bear logo
Review
9.3
Sale! 30% Off + 2 FREE Pillows
  • Three firmness levels
  • Works for all body types
  • 120 night trial & lifetime warranty

Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress Review

Updated October 2024
We receive referral fees from the brands listed below.
Michelle Griczika
Medicine
Written by
Dr. Ifran Saddique
Medicine
Medically reviewed by

Summary

bear mattress on bed
About Bear Sleep:

Founded in 2014, Bear Mattress is a family-owned company known for designing sleep products targeted at promoting wellness and restful sleep, especially for active individuals. They utilize advanced technologies such as FDA-determined Celliant® and CertiPUR-US® certified foams in their mattresses and sleep accessories, backed by customer-friendly policies and a commitment to community welfare.

  • Hybrid design: The Bear Elite mattress is a high-end hybrid mattress combining a hand-quilted cover, three layers of foam, and individually encased coils.

  • Firmness options: The Bear Hybrid mattress has a 14” thickness profile and is available in three firmness levels: soft, medium, and firm.
  • Firmness ratings: Regarding firmness, most Bear Hybrid mattress reviews rate the soft model 5, medium 6, and the firm version 7 on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the firmest.
  • Customizable options: The three mattresses differ slightly in terms of cost. But there’s a Bear Elite Hybrid mattress for any body shape and sleeping position.
  • Performance highlights: During our Bear Hybrid mattress review, this model performed exceptionally in comfort, support, fast response time, and moderate sinkage. It scored slightly above average in temperature regulation, edge support, and motion transfer.
  • Convenient shipping: The Bear Hybrid mattress is a bed in a box and ships free in 3-10 business days.
  • Trial and warranty: The mattress comes with a 120-night trial and has free returns and a lifetime warranty.
  • Made in the USA: The Bear Elite Hybrid is made and assembled in the USA. It’s owned by Bear Mattress, which was acquired by Brooklyn Beddings in 2022.

Quick Overview

The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress offers exceptional comfort, support, and temperature regulation. It comes with free returns, a 120-night trial, and a lifetime warranty. Although slightly pricier than other hybrid mattresses, it provides a high-quality sleep experience.
Sale! 30% Off + 2 FREE Pillows
icon
Trial 120-Night Trial
icon
Warranty Lifetime
icon
Shipping/Returns & Returns
icon
Mattress Type Hybrid
icon
Firmness 3 Firmness Options

Who is the Bear Mattress Ideal For?

There are several factors to consider when determining the ideal candidates for a particular mattress. The most important are mattress firmness level, support, pressure relief, sinkage, and edge support. Your weight, body shape, sleeping position, personal preferences, and whether you will share it with a sleep partner also matter when buying a mattress.

In our Bear Hybrid mattress review, we determined it would be ideal for:

  • Sleepers across all body weights. There is a Bear Elite mattress for lightweight, average-weight, and heavy folks. 

  • All sleeping positions (back, side, stomach, and combination sleepers).

  • Hot sleepers looking for a mattress that handles temperature regulation well.

  • Couples who prefer a hybrid mattress with above-average motion isolation and edge support.

  • Individuals with back, hip, and shoulder pain.

Bear Mattress Firmness

The Bear Elite Hybrid is available in three firmness levels: soft, medium, and firm. Our Bear mattress review team rated the soft model 5 stars on the 10-point mattress firmness scale. The medium version scores a 6, while the firm model feels like a 7.

Your ideal Bear mattress firmness will come down to your weight and primary sleeping position. We’ll discuss this in detail in another section below. But generally speaking, the lighter you are, the softer the mattress should be, and vice versa. The medium Bear Elite Hybrid is the most popular of the three. That’s partly because it responds to pressure points while offering good support. 

Bear Mattress Construction

The Bear mattress construction features a blend of foam layers and coils, giving it a total height of 14”. This height profile makes it a favorite among people looking for an ultra-plush mattress and overweight individuals who prefer a bed that balances adequate support and comfort. 

Let’s quickly break down the Bear mattress layers and their role in delivering a comfortable sleeping surface. 

Layers Description
2” Hand-quilted Cushion Cover The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress cover is made of a Phase Change Material (PCM) fabric hand-quilted with Celliant fiber. Celliant is a proprietary performance textile made from a blend of Thermo-reactive minerals. It has four characteristics that make it a great choice in high-end mattresses: soft, lightweight, highly breathable, and an excellent performer in moisture management. Together with the PCM fabric, the Celliant fiber creates a sleeping surface that’s cool to the touch, and this should help cool you down if you are a hot sleeper
1” Comfort Layer The comfort layer in the Bear mattress is a copper-infused memory foam layer. Memory foam is often used as the primary comfort layer in mattresses because it reacts to the sleeper’s body heat and pressure to create its characteristic body-hugging sensation. This allows it to soften and mold itself to your body shape, thus providing relief in high-pressure points, such as the neck, shoulders, and hips
Bear infuses copper into its memory foam for its thermal and anti-microbial properties. As an excellent conductor of heat, copper prevents heat build-up by allowing your body heat to dissipate quickly. And with its anti-microbial properties, copper naturally prevents your mattress from harboring bacteria, viruses, and odors
2” Dynamic Transition Layer Below the memory foam layer is a 2” neutral, responsive proprietary poly foam slab. It reinforces the primary comfort layer by providing contoured support for enhanced pressure relief and spinal alignment. The Dynamic transition layer also provides a buffer by smoothing your transition to the sturdy support core
8” Support System The Bear Elite Hybrid’s support system features hundreds of individually pocketed coils. Being individually encased means that each coil responds to pressure independently. Because of this, the support system provides targeted support by contouring your body shape, which promotes spinal alignment. Another standout feature in this Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review is the 5-zone design of the support system. Zoning means that the support layer has areas that offer more support than the rest. Zoning aims to provide the right amount of support necessary to different areas of your body for good sleep posture
1” High-Density Support Foam The bottom layer of the Bear mattress is a block of high-density polyfoam that supports and stabilizes all the layers above it. It also promotes durability and locks in any squeaking noises from the coils

