What is a Zip and Link Bed?
This is a bed that can be either one big bed or two single beds by means of linking bars on the base and double zippers on the mattresses to enable it to be separated when and if you need them to be.
There are three standard sizes available;
Kingsize Ziplink (5’0 x 6’6) – Comprising of 2 x 2’6″ x 6’6″ beds
This size is priced the same as Extraking models
Extraking Ziplink (6’0 x 6’3) – Comprising of 2 x 3’0″ x 6’3″ beds
Superking Ziplink (6’0 x 6’6) – Comprising of 2 x 3’0 x 6’6″ beds
What are the benefits of a Ziplink?
Each side of the bed is entirely independent of each other, thereby totally eliminating ‘roll together’ even when the springs are cage sprung. It is also an ideal solution for hotels and guest houses where the bed can be adapted to suit the guests requirements – either twin beds or one luxurious big bed. Secondly, most stairwells cannot take a full superking size mattress to be delivered. A zip and link makes delivery possible. All Zip and Link mattresses are standard sizes and can fit into / onto any standard bedframe either Kingsize or Superking size but obviously cannot be separated.
About King Size Zip and Links
A kingsize ziplink is the same overall size as a standard kingsize bed. 5’0 x 6’6″. The bed is split into two making each side 2’6″ wide and 6’6″ long. This size of bed is practical when room size cannot accommodate a superking size bed. If you are looking to buy this type of bed for guest house / B&B use then bear in mind that when separated, a 2’6 wide bed is rather small for the average person.
About Extraking Size Zip and Links
An Extraking ziplink is 6’0 x 6’3″. It is only the length of the bed that differentiates it from the superking size. Always bear in mind that some retailers describe this size as a Superking – which it clearly is not. Always check on the overall size before purchasing. This size of bed is ideal when your available room space is at a premium. The majority of zip and link beds with a pocket spring system will be offered in this extraking size – the price of the bed will increase dramatically if you are looking for a full superking size ziplink with a pocket spring system and you may be paying a premium for it.
About Superking Size Zip and Links
A Superking ziplink is 6’0 x 6’6″. This is the standard size of a superking size bed whether it be a ziplink or one piece.
Will you feel the zippers?
No. The zippers are situated on the sides at the top of the mattress and the bottom of the mattress to enable the mattresses to be joined together. They are manufactured so that the zippers are just beneath the seam on the edge of the mattress. When together the seams fold over the zipper.
Headboards:
Remember when selecting your headboards for ziplinks that you will need 2 x singles (or 2 x 2’6 for King ZL) in order that the beds can be separated without removing. If you go for a one piece headboard then it will have to be removed when you separate the beds. Also be aware of the design, when the beds are together the headboard has to look like one piece, so the sides that butt up together should be verticle – no fancy shapes or protrusions (metal headboards)
Zip and Links for Hotel, Guest House use
I personally think that you do not have to spend a fortune on beds for Guest house or hotel use. It would be better to change the mattresses on a yearly basis than to pay more in order for the mattress to last longer. This not only is a more hygienic option but also can be used as a selling point to your guests.
Comfort should of course be the main consideration, but also remember that the beds will be used as seating and resting a lot more than it will in a domestic setting. Therefore, when making your selection look for the durability aspects of the mattress as well as the comfort level.
Read more about mattresses for Hotel and Guest House use..
hi id just like to ask for some advice on the zip and link beds, we have a solid pine double bed frame and i have tried lots of different mattresses and still cant find a good one tho, but wen we have stayed in hotels the beds have been so comfy, and i have noticed that they are zip and link, and i have now reached the dission of wanting one of them for comford, i would want a one that has 2 seperate mattreses of 3ft each, so is this called a super king or what, also i would love to be able to get solid pine frames instead of devan bases, i am around 13 stone and so is my husband, i dont want anything too hard or too firm tho, i am sick of not have a comfy nites sleep because of the awfull mattresses i have bought, even tho i have paid over 400 pound for 1 at some point, so any advice would be so much appreciated -thanks suzie
Hi Suzie. I’m afraid this is going to sound a little harsh, but please take it as a no holds barred reality check.
£400 is not a lot of money to spend on a mattress. Out of the 4000 or so different mattress models out there the bulk of these have a retail price of less than £800. Even this amount will only get you an average run of the mill mattress – nothing exceptional at all. We have placed our Artisan Naturals in this ball park knowing full well that it will be virtually impossible to get an equivalent build for this price.
You are assuming that a zip and link will give you more comfort. Not so. Zip and links can be made with the most basic of mattress elements (Polyester [as known as] white fibre etc) or the most luxurious of components (Horsehair / wool / cotton etc).
