Written by Olivera Jancikin, Content Writer
Finding a high-quality mattress that won’t break the bank may seem like an impossible task. However, bed-in-a-box brand Vaya mattress offers an affordable mattress solution.
Featuring a minimalist design, the Vaya mattress contains just two thick foam layers. Priced well under 1,000 dollars for a Queen-size, this all-foam mattress should appeal to even the strictest budget shoppers.
In this in-depth Vaya mattress review, we discuss everything about its materials and performance, so you can decide if this mattress is the right choice for you.
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
$300 off any mattress + free shipping and returns
Material
Foam
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Price Range
$$$$$
Who We Recommend The Vaya For:
- Back sleepers – The Vaya mattress allows enough contouring to prevent pressure from building up in the lower back. However, it also does a good job of keeping the hips aligned with the rest of the body, helping sleepers stay in a healthy sleep posture.
- Side sleepers – This mattress has just enough sinkage to cradle the curves when you sleep on your side. In addition, its support layer ensures none of the body parts sink too deeply to throw the spine out of alignment.
- Budget shoppers -The Vaya is a value mattress that offers many benefits like comfort and durability for an affordable price. This makes it a good option for budget shoppers looking for a high-quality mattress.
Who We Don’t Recommend The Vaya For:
- Heavy sleepers – Heavy sleepers often benefit from firm mattresses that don’t allow too much sinkage. Although the Vaya allows only a bit of contouring, the mattress might not be firm enough to support a heavy sleeper, especially those who weigh significantly over 230 pounds.
- People looking for motion isolation – Although all-foam beds typically have good motion isolation, the Vaya is a bit bouncier. This can make it tricky for combination sleepers and co-sleepers looking for motion isolation since the bouncy materials allow some motion to transfer from one side to the other.
First Impressions: Firmness & Feel
Firmness Scale: 5.5/10
Please remember that firmness is a subjective characteristic and your shape will dictate how you experience a bed. A heavier person whose weight can more easily push through softer comfort and support layers may experience a bed as softer than a lightweight person. The way you are shaped could also play a role here. Consider your weight, shape, and size when evaluating firmness scores.
Mattress firmness is one of the first things you should think about when buying a new bed. First, you should consider how firm you’d like your bed to be. Then, you can decide whether the Vaya fits your needs and preferences. We test mattresses on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest.
The Vaya mattress feels medium-plush to medium-firm, depending on your weight and preferred sleeping position. The bed falls at 5.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale, which means it has a mid-range firmness that should fit most people.
Explore: Best Medium-Firm Mattress
How Does It Feel?
This bed’s mid-range firmness makes it versatile and fitting for most sleepers. The construction starts with a breathable cover that feels gentle on the skin. However, while the open-cell foam design does enhance this bed’s breathability, it’s worth nothing that this mattress doesn’t feel cool-to-the-touch.
When you first lie on it, you should feel the Vaya foam responding and slowly contouring your curves. This should help with pressure relief, especially when you move to your side.
What We Like About the Vaya
- Mid-range firmness – The Vaya mattress has a medium-plush to medium-firm feel that should be comfortable for most sleepers. Side and back sleepers are likely to find a good balance of pressure relief and support, while even some stomach sleepers may like it.
- Breathable design – This bed has foams with an open-cell design that allows more air to flow through the construction, preventing it from overheating. In addition, the cover is also breathable to prevent the heat from staying trapped around your body.
- Affordable price – The Vaya comes at an affordable price, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank in order to sleep on a comfortable mattress.
Our Vaya Complaints
- Too soft for stomach sleeping – Although this bed should feel medium-plush for most people, those who like sleeping on their stomach may feel it’s softer in the hip area. This means it may not offer enough support in this area to keep the spine aligned.
- Poor edge support – Much like most all-foam mattresses, the Vaya lacks a little in the edge support department. The bed doesn’t have any reinforcement in the perimeter, so some people may feel like they’re rolling off if they inch too close to the sides of the bed.
Testing the Vaya Mattress: How it Performed
We test mattresses for pressure relief, support, motion isolation, and other preference-based features. This helps shoppers decide whether a mattress will fit their needs and preferences.
Testing the Vaya mattress allowed us to better evaluate who it would be best for. The firmness and feel, along with other preference-based features, make this bed a good option for side and back sleepers.
Sleeping Positions for Different Body Types
According to people at Vaya, the mattress can handle up to 300 pounds per side. Although it can handle people over 200 pounds, the mattress may be too soft to adequately support these folks in various sleeping positions.
