Bear Original Mattress Review (2025) 

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Mattress Clarity has been in operation for over seven years, helping more than 43,000 people find a new mattress that matches their needs. In this timeframe, our team of expert testers has reviewed over 500 mattresses, including hundreds of memory foam beds just like the Bear Original. What makes this one stand out from the pack? 

For one, the Bear is an extremely affordable pick. It also has a slightly firm feel that offers a more supportive lift, plus a bouncy, breathable sleep surface, making it a departure from traditional all-foam mattresses. If you’re a back sleeper, a budget shopper, or even a hot sleeper wanting a memory foam bed, read on to find out if the Bear Original is your new favorite bed. 

Our Bear Original Review in a Nutshell

The Bear Original mattress is an affordable all-foam bed that’s great for sleepers looking for medium-firm support. Our testers especially loved how the mattress felt on their backs and the bed’s impressive motion isolation, which should appeal to couples. While it’s great for these folks, it may not be the best for lightweight side sleepers or those looking for a super-soft memory foam bed with deep sinkage and contouring.

Bear Original Mattress
Mattress Clarity Score
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.2
Bear
Bear Original
Medium-Firm Feel
Affordable
Lifetime Warranty
Foam mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping
Holiday Sale
40% Off Sitewide with Code CLARITY40 See Details
Brand Icon 28
Material
The Bear Original is a memory foam mattress. It features softer foam layers for cushioning and firmer ones for support.
Brand Icon 14
Firmness
On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest, we rated this mattress 7/10. This is slightly firmer than the industry standard for medium-firm.
Brand Icon 42
Price
$786-$1,690 (before any discounts)
Brand Icon 13
Size
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
Brand Icon
Side Sleepers
Great pressure relief for side sleepers under 230 lbs.
Brand Icon 1
Back Sleepers
Great support for back sleepers under 230 lbs.
Brand Icon 11
Hot Sleepers
This bed’s cooling features can help keep you from overheating at night.
Pros of the Bear Original Mattress
The Bear’s gel-infused memory foam can help hot sleepers stay cool throughout the night.
It’s an affordable option. A queen-size Bear mattress is less than $1,000, even before discounts.
Bear offers a lifetime warranty on this mattress. That means if you find any covered defects or indentations during the life of your mattress, they will replace it free of charge.
Cons of the Bear Original Mattress
This bed probably isn’t a good fit for side sleepers who weigh over 230 lbs.
Stomach sleepers likely won’t find this bed firm enough to keep their spine in proper alignment.
Brand Icon 39
Shipping
Free shipping
Brand Icon 40
Trial Period
120 nights
Brand Icon 41
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Brand Icon 38
Returns
You’ll receive a refund if you return your mattress within the trial period, but after a 30-day “break-in” period.

The Bear Original is a memory foam mattress with broad appeal. It provides good support and pressure relief for side and back sleepers who weigh less than 230 lbs and comes with plenty of cooling features. It isn’t firm enough for most sleepers who weigh more than 230 lbs, though. If you need a more supportive bed, check out the Plank Firm. Learn more in our video review.

Bear Original Mattress Performance: My Overall Rating

Our testing methodology for mattresses includes a range of performance categories pertaining to the bed’s construction, feel, and even company policies. After testing, we rate each of these areas out of 5, which are then tallied into the final overall score. The Bear Original performed admirably across the board, leading to an overall score of 4.2 out of 5.

The highlights for this mattress were in motion isolation (4.3/5), edge support (4.2/5), and customer service (4.3/5). To find out more about each of these categories, hover your cursor over the icons below—or you can read our in-depth descriptions of how the mattress performed further along in this review.

