over the past several years. Some competitors now use woven food-grade polymer cores, coconut coir, natural latex, organic wool, organic cotton, innerspring systems, or other materials that avoid polyurethane foam entirely. Some also add certifications such as GOTS, GOLS, or MADE SAFE. You can see examples in our Newton crib mattress review, Emily crib mattress review, Avocado crib mattress review, and Katu crib mattress review.

We therefore appreciate that Helix uses CertiPUR-US certified foam and GREENGUARD Gold certification, but parents specifically seeking organic materials, natural construction, MADE SAFE certification, or a completely polyurethane-free mattress have stronger alternatives.

For families comfortable with certified polyurethane foam, however, this is one of the better executions we've seen.

Crib Fit & Dimensions

A crib mattress can use the world's fanciest materials and still fail one of the most basic tests: fitting the crib properly.

The Helix performed exceptionally well here.

We first measured its length.

Our sample measured exactly 52 inches long.

Then we measured its width.

Again, it was right on target at exactly 28 inches wide.

Helix lists the mattress as approximately 6 inches thick, though ours measured closer to 6.5 inches from the outermost surfaces of the lofty cover.

We generally like substantial crib mattresses, and the Helix looks and feels reassuringly robust. The trade-off, of course, is weight.

Our luggage scale measured 16.3 pounds, or approximately 16 pounds 5 ounces.

That is slightly more than the 15-pound, 11-ounce net material weight listed on the law label, which isn't especially surprising because the law-label value refers to net filling/material weight rather than necessarily duplicating our measurement of the complete finished mattress.

We installed the Helix in our Delta Children Cuna Convertible 9-in-1 crib in the teak finish.

It looked great in the crib, with a substantial profile and clean fit around the perimeter.

More importantly, the sizing was excellent.

We didn't find problematic gaps along the sides or around the corners.

That's exactly what we want to see: snug enough to minimize perimeter gaps, but not so oversized that the mattress bows or buckles when pushed into the crib.

Infant & Toddler Firmness Testing

Firmness is arguably the most important performance characteristic of an infant crib mattress, so we wanted something more informative than simply pushing on it with our hands.

We performed the same simple compression test we've used when evaluating other crib mattresses, placing an 8-pound weight on each sleep surface and measuring how far the mattress compressed.

On the infant side, the result was excellent.

The firm infant surface compressed only about 2 centimeters.

For perspective, that is approximately what we measured in our Newton crib mattress review using the same test. The Helix infant side feels flat, dense, and appropriately resistant to deformation.

Flipping the mattress over produced an obvious difference.

The toddler side compressed approximately 3.5 centimeters under the same 8-pound load.

That's a substantial and easily perceptible difference. The toddler side feels softer and more forgiving, but it doesn't collapse excessively under pressure. In our opinion, Helix struck a very good balance here: genuinely extra-firm for infancy, then noticeably more comfortable as children grow.

Real-World Sleep Testing

Of course, measurements only tell part of the story.

We also used the Helix with a 3-month-old baby, with the mattress correctly positioned on its extra-firm infant side.

The sleep surface remained impressively flat and supportive under the baby's weight, with no obvious sagging or deep contouring.

Our little tester appeared perfectly comfortable during use, and we liked the combination of firmness beneath the baby and soft texture at the surface.

As always, infant sleep should follow current safe-sleep recommendations, including placing babies on their backs on a firm, flat surface and avoiding pillows, loose blankets, bumpers, toys, and other soft objects in the crib.

Consumer Sentiment

The Helix Crib Mattress is extremely new as of late 2026, which creates an unusual situation: there is essentially no meaningful body of independent long-term consumer feedback yet.

We found a lengthy Reddit post devoted to the crib mattress, but it appears to be company-authored promotional content rather than an organic owner review. It summarizes the mattress's specifications and describes why the author considers it one of the best overall crib mattresses, but it does not provide long-term parent ownership experience.

We also noticed that some of Helix's online review infrastructure currently displays hundreds of reviews associated with the crib mattress page. On closer inspection, those reviews clearly discuss the separate Helix Kids Mattress: owners mention twin or full-size beds, older children, parents lying beside their children, unrolling the mattress, and transitioning out of a crib.

We therefore did not treat those ratings as consumer reviews of this Helix Crib Mattress.

At the time of our review, genuine independent owner sentiment is simply too limited to draw conclusions about long-term durability, waterproof-cover longevity, foam indentation, or repeated-washing performance.

That's one reason we think hands-on testing is especially useful for this product right now.

Trial & Warranty

Helix backs the crib mattress with a generous 120-night sleep trial, giving families plenty of time to evaluate fit and overall satisfaction at home.

The mattress also carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

There is some fine print worth understanding. During years 1 through 5, qualifying defects receive non-prorated coverage, meaning Helix can repair or replace a defective mattress at no cost to the original purchaser.

Beginning in year 6, replacement becomes prorated, with the customer paying 75% of the then-current retail price of the same model and size.

The warranty covers issues including qualifying foam splitting or cracking and visible indentations greater than 1.5 inches that are not caused by improper crib support or excluded damage.

