Since its founding in 2015, Bear has been on a mission to help active folks get better rest. With a team of sponsored athletes, medical professionals, and fitness enthusiasts, the company has carved out a unique niche in the mattress industry by marketing its products as tools for post-workout recovery.
So, does the Bear Original — the brand’s flagship all-foam mattress — achieve these lofty goals? To find out, I tested it out myself, assessing its construction and feel to see which sleepers it could work for.
Keep reading for my full Bear Original mattress review. Short on time? Skip down to my review summary.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
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
Where the Bear Original Is Featured
Here at Sleepopolis, we use a series of hands-on tests to determine which mattress roundups a bed belongs on and who it might be good for. Here are some of our 2024 mattress roundups that include the Bear Original:
- Best Mattresses Under $1,000
- Best Memory Foam Mattress
- Best Mattresses for College Students
- Best Mattress for Kids
Bear Original Mattress Overview
Bear is a unique mattress company in that it’s focused on health and wellness. While their mattresses should appeal to many people searching for comfort and recovery, Bear heavily markets their mattresses to athletes and active people.
The Bear Original is the company’s first mattress, and like other models from Bear, there’s an option to add a Celliant-infused cover for an additional fee. Bear describes Celliant as a material that helps promote cooling and enhance recovery, and while we can’t confirm this, we certainly think it’s worth a try.
This is an all-foam bed-in-a-box mattress that utilizes contouring memory foam for comfort and high-density foam at the bottom for support. Because it contains foams, the Bear does have an off-gassing period, so you should give it some time (approximately 24 hours) to decompress.
Read more about off-gassing and other mattress terminology in our mattress glossary.
Bear Original Mattress Review Video
For a unique look at the Bear Original, check out my video review. In it, I’ll reveal its materials up close and show you how it performed during our tests. Overall, I rated this mattress at a 4.07 out of 5, and you can see my individual scores for all of our testing categories at the end of the video.
There were two categories where I scored the Bear Original a bit lower: support and edge support. This is fairly typical of foam beds, which don’t provide quite as much support as a mattress with springs in the construction. That means the Bear Original might go seven to 10 years without sagging, as opposed to more than 10 years. However, the brand does offer a luxury upgrade with springs, the Bear Elite Hybrid. And for a list of more durable options, see our roundup of the best mattresses that won’t sag.
What is the Bear Original Mattress Made Of?
The Bear is one of the best mattresses in a box and features a 10-inch profile made up of three layers of foam: one of memory foam and two of poly foam. This combination of materials is intended to create a structure that’s as pressure-relieving as it is firm, and it’s can also be capped off with the previously mentioned, $130 Celliant cover, which is designed for optimized recovery.
Cover – On its own, the Bear’s cover has a quilted texture and is quite breathable. And as I mentioned above, you can pay extra for an additional cover built with Celliant, a material that some studies suggest could help with recovery while sleeping by promoting blood flow. It does this through microfibers of silicon and aluminum oxide designed to absorb your body’s energy, then redirect it back to you for enhanced blood flow and temperature regulation.
It’s worth noting that, even though Celliant’s benefits have been verified in nine clinical trials, Sleepopolis can’t independently speak to its effects. However, we can say that as a material, it keeps the Bear extra-cool. But don’t forget that this cover is not included in a regular purchase. Customers need to click “Add Celliant Infused Cover” at check out, which will add $130 to their order total.
Comfort Layer – Bear kicks things off with a two-inch section of graphite gel-infused memory foam. This material has a slow response to pressure, allowing the sleeper to sink into the structure for some immediate pressure relief. This could be especially important for active folks who need to alleviate tension after a workout. The graphite infusion in this layer will also help mitigate memory foam’s tendency to trap body heat.
Transition Layer – Next up, you’ll find a layer made of responsive transition foam. This responsive foam has a firmer feel than the memory foam above it, and is meant to curb some sinkage and position the sleeper more “on top” of this bed than “in” it.
