Yes I know and saw how they spring back, so I agree that if you lift pressure from them they’d go upright, to the degree neighboring columns don’t pull them down (they’re not independent).
It’s sort of like imagining a tabletop covered with empty pop cans (the columns) all set as close together as possible… If you put a board on top of the cans, you’d probably be able to stand on it, it would be so strong. However, if you make a sweeping motion from the side, you just knock all the cans over.
It’s not a perfect analogy, but… I doubt the human body ever exerts perfectly verticle downwards pressure as a perfectly horizontal surface. I’d guess most/many/all of the columns would likely buckle/be pressed flat if you rolled over, for example. In doing so, you’re going to exert significant force diagonally. Columns are horrible against a diagonal force.
The material is a super soft gel material. I’d guess if you just made a 3" topper from the same material and with the same overall density of the 3" layer of buckling column gel (including the empty portions), you’d be pretty close to the same feel. But, I don’t have such a material, so it’s mere conjecture on my part.
It’s still nice… Just I dont think I believe the theory of it works nearly as well with rounded shapes and diagonal forces.