One especially important detail: Helix specifies that using the mattress without its intended crib mattress cover can void warranty claims, so we would keep the original cover installed during normal use.

Realistically, most children will transition out of a crib long before the prorated portion of the warranty becomes especially relevant, so we still consider the overall warranty coverage excellent for this category.

What Could Be Improved

No crib mattress is perfect, and we found two primary disadvantages.

First, it's still a polyurethane foam mattress. This isn't inherently a dealbreaker, especially given the GREENGUARD Gold certification and CertiPUR-US certified foam, and we were extremely impressed by the complete absence of noticeable off-gassing.

Still, some of the newest premium crib mattresses have moved toward materials we generally prefer, including coconut coir, natural latex, organic cotton and wool, woven polymer cores, and other foam-free designs. Those mattresses may also carry stricter or broader certifications such as GOTS, GOLS, or MADE SAFE.

If your highest priority is an organic, natural, or polyurethane-free crib mattress, the Helix probably won't be your first choice.

Second, it's somewhat heavy. Our sample weighed 16.3 pounds. That's certainly manageable, and it's lighter than some substantial innerspring and natural-material mattresses we've tested, but parents will notice the weight when lifting one side to change sheets or removing and reinstalling the full mattress cover.

The thick 6-plus-inch construction contributes to that weight, so there is a trade-off: the Helix feels unusually sturdy and substantial, but isn't among the easiest crib mattresses to maneuver one-handed.

What Matters in a Crib Mattress?

After many years of testing crib mattresses, these are some of the characteristics we consider most important:

Our Conclusions

Who This Crib Mattress Is Best For

• Parents wanting excellent infant firmness
• Families who prefer a true infant/toddler dual-sided design
• Parents who want a removable, machine-washable waterproof cover
• Families who value excellent airflow at the sleep surface
• Parents who want GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certifications
• Families who appreciate made-in-USA manufacturing
• Parents who prefer a mattress that ships flat instead of compressed
• Anyone frustrated by strong new-mattress odors
• Families looking for a premium conventional foam crib mattress

Who Should Probably Skip It

• Families specifically avoiding polyurethane foam
• Parents who strongly prioritize organic or natural materials
• Shoppers specifically seeking GOTS, GOLS, or MADE SAFE certification
• Anyone prioritizing the lightest possible crib mattress for frequent sheet changes

Overall, we were extremely impressed by the Helix Crib Mattress.

Its biggest strengths aren't flashy gimmicks. Instead, Helix gets many of the fundamentals exactly right: excellent firmness, perfect fit, clear dual-sided design, very good breathability, easy cleaning, strong low-emission certifications, beautiful construction, and zero noticeable off-gassing.

We especially liked the difference between the two sleep surfaces. Our 8-pound compression test produced only about 2 cm of compression on the infant side versus approximately 3.5 cm on the toddler side, confirming that the distinction is more than marketing. The infant side is genuinely very firm, while the toddler side adds meaningful comfort.

The removable 3D waterproof cover is another standout feature. It combines airflow, accident protection, softness, and machine washability in one well-designed layer.

Our main reservation is the polyurethane foam construction. With crib mattresses increasingly moving toward innovative woven cores and natural materials such as coconut coir and latex, we would love to see Helix eventually explore a more advanced foam-free design and certifications such as MADE SAFE or organic standards.

At 16.3 pounds, it's also heavier than some parents may prefer when wrestling with tight-fitting sheets or removing the entire cover for washing.

Neither issue changed our overall impression very much. If you're comfortable with certified polyurethane foam, this is an exceptionally well-executed crib mattress and one of the strongest new models we've tested.

We give the Helix Crib Mattress an impressive 4.7 out of 5.0!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Helix Crib Mattress good?

Yes. We were extremely impressed in our hands-on testing. The Helix combines excellent infant firmness, a noticeably softer toddler surface, perfect standard-crib fit, a removable waterproof and machine-washable cover, excellent surface airflow, strong construction quality, and very low odor. We gave it 4.7 out of 5.0.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress the same as the Helix Kids Mattress?

No. They are completely different products. The Helix Crib Mattress is a standard 28 × 52-inch crib mattress intended for newborns through the toddler years. The Helix Kids Mattress is a larger mattress designed for children transitioning into conventional beds.

Which side of the Helix Crib Mattress should a newborn use?

Newborns should use the clearly labeled extra-firm infant side. Helix generally positions this surface for newborns through approximately 12 months and recommends consulting your pediatrician about when to transition to the toddler side.

How firm is the infant side?

Very firm. In our standardized hands-on compression test, an 8-pound weight compressed the infant surface by only about 2 centimeters. That's approximately the same compression we measured when testing the Newton crib mattress with the same setup.

How much softer is the toddler side?

The difference is substantial. Using the same 8-pound test, the toddler side compressed approximately 3.5 centimeters versus about 2 centimeters on the infant side. The toddler surface therefore feels noticeably softer while remaining supportive.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress breathable?