Mattress Clarity Test Results: Bear Original Mattress

Poor
Average
Excellent

1
2
3
4
5
4.2
Overall rating
3.5
Pressure Relief
4.2
Edge Support
4
Cooling
4.3
Motion Isolation
4
Response
4.3
Customer Experience

I Recommend the Bear Original For…

  • Back sleepers – The Bear Original’s mix of robust support and slight contouring makes it a great pick for back sleeping.
  • Hot sleepers wanting memory foam – For an all-foam mattress, the Bear Original doesn’t hold onto too much heat, which could benefit hot sleepers who prefer this mattress type.
  • Budget shoppers – The Bear mattress is one of the best mattresses for budget shoppers—it’s even featured on our best cheap mattresses article. A queen-size Bear Original will run you close to $650 after discounts.
Back-sleeping full body edge support test on the Bear Original Mattress

I Don’t Recommend the Bear Original For…

  • Traditional memory foam fans – While most memory foam mattresses allow you to sink deeply into their surface, the Bear Original is slightly firmer, with a more “on top” feel.
  • Lightweight side sleepers – In a similar vein, sleepers under 130 pounds who prefer their side will likely struggle to sink comfortably into this bed and gain enough pressure relief.
  • Heavyweight stomach sleepers – Stomach sleepers over 230 pounds, however, are likely going to sink too far into this mattress, compromising their spinal alignment.
Man resting on his stomach on the Bear Original mattress

How Well Did the Bear Original Perform?

As I mentioned earlier, we rate most of our performance categories out of 5, but how does that stack up against the competition? We also regularly update the average for every mattress we’ve tested, so you can see exactly where the Bear Original stands in this table. 

TestPerformanceAverage
Firmness7/10 – Medium-Firm6.7/10 – Medium-Firm
Side Sleeper ComfortUnpleasantGood
Back Sleeper ComfortExcellentGood
Stomach Sleeper ComfortGoodGood
Pressure Relief3.5/53.9
Edge Support4.2/54.1
Cooling4/53.8
Motion Isolation4.3/53.9
Response4/54.3
Sinkage Depth2.25”3.12”
Sinkage RatingLightModerate
Bounce Height11”17.89”
Bounce RatingLowModerate
Noise4/54.5
Sex4.14.3
Trial Period4/54.2
Warranty4.5/54.6

How Firm is the Bear Original Mattress?

7/10 mattress firmness on a scale

At Mattress Clarity, we rate firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. The industry standard for mattresses is medium-firm, which comes in at about 6.5/10 on our scale. Medium-firm mattresses are a popular choice for their balanced feel, which supports proper spinal alignment and helps stave off aches and pains.

We rated the Bear Original mattress at a 7/10, just slightly above this recommendation. We found this mattress had the same balance of support and softness, though our testers felt more “on top” of the mattress, rather than “hugged” by it. This means it might seem slightly firmer to some folks. But overall, it’s a great pick for sleepers who like a more supportive feel.

How Does the Bear Original Feel for Different Body Types and Sleeping Positions?

“Your preferred sleeping position and body weight can actually affect how comfortable a mattress feels to you,” says our chief medical advisor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta. That’s why we aim to have testers representing each weight category try out the mattress in every position, to get a feel for which sleeper types are best suited to them.

Sleeper WeightSide SleepersBack SleepersStomach Sleepers
Light (under 130 lbs)UnpleasantExcellentGood
Average (130-230 lbs)GoodExcellentGood
Heavy (over 230 lbs)GoodExcellentUnpleasant

Heavyweight Tester – 6’3”, 235 lbs

“On my side, I feel decently supported, but I do feel some pressure, specifically in my shoulder. Compared to other beds I’ve tested, it’s decent-to-mediocre pressure relief around the shoulder.” – Matt Schickling

Average-weight Tester – 5’6”, 170 lbs 

“I didn’t mind the mattress on my stomach! My hips didn’t sink in as much as they did in other positions, and I felt well-aligned.”– Melanie Kassel

Lightweight Tester – 5’2”, 122 lbs

“When I’m on my back, I’m not feeling much pressure around my body.” – In-house Tester

Bear Original In-Depth Test Results

Pressure Relief

Pressure Relief – 3.5

Pressure relief is essential for ensuring a sleeper’s comfort,” explains Dr. Dasgupta. “Certain areas of the body dig into the mattress, creating pressure points. If the mattress is too firm, pressure will build up in these areas, causing discomfort or even pain.”

