Top notch quality… Couldn’t be more pleased. Our lab is 12 now and having issues with her back legs and hips. We’ve gone through a couple of nice enough beds, but hadn’t tried memory foam until we found one at Costco that she liked. Only problem is that it was only a one inch memory foam topper over regular foam and just not what I thought memory foam should feel like. So when that one wore out, I did some research and found this one. This is as good as it gets and I’ll never buy or recommend any other bed but this one. Please check out my video review as well. Unpacking… The pad itself comes completely compressed down for shipping. Once you remove it from the package it says to leave it from 12 to 24 hours to fully decompress. Ours was fully uncompressed and ready after just a few hours, but we let it go the full 24 hours anyway. Smell… Yes, the foam does smell at first. This is normal and to be expected. We left ours open to the air for 24 hours while it fully decompressed and almost all the smell was gone. There was still a tiny bit, but nothing of any concern. After 48 hours there was no more smell at all. Measurements and foam quality… The posted measurements were accurate. We got the XL size which measures 40x35x4 and is perfect for our 75-pound lab. The actual pad itself is 100% memory foam. Not just a topper. It is firm and thick, and oozes down under pressure and slowly returns to its shape once the pressure is removed. When she walks onto it and settles in, it gives way firmly and slowly as I would expect it and want it to. I can easily tell she is being supported and cradled just right. Both my girlfriend and I have laid on it ourselves for long periods and I can attest personally to its comfort. If I step in the middle of it (I weigh 260 pounds) my foot will ooze into it, but not feel as though I’ve bottomed out. And when I remove my weight, the foam will slowly ooze back into shape. Covers… Ours came with three separate covers that fit over the memory foam. The first is a brown water-proof (or at least highly water resistant) pee-cover. This feels like a light weight nylon type fabric, sort of like a light wind breaker jacket. It covers the mattress all the way around and zips at one end. See more detail in my video review. The second (middle/inner) cover is brown and feels like suede. The top and sides of that cover all look and feel like suede, but the bottom is different. It is black and sort of a nylon-ish type material with small nubs over it to help it stay in place if it were placed on a smooth surface. It covers the entire bed and zips at one end. See more detail in my video review. The third and outer cover is blue denim. It is very dark blue, sort of like a nice pair of dressy denim jeans. The denim is very soft, sort of like pair of soft, pre-washed, worn jeans. It feels great to the touch and is just heavy and sturdy enough to be comfortable while still being rugged and holding up to hair and mud and your dog’s nails. It covers the entire bed and has a zipper at one end. All the zippers seem solid to me and easy enough to zip. See more detail in my video review. Moisture Performance… After having ours for just a week our lab had an accident overnight. She wet the bed and we discovered it in the morning. The outer denim cover had a wet stain. The inner suede cover underneath that was also damp, but not as much as the top one. The inner-most pee-cover had done its job and the foam inside was completely dry. Washability… We washed the outer blue denim and the inner suede cover in the washer with cold/cold. And dried them both in the dryer on the delicate cycle and low heat. Both came out clean and looking great. No shrinkage at all on either one. Very pleased. Assembly… Putting the covers on is easy enough. The bed is large and a somewhat heavy, but it’s doable for one person. We took the foam and folded it into a U shape, then pulled the pee-cover over one end and worked it slowly up. Easier with two people, but one can do it easy enough. It’s easier than changing your bed sheets. The other two covers go on in the same manner. Bend the mattress and work the covers over. Overall verdict… Highly recommended. I’ll never recommend another bed but this one. We are both so pleased with the quality, and our lab loves it. She sleeps on it every night and throughout the day she will go out of her way to lay on it. It’s large enough for her to fully splay out on her side, and seems to support and cradle her just right. She sleeps more soundly and seems a little less stiff after a night on it. The directions tell you to try it out for yourself before you give it to your dog. We did that. I weigh about 260 and I laid on it for a good 10 minutes or so, and I can attest to the comfort and quality of it. I’m so thrilled to have found this. Best dog bed I’ve ever run across having had dogs all my life. Yes, I love it that much, but no I’m not compensated in any way. I paid full price for it just last week. Please check out my video review and my photos for more detail. I hope this helps you guys make an informed decision! Thank you for taking the time to check out my review! I appreciate it. PS, just because people often ask... The bird in the photos with the dog is a White-Bellied Caique parrot. Her name is Mango and her sister Kiwi is just off camera in the background.