Support Layer – The bulk of the mattress is made up of this six-inch section of high-density support foam. This sturdy material offer is meant to offer a ton of firm support. That said, I could still feel myself sinking into the Bear a little bit. This is probably because it’s made entirely of foam and, at 10 inches tall, is shorter than a lot of other mattresses on the market.
Bear Original Mattress Firmness
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s dive into this bed’s unique feel, starting with firmness.
As with any feel factor, firmness is subjective, and can change a lot depending on your body size, shape, and weight. That’s why I always incorporate a few different opinions into this section. In addition to my own personal thoughts on the Bear’s firmness, I’m also going to draw on the perspectives of my coworkers.
The score below is the average of all our different ratings.
We were pretty much in agreement about the firmness level of the Bear mattress, landing on an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale. When compared to the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness, it seems this bed is on the firmer side.
I personally gave the bed a 7 as I found its double poly foam construction produced a firm, supportive feel. Though you’re likely to sink into its top layer of memory foam, this sinkage is somewhat curbed by the taut poly foam transition layer. This means most folks are going to be positioned more “on top” of the structure than “in” it, which could work particularly well for combination sleepers or other folks looking for a firm mattress with a fairly responsive feel.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
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
Sleeping Position and Body Weight
We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).
As a general rule, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.
As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.
Is the Bear Original a Good Mattress for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?
- Light Back Sleepers – These sleepers should like the Bear. It’s likely to offer them solid support throughout the night.
- Light Side Sleepers – These sleepers might find the Bear a little softer than other sleepers because they’ll rest on top of its soft top layers. So, light side sleepers will probably get the pressure relief they need from this bed.
- Light Stomach Sleepers – The Bear should keep their hips lifted up in line with their shoulders, which can help prevent back pain.
Is the Bear Original a Good Mattress for Average Weight Sleepers (130–250 pounds)?
- Average Weight Back Sleepers – These folks should feel really comfortable on the Bear. Its top layer of memory foam gave me a touch of contouring while I was in the back-sleeping position, and the mattress’s on-top-of-the-bed feel helped keep my spine neutrally aligned.
- Average Weight Side Sleepers – The firmness of the bed could cause some jamming at the hips and shoulders for these folks. Strict side sleepers will want to keep their eyes peeled for a more body-contouring bed. One of our best memory foam mattresses could be a better fit.
- Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – I felt comfortable stomach sleeping on the Bear Original, which is pretty impressive for a foam mattress. My hips were lifted and in line with my shoulders.
Is the Bear Original a Good Mattress for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?
- Heavy Back Sleepers – The all-foam Bear might not be quite supportive for any heavier sleepers, who often do better on mattresses that include innerspring support (instead of poly foam support). I’d recommend these folks check out our best mattresses for heavy people instead.
- Heavy Side Sleepers – See above.
- Heavy Stomach Sleepers – See above.
Bear Original Mattress Performance
A big part of what we do here at Sleepopolis is run a series of tests on each mattress we review. This helps our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches get an objective view of what it would be like to sleep on them. These tests also allow us to make even more specific recommendations in addition to sleeping position and body type. Below, see how the Bear Original performs in areas such as pain relief, motion transfer, cooling, and more.
Bear Original Mattress Pain Relief Performance
When I examine a bed’s pain relieving abilities, I’m concerned with how well it’s able to alleviate tension at sensitive areas. This is also known as pressure relief.
To measure the Bear’s pressure relief, I placed a specialized mat on top of the mattress. Then, I laid down on it in the back- and side-sleeping positions. The mat used thermal imaging to create a “map” of my body that records areas of high, moderate, and low pressure. You’ll see low pressure areas recorded in blue to green and high pressure areas recorded in yellow to red. We cover three different areas when it comes to pressure relief: back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain.
A quick note before we diver into the results: you should always consider your sleeping position first. So even if a mattress shows low pressure buildup at the shoulders and hips, but we don’t recommend it for side sleepers, then you should probably avoid it if that’s your primary sleeping position.
