My bedding setup is coming together, bit by bit. I’m so grateful to everyone here who responded to my questions or provided info on any of the many older posts I’ve read. I’ve read through a bunch of posts over the last few days, looking for helpful info on the final addition (hopefully) for my new bed - a wool topper. It’ll be layered on top of a soft Talalay latex topper, on top of my wonderfully supportive SleepEZ latex bed. I’ve looked at several online but I genuinely don’t know how to choose between them. Do I need 1.5" 2"? 3"? How many pounds of wool is “enough” in a twinXL? Is heavier better? Should I get merino wool or is the standard sheep stuff sufficient? I know some of the TMs here make toppers, and I’ve browsed their sites. Is there a (presumably non-TM) brand to avoid due to poor construction/customer service?
I know wool will compress about 30% over the first few months. I know to rotate the topper to have it wear more evenly. I know it will be sort of firm and plush at the same time. I just don’t know what criteria I should be using to make my choice! Help!
Does anyone have a wool topper they love and would recommend?
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Hello hmmwrites!
Wool can vary a lot depending on how it’s used in a mattress or topper, so here are a few things to keep in mind. In terms of thickness, more wool will give you more initial cushioning, but it also means the wool will compress and feel firmer over time. Around 1.5 to 2 inches is usually enough to get the benefits of temperature regulation, moisture control, and a bit of padding. A 3-inch layer will feel plusher at first, but expect it to pack down more noticeably.
As for weight, the total pounds of wool in a TwinXL topper can vary based on how dense it is and how it’s quilted. In general, 4 to 6 pounds is common. Lighter fills are great if you mainly want breathability and moisture management, while heavier fills give you more padding but also compress more. Heavier doesn’t automatically mean better—it just depends on what you’re hoping to get out of the wool.
When it comes to wool types, merino is finer and softer, while standard sheep’s wool is coarser but still does an excellent job of keeping you cool and dry. For most toppers, the standard wool is perfectly sufficient, while merino is more of a luxury upgrade if you want a softer hand-feel.
So for most people, a TwinXL topper with about 1.5 to 2 inches of wool, weighing somewhere in the 4 to 6 pound range, is plenty. Go thicker only if you really want that extra plushness, knowing it will compress. Standard wool works well, but merino is a nice option if you’re drawn to a softer feel.
Yes! I’d trust a wool topper from any of our Trusted Members. As for brands to avoid…Coyuchi and Woolroom tend to get a lot of criticisms but for different reasons. Coyuchi complaints tend to be product related, where Woolroom complaints are more returns/customer service oriented - the product itself gets relatively good feedback.
NikkiTMU
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Super helpful, thanks Nikki!
On our earlier visit to Orange Mattress (local manufacturer here in NJ), she offered to show us toppers, but we declined at that time. I just checked their website, and they offer 2 wool options - one at 4lbs fill and the other at 6lbs fill. (Exactly on target with what you said above!) So I’m going to drop by there and try them out, see if that’s the kind of feel I’m looking for.
Seeing such a wide range (anywhere from about 4lbs fill to about 12 for a twinXL) really left me confused about what sort of number I should aim for. So I really appreciate your explanation. I don’t want to totally lose the feel of my awesomely supportive mattress, or the plush latex topper this will lay on, so thanks to your post, I now have a feeling the 4-6lbs range will be my sweet spot.
My original instinct was to go for more fill over less, which likely would have been a mistake. Thank you again for your help!
I also appreciate the head’s up about companies to maybe avoid. I love Coyuchi’s crinkled percale, so I would have considered their topper without your warning. And I have purchased from Woolroom before. The items I bought there are great! I personally had no problems with their customer service, though my only interactions were to ask questions, not report a problem and seek a solution. It helps to have fair warning from other customers so if I do buy anything further from them, I go in with eyes open.
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What are your thoughts on the horsehair topper that Orange offers? If you did not try it, ask Mindy to show you one. When done properly, horsehair is one of the best materials for keeping cool and creating a feeling of weightlessness.
Personally, I have used a hand-stuffed and tufted 3" wool topper that weighs about 35 lbs. It’s fantastic, though a bit strange to see your body impressions left in it. Interestingly, those impressions conform well to the body and don’t lead to any back pain, unlike a mattress with similar wear. I recently got a 3" firm Talalay Latex topper, I swapped the wool topper, and that has performed very well.
There is always more than one way to get the job done.
Millbrook also makes a latex and wool topper that’s excellent. It’s heavily pre-compressed, tufted, and strikes a great balance of being soft on the surface but still firm underneath, much like their mattresses. Of course, firm is my personal preference, so I am bias when it comes to feel in a mattress or a topper.
I didn’t even realize they had a horsehair topper! I’ll ask to see that, as well. I’ve heard (probably from you!) that horsehair is supposed to be excellent for temperature control, which is definitely one of my reasons for wanting a wool topper. If she has one available, I’ll ask to give that a try, as well. And I’ll drop a post here with my thoughts, if that would help.
