They say you can’t put a price on sleep, to invest in a good mattress, and the average person spends 33 years in bed... couple that with the fact that children do most of their growing during their sleep and you wonder if spending £179 on your child’s mattress is doing them a disservice.

But when a company is as reputable as Stompa, a brand recognised by the National Bed Federation – the trade association representing UK manufacturers of beds and their suppliers – and having served the UK for over 40 years, is it possible to buy a well-performing child’s mattress at a purse-friendly price?

We spoke to Simon Williams, a spokesperson for the National Bed Federation about what to consider when purchasing a child’s mattress.

"Ensure it is made by a reputable manufacturer, and purchase it from a trusted retailer," he recommends.

When buying a mattress for full-sized sleepers, there’s often a lot of debate over the filling of a mattress. But Williams says that most types of sprung or foam mattresses are suitable for children, although he adds: "foam ones with removable, washable or dry cleanable covers are a good practical choice."

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But how much should you spend? "Buy the best quality you can comfortably afford whilst remembering that your child grows very quickly and their body shape and weight will change," says Williams. "A mattress that supports a four-stone child sufficiently is unlikely to support them if they double their weight in a few years’ time," he adds.

So how does the Stompa S Flex Airflow Mattress fare in the bedroom? Our five-year-old tester slept on it for a week to put it through its paces. Here’s what we had to say about it.

Stompa S flex airflow mattress

Buy now £179, Stompa.com

Sizes available: UK single, continental single and UK 4ft beds
Mattress depth: 15cm
Material: Foam
Guarantee: 5 years
Rating: 7/10

Design and features

Our Stompa S flex airflow mattress arrived in a slender blue box, tightly vacuum packed. Not only is this a space-saving solution meaning it can fit in your car boot or won’t take up the entirety of hallway, it’s also an economical way of packaging and delivering, which has become well known through the bigger brands like Simba and Emma. Stompa suggests three-four hours for it to be at 90 per cent fulfilment, but 24-48 hours for it to be fully functioning.

After our five-year-old tester took it upon herself to watch it like a hawk, she soon realised that after the initial growth from unrolling the experiment became less exciting. We however, were more pleased that there wasn’t the usual chemical smell in the air, which comes about with most vacuum packed mattresses. This is thanks to Stompa introducing a CertiPUR approved free foam – it’s is not only better for the planet, with no added TCPP (toxic fire retardant) alongside being 100 per cent recycled, it also eradicates the pong.

We can’t lie, on aesthetics alone this mattress has no wow-factor and in all honesty it looked pretty flat. But once you get up close and personal you’re reassured there’s more to this mattress. Yes, the white quilted top is rather dull, and the grey border is basic, with the only splash of colour the large blue Stompa label, but it’s soft and comfortable and has more features than meets the eye.

We’ll start with the depth – while on initial thoughts it looked flat, there is good reason for this. All of Stompa’s S Flex mattresses are less than 16cm deep, making them safe to use on any UK or continental-sized bunkbed. But there’s plenty packed into this 15cm deep mattress – in fact, when you dissect it there are five layers, all working together to provide ultimate comfort.

On the top layer the knitted fabric feels soft to the touch, as it’s been quilted with a gentle hypoallergenic fibre, which has been perforated to allow for body moisture to be dissipated. This is surrounded by a grey border which is flexible and boosts airflow.

Moving down towards the core of the mattress, is the airflow comfort layer. For children this is a big one as it allows the air to circulate, in turn regulating the sleeper’s temperature and moisture levels. It’s also bed bug resistant and hypoallergenic, and gives that slightly springy feeling. This is what will also contour to the body.

The supportive base layer makes up the majority of the mattress. It’s made from a durable foam which is known for its longevity, withstanding long term use. You’ll also find the black zip at the base, to remove the cover.

Comfort and performance

Our five-year-old tester took no convincing to welcome this into her bedroom, and she slept on it for a solid seven nights. Admittedly, she is a good sleeper, but testing did take place over a mini heatwave in July and we can’t fault this mattress’s breathability, keeping our tester’s temperature under control.

As you’d expect with a foam mattress there’s a good sink factor. Naturally, the “adults” tested it out too, and it was too soft for us, but at three times the weight of our tester you can see the difference when she’s lying on it, as there’s just a light contouring. She seems ever so content on it, but she’s not going to win any bed bouncing competitions with this mattress.

Practicality and flexibility

This mattress is tested on kids aged three to teenage, and we’d say it offers everything a primary school-aged child needs. Stompa mattresses are also covered by a five-year guarantee against faulty workmanship or faulty materials, which adds a level of reassurance.

We were pleased to see that the S flex airflow mattress comes with its own zip-off base cover. You can wash it at 30 degrees, but it warns you not to tumble dry. This is such a useful feature with children, particularly young ones who may have the odd accident, plus it’ll help keep this mattress in good condition. You don’t need to turn this mattress either, although the brand does suggest rotating it every once in a while.

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The verdict: Stompa S flex airflow mattress

For the price tag, it’s hard to knock the S flex airflow mattress. Will it see you from the tested age range of three to teenage? Perhaps not, but for a solid bed companion for our five-year-old it gets a big thumbs up from us. It kept her cool at night, is perfect for bunk beds (after all, you’ll need to buy two mattresses) and it leaves more money to spend on duvets and pillows.

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