Sleeping on your back or side puts pressure on the hips, shoulders, and lumbar spine, so when we’re testing pressure relief, we pay particular attention to these sleeping positions. We aim to have testers representing each weight category (lightweight, average-weight, and heavyweight) rest on top of the mattress and give their thoughts on how much pressure they feel.

Alongside their subjective findings, we also use a specialized mat to record where pressure builds up along the body. This is placed on top of the mattress before a tester lies down on it. The mat uses thermal imaging to create a color-coded map outlining the tester’s body. Areas of blue and green mean low pressure, while red and yellow mean high pressure. The map also records the overall pressure distribution across the entire mattress, a number we can use to compare comfort between sleeping positions.

Riley and Matt generating pressure maps of the Bear Original Mattress

The overall pressure relief rating for the Bear Original came out to 3.5/5. This is because both our lightweight and heavyweight testers rated side-sleeping pressure relief at 3/5, while back-sleeping was a bit higher at 4/5. Let’s dive a bit deeper into what they thought.

Resting on her side, our lightweight tester noted quite a bit of pressure. “It feels like I’m lying on top of the mattress and not getting good support in my hips and torso,” she explained. Her overall pressure was 9.18 psi, which is fairly average for her weight category, but she added that she would’ve preferred a softer mattress.

“This feels way better on my back,” she said after switching. Here, she had much more contouring, even though her overall pressure was a bit higher at 11.4 psi. “My hips and shoulders feel aligned in this position.”

Heavyweight tester Matt Schickling had a similar experience. On his side, he felt supported, but noticed a bit of pressure buildup along his shoulder. “My hips feel mostly aligned with my spine, but they’re slightly off,” he added. His overall pressure came to 13.77, just slightly above average for his weight category. 

Pressure map of a heavy side-sleeper on the Bear Original Mattress
Our heavyweight tester’s side-sleeping pressure map

Matt also had much more success resting on his back. “My bottom is sinking in a bit more than my shoulders, which caused some immediate pressure buildup in my lower back.” However, he explained that this dissipated after lying on the mattress for a while. “The pressure is now evenly distributed between upper and lower back after a minute or so of lying. I do feel pretty well and evenly supported,” he finished. His overall pressure was also a bit lower at 12.08 psi, further corroborating his overall comfort. 

Pressure map of a heavy back-sleeper on the Bear Original Mattress
Our heavyweight tester’s back-sleeping pressure map

On top of our testers’ input, we called upon physical therapist Dr. Hannah Habeeb to offer her expert opinion on the bed’s comfort from an orthopedic standpoint. Her results largely corroborated our testers’ experience.

“I don’t feel myself sinking in much on my side,” she said. “I’m noting a little more pressure around my hips than I would like for a side sleeper. I feel it around my shoulder, too.” Though she added that she felt aligned in the spine, she worried that folks with joint pain would find this mattress too firm for relief.

She agreed with our testers that back sleeping was the winner here. “My lower back actually feels really supported, and the foam is contouring this area. My spinal alignment is really good in this position,” she said. She ultimately recommended it to back sleepers who are looking for a firmer feel. 

“I also think this bed would be good for providing support and stability at the lower back to keep the spine in a neutral position,” she added. “This means people with back pain can appreciate the firmer support that doesn’t allow for much sinkage.” 

Edge Support

Edge Support – 3.5

Edge support refers to how well the perimeter of a mattress holds up when bearing weight. Most foam mattresses tend to do poorly in this category due to foam’s inherent cushy nature, but the Bear earned an overall score of 4.2/5.

However, it performed quite differently during  our two edge support tests. During the subjective test, my colleague Melanie Kassel sat on the edge of the mattress herself and judged how supported she felt. She called the edge support in this position “lacking,” explaining: “The bed squished down easily, and it felt like I could slide off while seated.” She did note that getting out of bed was relatively simple, but the edges weren’t doing her any favors. 

Lying down at the edges, Melanie felt slightly more secure, but still noted a bit of sinkage. “I could sense the edge of the mattress gradually dipping lower and lower, until it felt like the side of my body that was closer to the edge was slanting downward,” she said. She felt more secure on her back and stomach than resting on her side. She explained, “If I were to sleep on the edge on my side, I’d be worried about the foam drooping so low that I would eventually roll off.”

