Comparing Bear Mattresses
If you’re comparing Bear mattresses, chances are you’re at least a little familiar with the Bear brand. As a quick primer, Bear sleep products are designed for people who live active lifestyles, such as athletes and regular exercisers. They currently offer three mattresses, including the Bear Original, the Bear Hybrid, and the Bear Pro.
Related: Best Mattresses for Athletes
Bear Mattress Models
Bear Mattress
Bear Original Mattress
Best For: Individuals who are physically active, back and stomach sleepers, and value shoppers.
Product Details
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium-Firm 7/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Bear Mattress is Bear’s flagship bed, and it’s also the simplest. With just three foam layers, it measures 10” tall and falls on the firmer side of the medium-firm spectrum (7/10 on the firmness scale).
Similar to the Bear Pro (Bear’s other all-foam mattress), we noticed excellent pressure relief and spinal alignment (aka good posture while lying down). While these features are key for side sleepers, in particular, we think the original Bear mattress is a touch too firm for the average side sleeper. It’s better for back and stomach sleepers under 230 lbs.
As for motion transfer, we weren’t particularly impressed. In fact, the Bear Original had worse motion isolation than the Bear Hybrid, which is unusual because memory foam mattresses typically isolate motion much better than those with springy coils.
Overall, the Bear Original is our choice for shoppers on a budget and active individuals under 230 lbs who favor sleeping on their back and/or stomach. This model won’t offer the same deep cushioning feeling as the Bear Pro or the cooling breathability of the Bear Hybrid, so if you like a softer bed or run extra hot, the Bear Original probably isn’t for you.
Read our full Bear Mattress Review for more details.
Bear Hybrid Mattress
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
Best For: Hot sleepers, couples, and back sleepers of any body type.
Product Details
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-Firm 6/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Joint Pain
This bed offers the needed pressure relief to help alleviate joint pain.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Bear Hybrid is Bear’s only mattress model with coils. It has five layers, including four foam layers and a base layer of pocketed coils (i.e. coils that are individually wrapped for enhanced motion isolation and more targeted support).
We think it has a firmness level of about 6/10, but surprisingly, that doesn’t translate into the best pressure relief. We expect better results from our pressure map test on beds under 7/10, but we noticed pressure build near our testers’ shoulders and hips. For reference, the Bear Pro also has a 6/10 firmness level, but it performed much better during our pressure tests.
With those results in mind, we don’t recommend the Bear Hybrid to the average side sleeper, but it’s an excellent mattress for stomach sleepers under 230 lbs and back sleepers of all body types (lightweight < 130 lbs, average-weight 130–230 lbs, and heavyweight > 230 lbs).
Related: Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers
Another performance test that surprised us was the motion transfer test. The Bear Hybrid performed the best out of all three Bear mattresses, despite having a bouncy personality, so we consider the Hybrid to be Bear’s best mattress for couples. It also sleeps the coolest out of all the Bear beds, thanks primarily to airflow through the coil layer.
Read our full Bear Hybrid Mattress Review for more details.
Bear Pro Mattress
Bear Pro Hybrid Mattress
Best For: Those with back pain, side sleepers, and those weighing less than 230 lbs.
Product Details
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-Firm 6/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The Bear Pro is essentially an upgraded version of the Bear Original—it has an all-foam construction with an extra foam layer up top. We give it a 6/10 firmness rating, meaning it balances the comfort of soft foams with the support and stability of the firmer, denser base foam.
During our pressure map test, the Pro had similar results to the Original mattress—good pressure relief for our lightweight and average-weight testers, but some pressure build-up for our heavyweight tester.
With more cushioning foam layers, it’s better than the Hybrid or Original mattresses for side sleeping. It’s also a good match for back sleeping and stomach sleeping, although heavyweight folks may want to check out our list of best mattresses for heavy people.
During our motion transfer test, the Bear Pro performed better than the Original, but not as well as we’d expect for a memory foam mattress. Also, while it has a cool-to-the-touch cover and cooling copper and gel-infused foams, it’s still probably not going to regulate temperature as well as the Bear Hybrid.
Read our full Bear Pro Mattress Review for more details.
Bear Mattresses by Sleep Style
| Bear Original | Bear Hybrid | Bear Pro | ||
| Side Sleeper | Lightweight | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Average-weight | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Heavyweight | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Back Sleeper | Lightweight | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Average-weight | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Heavyweight | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | |
| Stomach Sleeper | Lightweight | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Average-weight | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Heavyweight | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
Here at Mattress Nerd, we classify lightweight sleepers as weighing < 130 lbs, while average-weight sleepers are between 130–230 lbs and heavyweight sleepers weigh over 230 lbs.