Side Sleepers
- Lightweight Sleepers – Lightweight sleepers should like the firmness and feel of the Vaya mattress. Most should enjoy the gentle cradle, although some may prefer an even softer bed.
- Average-weight Sleepers – Average-weight sleepers should experience more sinkage around the shoulders and hips. However, the Vaya should still do a good job of supporting the body in alignment.
- Heavyweight Sleepers – Heavy side sleepers might sink too deeply since the Vaya mattress has a medium plush to medium-firm feel. Most of their weight is concentrated across a narrower surface, causing deeper sinkage and potential spine misalignment.
Back Sleepers
- Lightweight Sleepers – Lightweight back sleepers should feel more like sleeping “on” the mattress instead of “in” it. However, they’re likely to feel their weight evenly distributed, so no pressure is created in this position.
- Average-weight Sleepers – Average-weight sleepers should like the Vaya foam that allows gentle sinking for pressure relief. The bed should feel nice around the lower back so it doesn’t create pressure or pain in this area.
- Heavyweight Sleepers – Heaviest back sleepers are likely to experience too much sinkage in the lower back area, which can result in poor sleep posture for people weighing over 230 pounds.
Stomach Sleepers
- Lightweight Sleepers – Stomach sleepers weighing under 130 pounds are likely to find sufficient support in the Vaya. Although the comfort layer is on the softer side, these folks don’t weigh enough to sink too deeply.
- Average-weight Sleepers – Average-weight stomach sleepers might not find enough support in the Vaya, especially if they weigh closer to 230 pounds.
- Heavyweight Sleepers – The Vaya mattress is too soft to support heavy sleepers sleeping on their stomach. These people are likely to feel their hips sinking too deeply which can create lower back pain.
Pressure Relief & Pain
Pressure relief is a major concern for most people, but especially those who like sleeping on their side. The Vaya has a mid-range firmness, but its comfort layer feels softer and should allow enough sinkage to relieve pressure.
Side sleepers have most of their weight concentrated across a narrow surface, which can create pressure points in the shoulders, hips, and knees. The Vaya combats this problem by contouring to the body just enough without letting any parts sink and misalign.
Back Pain – The Vaya is an excellent mattress for people with back pain as it combines different foams to create a balance of pressure relief and support. People with back pain should experience gentle contouring and enough support that keeps the spine aligned in various positions.
Hip Pain – Hip pain can become even worse for those who like sleeping on their side. The Vaya helps relieve some of the pain by incorporating softer Vaya foam in the comfort layer. This section allows a bit of sinkage, while the base layer ensures that the hips don’t sink too deeply.
Shoulder Pain – Although this bed may feel medium-firm to some people, the foam construction should help relieve pressure and pain in the shoulders. The comfort layer contours around the shoulders as it does with the hips, relieving the pressure and pain in these areas even when you sleep on the side.
Support
Although this all-foam bed has a medium-plush to medium-firm feel, it doesn’t lack anything in the support department. The mattress has two layers, one of which is the firmer Vaya Base Layer ensuring the upper comfort layer doesn’t sag.
This mattress does a good job of combining a softer comfort layer with a firmer base so that you can get equal parts of pressure relief and support. Sleepers should experience equal levels of support in the lower back and the shoulders, making it easy to achieve a good posture in various sleeping positions. However, those who need edge support may prefer a mattress with a reinforced perimeter.
Motion Transfer
Motion isolation is a big thing, and all-foam mattresses usually perform well in this department. However, our tests showed that the Vaya mattress might leave a bit to be desired when it comes to isolating motion.
Although it has two foam layers and no coils, the Vaya feels bouncy. As such, it may carry motion more than other all-foam beds. This means the Vaya may not be the best option for light sleepers sharing their mattress with restless sleepers. People with different sleeping schedules may also prefer a bed with better motion isolation.
Temperature Regulation / Cooling
Foam mattresses tend to overheat, but the Vaya bed has a few features that help it avoid this issue. The foams in this mattress have an open-cell structure that allows more air to flow through than in traditional memory foam beds. In addition, the cover is also breathable, so no heat is trapped around your body.
The cover is thin, which should help hot sleepers sleep cooler. However, true hot sleepers may still prefer an innerspring mattress or a cooling mattress cooling features.
Performance for Couples
Based on our tests, we think the Vaya mattress may be a good option for most couples. The bed has a mid-range firmness that should accommodate most sleepers. In addition, couples are likely to enjoy its bounce as it helps with repositioning and offers some pushback support for those sexually active.