Based on these pressure map results, the Bear looks like a great option for back sleepers who struggle with back pain. Its gel memory foam layer should alleviate tension at the lower back, while the firmer foams beneath should keep your spine in a healthy alignment. On the side-sleeping graphic, I’m seeing some pressure spots at the shoulders, which reinforces that this mattress is not the best for side sleepers, especially if they struggle with shoulder pain. In both sleeping positions, it’s almost completely blue at the hips, so sleepers shouldn’t feel their hip pain exacerbated on the Bear Original.
Motion Transfer
Motion transfer is the amount of movement detectable from one side of the bed to the other. This is especially important for couples because it indicates how disturbed you’re likely to feel if a partner tosses and turns at night. We come up with our motion-transfer score using a few different tests. I’ll outline the process and results for the Bear Original below.
Human Test
For the first test, I lie down on the mattress with a colleague, roll around, and we determine how much of each other’s movements we can feel. On the Bear Original, we only slightly felt each other’s movements, so I don’t think you’re likely to notice your partner tossing and turning on this mattress while asleep.
Wine Test
The second test involves us placing a full wine glass on the mattress and seeing how much the wine moves around with us. If the liquid has zero to little movement, then it’s a safe bet that the mattress has low motion transfer. The liquid moved just a little bit on the Bear Original — another indicator that this mattress is fairly adept at isolating motion.
Seismometer Test
To illustrate motion transfer during our third test, I dropped a 10-pound steel ball from heights of 4 inches, 8 inches and 12 inches and measured the disturbance it caused: the bigger the lines, the bigger the disturbance. Each height represents a different movement you and your partner might feel on the mattress. 4 inches is the other person tossing and turning, 8 inches is them getting out of bed, and 12 inches is someone jumping on the bed (this last one is especially important for sleepers who have small children).
These are great motion transfer results. This means you shouldn’t be too bothered by your bedmate’s nighttime movements on the Bear. I credit this to the top layer of memory foam, which helps to dampen movement across the structure.
Responsiveness
When we test responsiveness, we lie down on the mattress and roll around on it, determining how easily it is to switch positions. For a responsive mattress, we look for a higher response to pressure (a bouncier or “on top of” feel).
Memory foam mattresses like the Bear Original tend to have a lower response to pressure, as foam is normally made to sink you into the material. On the other hand, hybrid mattresses often have a higher response to pressure, as they include springy coils. Responsive mattresses are usually good for sex since they make it easy to change positions and move around. These traits also make them good for combination sleepers who switch sleeping positions at night.
While the Bear isn’t necessarily bouncy by nature, it is easy to change positions on (and not all foam mattresses are). This means it should be good for sex and combination sleeping.
Cooling
Couples overheat more quickly than solo sleepers, so they often prefer cooling mattresses. But you can also overheat quite easily on a hot mattress without the help of a partner. Luckily, the Bear’s gel infusions ensure it sleeps cool, especially for an all-foam bed. And if you pay extra for the optional Celliant cover, it should help you keep an even lower temperature at night.
I formally tested out the Bear’s temperature-regulating abilities with a thermal gun, which uses thermal imaging to show how many degrees a mattress heats up after five minutes of lying down on it. More than 15 degrees Fahrenheit indicates poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
As you can see from the thermal imaging above, the Bear Original went from 67.9 degrees to 76.5 degrees — less than 9 degrees total. This indicates good cooling. When paring this score with the bed’s construction, gel infusions, and how I felt lying on it, I think it’s an excellent cooling mattress, especially for being made entirely of foam.
Edge Support
Edge support is a measure of how supported you’ll feel on the sides of your bed. Strong edges make a bed feel larger, since you can spread out more across the mattress. With this in mind, good edge support is beneficial for couples, heavy sleepers, and anyone who likes to spread out across the mattress surface.
In my opinion, the Bear had just average edge support. I didn’t feel like I was going to fall off the side of this bed, but I didn’t feel as supported on the sides as I did in the center. Even in the above and below photos, you can see the edges sagging a bit when I sit or lie at the end of the bed.