If your budget falls into the £500 range, you really cannot expect any mattress to fulfil all your expectations. Mattresses within this price bracket will essentially be polyester based and those that extol elements of natural fibres as a constituent part ‘will be’ (NOT might be!) completely useless.
In cases like this you should be looking for a mattress (1000 pocket springs minimum) for the support – and complement this yourself with a separate comfort layer such as a mattress enhancer or feather topper (not overly expensive – look on ebay). Combine these together with a fitted protector – again there is no need to pay over the odds for all this, and at least you will have something that offers some degree of comfort Hope this helps Suzie. John and Ryan.
Hello
We want to replace our old superking zip and link bed shortly. We stayed with friends recently and found their Somnus Sensa Pocket – Countess – 3500 (mattress) and 550 (base) – System 4050 extremely comfortable and would like to find something approaching its comfort if possible? I took the above info from the mattress labelling and am unsure as to which bits are relevant and so have given you all I could find!
I am assuming it is pocket sprung and that the 3500 above relates to this?
The filling was Egyption cotton/natural horsehair/mohair/Lambswool. As it also probably extremely expensive I wondered if you can suggest the most relevant mattress and base to opt for from your excellent range.
I am 9st and my husband around 12st. We like a medium bed but I would rather like a fairly comfy top layer if possible.
Any suggestions please would be helpful. I will either go for another zip and link option because of its versatility but this is not essential.
I suppose our total budget is around £1500-£1800. Is this feasible?
I look forward to your suggestions. Thanks.
Hi Jacqueline. Look at you being all Sherlock Holmes.
A bit of a problem tho’. The fillings you refer to is indeed in The Countess (Supremacy Collection) but the spring count for this particular model is 6000 in the mattress and 550 in the base. However, an old article I have from January 2010 does indeed show The Countess being referred to as the 4050.
Lets assume it is the current Countess, and so what we’ll do is to put it into some sort of perspective. The Countess is a mid range model in this particular collection with The Ambassador being their top of range with a spring count of 16000 in the (Kingsize) mattress.
Somnus (Harrison Spinks) is the mid ‘brand’ of The Harrison’s group – with Spink and Edgar being the premium brand – and as an indicator of placement of The Countess, The S&E Empire has a mattress spring count of 21700 (RRP: £10.936 Kingsize Mattress).
There are three main mattress manufacturers of worth in this country. Harrisons and associated (Somnus / Spink and Edgar), Vi Spring and Savoir Beds. These three are all seen to be direct competitors of each other with Savoir Beds being the more exclusive brand and very much less the mainstream.
Vi Spring and Savoir (and us) tend to favour the traditional method of mattress construction – Calico encased pocket springs and layering of predominantly pure individual fillings such as horsehair / mohair / wool and cotton etc, each complimenting each other and working together as a marriage. Harrisons tend to stow great store in the number of springs they can cram into the mattress, and tend to have the bulk of their fillings as a blend – an everyone’s invited kind of orgy if you will!
This is not to say one particular method is fundamentally better than the other tho’. I would personally argue the individual layers and calico corner along with Vi Spring and Savoir. Harrisons no doubt would be able to hold their own with their million zillion spring count thesis.
I must admit we do like the construction methods of Vi Spring (and incidentally Hastens Beds) and in some peoples eyes what we do may be seen as copying – but we see it as being entirely complimentary to a manufacturer of worth. Make of that what you will.
What stands out in your comment is that you can easily recognise and fully appreciate a mattress that can be deemed as a quality product. Worlds apart from the run of mill tat that is Silentnight, Sealy and their ilk.
I would encourage you AND everyone else in your search for a mattress to go to premium retailers such as Barker and Stonehouse, Feather and Black, John Lewis etc and at least try this quality of mattress from any of these manufacturers in order to realise just how rubbish the bulk of all mattresses sold in this country actually is (are ? – please excuse my appalling grammar)
If your budget can stretch to buying the originals then all well and good – it is unlikely you will have regrets. If you have a champagne lifestyle on a beer income, then come to us. Our Artisan Luxury or Artisan Bespoke mattresses can comfortably rub shoulders with many models from the above manufacturers and in many cases, prove to be a significantly and relatively higher quality for the retail price asked. Hope this helps. John and Ryan.
Hello,
My husband and I are looking for a superking size mattress (180cmx200cm). Quite liked the Hypnos Sleepcare sublime 2000 designed for House of Fraser – spent hours there trying various Hypnos mattresses – with a sale price tag of 1200 pounds (40% off) for SKS. Preferred the Ziplink option, but at Fraser you have to buy the divan base too for SKS Ziplink.
Then I came across your website. What a find! Now the trick question is to find the right tension of Your Artisan Naturals SKS Ziplink mattress for us. My husband is 180cm/75kg, sleeps on his side and prefers mattress medium to soft while I am 155cm/45kg, sleeps on my side and tummy, and prefers mattress medium to firm. We are both very light sleepers. Shall we have different tensions for the two mattresses of SKS Ziplink?
