In this comparison report, you are going to finally understand the key differences between Naturepedic Classic, Breathable, and Breathable Ultra crib mattresses. Naturepedic mattresses are super popular with great reviews, but as a first-time buyer, it can be confusing to understand why there are 3 different types to choose from.
It only adds more to the confusion when you try to open each product page trying to figure out whether Classic is good enough or should you go with Breathable or Breathable Ultra. Below is a tabular summary of what you need to know about each of the Naturepedic mattresses but if you want a more comprehensive explanation, please continue reading.
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Comparison Table
| Naturepedic Classic | Naturepedic Breathable | Naturepedic Breathable Ultra | |
 |  |  | |
| Color Options | Light Beige | Light Beige | Light Beige |
| Size Options | Standard, Oval | Standard, Mini | Standard |
| Waterproof | Wipe-Clean Waterproof | Wipe-Clean Waterproof | Wipe-Clean Waterproof |
| Breathable Cover | No | Breathable Cover with waterproof backing | Breathable Cover with thicker + designer fabric + flat waterproof pad included |
| Layers | Single Layer | Dual-Layer | Dual-Layer |
| Thickness | 4″ | 5.5″ | 5.5″ |
| Weight |
|
|
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| Mattress Core | Wavesupport™ core / 150 inner-coil option | Wavesupport™ core/ 252 inner-coil option | Wavesupport™ core / 252 inner-coil option |
| Certification | UN/GreenGuard Gold Certified, GOTS Certified, GOLS, FSC Rainforest Alliance Certified, MADE SAFE Certified, Organic Exchange OCS100 Certified, Green Gold America Certified, PETA Approved, CertifiedVegan.org, SFC Gold Certified | UN/GreenGuard Gold Certified, GOTS Certified, GOLS, FSC Rainforest Alliance Certified, MADE SAFE Certified, Organic Exchange OCS100 Certified, Green Gold America Certified, PETA Approved, CertifiedVegan.org, SFC Gold Certified | UN/GreenGuard Gold Certified, GOTS Certified, GOLS, FSC Rainforest Alliance Certified, MADE SAFE Certified, Organic Exchange OCS100 Certified, Green Gold America Certified, PETA Approved, CertifiedVegan.org, SFC Gold Certified |
| 2-Stage | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Washable | No (order cover separately) | Yes (washable cover) | Yes (washable cover) |
| Average Customer Rating | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.9 out of 5 | 4.0 out of 5 |
| Where to Buy | NaturePedic.com, Amazon.com | NaturePedic.com, Amazon.com | NaturePedic.com, Amazon.com |
Similarities
Wavesupport™ Core vs InnerCoil Springs
All Naturepedic mattresses come to 2 core options – Innerspring Coil / Wavesupport™ core. It’s pretty obvious what Innerspring coil means, but Wavesupport™ core is a whole different experience. It’s 40% lighter yet strong and firm for infant safety. It makes it easier to lift, remove covers, turn or simply move it around for any requirement.
The innerspring coils are traditionally strong and durable but they come with the extra weight that can make things difficult when having to remove covers or clean them around. You get to choose either option although if you are going to order an oval-shaped or Mini Crib size, you only get to go with the lightweight Wavesupport™ core option – which we suggest is great and worth giving a try.
Wipe-clean Waterproof Surface
Another key feature in all Naturepedic mattresses is the WipeClean Waterproof surface. This is a lifesaver. No two words about it. You don’t have to panic every time there is an accident or spillage on the mattress. All you have to do is simply wipe off the mess and you are good to go until you wash with mild soap to sanitize and keep it clean. The waterproof layer is made of non-GMO sugarcane which makes sure the mattress is breathable and 100% organic as per its certification standards.
Waterproof covers – Why do you need them and why pay more for this? Continue reading to find out about this in the Differences section below.
Certification
Green Gold certification is not easy to get especially with mattresses which require so many kinds of chemicals and materials to build. Naturepedic is one of the very few concerned mattress manufacturers who have gone the extra mile to get green gold certified along with many other Green and organic certifications which makes them quite reliable and reputable. Below is a list of certifications Naturepedic has won in recent years:
UN/GreenGuard Gold Certified, GOTS Certified, GOLS, FSC Rainforest Alliance Certified, MADE SAFE Certified, Organic Exchange OCS100 Certified, Green Gold America Certified, PETA Approved, CertifiedVegan.org, SFC Gold Certified
All NaturePedic baby crib mattresses are covered by these certifications.
