I just bought a new mattress that comes with a latex topper, and I’m trying to figure out if I actually need a mattress pad. The mattress is already in a protective cover, and the topper has its own cover as well.
So my questions are:
Is a mattress pad necessary in this setup?
If I do get one, should it go over both the mattress and topper, or just the topper?
Any recommendations for a good mattress pad (and how to use it properly) would be super helpful!
Thanks in advance!
Hi finallen, welcome to the community, the MattressUnderGround.com is happy to have you.
My opinion is No, you dont need the mattress pad. Although, I use a wool mattress protector/pad along with the two toppers on my mattress, one 3" wool topper and a Perfectly Snug Smart Topper. I use it over the wool topper which is under the Perfectly Snug. Why two toppers? I am lazy and did not feel like taking the Wool topper off the bed when I was testing how the PS topper works. It actually works great too. It is very effective in climate control under the covers.
Keep in mind, despite both having “covers” on them, topper and mattress, your topper will act as your protection for your mattress. There are, however, some benefits to the mattress pad. It will cover the entire set up. It will hold it all together, any reduce any shifting of the topper, etc. The pad is easier to clean than taking the cover off the topper.
My mattress pad/protector happens to be a quilted wool one with a stretch skirt to hold everything all together, plus wool is a breathable fairly heat neutral material. Similar to this one, as cuddledown discontinued mine.
Hope this helps,
Maverick.
Hi finallen, and welcome to the Mattress Underground!
Maverick covered the important things excellently. I have one question - are the covers for the mattress and the topper removable and washable?
That will determine whether you need a pad.
Katie for The Clean Bedroom
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Great point Katie. I glossed right over that part. Oops.
If they are removable and washable, just be careful not to ruin them. They will likely be more expensive than the pad. 
Shrinkage would be a major concern, if the covers are removable and washable. As Maverick stated, a mattress protector would be much less expensive than a new cover.
If the covers aren’t removable and washable, then you can only spot clean. In that case, a mattress pad is excellent for protection and to maintain hygiene. This article, right on this site, explains mattress protectors in great detail.
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