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Bear Original (new)
Overall Rating 7.6

35% off + free pillows with code: SF35


Price Range: $511 – $1,099

Mattress Type: Foam

Firmness Options: Firm (7)

At A Glance

With the Bear Original Mattress, you can get the benefits of high-quality memory foam without breaking the bank or breaking out in a sweat. Its gel-infused foam cushions your body without exaggerated sinkage, offering a firmer and more reliable sleep surface than many all-foam models.

Ratings Summary

ratings/sf-mattress-motion-isolation Icon Motion Isolation

7.5/10

ratings/sf-mattress-edge-support Icon Edge Support

6.5/10

ratings/sf-mattress-temperature-control Icon Temperature Control

6/10

ratings/sf-mattress-ease-of-movement Icon Ease of Movement

5/10

ratings/sf-mattress-off-gassing Icon Off Gassing

5.5/10

ratings/sf-mattress-pressure-relief Icon Pressure Relief

6.5/10

Pros

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    Above-average firmness for an all-foam bed
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    Contouring memory foam promotes pressure relief
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    Affordable price-point

Cons

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    People who need deeper contouring or cushioning will likely prefer a softer model
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    Sagging along edges can be a problem if you have trouble getting in and out of bed
Table of Contents

Bear Mattress is an American mattress brand launched in 2014. The Bear Original is designed to feel firmer than most all-foam mattresses while still providing the comfort and pressure relief of memory foam.

The 10-inch thick mattress has three layers of foam, including a top layer of gel-infused memory foam. An optional upgrade to the cover includes stitching with Celliant fabric, a material formulated to convert body heat into infrared energy so that you sleep cooler and recover faster. 

We brought the Bear Original into our test lab to see how it rated across a number of key categories. We’ll go over those performance ratings and discuss everything else you need to know if you’re considering the Bear Original Mattress for your bedroom.

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Testing Team Takeaways

To test the Bear Original Mattress, we had three people on our testing team each take the bed home with them for one week. Here are their initial observations.

Jeremy Klein

Jeremy Klein

Senior Product Testing Manager

Side sleeper

160 pounds

Nightly melatonin user

The Bear Original mattress was easy to move around and set up as it is very light in comparison to other mattresses. The Bear felt firmer overall, so as a side sleeper who likes beds a little softer, I didn’t fall in love with it. Back sleeping on the other hand was fantastic.

Danny Noyed

Daniel Noyed

Senior Product Editor

Back sleeper

165 pounds

Dunks head in ice water to wake up

As a back sleeper, I had a pretty nice time on the Bear. It’s pretty firm compared to most memory foam beds out there, which was an interesting change of pace. It took a bit of adjustment to get used to, but I got into a good rhythm over the course of the week. The Bear is a great option for people who want memory foam with a firmer feel, but I can see how it’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea.

Logan Foley

Logan Foley

Editorial Director

Side sleeper

140 pounds

Has too many dogs in the bed

The Bear Original is not my favorite mattress. I think it has a great price point and is a great deal for a memory foam mattress, but it lacks in pressure relief and support. It’s pretty firm as well, so I would recommend it to people who sleep on their backs and some people who weigh more than 230 pounds.

Bear Mattress Video Review

Watch the video below to see how the Bear Mattress performed when put to the test in our lab.

Sleeping Style and Body Weight

Bear Original

Sleeper Type

Under 130 lbs

130-230 lbs

Above 230 lbs

Side Sleepers

Side Sleepers

6.5/10

8/10

6.5/10

Back Sleepers

Back Sleepers

6.5/10

8/10

6.5/10

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach Sleepers

5/10

6.5/10

5/10

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers in our test lab gave mixed but generally solid reviews of the Bear Original Mattress.

In our testing, side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds said the Bear Original was excellent. They felt that it struck a nice balance between conforming and stable support, a balance that they need so that their hips and shoulders stay aligned with the rest of their spine.

Side sleepers under 130 pounds liked the memory foam comfort layer but felt that the mattress was too firm to fully cushion their pressure points. Side sleepers over 230 pounds said the mattress was good but not great. Their main concern was that memory foam felt a bit too thin to fully accommodate their hips and shoulders.

Back Sleepers

The Bear Original provides effective support to most back sleepers and offers the best results for those who weigh between 130 and 230 pounds.