However, partners with different sleeping schedules may want a mattress with better motion isolation, such as our best mattress for couples options. Some may also want better edge support that would allow them to spread across the entire mattress.
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Price Range
$$$$$
Preference-based Features
Vaya Foams
This mattress has two layers called the Vaya Comfort Layer and the Vaya Base Layer. Both are made from polyurethane foam designed to perform in specific ways so that they provide unique levels of breathability, pressure relief, and support.
Bed-in-a-box Shipping
Vaya ships this mattress in a box, which allows the company to offer free and fast shipping within the USA. Bed-in-a-box shipping is considered the most convenient method as it makes it easy to move the mattress around for everyone involved in the shipping and setting-up processes.
Adjustable Base Compatible
This mattress works with various bed foundations, including an adjustable base. As such, it’s an excellent choice for those who want the customization an adjustable base provides.
Made in the USA
Construction: What’s Inside the Vaya?
At 12 inches tall, the Vaya is made entirely out of foam. It contains two layers and a breathable cover made from a polyester blend. The cover feels thin, so it’s unlikely to cause any heat buildup around your body. In addition, the foams in this bed are CertiPUR-US® certified.
- The comfort layer is made from 3 inches of Vaya Foam. This open-cell poly foam feels soft and cushions around the shoulders, hips, and knees. The foam is designed to allow pressure relief without making you feel trapped inside the mattress. As such, it should help with repositioning and getting in and out of bed.
- The base layer is made from 9 inches of the same open-cell Vaya foam. However, this layer is higher in density, so it can provide better support and structure to the upper layer. The base layer is sturdy and helps add more durability to the overall construction.
Unboxing & Off-Gassing
The Vaya mattress comes in a box, so it should be easy to move to your bedroom once it’s delivered to your front door. Although it’s not as bulky as mattresses delivered full-size, the box it comes in can be heavy, so you might want someone to help you move it around.
Once it arrives, place it on your foundation of choice before removing the packaging. When you remove the plastic wrapping, the mattress will start to unroll and decompress. This should last between 24 and 48 hours, which is also how long it takes for any off-gassing odors to dissipate.
Certifications
- Eco-Friendly Certifications – The foams in this bed are CertiPUR-US® certified. CertiPUR-US® is a third-party program that ensures the foams meet rigorous health and safety standards. This means they don’t contain harmful substances like ozone depleters, PBDEs, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and phthalates. They should also have low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
Coupons, Trials, Warranties, and Shipping
- Shipping – Shipping is free within the contiguous USA states. There may be an additional feel for shipping to Hawaii and Alaska as well as international countries.
- Trial – The Vaya mattress comes with a 100-night trial, giving customers enough time to decide whether this is the right mattress for them.
- Warranty – This bed comes with a 10-year warranty.
- Return Policy – The Vaya is free and easy to return within the trial period, but you’re required to keep it for at least 30 days before returning it.
Sizes & Prices
| Size | Dimensions (inches) | Price (w/o discount) |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38” x 74” x 12” | $749 |
| Twin XL | 38” x 80” x 12” | $849 |
| Full | 53” x 75” x 12” | $899 |
| Queen | 60” x 80” x 12” | $999 |
| King | 76” x 80” x 12” | $1,199 |
| Cali King | 72” x 84” x 12” | $1,199 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Vaya mattresses made in the USA?
All Vaya mattresses are designed and manufactured in the USA, allowing the company to offer free and fast shipping. The mattresses are shipped in a box, so they’re more convenient to move around.
What is the lifespan of the Vaya mattress?
The Vaya mattress should last up to 5 years, depending on how you care for it. In other words, rotating it once a year helps prolong its lifespan. However, you’ll likely have to replace it after about 5 years of use.
Does the Vaya mattress have any odor?
The Vaya mattress may have some off-gassing odors when you first remove it from the packaging. Although the odors may be strong for sensitive people, these should dissipate within the first 24 hours. Plus, the foams are certified, so you don’t have to worry about the odors being harmful.
Vaya vs. Other Brands
Vaya vs. Nectar
Product
Firmness
Trial Period
Product
Nectar MattressFirmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10Trial Period
365 nightsWho We Recommend the Vaya For
- Side sleepers
- People with mobility issues
- Lightweight sleepers
Who We Recommend the Nectar For
- Couples
- Fans of traditional memory foam
- Back sleepers
Read our in-depth Nectar mattress review.
