TPS coils
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
TPS coils are a popular choice for DIY mattress builders, valued for their strong support and durability. While they are often praised for providing better posture and lower back support than standard innersprings, they are frequently noted for being difficult to stabilize, with several users reporting that the coils tend to spread out or shift if not tightly enclosed.
Pros
- Excellent lower back and postural support
- High durability compared to foam layers
- Sleeps cooler than foam-based support systems
- Firm side options provide good edge stability
Cons
- Coils tend to spread out and lose shape if not well-enclosed
- Can feel overly firm or difficult to 'dial in' with comfort layers
- Lack of glue or scrim can lead to coils sliding or stacking
- The 15.5g gauge is reported as polarizing and potentially too soft for heavier users
Caveats
- Requires a high-quality, tight-fitting mattress cover to prevent the coils from shifting or spreading
- Some users prefer competitors like Leggett & Platt for their more stable, glued design
- Heavier individuals may need to consider the 14.75g gauge for adequate support
Best for
- DIY mattress enthusiasts
- Back sleepers needing firm support
- Users looking for a cooler-sleeping mattress base
Avoid if
- You do not have a sturdy, well-sized enclosure to keep coils contained
- You prefer a very plush, 'plug-and-play' mattress feel without complex layering
- You want a coil unit with pre-applied adhesives for maximum stability
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 6-month half-life. The evidence is older, with a median source age of approximately 561 days, which may affect relevance for current DIY mattress components.
Sentiment
19 positive (54%) · 6 mixed (17%) · 10 negative (29%)
Trust + time weighted score: +19% · raw score 26%
What redditors said (10 of 35)
From my experience the 8" TPS coils absolutely need an encasement or edge binder to contain the edges, stop movement/splay, spring noise/bottom out, and to deliver the intended support.
Your experience sounds familiar… I am not ready to cut my loses but am close. I tried another firm hybrid mattress and didn’t have the back issues I’m getting with my DIY build.
Parent context: Curious what your issue is with the TPS coils. I am worried that I can’t get comfortable with them either. Was it coil splay or another issue that you couldn’t solve? Reply: I have no idea. The bed is great for naps but I can't sleep in it at night time without waking up in the with back pain, enough to wake me up around 4am and be uncomfortable until I get out. ... I've spent almost a $1,000 on coils alone from the original purchase to trying to fix it so I need to move on.
Tps coils have not worked for me in two different gauges. So I wanted to switch them for 3 in of firm latex. ... I've always had back problems with the coils so I think the coils got go.
The tps coils will spread. They are an unfinished product. One thing that kind of works is to wrap shrink wrap around the sides of it.
I built a couple latex hybrid mattresses with TPS coils.
I currently have 8 in15.5g TPS coils, 3 in soft talalay latex, and 2 in memory foam. I'm sleeping pretty good on this except the memory foam is a little hot.
Ok i ditched the enclosure and went with the TPS coils followed by HD Medium F1828 2" and 4lb ViscoPLUS Memory Foam 14ild 2”. Now i am finally bottoming out because i don’t have the drum effect going on.
I’ve tried 100 iterations with TPS coils and nothing ever worked. I’m a side sleeper as well and just could not seem to find a sweet spot.
14.75 TPS coils... It’s great support for back and side sleeper about 270 lbs. I dig it.
Compare
TPS coils vs Latex Mattress FactoryTPS coils vs HyPURGelTPS coils vs FoamByMail