Bear mattress review 2024, expert-tested

Written by Corey Jungwirth, NBHWC, Fortune Recommends Staff Writer

How we test

Our sleep science team performs hands-on testing for each mattress we review, assessing various factors that impact performance and sleep quality. We gather data and insight on critical factors that influence our guidance and recommendations, including pressure relief, support, customer experience, and health and safety.

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Trusted experts

Dr. Heidi Moawad reviews this story for medical accuracy and clarity, using her years of experience as a neurologist as a guide. Krista Manning, who provided fact-checking using her many years as a medical fact-checker, was also involved in the creation of this story.

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Bear offers a solid lineup of memory foam and hybrid mattresses, frequently featured on our best mattresses lists. The brand designs its products focusing on performance and recovery, especially for active individuals. The optional CELLIANT® cover, which can be added to most models, offers advanced cooling and sleep recovery technology. Bear also shows a commitment to the health and safety of its customers by using non-toxic, certified-clean materials. 

We tested the Bear Original mattress to see firsthand how the brand sets itself apart from the competition. It’s an affordable memory foam mattress that promises restful sleep through balanced comfort and support. Our sleep science experts evaluated this mattress across various performance measures, such as pressure relief, support, cooling, and motion isolation. Continue reading for our honest experience and recommendations to determine if this mattress will meet your sleep needs.

Our picks for the best Bear mattresses

• Bear Original
• Bear Hybrid Elite
• Bear Star Hybrid
• Bear Pro Hybrid

Compare Bear mattresses

	Bear Original	Bear Elite Hybrid	Bear Star Hybrid	Bear Pro Hybrid
Rating	4.1/5	4.6/5	4.5/5	4.4/5
Price	$998	$2,305	$1,998	$1,460
Material	Foam	Hybrid (coils and foam)	Hybrid (coils and foam)	Hybrid (coils and foam)
Sleep style	Back sleepers, stomach sleepers, hot sleepers	All sleep styles, hot sleepers	Side sleepers, back sleepers	Back sleepers, combination sleepers
Firmness	Firm	Soft, medium, firm	Medium-firm	Medium-firm
Cooling	Cooling cover, copper-infused foam, gel foam	Cooling cover, copper foam, coils	Cooling cover, copper foam, coils	Gel foam, coils
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price
		Read Review

Bear Original overview

The Bear Original is a memory foam mattress offering a firmer feel and superior support. It doesn’t have the deep sinkage often associated with traditional memory foam mattresses. Instead, the body stays lifted on top of the mattress, providing an ideal sleep surface for back and stomach sleepers. 

The breathable cover and gel-infused foams ensure sleepers don’t overheat, and Bear offers an optional upgrade to a CELLIANT® cover if the standard features aren’t enough. The cover’s advanced cooling and sleep recovery technology can appeal to overly hot sleepers and active individuals seeking help with post-workout recovery sleep. The brand claims the CELLIANT® fibers absorb body heat, convert it into infrared energy, and reflect it to the body. (2) The brand says that the result is potentially improved circulation and increased oxygen in muscle tissues, which helps with quicker recovery and better sleep. (1)

This bed-in-a-box goes beyond comfort by providing sleepers with a safe and healthy sleep environment. It’s fiberglass-free and earns GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US^® certifications for using non-toxic, clean materials. (3, 4) Bear demonstrates ultimate confidence in its made-in-the-USA mattresses by offering a lifetime warranty. Moreover, the Original appeals to budget-conscious shoppers looking to spend under $1,000 on a quality bed.

Mattress construction 

The Bear Original is one of the thinner mattresses we’ve tested. Its 10-inch profile features a multi-layered foam design. The three foam types balance comfort and support through subtle pressure relief, maximum support, and excellent motion isolation.

Cover: The standard model has a quilted cover that feels soft and breathable. Bear offers an optional upgrade to the CELLIANT®-infused cooling cover, which costs about $200 for a queen-sized mattress.

Comfort layer: The first foam layer is composed of gel memory foam. It’s responsive and adapts quickly to the body as it puts pressure on the mattress—the gel particles infused into the foam offer additional cooling by drawing excess heat away from the body.

Transition layer: The middle of the mattress features a dynamic foam layer designed to provide pressure relief and compression.

Support layer: This is the most robust layer in the mattress. It’s crafted with high-density foam for enhanced support and durability.

Firmness

We use our personal experience lying on each mattress to give you a firmness rating on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the firmest. This rating can help you gauge whether a mattress suits your sleeping needs. Remember that this subjective measure can vary significantly based on body type, sleep position, and personal preference. You may experience a mattress differently than our team. 

We gave this mattress a 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which aligns well with Bear’s rating in the product description. The brand classifies it as a medium-firm mattress. However, our testers describe it as feeling firmer than a typical medium-firm bed and say it feels pretty stiff to sleep on with little contouring. With minimal sinkage, it’s an ideal choice for back, stomach, and heavier combination sleepers. 

Mattress performance

A mattress’s firmness rating only paints one piece of the picture; several other components contribute to its overall performance, including pressure relief, support, motion isolation, and edge support. We’ll share our findings in each category below.

Pressure relief and support

Pressure relief and support are two of the biggest factors impacting overall comfort. When these two elements are well-balanced for your sleeping style, they can help reduce discomfort, promote proper sleep posture, and improve sleep quality. (5) 

Our testing showed very minimal pressure buildup when sleeping on the back and similar results when sleeping on the stomach. The hips stayed lifted, and the body was well-supported. Unfortunately, our experience wasn’t as favorable when side sleeping. There was no contouring under the shoulders or hips, which may result in painful pressure points for those with sensitive joints or pre-existing pain. 