Vaya vs. Puffy
Product
Firmness
Trial Period
Product
Puffy Cloud MattressFirmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10Trial Period
101 nightsWho We Recommend the Vaya For
- Budget shoppers
- People with pressure buildup
- Sleepers with hip pain
Who We Recommend the Puffy For
- Those looking for motion isolation
- People interested in a lifetime warranty
- Co-sleepers
Want to learn more? Read our Puffy mattress review.
Comparing Vaya Models
Vaya vs. Vaya Hybrid
Product
Firmness
Trial Period
Who We Recommend the Vaya For
- All-foam fans
- People with shoulder pain
- Average-weight people
Who We Recommend the Vaya Hybrid For
- Those who prefer hybrid beds
- People looking for a taller mattress
- Sleepers who need edge support
Overall Summary
The Vaya mattress is a seemingly simple construction, featuring just two layers of the same Vaya foam. However, this affordable mattress packs a punch with excellent pressure relief, responsiveness, and motion isolation, which should satisfy a variety of sleepers.
Side Sleepers
4/5
Side sleepers should like the medium-plush to medium-firm feel as it allows enough sinkage to relieve pressure in the shoulders and hips. The comfort layer is softer than the base, so sleepers should feel it contouring the pressure points while keeping the body aligned.
Back Sleepers
5/5
This bed combines sinkage and support, which should make it a good option for back sleepers. This group should feel the mattress contouring the lower back to prevent pain and pressure in this area, while the overall medium plush feel helps keep the spine aligned. However, heaviest back sleepers may prefer a firmer bed.
Stomach Sleepers
3/5
Stomach sleepers are likely to do better with a firmer mattress as the Vaya bed may not offer enough support. Those weighing under 130 pounds may find it supportive enough, but anyone heavier than that should experience their hips sinking too deeply which often results in spine misalignment.
Combination Sleepers
4/5
The Vaya mattress should be comfortable for combination sleepers as it has a mid-range firmness that fits most sleeping positions. Although it may not feel the best when stomach sleeping, it’s excellent for those who like sleeping on their side and back. In addition, it has enough bounce to allow easy repositioning.
Couples
4/5
Couples looking for a bouncy bed should like how the Vaya responds to movement. Most should also like how it adapts to different needs, making it good for partners who prefer different sleeping positions. However, those who need maximum motion isolation and edge support might want to look elsewhere.
Heavy Sleepers
3/5
Heavy sleepers are likely to find this bed too soft, especially if they like sleeping on their side and stomach. The Vaya has a medium plush to medium-firm feel, but this should feel even softer to those weighing over 230 pounds. This group may want to consider the hybrid version of the Vaya mattress.
Lightweight Sleepers
4/5
People weighing under 130 pounds should like the soft feel of the comfort layer contouring the body to help relieve pressure. The bed may even work for light stomach sleepers but may feel firmer to those who like sleeping on their side. Either way, it should provide a comfortable balance of support and pressure relief.
Average Weight Sleepers
4/5
Those weighing 130 to 230 pounds will experience the feel and firmness differently based on their exact weight. However, most people within this groupd should find the mattress comfortable for side and back sleeping. The Vaya may be too soft for average-weight stomach sleepers.
Overall Value
4/5
Vaya incorporated unique proprietary foam in its two-layer mattress, which should help side and back sleepers achieve a good night’s sleep by providing enough support and pressure relief. Priced at just under $1,000 for a Queen-size, it’s not hard to see why we scored the Vaya a 4 out of 5 for overall value.
Our Verdict
After testing this mattress, we think it’s worth the attention, especially given its affordable price. The Vaya is designed and made in the USA, offering sleepers equal levels of pressure relief and support. In addition, it also sports enough bounce for sexually-active couples and people with mobility issues.
On the other hand, the bounce may be exactly what puts some people off, so it’s best to always consider your needs and preferences. Hot sleepers may also prefer a cooler mattress made with coils instead. For those shopping on a tight budget, though, the Vaya proves to be an affordable, yet still high-quality mattress.
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Vaya Mattress
The Vaya mattress is designed for a range of sleepers, delivering a balance of support and pressure relief with its Vaya Comfort Foam that allows just enough sinkage and optimal cooling for an affordable price.
Read Vaya Mattress Review
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium: 5.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Price Range
$$$$$
Olivera Jancikin
Content Writer
About Author
Olivera is a content writer for Sleep Advisor and is enthusiastic about sleep. She firmly believes in the benefits of daytime naps on top of getting a full 8-hour sleep at night.
Combination Sleeper