Hi Annie. Absolutely you need split tensions. 45kg (you) is 7st – and so a soft 1.30mm spring would be ideal. Your husband (taking into account his comfort preference) 11st should have a medium 1.40mm spring.
However, that just accounts for the support. The comfort layers also have to have due consideration. Your bodyweight at 7st will not be using any spring unit to the full. Comfort layers have to offer you the comfort and also an element of support. the last thing you want to be doing is to sink through multi layers of soft fillings and having the spring unit act as the plateau. They should both be working together.
Your husband, although his weight is not excessive, will equally have a correct support and equal comfort.
I had a quick look at The Sublime 2000 – The official description is as follows:
Hypnos 150cm Sleepcare sublime 2000 divan set. Part of our Sleepcare collection exclusive to House of Fraser and designed in partnership with Hypnos. The traditional mattress benefits from a 2000 pocketed sprung interior (150cm size) layered with anti allergenic white fibre, soft lamb`s wool with silk natural lamb`s wool and cotton felt together giving a supportive sleeping surface. Encapsulated in a high quality Belgium tick and finished with 3 rows of hand side stitching on the border ensure edge to edge support and help maintain the mattresses shape. An open coil sprung edge divan base upholstered in blueberry fabric to complete the set. Made in UK.
What stands out i this description is the use of the words – ” ..layered with anti allergenic white fibre..” I take this to mean polyester, and for a mattress retailing at this price, this should be the last thing that should be used. If I were you I would phone Hypnos [01844 348200] or House of Fraser [0845 602 1073] and ask the following questions:
1. What is the total weight of Fillings by GSM [Grams per Square Meter].
2. How much of this is attributed to the White Fibre [assume polyester]
3. What is the weight [GSM] of the Lambs wool and cotton layer?
Pound for pound, our Artisan Luxury comes into this budget and it is obvious to anyone that the overall specification far exceeds this Hypnos model. Not only that, the quality of the spring unit we have used (calico encased etc) and the option to split tensions make our mattress an outstanding hands down winner! Once you have found out off Hypnos / HoF what the fillings actually are, you will be able to make an informed comparison and not just take our word for it. Please keep in touch. John and Ryan.
Hi there, reading a post below from Annette R, I too have the same problem, trying to find headboards for 3′ zip & link beds – i need wooden shaker style if possible – any ideas – this is for a hotel project i am working on?
Thanks.
Hi Beverlie. Further to my response to Annette below, you do have an option of adding a custom built headboard [one piece] directly to the wall – particular beneficial for an hotel environment. This would in effect be a minimum of 9ft or so and each arrangement of the ziplink bed [either together or separated] will have a headboard for it. The bedsides will also look more fitted if the headboard encompasses these as well (if you see what i mean?). John and Ryan.
Hey guys,
Great website – very informative and unbiased feedback – well done.
I’m thinking of purchasing a large superking bed (200 x 200) but live in rented accomodation in London and likely to do so for the next few years.
As such, it’s possible I will need to move a number of times over the next few years. I think I should be able to get the mattress into my current appartment without excessive bending, but I’m a little nervous it will make finding future accomodation more difficult and make moving a big hassle.
I was thinking of looking at a Zip and Link option, but I’m concerned it won’t be as comfortable as the one piece mattress. It’s unlikely I will ever need to break the bed into two single beds, so this is really just a question of making access easier/reducing chance of damage during moves vs. comfort of a single mattress.
Some people have suggested that a topper will eliminate the comfort problem, but I tend to get too warm at night and think the single mattress would likely be more comfortable.
Would be great to year your thoughts on the pros and cons of Zip and Links and also how often you run into issues delivering superkings.
Thanks
Hi Mark. Thanks for the compliments, very much appreciated.
Do not underestimate the overall size of 200 x 200. A quality one will have an extraordinary weight factor attached to it as well.
Ideally, a one piece mattress is the best solution. having a split is a neccessary compromise when access of a one piece becomes imposible. The use of a topper need not be a heat problem It is usually polyester / nylon based toppers that inhibit ventilation but there are many natural affordable alternatives that offer sublime comfort and a remedy for a split matt.
In our view, the use of a topper should be paramount on any mattress. it should not be viewed as improving what you have but an insurance that what you have is being looked after in the best posible way. It can also be viewed as a better alternative to an extended warranty. Any manufacturing fault in a mattress will show itself within a matter of weeks – there is relatively little that can go wrong anyway, and any manufacturing fault would normally be covered within the first year by the normal guarantee. Extended warranties on mattresses do not cover wear and tear of internal components – hence the myriad of complaints online.