 

layers of bear mattress
Sale! 30% Off + 2 FREE Pillows

Are Bear Mattresses Good?

The best way to tell whether the Bear Elite Hybrid is a good mattress is by looking at how it performs on various fronts.
person on mattress icon

Bear Mattress Back Pain

The Bear Elite appears in most reviews of the best mattresses for back pain thanks to its numerous back-supporting properties. By combining a zoned system of pocketed coils that move independently with memory foam, the Bear Hybrid mattress provides body-hugging comfort and targeted support to relieve pressure points and soothe back pains.
9
0
5
10
Poor
Excellent
cooling mattress icon

Bear Mattress Cooling

Looking at how the Bear Elite mattress is made, it’s clear that Bear was intentional in designing a mattress that does not overheat. Almost every Bear mattress layer has a feature or technology that promotes temperature regulation. The top cover has Phase Change Material and Celliant, which absorb body heat. The memory foam comfort layer is infused with copper, which boasts the highest thermal conductivity. Plus, the spaces between the pocketed coils in the support system allow air to flow freely through the bed, creating a cooler sleeping surface. 

8
0
5
10
Poor
Excellent
feather on mattress icon

Bear Mattress Motion Isolation

Hybrid mattresses come second after all-foam beds in terms of motion isolation. Because each coil moves only when pressure is applied directly to it, the Bear mattress can better localize movement and prevent its transfer to other parts of the mattress. We can’t compare it to an all-foam mattress. But the Bear Elite Hybrid is one of the best options for couples who want a mattress that greatly minimizes disturbance without sacrificing support, bounce, and temperature regulation. 

7.5
0
5
10
Low Motion Isolation
High Motion Isolation
ball on spring mattress icon

Bear Mattress Edge Support

Solid edge support is necessary if you find yourself sleeping on the “cliff” of your bed. A mattress with a stable edge is strong enough to support your weight while lying or sitting close to the sides. 

Perusing most Bear Elite Hybrid mattress reviews, you can tell that edge support is one of Bear mattress’s strong points. That’s because the Bear mattress has a reinforced perimeter. This means that the coils used around the edges are thicker, offering higher pressure resistance. The firm and medium versions of the Bear mattress perform better than the soft model in this regard. 

8
0
5
10
Poor
Excellent
bed icon

Bear Hybrid Mattress and Sex

Hybrid mattresses are among the best options for sex, and the Bear Elite proves that. Because it combines foam and pocketed coils, the Bear mattress balances bounce, responsiveness, and cushioning to make sex more enjoyable.

A bouncy mattress means that you get good energy returns. Responsiveness means you can move and change positions easily. Lastly, the foam layers on top cushion your sharp points, for instance, knees, elbows, and shoulders, to prevent pressure build-up. Lastly, hybrid mattresses are usually significantly quieter than their traditional innerspring alternatives. 

8.5
0
5
10
Poor
Excellent
mattress off gassing icon

Bear Mattress Off-gassing

The Bear Elit Hybrid is a bed-in-a-box, meaning it will emit a chemical smell when you unwrap it. But Bear mattresses use CertiPUR-US foams, meaning the off-gassing is not overwhelming. Most Bear mattress reviews from current users affirm that the chemical smell dissipates within a few hours and is completely gone in a few days. 

Sleeping Styles

So far, we’ve seen how the Bear mattress performs in terms of cooling, edge support, motion isolation, and pressure relief. Let’s take this Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review a notch higher by looking at how it supports sleepers across different sleeping positions and weights. 

side sleeper icon
Bear Mattress for Side Sleepers

Light Side Sleepers (Under 130 lbs)
The soft Bear Elite Hybrid mattress is a good fit for lightweight side sleepers because it's cushy enough to cradle their hips and shoulders and maintain proper spinal alignment. 

Average-weight Side Sleepers (130-250 lbs)
Side sleepers in this weight category want a cushy mattress to let their hips and shoulders sink into the comfort layers. However, the mattress shouldn't be too plush, or else gravity will pull their spine out of alignment. Most side sleepers between 130-250 lbs will appreciate sleeping on the medium Bear Hybrid Elite. 