In this sleeping position, it’s important to have light cushioning for the lumbar spine, but if a mattress is too soft, the abdomen can sag into the bed and misalign the body. With its firm (7) feel and memory foam top layer, the Bear Original lands in a good middle ground to meet those two needs. 

Some back sleepers who weigh over 230 pounds will find that there’s too much sink from the memory foam, which can make the mattress feel less supportive. But by and large, most back sleepers appreciate the support they get from the Bear Original.

Stomach Sleepers

Among stomach sleepers, those who weigh under 130 pounds are most likely to sleep well on the Bear Original. In our test lab, these sleepers said that the mattress had the right firmness level to keep them in an even, neutral posture that avoided aches and pains.

In contrast, stomach sleepers over 130 pounds tended to be bothered by the hug of memory foam, and many felt that their midsection was pushing too deeply into the foam. This made it harder for them to get comfortable and maintain a healthy spinal alignment.

Mattress Performance

In addition to the hands-on feedback from our team, we conduct a number of quantitative tests in our Test Lab. The below ratings are based on the experience of our testers.

Motion Isolation

7.5 / 10

The Bear isolates movement fairly well, but I could still feel my bed partner moving around. If you share the bed with someone who moves around a lot, this may not be the best option for you. – Logan

Like many memory foam mattresses, the Bear Original has an above-average ability to isolate motion. Because memory foam reacts only in the area where weight is placed directly upon it, only limited vibrations spread across the mattress surface.

But since the Bear Original has a firm (7) feel, its memory foam does not hug the body as much as on some beds. This means that you’ll probably be aware when your bed partner is tossing and turning or gets up out of bed.

Overall, based on the experience of our testing team, the majority of couples will be satisfied with the motion isolation of this mattress. But people who are very sensitive to being woken up by movement may want to prioritize a model with even higher marks in this category.

Pressure Relief

6.5 / 10

In some sleeping positions the mattress contouring provided good pressure relief. It was great for back sleeping but I would prefer more cushioning when side sleeping. – Jeremy

The Bear Original scores well for pressure relief, and most of our testers did not experience excessive pressure buildup while sleeping. In most cases, memory foam can give a sufficient amount of gentle cradling of the body’s hot spots.

That said, the Bear Original didn’t get standout scores for pressure relief. This is because the memory foam layer is relatively thin. Some of our testers, especially side sleepers and people with a higher body weight, felt that the memory foam layer lacked the heft needed to fully cushion their joints.

Temperature Control

6 / 10

As comfortable as the Bear Original is, at the end of the day it’s an all-foam bed that has you laying on memory foam. While it’s not the hottest foam bed I’ve slept on, it still absorbed a good amount of heat. – Danny

The Bear Original has some propensity to sleep hot, which is the result of memory foam’s tendency to trap heat. While this mattress doesn’t have the deepest hug, it can still contour to the body in a way that restricts airflow around the skin.

To try to prevent overheating, Bear uses gel-infused memory foam that is designed to cut down on heat retention. They also offer the optional cover with Celliant fabric, which is engineered to better maintain temperature neutrality.

For really hot sleepers, a memory foam bed probably isn’t the right fit. But if you have your mind set on memory foam, the Bear Original’s temperature control is at least on par with most comparable models.

Edge Support

6.5 / 10

While sleeping, the Bear Mattress edges were adequate, but I wouldn’t sit on the edge of the mattress for any length of time as the edges aren’t the most supportive. – Jeremy

In our testing, the Bear Original showed only above-average edge support. Our team didn’t feel like they were about to roll off the bed, but they clearly noticed deeper sinkage around the perimeter of the mattress.

This is a common issue with all-foam mattresses, and it can be a problem for people who like to sit near the edge of the bed. Sinkage around the perimeter is normally worse for people who weigh over 230 pounds.

Given its firmness level, the Bear Original has better edge support than many foam mattresses. But for people who place a premium on robust edge support, a hybrid or latex mattress may be a better match.

Ease of Movement

5 / 10

The Bear Original’s all-foam construction hugs your body, which is great for comfort, but makes it a bit harder to move on. Most people won’t have a ton of trouble moving around the Bear, but you’ll still face some resistance. – Danny

The ratings from our test lab reflect that the Bear Original is pretty middle-of-the-road for ease of movement. On one hand, memory foam tends to make it harder to move on the mattress because of how it conforms to your body. On the other hand, there’s not as much sink on the Bear Mattress as on other foam beds, so it doesn’t seriously impair movement.

