Bear vs Bear Star Hybrid
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Firmness
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Bear vs. Bear Hybrid Video Review
Similarities
Before we get to the differences, it’s important to understand what makes the Bear and Bear Star Hybrid similar. Some important features that both beds share include the following:- A Celliant cover – Some studies suggest that the material Celliant aids in sleep restoration. It’s designed to absorb your body’s energy, then redirect it back to you for benefits that include increased blood flow and muscle recovery. While we can’t verify this 100% one way or the other, it is notable that both the Bear and the Bear Star Hybrid use this technology. It’s helped make the Bear brand popular among athletes and those with an active lifestyle. However, if you’re purchasing either, this cover costs an additional $130 to include.
- Memory foam feel – Both beds make use of memory foam comfort layers to provide that classic feel of sinking into the mattress. If you enjoy the feeling of having a mattress contour around your body, both the Bear and the Bear Star Hybrid provide this, and is why Bear is a mainstay on our best memory foam mattress list.
- Not the best fit for stomach sleepers – While back sleepers, side sleepers, and combination sleepers should get what they need from one or both of these mattresses, stomach sleepers are likely going to need something firmer and more supportive.
Unique Qualities
Now that we know the similarities of the Bear siblings, we can take a look at their differences. I will describe each bed layer by layer so you can see exactly what they’re working with. If you want to go into even more depth, we also have our full Bear mattress review and Bear Star Hybrid mattress review.Bear
Bear Original 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.
Product Details
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
We found a lot to love in the Bear Star Hybrid. While the lift of its pocketed coil system will leave you feeling more “on top” of the mattress than “in” it, its top layers of memory foam are going to provide you with plenty of pressure-relieving sinkage.
Product Details
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-soft: 6/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Joint Pain
This bed offers the needed pressure relief to help alleviate joint pain.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear vs Bear Star Hybrid
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Firmness
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Bear vs. Bear Star Hybrid
Although it feels soft to the touch initially, the original all-foam Bear provides a good deal of support for strict back sleepers. In these positions, the body usually needs support in the hips and lower back to keep good spinal alignment. Most sleepers should enjoy the body-contouring of the soft cover and memory foam comfort layer, but the supportive nature of this mattress is its major feature. The Bear Star Hybrid provides a good balance between a plush, soft memory foam feel and the traditional bounciness of an innerspring mattress. The pocketed coils keep the bed bouncy without transferring motion across the mattress too heavily. Being able to easily switch positions is a feature that combo sleepers should find attractive with this mattress. The Bear and the Bear Star Hybrid seem to work best for different types of sleepers. The Bear seems to be a great choice for sleepers who want to feel on top of the mattress. Strict side sleepers and people who just like to sink into their mattresses may find the Hybrid more comfortable. The added quilting in the cover and comfort layer of the Hybrid gives it a plush feel with more immediate pressure relief in the shoulders, which is great for side sleepers. However, sleepers who need more support in the hips and lower back (strict back sleepers) may prefer the firmer nature of the Bear.Which Mattress Has the Best Feel?
Now that you understand the differences in construction between the Bear and Bear Star Hybrid, it is time to look at how these mattresses feel. Everyone answers this question in a slightly different way, and we account for this in our testing. The firmness of a mattress is subjective and based on body shape, weight, and size. I run my tests with co-workers of varying body types to account for this. All of us try both mattresses and average our results for the number you see below. The firmness scale ranges from 1 to 10, with 6.5 being the industry standard for medium firmness.
Bear
The all-foam Bear earned a 7/10 firmness rating, which is slightly firmer than the industry standard of 6.5/10 for medium firmness. The mattress is soft enough to allow back sleepers to initially sink a little into the memory foam comfort layer. Combo sleepers should enjoy the bounciness of the Bear, which allows for greater mobility when switching positions. Strict side sleepers may find the firmness of the Bear a bit uncomfortable in the shoulder area. When I was in the side position, the Bear did not allow me to sink into the mattress enough to relieve the pressure in my shoulder joints.
Bear Star Hybrid
We gave the Bear Star Hybrid an average firmness score of 6/10. This is slightly softer than the industry standard of 6.5/10. The pocketed coils give the Hybrid good bounce and allow for high mobility in the mattress. Back-side combo sleepers should appreciate the pressure relief in the shoulder area and the support for the lower back in both positions. Stomach sleepers may need a bit more support for the hips, however. Both mattresses allow for an initial comfortable sink into the cover and comfort layers, but the extra foam laid into the Hybrid cover gives it a slightly more plush feel than the original Bear. I do feel that strict side sleepers may find the original Bear too firm in the shoulder region, while the Hybrid gives good pressure relief in the shoulders. However, stomach sleepers may find that the Hybrid is too soft to keep the back aligned with the hips in that position.
Which Mattress is the Winner?
We are nearing the end of our Bear vs. Bear Star Hybrid comparison! I have gone through the construction of each mattress, how they feel, and how they compare to each other. Here’s where I sum up all of the major points to help you make your buying decision. The all-foam Bear is probably the better choice for people who prefer a firmer mattress. Both beds have good mobility, but the coils in the Hybrid create a bouncier feel without too much motion transfer. This motion isolation is usually attractive for people who sleep with a restless partner.
The Original Bear is great for strict back sleepers who may need more support in the hips and lower back to keep the spine aligned. However, it may feel less comfortable for strict side sleepers who need pressure relief in the shoulders. This is where the softer Hybrid wins out, because it allows for a bit more sinkage that keeps the shoulder joints from being jammed.
Final Thoughts
Before we end this comparison, here are my most important takeaways from the Bear and Bear Star Hybrid. This summary should help you make a decision if you are on the fence.Bear
- Strict back sleepers should enjoy the supportive nature of the all-foam Bear mattress. The firmer feel keeps the hips from sinking too far into the mattress, which is necessary for good spinal alignment.
- Bear embodies that classic memory foam feel, but it also sleeps cool because of the graphite infusion in the comfort layer.
Bear Original 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.
Product Details
Material
Foam
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Star Hybrid
- Strict side sleepers should enjoy the plush feel of the Hybrid mattress. This softness provides much-needed pressure relief in the shoulders, which keeps those joints from jamming up.
- The Bear Star Hybrid has a bit more bounce than the all-foam Bear, which will lend mobility to combo sleepers when switching positions.
Bear Star Hybrid Mattress
We found a lot to love in the Bear Star Hybrid. While the lift of its pocketed coil system will leave you feeling more “on top” of the mattress than “in” it, its top layers of memory foam are going to provide you with plenty of pressure-relieving sinkage.
Product Details
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-soft: 6/10
Sleep Trial
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping
Free shipping
Price
$$$$$
Our Recommendation
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Joint Pain
This bed offers the needed pressure relief to help alleviate joint pain.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
How Much do the Bear Mattresses Cost?
Prices listed are before discount or offer for each size.| Size | Bear | Bear Star Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | $748 | $1,298 |
| Twin XL | $811 | $1,398 |
| Full | $873 | $1,498 |
| Queen | $998 | $1,732 |
| King | $1,248 | $2,132 |
| California King | $1,248 | $2,132 |
| Split King | $1,622 | $2,796 |
Logan Block
Logan is the former content director of Sleepopolis. As content director, he reviewed new mattresses every week and curated the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. Logan perfected his method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he’s not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its feel within the bed-in-a-box market as a whole.