The outer Easy Airflow Cover is highly breathable, using a thick three-dimensional honeycomb-like structure that creates air spaces across the surface. In our informal adult airflow demonstration, we could breathe surprisingly easily while pressing our faces against the uncovered mattress surface. However, the internal polyurethane foam itself is not a fully breathable woven core, so this should not be confused with mattresses whose entire core allows air to pass freely through it.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress waterproof?

Yes. Helix describes its Easy Airflow Cover as providing 360-degree waterproof protection around the mattress. Because waterproofing is integrated into the removable cover, Helix says an additional waterproof mattress protector is not necessary.

Can you wash the Helix Crib Mattress cover?

Yes. Remove the outer cover, zip it closed, machine wash it alone in cold water on the delicate cycle, and tumble dry thoroughly on low. Do not bleach it. The underlying fire-retardant encasement should not be removed for cleaning and should instead be spot cleaned with a damp cloth and mild soap.

What is the Helix Crib Mattress made from?

The mattress uses polyurethane foam with a removable outer cover. The materials label on our sample listed the cover top and border as 100% polyester and the inner cover as 80% rayon and 20% polyester. Inside, we found approximately 5 inches of dense firmer foam paired with approximately 1 inch of softer foam to create the infant and toddler surfaces.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress GREENGUARD Gold certified?

Helix advertises GREENGUARD Gold certification and uses CertiPUR-US certified flexible polyurethane foam. We appreciate both certifications, though shoppers seeking organic materials or broader material standards may prefer mattresses carrying certifications such as GOTS, GOLS, or MADE SAFE.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress fiberglass-free?

Yes. Helix states that the polyurethane foam used in the crib mattress is fiberglass-free.

Does the Helix Crib Mattress smell or off-gas?

Our sample had absolutely no noticeable off-gassing odor immediately after opening the protective plastic bag. That was particularly impressive for a newly manufactured polyurethane foam mattress and was one of our favorite surprises during testing.

Does the Helix Crib Mattress ship rolled up?

No, and we love that. Our Helix arrived completely flat in a large cardboard box and protected inside a substantial plastic bag. There was no need to wait for expansion, and we didn't encounter curled corners, lumps, or other issues sometimes associated with mattresses shipped compressed and rolled.

What are the dimensions of the Helix Crib Mattress?

Helix specifies dimensions of 28 inches wide by 52 inches long by approximately 6 inches thick. Our mattress measured exactly 28 × 52 inches and approximately 6.5 inches thick when measuring across the lofty outer cover.

Does the Helix Crib Mattress fit a standard crib?

Yes. Fit was excellent in our Delta Children Cuna Convertible 9-in-1 crib. The mattress sat snugly against the sides and corners without problematic gaps, while still dropping into the crib without buckling or bowing.

How much does the Helix Crib Mattress weigh?

Our sample weighed 16.3 pounds, or approximately 16 pounds 5 ounces, on our handheld luggage scale. The law label listed a net material weight of 15 pounds 11 ounces. It's not extraordinarily heavy, but the weight is noticeable when changing fitted sheets or removing the full outer cover.

Where is the Helix Crib Mattress made?

The label on our sample states that it is made in the USA of imported and domestic components. It was manufactured for Helix Sleep in Glendale, Arizona. Interestingly, our order was placed September 2, 2026, our mattress was manufactured September 10, and it arrived September 16, suggesting a remarkably short production-to-delivery timeline.

How long can you use the Helix Crib Mattress?

Helix designed the mattress for use from the newborn stage through approximately age 3 and beyond, depending on when your child transitions out of the crib. Begin with the extra-firm infant side and switch to the firmer-but-softer toddler side as your child grows and it becomes developmentally appropriate.

Does the Helix Crib Mattress have a sleep trial?

Yes. Helix provides a 120-night sleep trial for the crib mattress, allowing families to try it at home and return it within the trial period if it isn't a good fit.

What warranty does the Helix Crib Mattress have?

The Helix Crib Mattress has a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Qualifying defects are non-prorated during the first five years. Beginning in year six, qualifying replacement claims require payment of 75% of the then-current retail price. Helix also specifies that the intended crib mattress cover should remain in use to preserve warranty coverage.

Are there many Helix Crib Mattress reviews yet?

Not really. This is a very new product, and we couldn't find enough genuine independent owner feedback to draw meaningful conclusions about long-term performance. Some online Helix review content associated with the crib mattress currently appears to come from the separate Helix Kids Mattress, so we do not consider those ratings representative of this crib model.

What is the biggest downside of the Helix Crib Mattress?

For us, the biggest downside is its polyurethane foam construction. The CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold certifications are reassuring, and ours had absolutely no noticeable odor, but several premium competitors now use materials such as coconut coir, natural latex, organic cotton and wool, or woven polymer cores while also carrying certifications such as MADE SAFE or organic standards. Its 16.3-pound weight is our other minor complaint because it makes sheet and cover changes somewhat more cumbersome.

Is the Helix Crib Mattress worth it?

We think so. For parents comfortable with polyurethane foam, the Helix is an unusually complete crib mattress. Its excellent infant firmness, genuinely different toddler surface, precise crib fit, breathable waterproof cover, machine washability, flat shipping, zero noticeable off-gassing, and strong overall build quality make it one of the best foam crib mattresses we've tested.