Every standard mattress sold in South Africa - single, three-quarter, double, queen, king - is the same length: 188cm. That's fine for most people. But if you're 1.85m or taller, the arithmetic stops working: add a pillow at the top and your feet are at the edge, or over it. Tall sleepers spend years sleeping diagonally, curling up, or hanging their feet off the bed - and assume that's just how beds are.
It isn't. Extra-length mattresses exist, and because I manufacture mattresses rather than resell them, we make them to order. Here's how the whole thing works.
What "extra length" actually means
An extra-length (XL) mattress keeps the standard South African width of whatever size you choose, but extends the length beyond the standard 188cm - the common request is 200cm. That extra length is the difference between a pillow-and-feet compromise and a bed that actually fits your body:
- Who needs it: the practical threshold is around 1.85m. Above that, a standard 188cm mattress leaves you negotiating with the footboard every night.
- What stays the same: the width, the construction, the density, the warranty. An extra-length mattress is the same engineered product, built longer.
- What to remember: your base and your linen need to match. An XL mattress on a standard base overhangs; standard fitted sheets won't stretch. Plan all three together.
See Extra-Length Options - Made to Order →
Why extra-length is made to order (and how the pricing works)
Most retailers don't stock XL because it doesn't fit the standard warehouse-and-showroom model - which is exactly why buying it from a factory makes sense. We cut and build every extra-length mattress to order in our own facilities, and the pricing is a single transparent rule:
Any mattress in our range, made extra-length, costs 15% above its standard price. No obscure quote process, no "POA". Take the standard price of the mattress and size you want, add 15%, and that's the number. The construction, published density and written warranty stay exactly the same as the standard version.
Because each one is built for your order, extra-length isn't an off-the-shelf dispatch - but it comes with the same free delivery anywhere in South Africa and the same 365-night home trial as everything else we make.
Which of our ranges can be made extra-length?
All of them - in the widths each range is built in. The standard prices below are the base for the +15% calculation:
- Comfort Foam - firm entry-level, 50 kg/m³ published density, 3-year written warranty. Standard from R2,399.
- Active Foam - our firmest: 50 kg/m³ high-density core, 10-year warranty. Standard from R3,399. The tall sleeper's firm option.
- Revive Memory Foam - open-cell memory foam over a high-density core, 10-year warranty. Standard from R4,899.
- Hybrid - Bonnell steel coil core under high-density foam, EN 1957 endurance tested, 10-year warranty. Standard from R6,299 (double and queen widths).
The rule of thumb for tall couples: go longer before you go wider. A queen that fits your height beats a king that doesn't.
Order Your Extra-Length Mattress →
Regional guides
Shopping regionally? See our extra-length mattress guides for Gauteng, Cape Town and KZN, or the national extra-length mattress South Africa guide. Comparing standard sizes first? Start with the queen guide or the single guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is an extra-length mattress in South Africa?
A mattress built longer than the standard 188cm - the common request is 200cm - at the standard width of your chosen size. It's the fix for sleepers around 1.85m and taller whose feet reach the end of a standard bed.
How much does an extra-length mattress cost?
At Mr Mattress, exactly 15% above the standard price of the same mattress and size - a single transparent rule across the whole range. Same construction, published density and written warranty as the standard version, made to order.
Do I need a special base and linen for an extra-length mattress?
Yes - an extra-length mattress needs an extra-length base and XL fitted sheets, so plan all three together. The mattress width stays standard, so only the length changes.
Written by Andries Taljaard, founder of Mr Mattress. 15+ years making mattresses in South Africa.