Casper vs. Bear Mattress Comparison

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The original Casper is an all-foam mattress with a bouncy foam top layer and a zoned memory foam layer that supports your shoulders and hips. The Bear mattress caters specifically to those with active lifestyles by including a Celliant cover and cradling top layer of memory foam.

In this mattress comparison, we’ll be pitting the two foam mattresses against each other to know if they are similar or different, how they’re constructed, and how they perform when it comes to sleep. 

We test our mattresses firsthand in our sleep lab. If you want to know how we do things behind-the-scenes, check out our testing methodology

Bear vs. Casper Overview

Here’s a short overview of the Bear and Casper’s strong points, as well as which type of sleepers will benefit the most from each mattress.

Bear is best for…Casper is best for…
Those with back painSide sleepers
Back sleepersCombination sleepers
Stomach sleepersBack sleepers

Who Should Choose the Bear Mattress?

  • Those with back pain: People suffering from back pain will benefit from the Bear’s balance of support and spinal alignment.
  • Back sleepers: Those who sleep on their bank will sink just deep enough into the mattress for full body contouring.
  • Stomach sleepers: Lightweight or average-weight stomach sleepers will probably get enough hip support on the Bear’s firmer foam layers.

Who Should Choose the Casper Mattress?

  • Side sleepers: Sleepers who side on their side will appreciate the targeted support for their pressure points.
  • Combination sleepers: People who toss and turn in bed shouldn’t have trouble changing position on top of Casper’s responsive layers of foam.
  • Back sleepers: Back sleepers will probably experience a good night’s sleep since Casper provides a great balance of support and cushioning. 

Bear vs. Casper Mattress Video Comparison

In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the top similarities and differences between the Casper and Bear mattresses

Bear vs. Casper: Top Similarities 

  • Responsiveness: While the Casper is exceptionally responsive, both of these mattresses adjust quickly when you move from one sleep position to another.
  • Edge support: The Bear and Casper mattresses both keep you well-supported along their edges.
  • Price point: The pricing of these beds never differs by more than $100.

Bear vs. Casper: Top Differences 

  • Conforming feel: Bear’s memory foam layer sits right on top of the mattress and conforms closely to your body. The memory foam layer in the Casper sits in the middle, under a buoyant, latex-like layer of foam.
  • Firmness: Both mattresses are considered medium-firm, but the Casper is a fraction softer, and we think it offers better pressure relief making it the better mattress for side sleepers.
  • Cooling: The cooling technology in the Bear mattress is a bit more effective than the cooling features in the Casper, so the Bear sleeps a touch cooler.

Bear vs. Casper: Firmness & Feel Differences

We did some testing in the sleep lab, and here’s what we found out about Bear and Casper’s firmness levels and feel.

What’s the Firmness Of the Bear & Casper Mattresses? 

An easy way to gauge how a mattress feels is to locate where it falls on the firmness scale. An extremely plush mattress has a firmness level of around 2/10, while an extra firm mattress is closer to 8/10. With that said, mattress firmness is subjective to each person. A lightweight person may find a mattress to be firm, while a heavyweight person may consider the same mattress medium-firm or even soft.

The Casper and Bear mattresses are both medium-firm, which ranges from 6/10 to 7/10 on the firmness scale. We think the Bear is a bit firmer than the Casper. Specifically, we rank the Bear at 7/10 and Casper at 6/10.

What Do the Bear & Casper Mattresses Feel Like?

Bear mattresses provide a balanced foam feel that comes with excellent support and pressure relief. It falls a bit on the firmer side of foam mattresses, so there’s not much sink to it, despite having a memory foam top layer. Lying down on the Bear mattress feels more like you’re sleeping on top of it rather than in it.

Similarly, Casper also offers a balanced foam feel but with a slightly hugging sensation, which is probably because of its soft memory foam. It’s balanced out by the cushioning feel of its polyfoam layer. So while you may feel like it’s firm when you lie down on it, you’ll gradually sink and feel it conform around your body. Despite this, it’s very responsive and we found no trouble moving around on it.

What’s It Like to Sleep On the Bear & Casper Mattresses?

Bear is a very versatile mattress that can accommodate all sleeping positions. However, because of its firm nature, it’s better suited to back and stomach sleepers than side sleepers. Lightweight side sleepers, as well as some average-weight folks, may find the mattress a bit too firm, but some heavyweight side sleepers may feel like it’s just right. It’s also very responsive, so combination sleepers will also be very satisfied with this mattress.

