Which mattress is better for you? The Bear’s traditional memory foam or the Purple’s innovative polyfoam? Find out with our comprehensive mattress comparison.
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Bear vs. Purple Mattress Comparison
Comparing Bear & Purple Mattresses
The Bear Mattress is a pure memory foam mattress, while the Purple Mattress utilizes a proprietary polyfoam blend.
While both medium-firm mattresses are great for back, stomach, and combination sleepers and those in search of a cooling mattress, there are subtle differences between the two. Budget shoppers and couples sharing a bed will want to go with the Bear Mattress, and people who prefer innovative technology to keep them cool and comfortable will prefer the Purple Mattress. The Purple Mattress comes in at a slightly higher price point, but each comes with a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial.
Differences
- The Purple Mattresses utilizes proprietary Purple Grid technology in its construction, while the Bear Mattress uses gel-infused memory foam.
- The Bear Mattress is slightly more affordable than the Purple Mattress.
- The Bear Mattress has a 30-day mandatory break-in period before the mattress can be returned, while the Purple mattress can be returned after a mandatory 21 nights.
Similarities
- Both mattresses are medium-firm, making them great for back and stomach sleepers.
- Both mattresses consist of foam construction, with the Purple’s addition of the polymer Purple Grid.
- Both mattresses are on the affordable side.
The Original Bear Mattress
Designed for people with active lifestyles, the Original Bear mattress is Bear’s flagship model. It features foams that work well for sleepers of all positions and sizes and a standout cover whose fabric blend includes Celliant, which converts body heat into infrared energy to promote muscle recovery.
Score
4.8
/
5.0
Firmness
7
Trial period
100 nights
Reason to buy
Promotes muscle recovery
Who the Bear Mattress is Best For
Best For…
- Back sleepers, stomach sleepers and combination sleepers
- Budget shoppers
- Hot sleepers
- Couples
May Not be Best For…
- Heavier individuals
- People who prefer incredibly soft mattresses
Read our full Bear mattress review to learn more!
Purple Mattress
The Purple mattress is perfect for value-seekers who prefer a temperature-neutral mattress with a floating feel, thanks to its special 2" Purple Grid and dual-layered comfort foam.
Score
4.8
/
5.0
Firmness
5
Trial period
100 nights
Reason to buy
Purple’s Smart Grid construction
Who the Purple Mattress is Best For
Best For…
- Back sleepers, stomach sleepers and combination sleepers
- Sleepers who don’t mind innovative sleep surfaces
- Those who tend to sleep hot
May Not be Best For…
- Heavier individuals
- Side sleepers
Read our full Purple mattress review to learn more!
Deciding Between Bear & Purple
Firmness / Feel
Every mattress can be rated on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the most firm. Firmer mattresses are better for back and stomach sleepers because they offer support for your back, stomach, shoulders, and hips. Softer mattresses, on the other hand, provide shoulder and hip support for side sleepers. Both the Bear and the Purple are medium-firm mattresses that rate at 7/10 on the firmness scale, making them great options for back and stomach sleepers.
Motion Isolation
When someone gets in or out of bed, or whenever they change sleep positions, the movement can travel across the mattress. If you share a mattress with someone else, this motion transfer can disturb their rest. That is why you want a mattress with excellent motion isolation, especially if you sleep with a partner. Both the Bear and the Purple Mattress deliver a high level of motion isolation, but the Bear is a little better in this area.
Edge Support
Because sleepers tend to sit on the edge of the bed and get in and out of the bed often, the edges of the bed tend to be the first parts of the mattress that begin to deteriorate over the years. A mattress with proper edge support will avoid this deterioration for a long time, making getting in and out of bed much easier on your back. Of the two mattresses, the Bear Mattress has superior edge support
Pressure Relief
Do you find yourself waking up with sores, aches, and pains across your body? There’s a chance that your mattress could be contributing to the issue. That is why we recommend choosing a mattress with pressure relieving technology in its construction. Both mattresses provide the necessary pressure relief for stomach and back sleepers.
Spine Alignment
Whether you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper or stomach sleeper, you need a mattress built to keep your spine aligned or you could face significant, long-term back problems. If you’re a side sleeper, you’ll want a softer mattress. If you sleep on your stomach or back, you’ll want something on the firmer side. Both mattresses will help stomach and back sleepers with their spinal alignment.
