I bought this as part of my new latex bed “system”. It turns out this cover is only a very thin layer of wool wedged between two puffy terry cotton covers. According to the tag, there is 16.4 oz of wool per queen size cover. That calculates to slightly less than 150g/m^2, which is what you will find in a THIN wool base layer shirt. To be honest I was expecting a lot of puffy wool to give that wool goodness.
Hi beanbag,
It is light, at 7.5oz per sq yard / 250 g/m2
http://www.stgeneve.com/products/Protectors/Mattress/St.Dormeir-mattress.htm
What it is, however, is very thin so as to not interfere with the feel of the latex or other material mattress you put it on, which is a key feature and why many like it. It’s one of the few wool products less likely to significantly change the feel or performance of the mattress. If however, you were hoping for a wool mattress pad or wool topper, the st Dormeir definitely isn’t it.
(I have st Dormeir pillow protectors, which is the same material).
So how come mine calculated to under 150 g/m^2?
Now that is a good question … I calculate about 3.70 sq yards for a queen top surface. The st Geneve website says 7.5 oz per sq yard. I’d expect 27-28 oz of wool. I don’t know. Either the tag is wrong or the marketing wrong or some other explanation.
Beanbag:
I have also just purchased the St. Dormeir mattress protector. The information I gathered before the purchase is fully consistent with DN’s comments. But I have not measured the amount of wool in the one that I received.
I found the St. Dormeir to be very good in terms of temperature regulation. But I was surprised at the degree of interference with the feeling of the latex (and potentially pressure relief). Naturally, the impact in terms of temperature regulation and perceived interference with the latex are personal experiences…, and my experience cannot be extrapolated to somebody else. But, just as Phoenix taught us, there is a trade-off involved in every element of the sleeping system.
Independent of your final findings regarding the amount of wool content in your protector, you may want to evaluate which variable you want to maximize with this element of your sleeping system. This may help you decide whether your current protector has too much or too little wool.
All the best and hope you find the right mattress protector for your needs.
Hi beanbag,
I would echo the comments that have already been made and the goal of a mattress protector (unlike a mattress pad or a topper) is to protect the mattress from moisture, fluids, and skin particles while having the least possible effect on the feel and performance of the mattress. As Toro mentioned there are tradeoffs between the different types (effect on the mattress, degree of water resistance, and temperature regulation).
I’m curious about the tag though because as dn mentioned the queen should have in the range of 27 - 28 oz of wool in it. The number you mentioned would be the amount that would be in a twin.
I almost sounds to me like the wrong tag was somehow attached to the wrong size protector.
I called St Dormeir and they suggested that you email them at [email protected] (and it may be helpful to attach a picture of the tag) and they would look into it for you but it doesn’t sound right to me.
Phoenix
Thanks for actually calling them. I send an email thurs night, and didn’t get a response yet.
There is no chance that this is the wrong tag.
Hi beanbag,
Your tag indicates queen size (60" x 80") so it seems to me that either the amount of wool listed on the tag or the description on their site is wrong. It will be interesting to see what they say when they reply to your email.
Phoenix
We are interested in this cover also. Did you ever get a reply from ST. Dormier?
No. I guess it is time to call.
When I called them, I asked how much wool the mattress protector was supposed to have. The nice person on the phone said 150g/sq m, or 4.something oz / sq yard. Which matches what I have. She said she got that info on the price list. When I asked why the website says 250 g, she wasn’t sure about that, and said that nobody currently at the office knew whether the website was always wrong, or whether some long time ago they changed it.
The fact of the matter is that all the info you will see on the internet is wrong, and you are getting less wool than you expect. 150g/sq m is a pretty thin layer. Go to REI and find the most insultingly thin Smartwool base layer, and that’s what you are getting.
Hi beanbag,
Thanks for sharing the results of your call … I appreciate it.
It’s strange to me that they don’t have accurate specs about their protector or many other sites across the internet but the thinner layer of wool may also be the reason they have less effect on the “feel” of the mattress than other wool/cotton mattress protectors.
Regardless of the amount of wool (which I agree should be listed accurately) … they have some great feedback about their protector from many good retailers and manufacturers that recommend them with their mattresses and they work well.
I’ve edited the description of the St Dormeir in the mattress protector post here and linked it to your post so that at least one place has some accurate specs 
Thanks again.
Phoenix
Beanbag,
I was considering this protector. Do you still like the protector besides the fact that the information on the website was incorrect. Does it mess with the feel and comfort of the latex mattress that much?
Hi sleepypeepy,
Yes … I liked it before I knew that the specs were incorrect (even though they were the same) and I still like it but more importantly so do many of the better retailers that I know that recommend it for their high quality latex (and other) mattresses. It’s probably the cotton/wool protector that has the least effect on a mattress.
Phoenix
I don’t have any comments on how it affects the feel of the mattress because I have not compared it to other covers/protectors. Also, I think my mattress cover/case and fitted sheet are not that stretchy either, so I can’t tell. However, I know that it is possible to get much thicker layers of wool in a stretch knit, if that is what you are looking for. For example, if you go to REI, and feel some of the thicker wool base layer fabrics, they are still stretchy. The St Dormier is basically two puffy terry cotton layers with a thin wool layer sandwiched in the middle. It is not particularly stretchy, but more “loose”, and also, the wool sort of acts like a lubricant that lets the terry layers slide.
Hi beanbag,
I think the main benefit of the St Dormeir vs other types that are similar is that it has less wool and is thinner and more stretchy than many other wool / cotton protectors and has less effect on the feel of the mattress.
I own the NaturaProtect Deluxe which is also a similar type or cotton/wool protector but it has more wool and the cotton that is on both sides of the wool is a sateen not a more stretchy terry like the Dormeir so it is thicker and less stretchy. It also has a semi breathable waterproof membrane used as a backing. Overall its greater thickness and lower stretch means it has a bigger effect on the feel of the mattress.
If I had to do it over again I would probably choose the Dormeir because it does what it’s supposed to do and is a thinner water resistant cover that has less effect on the feel of the mattress. Of course if someone wanted a protector that had more wool and the amount of wool was the most important factor then the Dormeir wouldn’t be the best choice but for me thinner and more stretchy would be my preference. There are also mattress pads available that have more wool than either of them.
I didn’t see a mattress protector on the REI site which is more focused on athletic or outdoor equipment and apparel so I’m not sure what you are comparing it to.
Phoenix
Just measured a 12" Drop Queen Protector total weight of 62.5 oz which if you divide by 3.7 square yards you get 16.9oz/yd. Now this is including the fabric (I did take it out of the package) and the skirt which is just one layer of the fabric and the elastic. When I calculated sample fabric’s without the skirt and the elastic I extrapolated a weight of around 13oz/yd. This is not on a perfectly calculated size of fabric. But I suspect that St. Geneves measurement of 250gsm is actually pretty close.
That being said I cannot explain the tag saying 16.4 oz of wool. But it does make sense to me that the fabric is likely about half of the weight of the protector.
When I said REI, I was talking about base layers, which are wool shirts and pants. Anybody can go there and see just what 150g/m^2 vs 250g/m^2 feel like.
Hi beanbag,
The material in wool shirts and pants wouldn’t be comparable to a mattress protector which uses compressed wool and cotton terry on both sides. If you used the same material they were using in their shirts and pants on a mattress it wouldn’t have the same properties, water resistance, or feel as the protector.
Phoenix
For what it’s worth, it looks like St. Geneve changed their website:
http://www.stgeneve.com/products/Protectors/Mattress/St.Dormeir-mattress.htm
Now says 150 gsm / 4.5 oz per sq yard