Bear Mattress Review: Could This Brand Be Right for You?

Features

• Type: Memory foam
• Firmness: Medium firm
• Best sleeping positions: Side and stomach

Key takeaways from our testing

Budget-friendly comfort. The 10-inch tall Bear Original is the brand's least expensive model and one of the few mattresses we've tested that retails for less than $1,000. Our lab team has seen it priced at less than $700 during promotions. “I think overall this mattress is a great supportive mattress and comfortable,” said our tester Karin, 54. She described it as a "good basic option" for anyone who prefers a firmer feel over the deep contouring feel that is typical of memory foam beds.

Impressive motion isolation and edge support. The Bear Original is a memory foam bed that is made with two layers of foam: one denser block of base foam and one lighter block on top for comfort. Its dense foam minimizes sinkage along the edges, earning an impressive score in our edge support test, which involves our lab testers placing a 150-pound sandbag on the edge and measuring the change in level. We also tested how well the bed absorbs motion. During the couples' motion isolation test, Karin lay blindfolded on one side while another tester lay on the other and made a series of movements. Karin said she felt minimal bouncing or shifting, resulting in an above-average score. This above-average result can be a key consideration for couples if they want to avoid feeling their partners toss and turn on the other side of the bed, for instance.

May feel overly firm for some people. Karin, an average-weight sleeper, liked lying on her side and stomach on the Bear Original, but found it less forgiving for back sleeping. While lying on her back, she noticed some discomfort. "I have a slight gap between my back and the mattress because it feels a little firm," she said, giving it a subpar rating for back sleeping pressure relief. Back sleepers often need a mattress that contours to their bodies closely enough to support the spine and provide support, but a firmer bed may not always deliver these features. For instance, higher-weight back sleepers may find the contouring they tend to need in this bed since they can sink into it more, but lighter-weight back sleepers may need something more forgiving.

Bear Elite Hybrid: Best Hybrid

Score: 8.2 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• Comfortable pillow-top design
• Good edge support and impressive motion isolation
• Strong pressure relief in all positions for higher-weight sleepers

Cons

• Middling pressure relief for average-weight sleepers
• Average cooling

Features

• Type: Hybrid
• Firmness: Soft, medium or firm
• Best sleeping positions: Side, back and stomach

Key takeaways from our testing

Soft top layers and firm support. Hybrid mattresses are made with a combination of memory foam for comfort and innerspring coils for support. We tested the Bear Elite Hybrid’s medium bed for firmness, and testers loved its plush pillow top cover on top of sturdy springs. “It felt very soft through the top layers and then hit a supportive layer,” said Jim, a 62-year-old tester. But that plush comfort comes with a price: This mattress costs more than $2,000 before any discounts, which is in line with similar hybrid beds we've tested but more than double the cost of the Bear Original.

Near-perfect motion isolation. In general, the bouncy coils of hybrid beds often cause motion to ripple across the mattress's surface. But the Bear Elite Hybrid didn't have this issue. Jim said he “hardly felt anything” during the couples’ motion isolation test, when he and his wife, Paula, 54, took turns wearing a blindfold and lying on the bed to see how much motion they could feel while the other was moving. Jim gave this bed an above-average rating for this couples test, and Paula awarded it a perfect score. We also performed a ripple test by placing a beaker of water on one side of the bed while a member of our lab team moved on the other side and watched how much the water moved. The beaker and water stayed almost completely still, earning an exceptional score. This mattress may be a strong choice for older adults who are sharing a bed.

May be too firm for average-weight sleepers. Jim, a higher-weight tester, rated overall pressure relief and spinal alignment as near-perfect when averaging his scores across tested sleeping positions (side, back and stomach). Meanwhile, Karin, an average-weight tester, gave it an average rating in all tested sleeping positions, saying she wanted to be able to sink into the mattress more to ease pressure on her hips. Average-weight sleepers who tend to prefer more pressure relief may want to consider the DreamCloud Classic Hybrid or DreamCloud Premier Hybrid.

The Bear Elite Hybrid also earned an average cooling score. Older adults who sleep hot at night may prefer a hybrid bed with better cooling performance such as the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid, which earned a top-notch score on this measure in our testing.

How much do Bear mattresses cost?

The two Bear mattresses in this review cost $998 and $2,284. If you catch holiday sales or other promotional events, you may see these prices decrease by several hundred dollars. Our lab team has seen the Bear Original priced at less than $700 and the Bear Elite Hybrid at about $1,500.  The company also offers discounts of up to 40 percent for members of the military, first responders, teachers and health care workers. 

See the table below for details on retail pricing. 

Is a Bear mattress right for you? 

In this Bear mattress review, we evaluated two of the company’s most popular beds: the Bear Original and the Bear Elite Hybrid. Not sure if one of these beds would be a fit for you? Consider asking yourself the following questions.

Am I an average-weight sleeper?

Average-weight sleepers — people who weigh between 126 and 224 pounds — may prefer the Bear Elite Hybrid’s medium-firm feel over the slightly softer medium firmness of the Bear Original. While all testers reported better overall pressure relief on the Bear Elite Hybrid, the Bear Original scored slightly higher in pressure relief for average-weight sleepers. That said, the Bear Elite Hybrid also is available in soft and firm options, which may help ease more pressure for lighter- or higher-weight sleepers. 

Do I need strong edges for extra support?

Both Bear mattresses we tested had above-average edge support. Strong edge may make it easier for some older adults to get in and out of bed because the surface is more stable than that for a bed with weak edges. Based on our testing, the Bear Original is the better choice for older adults who want or need support for getting in and out of bed since its edges are stronger. The Bear Original also is 10 inches tall, which is 4 inches shorter than the Bear Elite Hybrid. Mattress height can be a key consideration for people who have mobility issues.

Am I a restless sleeper — or is my partner?

Both mattresses are solid options for couples, but the Bear Elite Hybrid performed better in isolating motion. It's rare to find a hybrid mattress with strong motion isolation because coils are springy and tend to ripple movement across the surface. However, the Bear Elite Hybrid has thick motion-absorbing foam layers and individually encased coils to minimize disturbance.

Do I need extra cushioning?

The Bear Elite Hybrid features a plush pillow top that offers extra cushion, and each layer beneath helps provide support and align the spine. The Bear Original offers three layers of foam under a quilted cover, which helps cradle pressure points and dampen motion. Based on our testing, the Bear Elite Hybrid has more cushioning.

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.