Durability
A solid mattress will last you a while, but only the best will retain their shape and structure for a long time. You can expect both the Purple or the Bear Mattress to last a long time due to their durable construction.
Temperature
Sleeping hot can be very uncomfortable, which is why so many mattress manufacturers are incorporating cooling technology into their models. The Bear’s graphite gel memory foam and the Purple’s Purple Grid material are both terrific temperature regulators for hot sleepers.
Purple vs. Bear: We compare the construction of the Purple (left) to the Bear mattress (right).
Bear vs. Purple Mattress Construction
| Bear Mattress | Purple Mattress | |
| Cover | Breathable Celliant cover | Polyester/lycra cover |
| Comfort Layer | Graphite gel memory foam | Hyper-elastic polymer foam |
| Transitional Layer | Responsive transition foam | High-density polyfoam |
| Support Layer | Durable support foam | N/A |
| Mattress Thickness | 10 inches | 9.5 inches |
Bear Construction
The Bear Mattress starts with a breathable Celliant cover to reflect light and absorb heat, allowing your body to recover while you sleep. The top layer consists of graphite gel-injected memory foam, which further absorbs heat and keeps you cool during the night. The next layer is made of transitional foam to further relieve pressure and prevent you from sinking into the mattress. The final layer is made of dense memory foam to support you and to ensure the mattress retains its shape and structure. The Bear Mattress is 10 inches thick.
Purple Construction
The Purple Mattress has a cover made of polyester, viscose, and lycra, which gives it its signature bounce and breathability. These materials also promote airflow and temperature regulation. The comfort layer is made of a hyper-elastic polymer grid (also called the Purple Grid) to cradle the body, support pressure points and keep you cool at night. The transition layer is made of additional high-density polyfoam that is on the firmer side to prevent you from sinking too deeply into the mattress. The Purple Mattress is 9.5 inches thick.
Shipping and Returns for Bear & Purple
Bear:
Bear Mattress ships its products for free across the 48 continental United States. After you place your order, you can expect your new mattress to arrive within approximately 4 to 7 business days. Even though the company does not offer old mattress removal or new mattress setup, they make it easy for you to set up your new product by yourself. It will arrive compressed and rolled up into a box that is easy to move with a two-person team.
Your Bear Mattress purchase will come with a 100-night sleep trial period. If you’re unhappy with your new mattress at all during that trial period, you can return it for a full refund. Bear will send someone to pick up the mattress, so you don’t have to worry about any extra work. However, Bear does not offer any refunds or returns after the 100-night trial period.
Purple:
The Purple Mattress, considered a bed-in-a-box model, ships to the 48 contiguous United States for free. The new mattress will be compressed in a box, so it will need to be unboxed and unrolled onto your bed frame. Buyers should then give it a few hours to inflate to its proper shape.
Starting from the date of delivery, you have 100 nights to test out the mattress to see if it’s to your liking. You can return your mattress for a full refund within that 100-day trial period, minus accrued interest, shipping charges, and any discounts. However, before you can return your Purple Mattress, you need to wait 21 days per the mattress break in period. After the 21-day period (which starts on the date the mattress is delivered), you’re free to initiate a return.
Bear Hybrid
The Bear Hybrid Mattress combines memory foam and coils to deliver a firm yet comfortable sleep experience that’ll remind you of traditional mattresses.
See our Bear Hybrid mattress review to learn more.
Bear Pro Mattress
The Bear Pro Mattress includes a layer of copper-infused foam to provide additional cooling for extra hot sleepers.
Read our full Bear Pro Mattress Review to learn more.
More Purple Mattresses
Purple Hybrid
The Purple Hybrid Mattress combines proprietary foam technology with responsive support coils to enhance comfort and durability.
See our Purple Hybrid mattress review to learn more.
Purple Hybrid Premier
The Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress comes with the layer of responsive coils, and either a 2-inch or 3-inch layer of Purple Grid, depending on the type of support you want.
See our Purple Hybrid Premiere mattress review to learn more.
Still Looking? Be sure to read some of our other popular mattress comparisons:
Our Bear vs. Purple Final Review
Both the Bear and Purple mattresses share many of the same qualities, but there are certain differences that mattress shoppers should consider before making a purchase. The Purple Mattress’s proprietary Purple Grid technology is great for sleepers who like to experiment with innovative sleep surfaces, and the Bear Mattress is for budget-shoppers and couples who want a slightly more affordable mattress with better motion isolation and edge support.
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