For both of these tests, Melanie awarded 3/5 ratings for the Bear Original’s edge support. But we also perform a second test, our more objective weighted edge support test, to get a feel for how the edge support compares for different body types.

We stack weight plates on the perimeter of the mattress to represent each weight category, then use a tape measure to record the exact sinkage depth, which is then rated out of 5. In the lightweight test, the edge only sank 1.5 inches. It was also low for average-weight and heavyweight, 2 and 3 inches, respectively. All of these earned a 5/5 for edge support, bolstering the total edge support score to that 4.2 I mentioned earlier.

Taking all this into account, I’d say the Bear Original has fairly decent edge support. Considering it’s a foam mattress, I’d expect to see more collapse in both tests. I think that most sleepers will be satisfied with the level of support here. Some older adults and those with mobility concerns may want to check out a hybrid mattress, like the Bear Elite Hybrid, for better stability.

Cooling

Cooling – 4

To test a mattress’s cooling capability, we use a thermal gun to record the surface temperature of the mattress in two instances. First, we record the initial surface temperature once the bed arrives in the studio. Then, after a tester lies on the surface for a quick 7-minute nap, we bring out the thermal gun once more. The resulting increase is compared with our tester’s experience and translated into a score out of 5. 

The Bear Original earned a 4/5 score, which we’d call slightly above-average cooling. This makes it a good choice for hot sleepers.

Melanie also performed the cooling test. The mattress surface temperature went from 65.8 degrees Fahrenheit to 73.1 degrees, a 7.3-degree increase. This is only a bit above the average temperature increase we see, around 6 degrees, and quite impressive for an all-foam mattress—they’re notorious for holding onto heat.

As for Melanie’s experience on the mattress itself, she noted that it got warmer where her body sank in the most. “For a foam mattress, its temperature didn’t seem to fluctuate too much during the cooling test,” she said. “But because it did noticeably heat up under my high-pressure areas, I wonder if it will retain heat when made with sheets and blankets.”

I will note that the Bear Original comes with a standard quilted cover, but you can also upgrade to a cooling Celliant cover, which may help with the aforementioned heat retention. If you’re curious, I’ll further explain how it works in the construction section of this review. 

Motion Isolation

Motion Isolation – 4.3

Motion isolation is an important consideration for light sleepers who share the bed with a restless partner, as low motion transfer means better, uninterrupted sleep. A mattress with exceptional motion isolation absorbs any motion before it travels to the other side of the mattress.

To test motion isolation, we use two methods. The first is called the water glass method. As the name implies, we take a glass of water, place it on the mattress, and a tester climbs in on the other side. How the water behaves (any rippling, wobbling, or splashing) tells us how much motion is felt on the other side of the bed.

Ripple test on the Bear Original Mattress

When Melanie got in and out of bed, she noted “almost no disturbance.” She added, “I had to try to get the water to ripple or the glass to shake. A gentle getting-in-and-out-of-bed movement produced virtually no movement from the water. A more pronounced ‘jump’ or ‘slouch’ into bed produced some movement.” Her results led to a 4/5 rating for this portion of the experiment.

Next, she moved around on the mattress, switching positions, rolling, etc.—anything to cause a stir. But again, there was “hardly any disturbance from the water.” She gave the Bear Original a 5/5 rating for this “very impressive performance.”

After the water test, we have another tester hop into bed alongside the first, mimicking how it would feel to sleep with a partner. Melanie had an overall peaceful experience as her partner shifted around beside her, feeling only a faint “pulling” sensation on the bed’s cover. “If I had been sleeping, I don’t think I would have woken up,” she said. “Multiple times, the other tester got up from the bed, and I couldn’t tell that she had gone!” This earned another 4/5 rating.

These results led to the Bear Original receiving an overall motion isolation score of 4.3/5, which we’d call above-average. Though it doesn’t have a traditional, deep-cushioning memory foam feel, it definitely fits the all-foam stereotype of being a great mattress for couples.