The Bear Original is an excellent choice for back or stomach sleepers under 230 lbs who prefer a firmer feeling bed. The Bear Hybrid is the best choice for heavy people, particularly those who favor back sleeping.
Related: Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers
The Bear Pro works for lightweight or average-weight folks in any sleeping position, and any of the Bear mattresses work for combination sleepers who change positions while sleeping.
If you find yourself sleeping in all three of these positions, see our picks for the best mattress for combination sleepers, or all sleeping positions.
Other Considerations: Cooling, Back Pain, and Couples
Cooling
Memory foam has a bad reputation for sleeping hot, which is why Bear adds cooling materials to their memory foam layers. The Bear Original has graphite and gel infusions, both of which help with temperature regulation. The Bear Pro has cooling gel and copper, and the Bear Hybrid has great breathability through the coil layer. The Hybrid is definitely the coolest of the bunch and the best cooling mattress for hot sleepers.
Back Pain
Did you know that back pain can be caused by sleeping on an old mattress or the wrong mattress? The key to waking up pain-free is good spinal alignment. Fortunately, all three Bear models performed well in our spinal alignment test. We think stomach sleepers will get the best results on the Bear Original or Hybrid. Side sleepers should go with the Bear Pro, and back sleepers can take their pick of any Bear mattress.
Related: Best Mattresses for Back Pain
Bear mattresses also aim to help your muscles recover faster, and that includes the muscles along your neck and spine. Each Bear mattress cover is woven with Celliant fibers that are purported to speed up tissue recovery. You can learn more on Bear’s website, but the gist of it is: Celliant fibers recycle your body heat into infrared light and redirect the infrared rays back to your body. The infrared rays can increase your circulation and bring more oxygen to your muscles.
Couples
Couples usually look for a few specific features when shopping for a new mattress, including good edge support, motion isolation, and a feel that appeals to both partners. We didn’t experience the best edge support on any of the Bear mattresses, but the firmer top layer on the Bear Original had the least sinkage along the sides. For all three models, you’ll likely feel supported when lying near the edge of the bed, but not sitting.
As for motion isolation, we think the Bear Hybrid offers the best results. It’s also the bounciest mattress in the Bear collection, which is good for sex. The medium-firm feel is a compromise for couples with different comfort preferences. Plus, the breathable construction is helpful for couples concerned about heat buildup in their bed.
Overall, any of the Bear mattresses could work for couples, but in our opinion, Bear’s best mattress for couples is the Hybrid.
Bear Mattress Construction
| Bear Original | Bear Hybrid | Bear Pro | |
| Cover | Celliant Cover | Hand-Quilted Celliant Cover w/2” Hyper-Soft Cooling Gel Foam | Celliant Cover |
| Comfort Layer(s) | 2” Cooling Graphite-Gel Memory Foam | 2” Premium Comfort Foam | 1” Copper-Infused Foam 1.5” Gel Memory Foam |
| Transition Layer | 2” Responsive Transition Foam | 1” Responsive Transition Foam | 2.5” Responsive Transition Foam |
| Support Layers | 6” High-Density Support Foam | 8” Edge Coil System & 1” High-Density Support Foam | 7” High-Density Support Foam |
| Mattress Thickness | 10” | 14” | 12” |
How Construction Impacts the Feel of the Mattress
The original Bear and Bear Pro are all-foam mattresses, and the Bear Hybrid has a coil core in the place of high-density polyfoam. The coils help make the hybrid more responsive, which may make it one of the best mattresses for combination sleepers. Coil cores are also more airy and breathable than high-density foam support cores.
The Bear Original and Hybrid have a medium-firm feel that’s moderately contouring, but keeps you lifted on top of the mattress. The Bear Pro has a doughier memory foam feel that cushions pressure points, but it still keeps you elevated. If you like a plush feel, the Pro is the best fit.
Related: Best Hybrid Mattresses
Bear Mattress Pricing
| Twin | Twin XL | Full | Queen | King | Cal King | |
| Bear Original | $695 | $695 | $895 | $995 | $1,095 | $1,095 |
| Bear Hybrid | $1,095 | $1,295 | $1,495 | $1,695 | $1,995 | $,1995 |
| Bear Pro | $895 | $995 | $1,195 | $1,295 | $1,495 | $1,495 |
For the best deal on a new mattress, check out our Bear Mattress Coupons. Bear mattresses out of your price range? Take a look at our list of the best affordable mattresses.
Dimensions & Specs
*All dimensions are identical for all three Bear mattress models.
| Twin | Twin XL | Full | Queen | King | Cal King | |
| All Bear Mattresses | 39” x 75” | 39” x 80” | 54” x 75” | 60” x 80” | 76” x 80” | 72” x 84” |
Bear Mattress Warranty, Shipping, Sleep Trial & Returns
Bear offers similar policies for all of its mattresses, but some policies, like warranty coverage, vary slightly. Here’s an overview of the sleep trial, shipping, warranty, and return policies that come with each Bear mattress.