Bear Original Mattress Performance for Couples
The four primary factors we look at when it comes to determining the best mattresses for couples are motion isolation, responsiveness, cooling, and edge support. The Bear did an all-around good job across the board. The only category where it scored lower marks was edge support, so that might be something to consider if you or your partner are a heavy sleeper or like to spread out and sleep near the edge of the mattress. But outside of that, I think the Bear Original is a solid choice for couples.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
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
My Final Thoughts about the Bear Original Mattress
Well folks, we made it to the end. After going over the Bear’s construction, feel, and performance, it’s time to answer the question you came here asking: Is the Bear mattress right for you? That’s not for me to say (sorry), but I can share some final thoughts to help you make the decision on your own.
Who I Recommend the Bear Original Mattress For
- First and foremost, I’d recommend the Bear to back sleepers in need of a firm bed.
- Stomach sleepers should also get the lift they need for their shoulders to stay neutrally aligned with their hips.
- Lastly, the bed is designed for athletic recovery, so it could be good for sleepers with active lifestyles.
Who I don’t recommend the Bear Original mattress for
- Side sleepers should avoid the Bear. Unfortunately, it’s just a bit too firm for those who need pressure relief at the shoulders and hips. I recommend they check out our best mattresses for side sleepers roundup to find some other options.
Bear Original Mattress Pricing and Sizing
The Bear Original is really affordable when compared to similar mattresses on the market and even made our list of best mattresses under $1,000. Take a look at the chart below to find full pricing info, and be sure to check out our Bear mattress coupon page to save even more on your new mattress.
Prices listed are before offer or discount on each size.
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 39” x 75” x 10” | $695 |
| Twin XL | 39” x 80” x 10” | $695 |
| Full | 54” x 75” x 10” | $895 |
| Queen | 60” x 80” x 10” | $995 |
| King | 76” x 80” x 10” | $1,095 |
| California King | 72” x 84” 10” | $1,095 |
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. We appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Bear Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
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
Bear Mattress Policies and FAQs
How does the Bear mattress ship?
The Bear ships for free and will arrive compressed in a box.
Does the Bear come with a mattress warranty?
Yes, this bed comes with a lifetime warranty.
Does the Bear mattress come with a trial period?
Yes, Bear offers a 120-night sleep trial with this bed.
Where are Bear mattresses made?
All Bear mattresses are made in the USA.
What is Celliant?
Celliant is a micro-sized particle made of things like silicon and aluminum oxide. It reflects infrared light in a way that can help improve circulation and regulate your body temperature. Learn more about it in our What is Celliant Fiber article.
Bear Original Mattress Vs
Alright, now that we’ve got our heads wrapped around the Bear mattress, let’s compare it to some of its biggest competition on the online mattress scene: the Casper and Purple beds.
Bear Original vs Casper
Like the Bear, the Casper is an all-foam mattress with a similar firmness. The Casper has zoned support, which provides targeted relief and assists with back pain. The Bear’s special features lie in its Celliant cover.
- Price: The Bear is a couple of hundred dollars less than the Casper. But when you add the Celliant cover on the Bear, they’re roughly the same price.
- Sleeping position: The Bear is really only suitable for back sleepers. The Casper supports back sleepers well, but it also accommodates lightweight stomach sleepers and most side sleepers.
- Cooling: Both mattresses have cooling features and should do a good job at cooling down hot sleepers.
- Body weight: Neither mattress is ideal for folks over 250 pounds.
Read more in our full Casper mattress review.
Casper Original Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
"From the delivery of the box to the magical unfolding of the king size mattress to the first time laying on the bed, all smiles here! I have traveled for work for years, often sleeping on different beds at different hotels night after night."
Paul, Casper customerCasper Original Mattress
The Casper Original is an all-foam mattress that is a great option for back sleepers who want a balance of support and pressure relief. Combination sleepers will appreciate this mattress's responsiveness, which makes it easy to change positions throughout the night.
Material
Foam
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
"From the delivery of the box to the magical unfolding of the king size mattress to the first time laying on the bed, all smiles here! I have traveled for work for years, often sleeping on different beds at different hotels night after night."
Paul, Casper customer
Casper Original Mattress
The Casper Original is an all-foam mattress that is a great option for back sleepers who want a balance of support and pressure relief. Combination sleepers will appreciate this mattress's responsiveness, which makes it easy to change positions throughout the night.
