How Long Does a Mattress Need to Be for a Tall Sleeper?
Add about 6 in to your height, as mattress brands' sizing guides advise. By our calculation, a King or Queen (80 in, 203 cm) fits sleepers up to 6 ft 2 in, and a California King (84 in, 213 cm) up to 6 ft 6 in. Taller than that, you need an oversized length: Alberta King 96 in (244 cm), Texas King 98 in (249 cm) or Alaskan King 108 in (274 cm). For length alone, we pick the Texas King.
Our 80 × 98 in Texas King firm foam mattress (203 × 249 cm) is 18 in longer than a King.
Short answer by height
The three sizing guides we checked ask for 4 to 8 in of extra length, and all three include about 6 in. One custom mattress brand recommends 12 in if a dog or cat sleeps at the foot. The table below uses your height plus 6 in (our calculation).
| Your height | Shortest mattress with about 6 in to spare | Sizes that give it |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | 75 in (191 cm) | Twin, Full |
| 5 ft 10 in to 6 ft 2 in (178 to 188 cm) | 80 in (203 cm) | Twin XL, Queen, King |
| 6 ft 3 in to 6 ft 6 in (191 to 198 cm) | 84 in (213 cm) | California King, Wyoming King |
| 6 ft 7 in to 7 ft 6 in (201 to 229 cm) | 96 in (244 cm) | Alberta King, Texas King, Alaskan King |
| 7 ft 7 in to 7 ft 8 in (231 to 234 cm) | 98 in (249 cm) | Texas King, Alaskan King |
| 7 ft 9 in to 8 ft 6 in (236 to 259 cm) | 108 in (274 cm) | Alaskan King |
With the 8 in margin some brands use, take 2 in off each height limit (our calculation).
An 84 in California King takes sleepers up to 6 ft 6 in with 6 in to spare. From 6 ft 7 in, the next length on the market is 96 in.
CDC data for 2021 to 2023 put the average US man aged 20 or older at 68.9 in. About 95% are 73.7 in (6 ft 1.7 in) or shorter, so most men get at least 6 in to spare on a King or Queen (our calculation). About 15% are taller than 72.1 in, roughly 6 ft.
The Sleep Foundation says sleepers under 6 ft generally have enough legroom on any mattress. Our 6 in rule is stricter: it puts the limit for a 75 in Twin or Full at 5 ft 9 in.
Every mattress length you can buy, from 75 to 108 in
The longest standard mattress size is the 72 × 84 in (183 × 213 cm) California King, in the Better Sleep Council's dimensions. The longest we sell is the 108 × 108 in (274 × 274 cm) Alaskan King bed.
| Length | Sizes (width × length) | Standard or oversized |
|---|---|---|
| 75 in (191 cm) | Twin 38 × 75 in (97 × 191 cm); Full 53 or 54 × 75 in | Standard |
| 80 in (203 cm) | Twin XL 38 × 80 in (97 × 203 cm); Queen 60 × 80 in (152 × 203 cm); King 76 × 80 in (193 × 203 cm) | Standard |
| 80 in (203 cm) | Florida King 108 × 80 in (274 × 203 cm); Family Bed 120 × 80 in (305 × 203 cm) | Oversized: wider, not longer |
| 84 in (213 cm) | California King 72 × 84 in (183 × 213 cm) | The longest standard size |
| 84 in (213 cm) | Wyoming King 84 × 84 in (213 × 213 cm); Family Bed XL 144 × 84 in (366 × 213 cm) | Oversized |
| 96 in (244 cm) | Alberta King 96 × 96 in (244 × 244 cm) | Oversized |
| 98 in (249 cm) | Texas King 80 × 98 in (203 × 249 cm) | Oversized |
| 108 in (274 cm) | Alaskan King 108 × 108 in (274 × 274 cm) | Oversized |
Standard dimensions are nominal. One mattress brand lists its King at 79.5 in long and its California King at 83.5 in, so check the actual listing against the Better Sleep Council's standard mattress sizes. A Full is 53 in wide for the Better Sleep Council and 54 in for the Sleep Foundation.