Shipping
All Bear mattresses come with free shipping via FedEx to the contiguous U.S. (there is a shipping fee to Alaska and Hawaii). It usually takes about two to seven days for your Bear mattress to ship once you’ve ordered. Bear normally offers White Glove Delivery (aka in-home setup) and old mattress removal for $150.
The mattresses are shipped compressed and rolled as a bed in a box, so they’ll need up to 48 hours to fully expand once you’ve unboxed them. Bear mattresses can be heavy, so we suggest at least two people for the setup process.
Warranty
The Bear Original and Bear Pro mattresses are protected by a 10-year warranty, and the Bear Hybrid is protected by a 20-year warranty. The Bear Hybrid warranty is divided into prorated and non-prorated phases. Bear will cover all costs for repairs and replacements associated with a defective mattress during years zero to 10, and the owner will be responsible for a percentage of the cost for repairs or replacement during years 11–20.
Bear mattress warranty coverage includes indentations measuring 1.5” or deeper, mattress cover issues (for instance, broken zippers), and splits and cracks to the memory foam despite normal usage.
Sleep Trial & Returns
All Bear mattresses come with a 120-night sleep trial, which gives you more than three months to get the feel of your new Bear mattress at home. Bear requires a mandatory 30-night wait before initiating a return. This break-in period allows your body to adjust to the new sleeping surface.
If you choose to return the bed within the trial period, you’ll receive a full refund. Bear will coordinate free mattress pickup on your behalf, and donate the used mattress to a charity near you.
Note: If you purchase your mattress anywhere besides bearmattress.com (ex: Amazon.com), the trial period and return policy may differ.
Compare Bear Mattresses to More Brands
- Bear vs. Casper
- Bear vs. Purple
- Bear vs. Leesa
- Bear vs. Nolah
- Bear vs. Tuft & Needle
- Bear vs. Brooklyn Bedding
- Bear vs. Layla
- Bear vs. Helix
- Bear vs. Nectar
- Bear vs. WinkBed
Bear Mattress FAQs
How long do Bear mattresses last?
All-foam mattresses, like the Bear Original and Bear Pro, usually last around seven years, while hybrid mattresses like the Bear Hybrid can last up to 10 years.
How long your mattress lasts will depend on how often you use it and whether or not you take good care of it (for example, using a stable foundation and mattress protector). If you notice any defects, you can make a warranty claim and potentially receive repairs or a replacement mattress.
Are Bear mattresses good for heavyweight folks (those weighing > 230 lbs)?
If you weigh over 230 lbs, you need a mattress on the firmer side, ideally one with a coil or innerspring support layer—like the Bear Hybrid. That’s because heavier bodies compress mattress materials more, which can lead to softer materials deteriorating prematurely.
All-foam mattresses—like the Bear Original and Bear Pro—tend to feel too soft to heavyweight folks. A mattress that’s firm for a lightweight individual will likely feel medium-firm or just medium to a heavyweight person. Also, foam is more prone than coils to develop body impressions under excess weight.
Do Bear mattresses have an off-gassing odor?
We did notice an off-gassing odor during our Bear unboxing process, especially for the Bear Pro, but the odor should be gone within a few hours or days in a well-ventilated room. Bear foams are CertiPUR-US certified, so while they’re made with chemicals that emit an odor post-production, the odor is non-toxic and the foams are free of harsh, harmful chemicals.
Normally, mattresses off-gas completely in the factory, but since bed-in-a-box mattresses are compressed for shipping, sometimes that odor hasn’t entirely dissipated before boxing. We liken it to a new car smell—harmless, but potentially bothersome for a short time.
Additionally, Bear mattresses are 100 percent fiberglass free.
Key Details About Bear
Bear is an online mattress and bedding company based in the U.S. that was launched in 2015. They’re known for creating mattresses that cater to people who live active lifestyles and prioritize health and wellness.
Each of the three Bear mattress models has a unique construction and feel; however, they share special features like Celliant technology. Bear also offers other sleep products, including bed frames, sheets, pillows, an adjustable base, and even an RV mattress.
Bear mattresses have mid-range to luxury price points with a Queen size ranging from $995–$1,695. They also come with industry-standard warranties, trial periods, and return policies. Overall, Bear is a reputable brand in the bed-in-a-box market space, and we feel comfortable recommending them to consumers.
Starting at $225
Bear Foundation
Starting at $150
Bear Bed Frame
Starting at $125
Bear Pillow
Starting at $110
Bear Mattress Protector