Differences
Washable & Waterproof
All NaturePedic mattresses come with a Wipe Clean waterproof surface but when it comes to hygiene, it’s best to wash the cover when possible. The Classic option does not come with a removable washable cover by default although you can purchase it separately from NaturePedic Official Website. The Breathable mattress comes with a removable waterproof cover than can be easily washed. The mattress surface is still wipe-clean Waterproof while the cover is in wash, making this a worthy investment.
The Breathable Ultra mattress on the other hand comes with a more luxurious waterproof cover. It’s thicker, made with designer fabric, and also comes with a waterproof mattress pad for additional protection. We found this feature to be a premium feature that does not require additional points in comparison to the Breathable crib mattress.
- Naturepedic Classic – 0.5
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 1
Breathable Cover
Breathability in a mattress makes sure the baby doesn’t overheat or sweat through their back even when sleeping face up. When sleeping face down, the breathable feature makes sure the baby can breathe and does not suffocate.
The baby can usually be breathable from the top and the sides, but breathing through the mattress is only passing if there is a breathable cover or a breathable layer (like the Newton mattresses). The Naturepedic classic does not come with a breathable cover but it’s still made with 100% organic cotton.
You can also check out our comparison between Newton and Naturepedic crib mattresses.
The WaveCore and the Innerspring options are both breathable cores that wouldn’t cause harm or suffocation to the baby. Just to be on the safe side, the Naturepedic Breathable and Breathable Ultra options come with soft organic cotton breathable covers. These are made with a 3D polyester lattice structure that allows the air to flow throw the fabric all around the mattress allowing the baby to safely breathe through the covers.
- Naturepedic Classic – 0
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 1
Thickness
All baby mattresses have a standard 4-6 inch thickness. A four-inch mattress is a bare minimum and NaturePedic Classic is just that. Thicker mattresses tend to have a longer life in comparison, especially if you plan to use them throughout the toddler stage of your child (making use of the 2-stage feature). Naturepedic Breathable and Breathable Ultra options come with a 5.5-inch thickness that provides additional comfort and longer durability.
- Naturepedic Classic – 0
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 1
Size Options
Not all cribs come in the same shape. Some parents prefer an oval or a mini crib that is more suitable and fitting inside a small apartment or for co-sleeping in the master bedroom. It may be hard to find a high-quality crib mattress that is organic, breathable, and in an uncommon size.
NaturePedic Classic option allows you to choose from Rectangular or Oval shapes, whilst NaturePedic Breathable enables you to choose from Standard & Mini sizes. These Mini and Oval-shaped mattresses are not meant to be used for toddler stages, as they would outgrow the mattress in length as the child gets taller and heavier.
The NaturePedic Breathable Ultra on the other hand only comes in Standard size.
- Naturepedic Classic – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 0
2 Stage Option
2-stage mattresses allow you to get the most out of your investment. One side is firm for infants while the other side is designed to be comfortable for toddlers in their growing phase. NaturePedic Classic does not come with the 2-stage option by default. You have to pay extra to get the 2-stage option in the Classic mattress, while NaturePedic Breathable and Breathable Ultra come with this feature by default.
We recommend NaturePedic Breathable instead of paying the optional amount to add the 2-stage feature to the Classic mattress as you also get Waterproof Washable covers which will be useful for hygiene purposes.
- Naturepedic Classic – 0.5
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 1
Layers
You see a lot of different layers mentioned on the Naturepedic product description of these crib mattresses. The ones that need to make sense are the Single layer vs Dual Layer that makes Classic (Single Layer) different from Breathable (Dual Layer) and Breathable Ultra (Dual Layer). If you dig deeper, you realize that it’s just fluff to re-iterate the same points mentioned previously.
Single layer Naturepedic Classic
Wipe Clean Waterproof Layer / 1-stage by default
Dual layer Naturepedic Breathable / Breathable Ultra
Washable Mattress Cover Layer with Organic Cotton Surface + Wipe Clean Waterproof Layer (with 2-stage firmness support)
- Naturepedic Classic – 0
- Naturepedic Breathable – 1
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 1
Final Score Board
- Naturepedic Classic – 2
- Naturepedic Breathable – 6
- Naturepedic Breathable Ultra – 5
Conclusion
We hope you got more clarification on the differences between the 3 top-selling Naturepedic baby crib mattresses. According to the scoreboard, the Naturepedic Breathable wins most points in comparison – and it’s simply because it enables you to choose between Standard and Mini crib size options.
The Naturepedic Classic is good enough to be used for the infant years of your child, but we wouldn’t recommend long-term use of this mattress for toddler stages since it lacks the thickness required for heavy usage.
The Naturepedic Breathable is the most ideal and recommended crib mattress for most parents, but if you have extra cash to spare, Naturepedic Breathable Ultra is the way to go since it provides a more plush mattress cover providing more comfort to your child.
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