I managed to get it on the mattress all by myself!!! It's a little tricky but not impossible. The cover is made out of great material. Yes, it's a little noisy but that's because of the waterproof lining. I wasn't looking for a cushiony soft experience but for a waterproof protector. Once on, it's not that noisy. It seems sturdy and well made. I had no problems tugging and pulling on it and it zipped up like a charm. We have a sleep number bed and I had to work around the hoses by putting the zipper at the top end of the bed and cutting small holes in the cover to thread the hoses through. No problems and no additional tearing whatsoever. Top quality product!