A good, firm mattress supports your body without recreating the experience of drifting off on a hardwood floor. The Helix Dawn Mattress promises just that, boasting firm comfort for back and stomach sleepers — but does it deliver?
We've tested beds from across the Helix mattress range and they often challenge the top spots in our best mattress 2025 guide. Based on a series of in-studio tests, combined with early at-home data, here's why we're already impressed with the Helix Dawn Mattress.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness (1-10): Firm (8)
Sizes: 8
Height: 11.5"
Trial period: 100 nights
Warranty: Limited lifetime
Sale price: from $799 at Helix
The Helix Dawn claims to be the firmest mattress in the Helix lineup, along with the Helix Twilight. Our initial impression is yes, it's firm — but that firmness offers support while the dense foams help cradle the body. Our stomach sleeping tester was immediately comfortable on this hybrid bed.
As part of the Helix Core Collection, it's among the brand's most affordable models. Evergreen Helix mattress sales take at least 20% off, reducing a queen-size Helix Dawn to just $1,099 (or less).
Helix also offers a series of upgrades, such as cooling and lumbar support, so you can customize the bed for your needs. Naturally, these cost extra.
Our full Helix Dawn Mattress review will be coming soon, and we'll see how it compares to the best hybrid mattresses we've tested. For now, here are our first impressions based on objective testing and our early hands-on opinions...
Helix Dawn Mattress: Price
- The Dawn is a mid-range mattress from the Helix Core collection
- Evergreen sales knock at least 20% off the MSRP
- Benefits include a 100-night trial and a lifetime warranty
The Helix mattress lineup consists of three collections: Core, Luxe, and Elite. The Helix Dawn we're testing here sits in the Core range, which is the most basic but also the most affordable.
Below is a list of all sizes of the Helix Dawn — including how much they retail for and how much you can typically expect to pay:
- Twin MSRP: $998.75 (normally on sale for $799)
- Twin XL MSRP: $1,123.75 (normally on sale for $899)
- Full MSRP: $1,248.75 (normally on sale for $999)
- Queen MSRP: $1,373.75 (normally on sale for $1,099)
- King MSRP: $1,811.25 (normally on sale for $1,449)
- Cal King MSRP: $1,811.25 (normally on sale for $1,449)
- Short queen MSRP: $1,373.75 (normally on sale for $1,099)
- RV king MSRP: $1,811.25 (normally on sale for $1,449)
The Helix 20% off sale is standard and with that discount the Dawn is good value for money. But if you can wait to buy, Helix typically boosts the saving to 25% or 27% off around peak holidays. We're keeping a close watch in the run-up to the Memorial Day mattress sales.
Flexible budget? You might want to upgrade to the Helix Dawn Luxe, which adds a quilted top, enhanced edges, and a broader range of optional upgrades. If you have a lot more to spend, consider the top-of-the-line Helix Dawn Elite, which adds a cooling boost and extra lumbar support.
Helix mattresses come with a 100-night trial (which is average) and a lifetime warranty (which is above average.) Standard delivery is free, but you can upgrade to premium in-home delivery if it's available.
Helix Dawn Mattress: Design
- An 11.5" hybrid mattress with six internal layers
- Optional cooling cover and ErgoAlign layers
- Standard design includes a BreatheKnit cover
Considering the Helix Dawn is from the entry-level Core Collection, this hybrid mattress has a surprisingly complex design.
Starting from the top, the Dawn comes with a soft-touch BreatheKnit cover as standard. However, hot sleepers can choose to add a GlacioTex cooling pillow top for $299.
For further customization, Helix offers an ErgoAlign upgrade for $199. This optional extra uses zoned foam to enhance support at the lumbar region — we'll explore it in more detail below.
Beneath the cover sits multiple layers of foam, starting with a pressure-relieving gel memory foam and Helix's Dynamic Foam for responsive support.
That's followed by two layers of Helix Response Foam. These transitional layers primarily dictate the comfort level of your Helix mattress — and in the Dawn, they're firm.
If you opt for the ErgoAlign upgrade, this is where your zoned foam will sit. While the other foam layers maintain the same feel throughout, the ErgoAlign features ultra dense foam across the middle to lift the midsection.
Rounding out the design is a bed of wrapped coils that are reinforced at the sides of the bed (not the head or foot), along with a base layer of DuraDense foam for durability and stability.
Helix Dawn Mattress: Comfort & support
- Firm feel for back and stomach sleepers
- Minimal sink but plenty of support
- A mattress you lie on top of
For this hands-on, our lead tester spent five nights sleeping on the Helix Dawn Mattress, in addition to testing with the help of the sleep team at our studio. It takes three weeks to properly adjust to a bed, but we have developed a clear initial impression.
Helix claims the Dawn is an 8 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, with 10 being rock-hard. It's a similar rating to many of the beds in our best firm mattress guide. From our initial testing, we say this is accurate.
The upper foams are dense with little give, holding the body on top of the mattress rather than letting it sink in. It's the kind of feel we expect from the best mattresses for stomach sleepers, and our lead tester (who sleeps on her front) was comfortable from the get-go.
Other members of the testing team praised how the mattress cradles their spine when sleeping on their backs. While side sleeping initially feels comfortable, our lead reviewer found that staying too long in this position results in a numb arm. We'll need to do more testing here, as the foams might soften with use.