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
"From the delivery of the box to the magical unfolding of the king size mattress to the first time laying on the bed, all smiles here! I have traveled for work for years, often sleeping on different beds at different hotels night after night."
Paul, Casper customerBear Original vs Purple
Though the Purple is also a popular bed-in-a-box mattress, it’s got a very different feel from the Bear, thanks to its hyper-elastic polymer Smart Comfort Grid. This grid is composed of a bouncy and cooling material, so it could be great for hot sleepers. In my opinion, this collapsible grid is also fantastic at alleviating tension, especially at the hips, shoulders, and lower back.
- Price: The Purple is a couple hundred dollars more than the Bear, if you include the Bear’s Celliant cover.
- Sleeping position: The Bear is a solid option for back sleepers and stomach sleepers, but the Purple is better at accommodating side sleepers.
- Cooling: Both mattresses sleep cool, but Purple’s breathable polymer grid earned it excellent scores.
- Body weight: Neither mattress is suitable for sleepers over 250 pounds.
Read more in our full Purple mattress review.
Purple Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Purple Mattress
The Purple has a unique comfort layer of GelFlex Grid, which offers great pressure relief and cooling. It has a slightly feel that should especially appeal to back sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Purple Mattress
The Purple has a unique comfort layer of GelFlex Grid, which offers great pressure relief and cooling. It has a slightly feel that should especially appeal to back sleepers.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Firm: 7/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight stomach sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Other Models from Bear
The Original Bear mattress isn’t just facing stiff competition from the outside world — it also has to square up against its mattress siblings, the Bear Star Hybrid and Bear Pro.
Bear Original vs Bear Star Hybrid
Though both beds feature memory foam, the Hybrid gets a little extra oomph from its section of bouncy pocketed coils.
- Price: The Bear Star Hybrid is significantly more expensive than the Original due to its addition of sturdy coils.
- Sleeping position: Both beds support back sleepers, but the Bear Star Hybrid provides enough cushioning for many side sleepers as well.
- Cooling: The Star Hybrid should be better at cooling with its inclusion of breathable coils.
- Body weight: The Star Hybrid’s coils help support heavier sleepers, while the Bear is unable to properly accommodate folks over 250 pounds.
Read more in our full Bear Star Hybrid mattress review.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
We found a lot to love in the Bear Star Hybrid. While the lift of its pocketed coil system will leave you feeling more “on top” of the mattress than “in” it, its top layers of memory foam are going to provide you with plenty of pressure-relieving sinkage.
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
We found a lot to love in the Bear Star Hybrid. While the lift of its pocketed coil system will leave you feeling more “on top” of the mattress than “in” it, its top layers of memory foam are going to provide you with plenty of pressure-relieving sinkage.
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
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.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Original vs Bear Pro Hybrid
The Pro Hybrid boasts its ability to relieve pressure off of sensitive areas, cool down hot sleepers, and allow for ease of movement. It has an addition of sturdy coils, something the Bear Original lacks.
- Price: When comparing the Pro Hybrid with the Original (including the Celliant cover), each mattress ends up at roughly the same price.
- Sleeping position: Both beds are better tailored to back sleepers, with each having a firmness of 7 out of 10.
- Cooling: Both beds include lots of cooling technology thanks to Celliant, but the Pro Hybrid allows for extra airflow with its coils.
- Body weight: The Pro Hybrid can support some heavy back and side sleepers, while the Original is best for those under 250 pounds.
Read more in our full Bear Pro mattress review.
Our Review Process
At Sleepopolis, our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches personally test each mattress. We start by unboxing the mattress to figure out how difficult (or easy) it is to get the mattress from the box to the bed. Then, we spend time laying on the bed in different positions, taking time to assess it on our backs, stomachs, and sides. Next, we perform our Sleepopolis tests, using specialized tools to measure qualities like motion transfer, bounce, and pressure relief. Our last step is to open up the mattress and take a look at each layer. These steps allow us to give our final verdict on the mattress.
