Bear Original Mattress Review – Made for Athletes?

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Whether you’re training for the next Olympics or trying to go to the gym more often, a good night’s sleep is important. In this unbiased Bear mattress review, we’ll examine how this mattress facilitates rest and recovery and check out its unique features.

The original Bear was designed for athletes, but whether you live an active lifestyle or Netflix marathons are your cardio, this mattress is a fantastic option. Let’s discover if the original Bear will help you win gold!

Bear Mattress

Bear Mattress Review

The Bear Original mattress sleeps cool and is quite comfortable. It's a particularly good option for athletes.

Clarity Score 3.8/5

Material

Foam

Trial Period

120 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Price Range

$748 - $1248

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review

Bear Mattress

Bear Mattress Review

The Bear Original mattress sleeps cool and is quite comfortable. It's a particularly good option for athletes.

Clarity Score 3.8/5

Material

Foam

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Trial Period

120 nights

Price Range

$748 - $1248

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review
Bear Mattress Review

Bear Mattress

The Bear Original mattress sleeps cool and is quite comfortable. It's a particularly good option for athletes.

Clarity Score 3.8/5

Material

Foam

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Trial Period

120 nights

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Price Range

$748 - $1248

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review

Bear Mattress Overview

Bear is known for their affordable and comfy mattresses. Bear boasts many high-quality mattresses which also include the Bear Elite Hybrid and the Bear Star Hybrid.

The original Bear is what launched it all. It has many cooling features, offers excellent pressure relief, and it helps promote muscle recovery.

The original Bear is a memory foam mattress. One of its signature elements is a cover woven with celliant, which improves blood flow and keeps sleepers cool. It’s also made of eco-friendly materials, which reflects the company’s down-to-earth vibes. Because of its balance of comfort and pressure relief, many types of sleepers will enjoy this mattress.

Who Might Like The Bear?

  • Back sleepers who want a blend of comfort and support
  • Light- or average-weight side sleepers who want great pressure relief
  • Hot sleepers looking for a memory foam feel
  • People who love to exercise and those looking for the best mattress for athletes

Who Might Not Like The Bear?

  • Stomach sleepers who need a firmer mattress
  • Heavier side sleepers
  • Fans of firm mattresses
  • Those who want a bouncy, innerspring feel

Bear Mattress Video Review

Let’s dive further into the Bear mattress with a virtual test drive! In this video, we’ll explain our personal experience with the original Bear mattress and run some objective tests.

Bear Mattress Firmness and Feel

Let’s look at the firmness and feel to determine if this is the right mattress for you.

How Firm is the Bear Mattress?

The Bear is a medium-firm foam bed. At Mattress Clarity, we rank mattresses on a scale of 1-10, with 6.5 being average or medium firm. The original Bear comes in at a 6.5/10. This makes sense when you consider Bear’s construction. The top contains soft memory foam, but the transition and support layers feel firmer.

However, the firmness scale can differ from person to person. Heavier folks might find the mattress softer as they press through the layers, while lighter folks may think this mattress feels firmer.

Sleeping On The Bear Mattress

Because of the Bear’s versatile construction, it’s good for a variety of sleepers. Back sleepers should sink into this mattress and feel good lumbar support. This all-foam mattress also helps promote proper spinal alignment. The top foam layer also conforms to the shape of your body when sleeping on your back.

Bear Mattress - Side Sleeping

Side sleepers will also have a great experience on the original Bear. They will feel great pressure relief on their hips and shoulders. However, heavier folks might not feel as comfortable if they sleep on their side because they might sink too far into this mattress.

Some stomach sleepers will like this mattress, though most will find it too soft. Stomach sleepers probably won’t experience proper spinal alignment on this mattress. Some lightweight sleepers could find this a supportive mattress for stomach sleepers.

What Does the Bear Feel Like?

The Bear Mattress has a classic memory foam feel. It allows you to sink into the mattress, but its firm transition layers stop you from getting stuck.

Average Weight Sleepers – 130 lb – 230 lb

Average weight back sleepers will love the original Bear. The mattress provides pleasant spinal support and comfort for sleepers in this position. Back sleepers should also feel some excellent body contouring.

Side sleepers closer to 130 lb will also feel great relief in this position, especially near their shoulders and hips. However, side sleepers closer to 230 lb might need to find a more supportive mattress.

Stomach sleepers will also need to look elsewhere as their hips will bow out on this mattress and they might experience lower back pain over time.

Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230 lb

Heavyweight back sleepers should find the original Bear to be a dream. It offers them a great balance of support and comfort. However, heavier side sleepers will need to look elsewhere as they might feel too much pain on pressure points.

Heavyweight stomach sleepers will not find great spinal alignment on this mattress and should look elsewhere. Anyone over 300 lbs will want to search for an innerspring mattress with coils, which the original Bear does not have.

Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130 lb

Many lightweight sleepers will find a good night’s sleep on this mattress. Lightweight back sleepers should feel supported the entire night. Side sleepers will also find great pressure relief. In this sleep position, they should feel excellent contouring and support. Stomach sleepers who are extremely light might enjoy this mattress, though most will have to find another mattress.

Bear Mattress Construction

The Bear’s construction influences how it feels–and why it’s so great for athletes. Let’s dive into its construction.

Cover

The original Bear’s cover is one of its signature features. Its soft mattress cover woven with celliant fabric was designed with athletes in mind. It assists with blood circulation and muscle recovery. It also allows folks to sleep cool and helps circulate airflow to make the mattress more breathable.

Comfort Layers

The original Bear has two comfort layers. The top layer is made of memory foam. This soft, thick foam is pressure-relieving and allows you to sink into the comfort of the mattress. It’s also gel-infused, another feature that helps you sleep cool throughout the night.

Bear Mattress - Construction and Foam Layers

The second comfort layer is made of firmer transition foam. This layer provides support and makes it easier to move around in the middle of the night.

Support Layer

The support layer is made of a high-density polyfoam. This high-density foam not only provides support but helps with spinal alignment throughout the night. It also lends structure to the mattress. All of the foams in Bear are CertiPUR-US, meaning they are eco-friendly and made of natural materials.

Mattress Height

The Bear mattress stands 10” tall.

Bear Mattress Size Options and Price

For the most up-to-date pricing and size information, look at the chart below!

Size Dimensions Price
Twin 39" x 75" $748.00
Twin XL 39" x 80" $811.00
Full 54" x 75" $873.00
Queen 60" x 80" $998.00
King 76" x 80" $1248.00
California King 72" x 84" $1248.00

Check out our exclusive Mattress Clarity coupon for the best price on the original Bear!

Bear Mattress
Bear Mattress

The Bear Original mattress sleeps cool and is quite comfortable. It's a particularly good option for athletes.

Clarity Score
3.8 / 5.0

Bear Mattress Performance

Still unsure if the Bear should be your new mattress? Let’s look at how the original Bear performs.

Sleeping Hot or Cold

While memory foam mattresses tend to sleep hotter, the Bear mattress boasts several features to combat this tendency. The celliant cover cools down the surface of the mattress while the graphite-gel infusions help dissipate heat. Overall, this is a breathable mattress that will sleep cool for a variety of sleepers.

Motion Transfer

Thanks to its all-foam construction, the Bear mattress does a great job of absorbing motion. Partners shouldn’t disturb each other if they toss and turn in the middle of the night, making this a great mattress for couples.

Edge Support

The Bear’s edge support is good, but not as great as mattresses with coils. If you’re lying near the edge of the mattress, you should feel some decent support. The same should be true when sitting on the edge of the bed. However, if you bend down to tie your shoe, you might feel some give on the edge of the mattress.

man sitting on the edge of the Bear mattress

Durability

Thanks to its high-quality materials, the Bear is a durable mattress. You can expect this mattress to last for many nights to come. However, it won’t be as durable as some other mattresses because of its all-foam construction.

Off-Gassing

As an eco-friendly mattress, there shouldn’t be any noticeable odors from this online mattress even right out of the box. It’s certiPUR-US certified and low in VOCs, meaning this is a great choice for those looking for an eco-friendly mattress.

Noise

We didn’t notice any noises on the Bear mattress, probably due to its all-foam construction.

Sex

When looking for a mattress for sex, many people want something responsive and easy to move around on. While the Bear is easier to move around on than some foam mattresses, it is possible partners could still feel stuck in the top comfort layer. However, the firmer transition layer does give it some bounce so this would be a decent option.

Overall Rating

Bear Mattress
4 Overall
Support
Edge Support
Cooling
Motion Transfer
Durability
Trial Period
Warranty

Company Policies

Let’s look at the warranty, sleep trial, and return policy for Bear.

Warranty Info

The Bear mattress comes with a lifetime warranty.

Sleep Trial

Rest assured you have enough time to try out this mattress in the comfort of your own home thanks to Bear’s 365-night sleep trial period.

Return Policy

The Bear mattress comes with free shipping and returns.

