I've been sleeping on a standard 6-inch futon for about a year now and I'm waking up with hip pain. I'm around 260 lbs and a side sleeper. I'm looking at upgrading to a 10-inch or 12-inch futon mattress, but I'm wondering if the extra thickness actually makes a meaningful difference for heavier sleepers, or if I'm just paying more for the same bottoming-out feeling.
Futons
Does a thicker futon mattress make much difference?
I think thickness helps but it's really about the foam density inside, not just the height. A thick low-density futon will still flatten out fast under a heavier person.
not sure how useful my input is since I'm about 140 lbs, but on my 8-inch futon I could feel the slats through it within a few months, so I'd imagine going 10+ would at least give more buffer.
Side sleeping is the tricky part. Futons by nature aren't great for side sleepers because there's not much give at the shoulder and hip. If your hip pain was already there on a 6-inch, jumping to 12 inches might help a little but honestly you might be fighting the the wrong style of mattress. I'd look at how much weight the core is rated for rather than just measuring thickness. Do you know what's inside the current one?
I went ffrom a 6 inch to a 10 inch a while back and it did help, but I weigh a lot less than you so I won't pretend it's the same thing.
also worth checking whether the frame is sagging. I blamed my futon for months before realizing two slats had cracked.
That's a good point above. Check the base first before spending on a new mattress. Cheap fix if that's it.
Thicker futons do compress less over time in my experience, but the tradeoff is they're heavy and a pain to flip. At 12 inches you're basically wrestling a small couch cushion every time you rotate it. Just something to consider besides the comfort side.
If hip pressure is the main complaint, a thin latex topper over your current futon might buy you morwe relief than a whole new thicker mattress, and it's cheaper to test.
I'd second trying a topper first. Thickness alone doesn't guarantee the support a heavier side sleeper needs, and it's an easy thing to rule out before committing to a 12-inch futon.