Cooling

Cooling is one of Bear’s strongest attributes across all its mattress models. The Original benefits from open-cell and gel-infused foams that help reduce heat buildup. We experienced this model without the CELLIANT® cover upgrade, and it stayed plenty cool. However, we recommend adding the cooling cover if you sleep hot or want to enhance your post-workout recovery. 

Motion isolation

We refer to motion isolation as a mattress’s ability to minimize the transfer of movement across the bed. Memory foam mattresses typically excel in this area. With Bear Original’s firmer surface, one tester noted she felt some of her partner’s movements as they got in and out of bed and changed positions. However, she wasn’t disturbed much by it; the Bear Original’s memory layers dampened most movement transfer. We think couples will be able to avoid a sleep divorce with this mattress and enjoy the many benefits of sleeping together, like improved sleep quality, mental health, and companionship. (6, 7)

Responsiveness

When we test responsiveness, we’re looking at how quickly a mattress bounces back after applying pressure and how easy it is to move around. Position changes felt effortless on this mattress, which is good news for combination sleepers. It can also be a highlight for couples who are looking for a good mattress for sex. 

Edge support

When a mattress offers strong edge support, it helps ensure you can sprawl across the entire width and keeps you supported when sitting along the perimeter. This element benefits couples, individuals with mobility issues, and larger sleepers. Unfortunately, we weren’t impressed with the Bear Original’s edge support. We felt like we would fall out of bed when lying near the edge, which sank considerably when we sat on it. 

Cost

One of Bear Original’s biggest highlights is its price tag—a queen-sized mattress costs $998. However, we recommend shopping during one of Bear’s sale events when the price is reduced significantly to $699. We expected the CELLIANT® cover to raise the cost considerably, but it only adds $140 to $200 on a queen bed. You can check out our guide if you’re curious about the best time to buy a mattress.

We’ve featured the Bear Original mattress in:

• Best mattresses for back sleepers
• Best mattresses under $1,000
• Best memory foam mattresses
• Best mattresses for scoliosis
• Best affordable mattresses

Who the Bear Original mattress is recommended for:

The Bear Original can suit a wide range of sleepers. You might like this mattress if you relate to any of the following:

• This mattress’s firmness level is ideal for back and stomach sleepers. 
• The cooling qualities make this mattress an excellent choice for hot sleepers.
• Budget shoppers will be happy with the affordable price.

Who the Bear Original mattress is not recommended for:

This firmer memory foam mattress won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. You may not enjoy the Bear Original if you fall into one of these categories:

• Strict side sleepers won’t find the cushion they need to keep their joints pain-free. Instead, we encourage them to browse our list of the best mattresses for side sleepers.
• The Bear Original lacks support and thickness for heavier-weight sleepers who may sink excessively into the mattress.
• The lack of edge support may be troublesome for seniors and people with mobility issues.

Expert opinion

We contacted Dr. Shelby Harris for her professional guidance on determining whether a mattress is the best fit. She’s a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 

She reminds us that spinal alignment is critical to a high-quality mattress. “When it comes to mattresses, support is key,” she says. “If a mattress doesn’t keep your spine aligned, it’s probably not going to help you sleep better, no matter what fancy materials it’s made from.”  

In our experience, the Bear Original provides the most body-aligning support when sleeping on your back or stomach. Moreover, Dr. Harris encourages looking beyond what the mattress offers to consider your whole sleep environment for an optimal experience.

“The Bear Mattress claims to keep you cool and comfortable, but let’s not forget that a good night’s sleep is about more than just the mattress,” she notes. “Consistent sleep habits and a cozy sleep environment matter just as much.”

How we rated the Bear Original mattress

The Bear Original went through our rigorous hands-on testing protocol, during which our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches gathered firsthand experience of how this mattress performed. They evaluated various categories, including material quality, support, cooling, durability, and customer service. You can also read our full mattress testing methodology here.

The Bear Original mattress has a strong price point and unbeatable warranty. It also offers comfort and support for those who prefer a firmer bed. However, it scored lower in edge support, which affected its overall performance and durability. Individuals seeking additional quality and support may prefer one of Bear’s hybrid mattress upgrades instead. 

Bear Original mattress pricing and sizing

The below pricing reflects standard pricing and includes no discounts or other offers.

Warranties and policies

Warranty

Bear stands by its products by backing them with a lifetime warranty. For as long as you own the mattress, it will be covered for manufacturer defects or physical flaws. Bear will send a replacement mattress if you experience a visible indentation larger than one and a half inches or any flaws that cause the foam to crack or degrade in any way from regular use.

For the warranty to be valid, you must be the original purchaser and ensure the mattress is placed on a rigid, non-flexible base. If you need to make a claim, email the customer support team at returns@bearmattress.com to get started. 

Trial period

It’s challenging to know if a mattress is right for you until you’ve had time to sleep on it for an extended period. We’re looking for a minimum of 100 nights during our reviews, and Bear gives a bit extra with its 120-night sleep trial. If this mattress doesn’t feel like the right fit, you can return it for free and receive a full refund. Bear will arrange for someone to pick it up, and the company will donate it to charity if possible. You must wait a minimum of 30 days to request a refund. 

Shipping

Bear offers free shipping for all its mattresses within the continental U.S. Your bed will ship via FedEx within two to five days. Bear states that deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii may accrue additional shipping charges. When we simulated an order to both states, the shipping fees were $200. 

Unless you ask for a signature or opt into white glove delivery, you’ll experience contact-free delivery. The mattress will be dropped off in its box at your doorstep. If you don’t want to do the heavy lifting, you can pay extra for in-home setup and mattress removal. Bear partners with a third-party delivery service, LoadUp. You can choose what services you want and will be charged accordingly.

• Mattress setup only = $100
• Mattress setup and removal = $175 
• Mattress + base setup and removal = $200

Specs