Hi Geoff.

There is no set standard of firmness levels.

Bensons rating of 4 does not mean anything to anyone outside of Bensons.

As means of example - would someone of say 18 stone find that particular mattress the same firmness level as you at 13 stone?

no, of course they wouldn't.

We gauge our firmness levels based on the weight being applied. It's not a foolproof system but we think it's the most logical way of showing you which mattress is suitable for your body weight and those that are not. It also has to be gauged to the comfort layers used as well.

Springs provide support - upholstery provides comfort. And this should be taken into account as a whole to gauge an overall firmness tension. For example, a very firm spring unit coupled with very soft upholstery will mean that you will plummet (I'm exaggerating) through the upholstery and balance like a board on the spring unit.

Upholstery has to have an element of support as well, otherwise the compression of a soft filling will not recover and you end up with an unrecoverable indent.

This is not an easy thing to get right, but once you know how spring tensions and various upholstery components work together, you will get to a happy medium.

The Origins pocket 1500 will provide you with a medium feel at 13 stone.

The 2000 spring option would not be appropriate for you as this is a firm support meant for individuals with body weights of 17 stone and above.

I hope this information helps but if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the office on 0161 437 4419.

Kind regards,

John and Ryan.