You've heard of the size California King mattress and probably just thought that must be an enormous mattress, much larger then a regular king - or that must be a king size mattress for those tall surfers who live California or something, right?

Well, kind of...

WHAT is a California King mattress? 

A California king mattress is actually narrower then a regular king, but longer also. In total sleeping area, it is actually not much different then a regular king size mattress, or if anything, slightly smaller. (A lot of hype for something that's not really better or worse, just different) 

The official dimensions are 7 feet long by 6 feet wide (84" Long, 72" wide)

The obvious benefit of a California King Mattress (or Cali-king as they are referred to) is for those lucky guys and gals who are taller then 6 feet, or especially taller then 6 and a half feet tall, as the extra 6" of mattress can make or break the comfort and support, and keep your feet from hanging off the end of the bed.

There are other benefits to this longer and narrower mattress shape, such as being able to fit a larger mattress in a narrower space for more room around the sides of the bed in a larger space. There are of course some disadvantages of the California King size mattress as well, such as having a harder time finding linens and bedding, as well as sometimes being limited to the selection available in a custom size mattress.  

When were California King size mattresses invented?

There are conflicting stories about when or why the size was invented, but it is generally thought that the California king size mattress was popularized in the 1940's by a mattress retailer in Los Angeles to accommodate the larger size bed rooms that were being built in the area, and that there was also a growing market for celebrities who wanted a unique bed size. Since most celebrities lived in California, the name California King size caught on. 

So who needs a California King size?

A standard king size mattress will accommodate most people under 6 and a half feet tall just fine. The bedding will be easier and less costly, and the wider mattress gives more space between 2 sleepers on each side of the mattress. However, for those of us less vertically challenged, consider a California king size mattress for those extra few inches .