Without a springy material like latex or innerspring coils, there’s nothing to aid your movement on this mattress. As a result, you are likely to encounter at least some resistance. This is most likely to be a problem if you frequently change your sleeping position during the night.

Off-Gassing

5.5 / 10

I’ll cut to the chase – this mattress smells when you open it up. I’m pretty sensitive to smells, but this one was particularly strong. It took a few days for the smell to wear off completely, but after that it was totally fine to sleep on. – Logan

The Bear Original gives off a clearly detectable odor when you remove it from its plastic packaging. This smell comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are created when manufacturing foam materials, which is why this off-gassing occurs with most memory foam mattresses.

VOCs don’t pose any health risks, and the smell won’t last forever. In fact, it usually goes away within a few days or even faster if you can open windows or turn on a fan to ventilate your bedroom.

Bear Mattress Review Breakdown

The Bear Original is an all-foam mattress with a straightforward design. It has a height of 10 inches, and its firmness level is firm, or a 7 on the 1-10 firmness scale. 

The top layer of the mattress is made with gel-infused memory foam. This material is known for its ability to contour to the body, providing more cushioning around the areas with the heaviest impact. With these properties, memory foam enhances pressure relief and motion isolation. 

Beneath the memory foam layer is a responsive polyfoam designed to add firmness and resist excess sinkage. Underneath this is the support core, which is made of a high-density base polyfoam. 

The cover of the Bear Original is made with a quilted fabric that adds a touch of softness. You have the option to upgrade the cover to include Celliant fabric, a material engineered to sleep cooler and aid muscle recovery.

Firmness

Firm (7)

Mattress Type

Foam

Construction

The Bear Original has three interior layers made of memory foam, transition polyfoam, and high-density polyfoam. The cover is made with a soft quilted fabric, and you can decide whether to upgrade the cover with the Celliant performance textile.

Cover Material:

Quilted fabric with optional Celliant fabric add-on

Comfort Layer:

Memory foam
Polyfoam

Support Core:

Polyfoam

Bear Mattress Sizes

The Bear Original has a budget-friendly price-point, especially compared to most memory foam mattresses. While it doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, it offers a solid value. For an added cost, you can elect to have Celliant textile sewn into the cover. 

The Bear Original is available in all the standard mattress sizes as well as a split king. The height of the mattress is 10 inches, so it is compatible with almost all fitted sheets.

Sizes Dimensions Height Weight
Twin 39″ x 75″ 10″ 50 lbs.
Twin XL 39″ x 80″ 10″ 50 lbs.
Full 54″ x 75″ 10″ 60 lbs.
Queen 60″ x 80″ 10″ 70 lbs.
King 76″ x 80″ 10″ 90 lbs.
California King 72″ x 84″ 10″ 90 lbs.
Split King 38″ x 80″ (2 pc.) 10″ 100 lbs.

Trial, Warranty, and Shipping Policies

Availability

The Bear Original can be purchased from Bear’s website and in more than two dozen partner stores and showrooms nationwide. It is only available in the United States.

Shipping

Bear includes free ground shipping to all addresses in the contiguous 48 states. Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii is available for an additional charge.

The mattress is shipped inside a box that is dropped off at your doorstep. Inside the box, the mattress is compressed and wrapped in airtight plastic. For installation, you simply need to take the box to your bedroom and remove the packaging, which will allow the mattress to decompress and reach its full size. 

The Bear Original is lighter than many mattresses, and you may be able to move the box and position the mattress by yourself. But we recommend having a second person available to make the process easier and safer.

Additional Services

White Glove delivery is available in the contiguous U.S. You can choose which services you need, including mattress setup, installation of a bed base, and haul-away of an old mattress and bed frame. The price of White Glove delivery depends on the specific services that you request.

Sleep Trial

Bear offers a 120-night sleep trial. You are required to keep the mattress for 30 nights as a break-in period. If you request a return, Bear will coordinate pickup and provide you with a full refund.

Warranty

The Bear Original comes with a lifetime warranty. If your mattress is determined to be defective, it will be replaced with a new mattress at no cost. The warranty provides coverage for unusual problems with the materials or manufacturing, but it does not cover damage from accidents or from expected wear and tear.

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