Personally, for you Mark, I would go down the ziplink option.Your future plans are not set in stone and there are not many stairwells that can take delivery of a mattress of this size. Secondly, you may want to wait until you end up in your final destination before investing in a good quality mattress. There are extra costs involved in special size mattress (approx 10% per six inch increments – width as well as length) and your new home may not have the room for this size bed. It may be worth considering a fairly well built standard Superking – adequate support and adequate comfort and using a good quality topper that should last well in excess of your rental days. Hope this helps. John and Ryan.
Hi John & Ryan,
I have a zip and link super king size bed on divan base which I want to use in a guest bedroom. Can you recommend where I can Get a couple of smart headboards that will look well when the bed is in use as a twin or super king bed when zip and link in use?
Rgds,
Annette R
Hi Annette. We shall shortly be adding a complete range of headboards on our site by the end of January / February. In the meantime bear in mind that the main thing to look for is that they do not have any decorative protrusions that prevent them being joined together flush. On a Supking Ziplink, any standard three foot headboards will fit. There should be at least two headboard fittings on each of your bases to attach.
Secondly, there are two types of headboards – good quality and acceptable quality. Good quality headboards are evident by the quality of finish. Completely upholstered front and back – stitched and not stapled!
Acceptable quality is well upholstered but the back (non viewable) side has a stitchbond fabric stapled to the underlying board.
Please take time to compare like for like. It will soon become evident as to what is overpriced and what is good value for money. For a Guest bedroom I would start looking at Argos and then use that as a start to comparison. Hope this helps and please feel free to add to your comment. John and Ryan.
I am looking to purchase zip and link beds for our property in Menorca that we will be renting out next year. I do not want to have the ‘solid’ bases that link together, please can you let me know whether there are ’4 legged’ bases x 2 that will link together as these would be most suitable for Menorca.
Thanks
Hi Tracy, Believe it or not, there are not many designs of zip and link bases for you to choose from. The ones we do come in a variety of heights from 12″ with castor (not the ones you are after) to platform bases at 6″ with wooden / chrome legs in a variety of heights. We also have quite a substantial color range of fabrics that we can use to color co=ordinate. When you are closer to making a decision please feel free to call me to discuss further. John and Ryan.
We have a small B&B and are thinking about zip and link for versatility. The trouble is I don’t like ‘divan’ type beds, and prefer bed frames, for easy cleaning (and I hate valences!). Do you have any suggestions? We need good quality, and sturdy that is going to have a firm headboard (no rattles!). Can you help, please.
Old Pond Cottage B&B
http://www.oldpondcottage.com
Hi Sandie. We do have access to a small range of frames that can be linked together. If you give Ryan a call he will be able to help you with your choice. John.
We are looking for 2 x 2’6″ OTTOMAN bed bases that can be linked together with 2 x 2’6″ zip together mattresses for a holiday flat that we are doing up at the moment – can you help with this configuration of a 5′ bed please ?? Many thanks Lesley Norriss
Hi Lesley, bases that can accommodate ziplink mattresses are usually platform top divan styles. I have not come across ottoman bases that can be linked together and styled sufficiently to take the mattresses you require. Bear in mind that the surface has to be entirely flat and many single bedframes, ottoman or otherwise have an inset frame perimeter which makes it impossible for the mattresses to sit comfortably and therefore to be separated when required. The best option for maximum storage is a slide store base but not very stylish. If you or anyone else has come across a suitable bedframe that can be used for ziplink mattresses please let me know. John.
Hi,
My girlfriend and I are looking for a bed. Our issue is that my girlfriend is a particularly light sleeper, and I tend to move around quite a lot in my sleep and I am quite a bit heavier. We have thought that a zip and link superking mattress might be a neat solution as the separate (but linked) mattresses should ‘soak up’ any movement in the bed. Do you have any other suggestions? What about memory foam? Which ever mattress we went for, would separate divans be better than a frame bed?
Thanks, Jon.
Hi Jon. Ziplink matts is your ideal solution. Has to be pocket sprung of course. Not particularly keen on memory foam – you can’t beat traditional. Bedframes last a lot longer than divan bases, but divan bases are cheap enough to tide you over till you find the right frame. Give me a call and we can go through the options. John.
Hi,
My wife has got us looking at a new bed with 2 matresses e.g ziplink. Your site is very helpfull and informative. There’s a lot in there, but it’s relatively easy to find. No silly animated title pages, good job. I know feedback on a site is useful. I shall save this as a favourite and let her read it all up. Cheers Derek.
Hi Derek, thanks for the comments. Please let me know if there is any part that needs clarifying. Because of space I have only put the essential information, and if you think that there is a detail that needs elaborating upon, then please let me know. John.