The Casper Original is also better suited for back sleepers and some stomach sleepers, thanks to its supportive polyfoam layer. This dense polyfoam layer does a good job of distributing body weight evenly, thereby reducing or preventing any pressure build-up. Some side sleepers may find comfort in Casper, but others (especially heavier folks) may feel like it’s a bit too firm.

The Bear vs. Casper Mattresses By Body Type

Bear Performance By Body Type & Sleeping Position:

Body Type:BACK SLEEPERSSTOMACH SLEEPERSSIDE SLEEPERS
Lightweight (< 130 lbs): 552
Average-weight (130–230 lbs):543
Heavyweight (> 230 lbs): 323

Casper Performance By Body Type & Sleeping Position:

Body Type:BACK SLEEPERSSTOMACH SLEEPERSSIDE SLEEPERS
Lightweight (< 130 lbs): 544
Average-weight (130–230 lbs):535
Heavyweight (> 230 lbs): 322

1 = Very poor, 2 = Not good, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent

Average-Weight Sleepers (130–230 lbs)

Average-weight back sleepers will have no trouble picking from either mattress since both mattresses provide excellent back support and cushion. However, we think the slightly firmer Bear outperforms the Casper in terms of support.

The Casper Original would be the better choice for average-weight side sleepers, since most side sleepers will probably find Bear too firm for comfort. Casper provides just the right amount of support and comfort for those who sleep on their side.

Since average-weight stomach sleepers will require enough hip support to keep their hips aligned with their spine, we think the Bear is the better choice.

Both are responsive foam mattresses, so average-weight combination sleepers can pick from any of the two. We suggest picking based on your dominant sleeping position for the best comfort possible.

Heavyweight Sleepers (> 230 lbs)

Both mattresses performed similarly when it came to accommodating heavyweight back sleepers, but we think the firmer Bear will probably be more supportive and comfortable.

Both Bear and Casper struggle a bit when it comes to accommodating heavyweight side sleepers, as they both can’t provide enough support and pressure relief to keep them comfortable. However, the Bear may be more comfortable because of its firm foam layers.

We can’t recommend either mattress for heavyweight stomach sleepers since both mattresses can’t provide enough hip elevation to keep a healthy spine alignment. Instead, we recommend firmer and more supportive mattresses, like our picks in our best mattresses for stomach sleepers.

Heavyweight combination sleepers will probably have a hard time moving around on both mattresses, so we recommend taking a look at more responsive mattress options in our best mattresses for combination sleepers list.

Lightweight Sleepers (< 130 lbs)

Lightweight back sleepers will get a good night’s sleep no matter which mattress they choose. The choice falls on whether you prefer the firmer feel of Bear or the softer foam feel of Casper.

Lightweight side sleepers will probably appreciate the soft yet supportive feel of the Casper Original over the Bear. Most will feel like the latter is firm and somewhat uncomfy.

Both mattresses can easily accommodate lightweight stomach sleepers, but in terms of overall support and comfort, we think the Bear beats the Casper Original by a slight margin.

Lightweight combination sleepers who toss and turn a lot will be happy with either mattress since both Bear and Casper have responsive foam layers that are easy to move around on.

Differences In Mattress Construction 

Bear and Casper are both popular foam mattresses. Bear stands at 10″ thick, while the Casper Original is slightly thicker at 11″. Here’s a closer look at how they’re constructed.

Bear Mattress Materials Casper Mattress Materials
Breathable Celliant CoverPolyester Blend Cover
2” Graphite-Gel Memory Foam1.5” Airscape Perforated Polyfoam
2” Responsive Transition Foam2” Memory Foam
6” High-Density Support Foam7.5” High-Density Polyfoam

Cover

Bear uses a proprietary Celliant cover that redirects infrared light into your body to speed up muscle recovery and improve performance and blood flow. Casper has a soft polyester blend that’s soft, stretchy, and breathable, despite being made from recycled bottles.

Comfort Layers

Bear uses a graphite gel-infused memory foam comfort layer that’s designed to help you sleep cool through the night. Casper has its patented Airscape foam system, which is made from perforated polyfoam that provides excellent airflow and support. 

Support Layers

Both mattresses use high-density polyfoam support layers, but the Casper has a slightly thicker one by 1.5”.

Bear vs. Casper Pricing

SizeBear PricesCasper Prices
Twin$$
Twin XL$$
Full$$
Queen$$
King$$
California King$$

For exclusive discounts on both beds see our Bear mattress coupons and Casper mattress coupons.

Bear vs. Casper Mattress Performance Ratings & Differences

Temperature

Memory foam is notorious for trapping heat, but Casper and Bear address this issue by adding cooling features. The top layer of the Casper is perforated to enable better airflow, and the Bear’s top layer is infused with cooling gel and graphite. The Bear’s mattress cover is also woven with Celliant fibers that absorb body heat.