It’s helpful to have your experience in mind, too. I generally prefer firm over soft, though I think our bed is a touch too firm for me when I sleep on my side. If I try the lighter weight wool toppers and find them lacking, I can pivot to looking into some of the heavier ones. I kinda figured a wool topper would be somewhat worn out once you made serious body impressions, so it’s good to hear that it’s conforming, not collapsing!
I’ve already bought an Avocado Eco topper - their plush Talalay version. I’m 200-ish pounds, so I went for the 3 inch topper because I’d bottom out on 2". That arrives tomorrow. I’m finding the all-latex build of my mattress to be super supportive, but a bit warmer than I’d like, so I’m hoping for temperature regulation and maybe a little extra plushness by adding a wool topper on top. If I don’t find it helpful there, I can try layering it under the Eco topper just to give my mattress a little more height. Or I can put it on my son’s bed and let him enjoy the extra cushion! 
Thanks for the info, Maverick!
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I have written about this before. When I work in my bed with my laptop placed on my pillow. The difference between the computer resting on a latex, memory foam, wool and horsehair pillow was pretty interesting.
When I tried this little experiment while working on my computer in bed to see how different materials handle heat buildup, this is what happened. When I placed the laptop on a memory foam pillow, both the computer and the pillow heated up like a furnace. Latex got quite warm too, though the computer didn’t get as hot as it did on memory foam. Wool became reasonably warm, but definitely not hot, and the heat dissipated within a minute of removing the laptop. Horsehair, on the other hand, was the most impressive. It barely warmed up, even after hours of use. The bottom of my Alienware with auto fans, never kicked on as it never reached a temperature that would cause that reaction. Not hot to the touch nor was the pillow. Barely warm.
I know this is anecdotal, but I was curious to see how each material performed in a real-world setting. Interesing!
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Interesting! Especially with an Alienware laptop. Those things are beasts!
I’ll have to keep that in mind, since I just got a new laptop (fit for gaming! wheeee!) and I’m looking for something to use as a buffer between my lap and the machine. If I can’t find something premade that’s just right, I may well look to horsehair as a solution. I appreciate the food for thought!
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Yes, I only buy Alienware for home laptop use. Not because I am a gamer, I am not. I just think of them as more beefed up computers with lower failure rates and always seem to be ahead of their time as compared to the basic and even better than the XPS’s I used to buy.
Alienware is solid. Well built, high quality components, usually as future-proof as a laptop can be, given how quickly tech changes. Good call!
I’ve gotten used to Lenovos, which are also pretty good. My new one (bought Saturday) is hefty, and when I do use it for gaming (or photo editing), I expect it to get hot.
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Thanks again, Nikki and Maverick! I popped into Orange Mattress today to try out their wool topper options. I lay on wool toppers both on their own over a medium latex mattress, and layered over a soft latex topper (which is how I anticipate using it). I wound up purchasing a soft and cozy-feeling 2" wool topper. Definitely not overstuffed, though the person there didn’t know the weight off the top of her head - I lifted it and would estimate it was around 4lbs, right in that sweet spot Nikki mentioned.
I could have found a lower price for a similar 2" topper and ordered online, but I’m happy giving my custom to a local business. And they offer the option to bring it back in after 4 years to refurbish it. They’ll refluff the wool and replace the cotton casing for a small fee. It’ll be like getting a whole new topper all over again. And hey, I saved a few bucks on shipping, since I can swing by and pick it up. (Then hit the bakery that’s across the parking lot. That’s more than worth the trip!)
I’ll run by and pick it (and a few pastries) up when it’s ready in a week or two. I can’t wait to add that to my bed and see how the wool topper helps me sleep!
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Did you look at or try a horsehair and cotton topper? Are you sure it was only 4lbs? My 3" king is 35lbs. My wool pillow is about 4lbs. Perhaps it just feels light to you.
Regardless, if it works and you are comfortable, that is all that matters.
I would love to know how you feel on it. I loved mine, I just wished after the fact, it would have been more compacted and compressed with better tufting. I temporarily removed it and am using a 3" firm Talalay Latex topper, which was more helpfully when I had that back injury with several bulging and herniated discs.
Maverick
I walked in and asked to see/try out their toppers. The only ones she seemed to have at hand were wool and latex. I tried out the options she offered, and since I did find the wool topper very comfy, I went ahead and bought it.
I’m glad the Talalay topper has been helping your back. That sounds miserable.
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The Talalay has more give and take compared to the wool topper. The wool topper was great though. It protected my mattress from my 220lbs too. Not sure if I really needed that protection, but I figured it could not hurt and it added some contouring to our very firm mattress.
Let me know how the wool topper goes.
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Sounds like you found a good fit 
. Wool does have that cozy “give” without the bounce latex gives, so it’s really just about what your body likes. And honestly, being able to refurbish it later is such a win you stretch the life out of it and keep it feeling fresh. Curious to hear if you notice temp regulation at night too, since wool tends to breathe differently than latex.
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I am hoping I find it a bit cooler to sleep on as I’m always hot. I’ll start finding out soon, I hope.
I’ll share my experience once I’ve slept on it a bit.
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