Since mid-2018, the Air-Pedic 1200 mattress has been discontinued.
Air-Pedic 1200 by Selectabed
The Ultra-Luxury Airbed
At 13 inches high, the Air-Pedic 1200 is not the highest adjustable airbed by Air-Pedic (a brand of Selectabed), but it is billed as the most luxurious. Selectabed compares it to the now discontinued x12 by Sleep Number (another example of SN de-emphasizing memory foam).
More Memory Foam
The 6” height of the air support system is matched by the foam layers. It has two layers of memory foam, 2” each – in this respect, it is like mattresses in the Tri-Pedic Series. On top is 4-lb. memory foam, more initially responsive than the 5-lb. memory foam in the next layer down. The denser 5-lb. foam is more heat sensitive, making it more conforming for greater pressure relief.
Beneath the memory foam is a layer of supportive polyurethane foam, labeled Resili-Flex. It is not as firm as the base foam in the support core of a foam mattress, but is a transition layer between the softer memory foam and the air support core.
Having this much foam between the sleeper and the air chambers allows for a plusher feel while still using a firmer air setting for better support. In this case, with 4” of memory foam, plusher is not necessarily that much softer, but is more in line with the conformity and pressure relief of memory foam.
Sleeping on Air
What defines an adjustable air bed is the adjustability of the supporting air. Chambers holding the air are pressurized by pumps controlled by hand-held remotes. The air pressure can be adjusted to suit the needs of the individual sleeper.
Six Chambers or Two?
All Sleep Number beds have the same air support system. Likewise, all Air-Pedic adjustable airbeds have the same air support system. But there is a difference between the two systems. Sleep Number still uses the 2-chamber configuration – one air chamber for each of two sleepers (one chamber beds are Twin, Twin Long and Full (with SN Full is for a single sleeper, Double is the same size for two sleepers)). Air-Pedic has the 6-chamber Tri-Zone system – three air chambers for each sleeper.
Here is where this difference makes a difference – To hammock, or not to hammock? That is the question. At the highest air pressure settings, the support from a single air chamber is fairly even. As the setting is lowered, the heavier torso begins to sink in more. As it does, displaced air goes to the ends of the chamber, lifting up the head and shoulders at one end, and the feet at the other. This is called “hammocking” – think of a hammock strung between two trees.
This is not as bad for back sleepers as for side sleepers and definitely not recommended for stomach sleepers. Just looking at the natural curve of the spine in the different positions shows why. For side sleepers, this bends the back laterally, bending the person to one side. No one wants to stand like that for more than a moment, let alone for hours. Why lie like that?
In a Tri-Zone system, the end chambers share the same air pressure. The center chamber under the body’s mid-section can be made firmer (higher pressure) to hold up the heavy lower torso. As shown in the following images, the right pressure in the center (lumbar) chamber holds the spine in line. Not only that, displacement by the hips supports the lumbar.
2-Chamber System
6-Chamber System
The differential between the ends and the center would be more for a heaver person than for a lighter person. It is also different for back sleepers and stomach sleepers (stomach sleepers may need a higher differential). In a 6-chamber system, the user selects the differential by adjusting the center chamber until the back is aligned properly.
Air Chamber Material
While air chambers in Sleep Number beds are made of rubber, those in the Air-Pedic beds are made of medical-grade flexible urethane. One reason is that the chambers can be sealed and attached by RF welding, which is not only better than using adhesives, but also makes them resistant to bacteria getting in.
Kool-Flow Fabric Cover
Air-Pedic adjustable airbeds are covered by Selectabed’s patented Kool–Flow fabric. This is a blend of rayon from bamboo (43%), polyester (5.4%), and lycra (0.6%). It is stretch knit, helping it to fit no matter what the air pressure is (or on an adjustable base, what the position is). Micro-vents are knitted in, letting air flow through freely. This cover is also part of the optional Airflow Transfer System.
Marketing and Shipping
Air-Pedic 1200 airbeds are sold only online at Selectabed and in Relief-Mart stores. They are made to order and shipped already assembled (no customer assembly with the risk of error and damage). They are not compressed and rolled for small boxes.
Sleep Trial and Warranty
Selectabed has a 120-day sleep trial for Air-Pedic mattresses. The warranty is for 30 years, with the first 3 years non-prorated.
Customer Response
We calculate our ratings in accordance with our Verified Review Policy.
Since Air-Pedic airbeds are not sold on Amazon or other retail websites, the only reliable customer reviews are on Viewpoints. However, Sleep Like the Dead collects comments by bed owners from several sites, and calculates the owner satisfaction rate for Air-Pedic as 83%, the highest of six top-rated adjustable airbed brands.
On Viewpoints, the average rating for Air-Pedic beds is 4.9 (98%). Only seven of the reviews name the specific model. One of these gives 5 stars to the Air-Pedic 1200. Two other models specifically named also have memory foam, and they are rated at 5 stars.
Five pros were named for the AirPedic 1200: Comfortable, Good Support, Holds Shape, Soft Feel, Sturdy.
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