We think the Bear sleeps a tad bit cooler, but Casper also offers a hybrid version of the Casper original mattress that’s noticeably more breathable. If you’re a hot sleeper seeking to overhaul your sleep setup, check out our list of best mattresses for hot sleepers and the best cooling blankets.  

Motion Transfer

If you sleep alone, you may not be concerned about how well a mattress minimizes motion transfer, but it’s an important consideration for anyone who sleeps with a partner or pet. Foam beds generally do an excellent job of isolating motion at its source, and that’s true in this comparison, though Casper has the best motion isolation. Memory foam mattresses are usually able to absorb motion in the foam layers better, but we also have recommendations on the best hybrid mattress for couples

Edge Support 

If you don’t want to roll off the edge of the bed while sleeping, this category is for you. Mattresses with good edge support deploy perimeter reinforcements like high-density foams or high-caliber innerspring support systems. The Bear and Casper performed similarly on our edge support tests, thanks to dense foams and supportive base layers. Over time, as we get in and out of bed, the edges around the mattress may start to sag and lose shape. This can make getting in and out of bed even more difficult, especially for sleepers with back pain.

Pressure Relief 

Sleepers with different body types and sleeping positions experience pressure relief on a mattress differently. Those with lightweight body types don’t sink as deeply into the mattress, and typically need a softer bed, especially if they prefer side sleeping. The Casper fits this profile, though it may be too firm for some lightweight sleepers.

Average-weight sleepers will experience sufficient pressure relief on either bed, though strict side sleepers should opt for the Casper. Heavyweight sleepers will experience pressure relief on both beds, but the Bear will provide better overall support. If you weigh more than 230 lbs and are looking for a new mattress, see our best mattresses for heavyweight sleepers

Pain Relief 

A mattress with good pain relief is a mattress that’s able to relieve pressure efficiently. If there’s gradual pressure build-up in one area, that area’s likely to develop pain and aches.

Both Bear and Casper provide good pain relief for lightweight and average-weight sleepers, more so for back and stomach sleepers. Both mattresses have supportive foam layers that score well when it comes to pressure relief. 

However, heavier folks and those dealing with side pain are better off looking elsewhere since both mattresses struggle in those aspects. If you want a mattress that can help you with shoulder pains, check out our best mattresses for shoulder pain list.

Durability 

Mattress durability hinges on a couple of factors, including mattress materials, construction, and frequency of use. All-foam or memory foam mattresses are designed to last upwards of seven to 10 years, and the Casper and Bear mattresses are both covered by 10-year warranties.

Shipping, Returns, & Warranties 

Bear 

Bear provides free shipping in the contiguous U.S. Each mattress comes with a 120-day sleep trial and a Lifetime warranty that covers material and design defects but only under certain conditions. 

Casper

Casper offers free shipping across the contiguous U.S., with extra fees for deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii. They also offer a 100-sleep trial period, with free returns and a full refund. You’ll also get a 10-year warranty with your mattress, which includes free repair or replacement in case of defects.

More Bear Mattresses

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

More Casper Mattresses

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

Our Bear vs. Casper Final Review

Overall, the Bear and Casper mattresses have similar constructions but slightly different feels. The Casper is a notch softer on the firmness scale, which aligns better with the needs of side sleepers. If you like a firmer mattress and spend time on your stomach at night, the Bear may be your best bet. We think the Bear is cooler, and thus a better choice for hot sleepers who want an all-foam mattress. The Casper is better for combination sleepers who need a responsive bed.

Bear & Casper FAQs

Do you have to flip a Bear Mattress?

No, you don’t. Bear designs their mattresses in specific layers, so sleeping on the other side will affect the level of support and comfort you’ll experience. You can, however, rotate the mattress to maintain its shape and prevent sagging.

Can I put a Casper mattress on a regular bed frame?

Yes, Casper designed their mattresses to work with standard box springs so that you can put them directly on top of any existing bed frame. If you don’t have a bedframe, Casper also sells Casper Foundation metal bed frames to go with your Casper mattress.

How long will a Bear Mattress last?

Your Bear mattress will likely last you around 8 to 10 years, depending on the daily wear and tear you put it through. You can make the most out of your mattress’s lifespan if you regularly clean it and practice proper mattress maintenance.

Is Casper high quality?

Yes, Casper is a popular mattress brand for a reason. They offer high-quality foam mattresses that cater to various sleeping positions and body types, thanks to the balanced foam feel that provides a good balance of support and comfort.