Since getting the mattress home, our lead tester has felt some pressure build up in the legs. This might be attributed to the mattress, but it could simply be a teething problem — having switched from a quilted top, it's taking her a moment to adjust to the flat surface of the Dawn.
Helix Dawn Mattress: Performance
- Strong support at sides but weaker at the foot of the bed
- Good motion isolation but some bounce
- Soft touch cover has a neutral feel
When testing a mattress, we use a series of subjective and objective performance tests. Our subjective thoughts are gathered over the three-week testing period with input from a broader testing panel.
The results below are primarily based on our objective studio testing with color from our lead tester's first few nights at home with the Helix Dawn.
Edge support
Edge support refers to how strong the mattress feels when sitting or lying on the sides. Strong edges are particularly helpful if lower mobility levels mean you need to push off the mattress in the morning.
We test edge support using a 55lb weight, measuring how far it sinks into the mattress. In the center of the Helix Dawn, the weight sank around two inches. For good edge support, we expect a similar level of sink at the sides.
At the side and the corner of the mattress, the weight sank around 1.5 to 2 inches but it dipped more at the foot of the bed. This suggests if you sit on the bed to put your shoes on, you'll find better support at the sides than the ends.
Motion isolation
Good motion isolation prevents movement from one side of the bed bouncing across to the other. It tends to be a feature of the best memory foam mattresses.
We test motion isolation by balancing a wine glass on the mattress (representing a person asleep.) We then drop a 10lb weight at set distances from the wine glass (mimicking your partner getting into bed.)
The more the wine glass wobbles, the worse the motion isolation.
We dropped the weight at a distance of 25, 10 and 4 inches away, from a height of four and eight inches. There was some minor wobble at all heights and distances, but the wine glass only fell over when the weight hit the mattress from four inches away.
Based on these subjective tests, motion isolation for the Helix Dawn appears to be good but not great. Real-world testing is needed to determine if your partner's late nights will actually disturb your rest.
Temperature regulation
It's hard to test the temperature regulation of a mattress without sleeping on it but during the handful of nights our lead tester has used the Helix Dawn, it hasn't warmed up once.
Typically, cooler is better when it comes to a mattress. The body recognizes lower temperatures as a sign to sleep, while hot flashes and night sweats can cause late-night disruptions.
The Helix Dawn Mattress doesn't feel cool to the touch (although we suspect it's a different story if you add the GlacioTex upgrade), but so far, it's neutral. We haven't felt cool, but we haven't felt overly warm, either.
Setup
Helix is one of the best mattress in a box brands we've tested, offering versatile beds at a range of price points with convenient free shipping.
The Dawn Mattress comes flattened, vacuum packed, and rolled. The unboxing process was easy, although we do recommend an extra pair of hands. Even the full-size mattress we're testing is heavy.
Once out of the packaging, the Helix Dawn Mattress expanded quickly. It can take a boxed bed several days to reach its full height but the Dawn looked ready to go within the hour.
We did detect some off-gassing when unboxing our model. This odor is a hallmark of boxed beds and while it's not dangerous, it can be unpleasant for sensitive noses. Open a window when unboxing to help the scent dissipate quickly.
Helix Dawn Mattress: User reviews
Helix doesn't currently display any customer reviews for the Dawn mattress, but there are third-party user reviews available from Bed, Bath & Beyond and Wayfair.
Customer reviews are largely positive, particularly among sleepers seeking a firm mattress. Some negative complaints question the durability of the mattress so we'll be keeping an eye out for any softening and sagging during testing.
However, these reviews primarily refer to the old Helix Dawn mattress — Helix recently refreshed its entire mattress lineup, and we're testing the updated model.
While the changes are meant to be minimal, it's worth keeping in mind that the reviews might not entirely reflect the current Dawn design.
Helix Dawn Mattress: Should you buy it?
Buy the Helix Dawn Mattress if...
✅ You're a stomach sleeper: The Helix Dawn was immediately comfortable for stomach sleeping, with the firm feel holding the spine straight from the hips to the shoulders.
✅ You want ample support: With a firm feel across the surface and a spring base to keep your spine aligned, the Helix Dawn suits sleepers who've found a sinking lumbar is causing morning back pain.
✅ You've been disappointed by firm mattresses before: Mattress feel is subjective but in our experience, the Helix Dawn lives up to its firm promise, particularly for light to average weight sleepers.
Don't buy the Helix Dawn Mattress if...
❌ You sleep on your side: With minimal sink, side sleepers are likely to find a night on the Dawn mattress results in aching shoulders. The Helix Midnight mattress has a comparable build but uses softer foams for more cushioning.
❌ You sleep hot: The Dawn's BreatheKnit cover stays a relatively neutral temperature overnight but we suspect hot sleepers might experience sweaty mornings. Upgrade to the GlacioTex cover if you sleep hot.
❌ You're on a tight budget: Less a 'don't buy' and more a 'don't buy right now', as Helix regularly runs 25% off sales. Or check out the Siena Memory Foam Mattress, which has a similar feel at a lower price.
The bottom line
The Helix Dawn Mattress promises firm support for back and stomach sleepers and so far, it delivers. But this is also a firm mattress that doesn't feel like sleeping on the floor, as the thick memory foam layers offer dense cushioning. There's no 'sink' to cause bad backs.
It scored well in our objective tests, offering good motion isolation and edge support. We're excited to see how it performs over a longer testing period. Keep watching for our full review.
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