Compare every mattress we sell that is longer or wider than a King. The Florida King and the Family Bed add width, not length.
What to check before you buy a longer bed
Length vs width
A Texas King has 18 in more length and 4 in more width than a King, or 14 in more length and 8 in more width than a California King (our calculation). Two adults get 40 in of width each, against 38 in on a King. If children or dogs share the bed, we would look at the Alberta King or the Alaskan King for their extra width.
How the two compare on frames, sheets and cost: Texas King vs. California King.
Room size
A Texas King needs a room of about 11.7 × 10.7 ft with 30 in of walking space on both sides and at the foot (our calculation).
The same rule gives 11.4 × 9.2 ft for a King, 11 × 9.5 ft for a California King, 13 × 10.5 ft for an Alberta King and 14 × 11.5 ft for an Alaskan King. With our Texas King frame, 103.5 in long overall, the room becomes about 11.7 × 11.1 ft. Check yours with our bedroom size guide for every bed size.
Frame and foundation
A King or California King frame is too short for this mattress. Our aluminum Texas King platform bed frame with upholstered headboard is made for 80 × 98 in: it measures 80 × 103.5 in overall, 16.5 in high, with 12.5 in of clearance underneath and a rating of up to 2,000 lb. No box spring is needed.
Under a foam mattress, a solid board over the slats is recommended so the foam does not sink between them. We add it on request.
Firmness and thickness
Our Texas King comes in one model and one feel: firm. It is 11 in thick, with a 2 in cooling comfort layer over a foam support base and a quilted organic cotton cover. If you want a softer feel at 98 in, we do not have one.
Sheets and bedding
We do not sell Texas King sheets at the moment. California King sheets (72 × 84 in) are 8 in too narrow and 14 in too short for it (our calculation). Buy sheets labeled 80 × 98 in, and check which side is the length.
Getting it into the room
Texas King packing details are not published. Email us before ordering if a doorway or staircase is tight.
Our Alberta King and Alaskan King firm foam mattresses travel folded in half in a box, so an 8 or 9 ft mattress is easy to carry to your bedroom. The Texas King frame arrives in 5 to 7 boxes, delivered free to the curb in the contiguous US. Before a big bed arrives, read how to check doors, hallways and stairs.
Texas King, Alberta King or Alaskan King: which one for height?
We pick the Texas King when length is the problem: its 98 in takes sleepers up to 7 ft 8 in with at least 6 in to spare, in the smallest room of the three (our calculation).
Choose the Alberta King for a couple sharing with children or dogs, if the room allows at least 13 × 10.5 ft. At 96 × 96 in, it is 2 in shorter but 16 in wider than the Texas King.
Choose the Alaskan King for the most length and width: 108 × 108 in. Allow a room of at least 14 × 11.5 ft under the same walking-space rule.
The beds in this guide.
- Texas King firm foam mattress, 80 × 98 in, 11 in, firm: for a tall sleeper, or a tall couple, who want length first.
- Texas King platform bed frame: aluminum, upholstered headboard included, made for that 80 × 98 in mattress.
- Alberta King firm foam mattress, 96 × 96 in: almost the same length, with 16 in more width.
- Alaskan King firm foam mattress, 108 × 108 in: the most length and width we sell.
What we don't recommend
Two Twin XL mattresses side by side make a 76 × 80 in King footprint: more width, no extra length.
Sleeping diagonally works for one person: a King's diagonal is about 110 in (our calculation). We would not count on it for a shared bed.
Some brands turn the Texas King sideways: 98 in wide and 80 in long. Read the two Texas King orientations explained before you choose a bed for a tall person.
We would not stop at a California King for someone 6 ft 7 in or taller: its 84 in leaves less than the 6 in most guides ask for (our calculation).
The Texas King is the only size in our range that is longer than it is wide. See our Texas King mattresses.