Response

Response – 4

A responsive mattress snaps back into shape when you press down or move around on its surface. This makes them a popular pick for combination sleepers, as well as sexually active couples. Usually, foam beds aren’t the most responsive, but the Bear Original’s medium-firm feel earned it a 4/5 overall response score.

When Melanie switched between each sleeping position on the mattress, she noted that the bed “didn’t actively put up a fight.” However, it didn’t exactly help her either. “It has no bounce to speak of, so it didn’t propel me or encourage movement,” she explained. “But at the same time, it didn’t ‘hold onto’ me or make me feel trapped.” She always remained right at the surface of the mattress. 

While it’s not as bouncy as a hybrid bed, the Bear Original is responsive enough to allow for nice ease of movement. 

Sinkage: Light

Sinking in a mattress may sound like a bad thing on paper, but it’s all a matter of taste. If you like feeling “hugged” by your mattress, you’ll likely want a bed with deep sinkage. If you’re like me and despise that feeling, you’ll prefer light sinkage so you feel like you’re floating on top of your bed.

Sinkage test on the Bear Original Mattress

To measure sinkage, we place a kettlebell on the mattress and use a ruler to measure how much it dips beneath the weight. For the Bear Original, the number came to 2.25 inches. It’s nearly an inch below what we see on average (3.12”), so we call it light sinkage. 

Bounce: Low

A bouncy mattress can be fun for kids and for folks who move around a lot on the surface. Unlike response, bounce will help propel you forward on the mattress. While the Bear Original did perform admirably in our responsiveness tests, it fell behind in our bounce test.

To test bounce, we drop a weighted ball from about 6 feet above the mattress. We then record how high the ball bounces off the mattress using a yardstick. On the Bear Original, the ball only bounced 11 inches. This is well below what we see on average, so we wouldn’t call it a bouncy bed.

Noise 

Noise  – 4

A noisy mattress can be a pain for light sleepers, but thankfully, most foam beds are relatively quiet. There aren’t any squeaky or creaky springs to deal with. Our testers did notice an “air release sound” when pressing down on the mattress surface, but nothing that should cause too much of a disturbance. There was a slight “crunch” when moving around, but we still awarded the bed a 4/5 noise score. 

Sex

Sex – 4.1

The best mattresses for sex should excel in three categories: response, edge support, and noise. This is because a responsive mattress is easier to move around on, strong edge support gives you full use of the bed’s surface area, and the last thing you want to hear during the main event is unwanted creaking.

The Bear Original scored 4 and above in all of these categories, resulting in a 4.1/5 overall rating. While it isn’t as bouncy as a foam mattress, it should still accommodate seamless movement. The same for edge support—you should be able to perch on the edges without it feeling too precarious. And aside from the sound of air releasing, there shouldn’t be any distracting noise. All-in-all, it’s a fairly good mattress for sex, as foam beds go.

Adjustable Base Compatibility 

Adjustable bases are growing in popularity. Studies show they can help with spinal alignment and other pain concerns, especially thanks to their weightless “zero-gravity” setting. But sometimes, even when a bed is advertised as adjustable-base compatible, it’s not always the case. That’s why we always test every bed that arrives in our studio on an adjustable base to see how it conforms.

With the Bear Original, results were mixed. Our in-house tester noted that the mattress did conform to the base with a lot of weight on it, but she expressed concern for lightweight sleepers like herself. “I think if it were only a lighter sleeper on the bed with the base, the bed would still remain in the air,” she said.

So, if you plan on using the Bear Original with an adjustable base, tread with caution. We always recommend waiting until everyone’s all snuggled up in bed before adjusting, as the more weight, the better the mattress molds to the base.

Two-Hour Nap Test

My colleague Marten Carlson performed the two-hour nap test on the Bear mattress. He made sure to sleep in all three sleeping positions to get a feel for which was best.

“I started out on my side, and I immediately noticed some tension in my shoulder and hip,” he said. “I’m a bigger guy who weighs about 270 lbs, so I sank into the top layer of the mattress quite a bit. Lightweight side sleepers should feel a lot better on this mattress than I did.”