Common Bear Mattress Complaints

Based on our research, most Bear mattress complaints have to do with the return process. Some customers reported it took a while to receive their refund after returning their mattress. Others noted it took Bear a couple of weeks to come and pick up the returned mattress.

How Does The Bear Mattress Compare To Other Mattresses?

Before buying a mattress, it’s important to compare it to other mattresses so you know you’re choosing the right one for you. Let’s look at how the original Bear compares to some of its major competitors!

Product
Firmness
Price
Score
Bear Mattress
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
$748 - $1248
3.8/5
Casper Original Mattress
Medium-firm: 7/10
$1095 - $1945
3.7/5
Bear Pro Hybrid Mattress
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
$1035 - $2196
4.3/5
Product
Bear Mattress
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Price
$748 - $1248
Score
3.8/5
Product
Casper Original Mattress
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Price
$1095 - $1945
Score
3.7/5
Product
Bear Pro Hybrid Mattress
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Price
$1035 - $2196
Score
4.3/5

Also, don’t forget to check out our Bear mattress comparisons to see how it stacks against other brands.

Bear vs Casper Original

If you’re looking for an all-foam mattress, you’ve probably also come across the Casper original foam mattress. Both these mattresses are all-foam, though Bear has more of a memory foam feel while Casper has more of a responsive mattress feel.

Casper Mattress - Construction And Foam Layers

Bear is a softer mattress overall, though it’s still 6.5 or a medium firmness level. The Casper comes in at a 7/10, or slightly firmer than average. Bear will also be more budget-friendly than the Casper mattress.

Who should get the Bear

  • People on a budget
  • Back sleepers
  • Hot sleepers looking for an all-foam mattress that sleeps cool

Who should get the Casper Original

  • Folks who enjoy a responsive foam feel
  • People who want a firmer mattress
  • Light to medium weight combination sleepers

Read the in-depth comparison of Bear vs. Casper.

Bear vs Bear Pro

Both of these mattresses are made by the same company, and they’re made with high-quality materials and foam. But these two mattresses aren’t exactly the same. The Bear Pro is a more deluxe version of the Bear mattress.

Bear Pro - Construction

The Bear Pro should feel more supportive than the Bear, though both have a balanced foam feel. The Bear and Bear Pro have a similar celliant cover which helps with muscle recovery and cooling. Both these mattresses are 6.5/10 on the firmness scale.

They also have similar comfort and support layers, though Bear Pro’s comfort layer is thicker for extra spinal support. The first comfort layer of the Bear Pro is also copper-infused memory foam instead of the graphite-gel-infused memory foam of the original Bear. Because of the added support in the Bear Pro, it’s also a better choice for larger sleepers and those who need extra support.

Who Should Get The Bear

  • Those who want a more budget-friendly mattress
  • Lightweight sleepers
  • Light- and medium-weight side sleepers

Who Should Get The Bear Pro

  • Sleepers who next extra spinal support
  • Heavier sleepers who need a more supportive mattress
  • Back and stomach sleepers

Check our full Bear vs. Bear Pro mattress comparison.

FAQs

Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the original Bear!

Is the Bear mattress worth it?

The Bear mattress is a high quality mattress with a great balance of comfort and support. Since it was made for athletes, those who exercise frequently will experience great relief and a good night’s sleep. Back sleepers, most side sleepers, and those who are a fan of a mattress with a memory foam feel will also appreciate this mattress.

Is the Bear Mattress good for back pain?

The Bear mattress is a good mattress for back pain, especially if you sleep on your back. Its foam construction contours your body and allows for better spinal alignment while sleeping.

Do you need a box spring with the Bear Mattress?

As an all-foam mattress, you don’t need a box spring with this mattress. Bear recommends not using one as a box spring won’t create the even distribution this mattress needs.

How long will your Bear mattress last?

Since the Bear mattress is made of high quality materials, it should last for many nights to come. For an all-foam mattress, the Bear is durable.

Joe Auer

Joe Auer

Joe Auer is the editor of Mattress Clarity. He mainly focuses on mattress reviews and oversees the content across the site. He likes things simple and takes a straightforward, objective approach to his reviews. Joe has personally tested nearly 250 mattresses and always recommends people do their research before buying a new bed. He has been testing mattresses for over 5 years now, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to mattress selection. He has been cited as an authority in the industry by a number of large publications. When he isn't testing sleep products, he enjoys working out, reading both fiction and non-fiction, and playing classical piano. He enjoys traveling as well, and not just to test out hotel mattresses! Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.