Marten thought that stomach-sleeping wasn’t as comfortable. “Here, my hips sank into the top layer quite a bit. After just a 30-minute snooze, I felt some pain in my lower back.” 

Man resting on his back on the Bear Original mattress

On his back, Marten claimed he found the most comfort. “But I still wasn’t as supported as I would like to be. If you’re a heavier person, like me, you may want to find a firmer mattress.” I’ll note that this contrasts with our other heavyweight tester, Matt’s experience, who felt relatively supported while resting on his back. 

Marten also had some final notes on the bed’s cooling ability: “I woke up feeling slightly hot, but not sweaty. If you tend to overheat at night, you may want to consider getting a cooling mattress with extra infusions and airflow.”

Bear Original Customer Experience Scores

A mattress is more than just how it feels and performs. Online mattresses like the Bear Original come with some pretty neat company policies to enhance the overall customer experience, like sleep trials and extended warranties. 

Trial Period

Trial Period – 4

The Bear Original comes with a 120-night sleep trial. Notably, some other mattress companies offer 365-night trials, so we rated the Bear’s trial period at 4/5. Bear claims that their sleep trial includes no hassles or gimmicks; if you don’t like it, they will pick it up for you and take it back without a fee. You should also receive a full refund.

Warranty

Warranty – 4.5

The Bear offers a limited lifetime warranty on its original mattress. When it comes to warranties, there’s no beating a lifetime warranty, and such an offer should reflect the bed’s durable and quality construction. However, because there are caveats—the longer you own this bed, the less money you’ll receive should you choose to cash out on your warranty—we rated the warranty at a 4.5/5.

Unboxing

The Bear mattress is a bed-in-a-box, meaning you’ll have to wait for it to expand to its full height before napping on it. Since it’s coming directly from the factory, you should also expect some off-gassing, a chemical smell that comes from being freshly vacuum-sealed. This smell should dissipate once the mattress has had the chance to fully rise, which should be within 24 to 48 hours. 

Bear Original Construction

Now that we know how the Bear mattress feels and performs, let’s take a look at what it’s made of.

Mattress Height & Weight

Construction of the Bear Original Mattress 1

The Bear mattress stands at 10″ tall. It can weigh anywhere from 50 to 70 pounds, with a queen-size coming in at about 60.

Materials

The Bear Original mattress is an all-foam bed with three distinct layers and a quilted cover on top. It includes both cooling gel memory foam and other high-density polyfoams. The mattress is also fiberglass-free.

Layers

Construction of the Bear Original Mattress 2

The Bear comes with a soft, breathable quilted cover, creating a plush surface that is hot-sleeper-friendly. However, we tested the Celliant-infused cover top version, which comes with an additional $130 fee. 

Bear claims its plush Celliant cover transforms your body heat into “infrared energy” that can help stimulate blood flow and generate muscle recovery while keeping you cool. We did think this cover felt worth the extra price, was super cozy, and did help dissipate heat while keeping testers cool on this all-foam bed.

Underneath the quilted top is a cooling gel-infused memory foam layer. This layer allows you to sink into the pressure-relieving cradle of memory foam while still helping you sleep cool.

Beneath this is a “dynamic” foam transition layer that helps retain comfort at the bed’s core and above its dense foam base while optimizing spinal support and preventing problematic sinkage into the bed’s upper comfort layers.

The bed’s base has a thick layer of high-density support foam. This is intended to provide a stronger foundation for spinal alignment and act as a support layer for the Bear’s comfort layers while helping to preserve durability throughout the bed.

How To Try and Buy The Bear Original Mattress

The Bear Original is available for purchase and can be tried in person at brick-and-mortar sleep product stores across the USA. You can easily see if there is a store with the Bear Original near you on Bear’s store locator page on their website. 

However, the Bear Original is easiest to buy directly from the company on its website, where you can enjoy free delivery (for the contiguous United States) and a 120-night sleep trial. It’s also available for purchase on Amazon. The Bear mattress will arrive compressed in a box, so you’ll need to let it expand and off-gas for a few hours before sleeping on it. 

If you decide to keep your Bear mattress, you’re backed by the brand’s limited lifetime warranty. This means you’ll receive a prorated refund if you encounter any issues down the line.

Bear Original Prices & Sizes

SizeDimensionsPrice
Twin39″ x 75″$786.00
Twin XL39″ x 80″$849.00
Full54″ x 75″$911.00
Queen60″ x 80″$998.00
King76″ x 80″$1304.00
California King72″ x 84″$1304.00

How The Bear Original Compares

Still not sure if the Bear is for you? Check out how it compares to these other highly recommended mattresses:

Swipe to view more
Rating
4.2/5
4.4/5
4.7/5
4.6/5
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Medium-firm: 7/10
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Material
Foam
Foam
Foam
Hybrid
Cooling
Best For
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers,
Hot Sleepers
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers,
Hot Sleepers

Bear Original vs. Nectar Classic

We’ve driven home that the Bear Original is much firmer than your typical foam mattress. If you’re looking for something that has a bit more cushioning and contouring, take a look at the Nectar Classic.

While these beds both came in at a 7/10 on our firmness scale, I’d say the Nectar has more of a classic foam feel. Both are great options for back sleepers, but the Nectar may offer a bit more sinkage for side sleepers. Stomach sleepers, however, might like the lifted feel of the Bear Original more.

On top of that, both of these mattresses come in at the same budget-friendly price point: $649 for a queen-size mattress. 

A woman aims a temperature gun at the Nectar Classic mattress

Bear Original vs. Leesa Original

If you’re looking for a foam bed that’s even firmer than the Bear Original, you might like the Leesa Original. This mattress was a stunner in our performance test, earning 4s and above in each category, but it came in at a rather firm 8/10 on our firmness scale.

Our testers still believed the Leesa Original offered some impressive pressure relief, but this can vary depending on your own preference. Both the Leesa and Bear mattresses should be great picks for back and stomach sleepers, though the Leesa’s firmer profile should offer more support to heavyweight sleepers.

These mattresses also diverge in terms of price. The Leesa Original retails for a little over $1,000 for a queen, even with sales. The Bear Original is much more affordable at $649.

A tester resting on her side on the Leesa Original mattress

Bear Original vs. DreamCloud

The DreamCloud hybrid mattress is in a similar price bracket to the Bear Original, though it features coils instead of an all-foam construction. It’s a bit firmer than the Bear mattress, but our testers found it offered more pressure relief, even in the side-sleeping position.

Both beds have a more responsive feel, but the DreamCloud has a leg up with its coil unit. The Bear Original has better motion isolation, though, if you plan on sharing the bed with a restless partner.

As mentioned both mattresses are great for shoppers looking for a bed at an affordable price. The DreamCloud is a bit more expensive at around $800 for a queen. The Bear will only run you about $650. 

Heavyweight tester Matt resting on his side on the DreamCloud Classic Hybrid

Bear Original Mattress FAQs

Is the Bear Original mattress comfortable?

Yes, the Bear Original is plenty comfortable! It’s a high-quality mattress with a balanced foam feel. It falls around medium-firm on the firmness scale, and it’s great for back sleepers who need a lot of lift and just a smidge of contouring. 

What are the pros and cons of a Bear mattress?

The Bear mattress is great for back sleepers, couples, and most hot sleepers. However, it might be too firm for some side sleepers, too supportive for heavier stomach sleepers, and it doesn’t offer super deep contouring. 

Can you flip a Bear Original Mattress?

No, the Bear Original mattress can only be used on one side. If you’re looking to increase longevity, consider rotating your Bear mattress a couple times a year. 

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Livvi DiCicco

Livvi DiCicco

Staff Writer, Certified Sleep Science Coach, Certified Stress Management Coach

About Author

Livvi has been writing and researching sleep-based content for over a year. This, alongside her penchant for napping and extreme tossing and turning, has made her something close to an “expert” in the realm of sleep science, sleep products, and sleep accessories. She’s been consulted for her knowledge of the sleep space by publications such as Authority Magazine, Bustle, and Livingetc.