Heavy Side Sleepers (250+ lbs) 
Heavy folks who sleep on their side should find the firm Bear Elite mattress adequate for their comfort and support needs.

back sleeper icon
Bear Mattress for Stomach Sleepers

Light Stomach Sleepers (Under 130 lbs)
The medium Bear Elite Hybrid will appeal to Stomach sleepers under 130 lbs. Unlike the soft model, the medium version will keep the spine in neutral alignment, preventing it from sagging uncomfortably into the mattress. 

Average-weight Stomach Sleepers (130-250 lbs)
Stomach sleepers in this weight range will prefer more pushback than the soft Bear Elite provides. We'd advise average-weight stomach sleepers to consider the firm model of the Bear Elite. 

Heavy Stomach Sleepers (250+ lbs)
The firm model of this mattress will accommodate most plus-size stomach sleepers. With its exceptional firm sleep surface and solid support system, the firm Bear Elite Hybrid feels customized for stomach sleeping. The minimally conforming comfort section has enough give to cushion the chest, stomach, hips, and knees.

stomach sleeper icon
Bear Mattress for Back Sleepers

Light Back Sleepers (Under 130 lbs)
Lightweight back sleepers tend to fare better on the medium version of the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress. This mattress's zoned support system and multiple comfort layers will offer plenty of support for the shoulders and hips while preventing pressure buildup. 

Average-weight Back Sleepers (130-250 lbs)
Most average-weight back sleepers will do best on the medium version of the Bear Elite Hybrid. We expect this model to be strong and sturdy enough to provide enough contour and pressure relief without feeling too stiff. 

Heavy Back Sleepers (250+ lbs)
Heavy back sleepers should sleep soundly on the firm version of the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress. Heavy folks who sleep on their back prefer a firm mattress, especially one with zoned support, to prevent their hips and shoulders from dipping into the mattress. The reinforced perimeter means that big-bodied folks have extra usable sleeping space. It also makes the mattress more durable for heavy sleepers.

Sale! 30% Off + 2 FREE Pillows

Bear Mattress Price and Sizes

The Bear Hybrid mattress price is slightly above what typical hybrid mattresses cost. But for an American-made, 14" multi-layer hybrid mattress designed with quality sleep in mind, we'd say it's worth the splurge. The Bear mattress value is highlighted in its high-end top layer, copper-infused memory foam comfort layer, and zoned coil system with reinforced edges. 

There are 7 Bear mattress sizes available on this manufacturer's website:

  1. Twin 
  2. Twin xl 
  3. Full 
  4. Queen
  5. King
  6. California king
  7. Split King

The price of Bear mattresses may be higher than most individuals' budgets. But we've seen Bear offer discounts of up to 35% plus free accessories, including pillows and sheets. 

To check the full Bear pricing Click Here

Bear Mattress Customer Service

Bear Mattress Shipping 

Bear mattresses are compressed in the factory and shipped to your doorstep in a large cardboard box measuring about 45" by 20" by 20". Shipping is free for contiguous states. But there may be a shipping fee for buyers in Alaska and Hawaii. 

Bear Mattress Sleep Trial 

The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress comes with a 120-night trial period. Bear recommends sleeping on the mattress for at least 30 days before deciding whether to keep or return it. Thirty days is when the body adjusts to a new mattress. 

Bear Mattress Return 

If you decide, after the 30th night since the date of delivery and before your 120th day, that the Bear Elite Hybrid is not working for you, you can initiate the return process by emailing Bear's returns department. Bear mattress returns are free.

Bear Mattress Warranty

The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress is sold with a lifetime limited warranty that covers the original purchaser from the date of purchase. The Bear mattress warranty covers visible indentations 1.5" or deeper, so long as they don't result from a faulty, improper, or unsupportive base. 

Our Mattress Verdict

That marks the end of this Bear Hybrid mattress review! Overall, we think the Bear Elite Hybrid is a worthy consideration if you are in the market for a luxurious hybrid mattress that’s more accommodating. Its price before discounts is a bit on the higher side. But if you want a model that allows you to pick your ideal firmness level, then the Bear Elite hybrid mattress will make more sense. And because it comes in three different firmness levels, the Bear Elite Hybrid is a good mattress for all sleeping positions and body weights. Most Bear mattress reviews affirm that the Elite Hybrid is a good option for hot sleepers, couples, and even individuals with back pains.

Pros
  • Great comfort, support, and temperature regulation
  • Offers free returns, 120-night trial, and lifetime warranty
Cons
  • Slightly pricier than other hybrid mattresses

Common Questions (FAQ)

The Bear Elite is a 14” hybrid mattress comprising five layers. The cool-to-the-touch cover has a PCM fabric hand-quilted with Celliant fiber. The comfort layers consist of copper-infused memory foam and Dynamic transition foam. The support layer is a system of individually encased spring coils with zoned support and a reinforced perimeter. The final layer is a block of high-density foam upon which the coils sit. 

No. The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress cover is not removable and can’t be washed. Bear recommends spot-cleaning spills and stains with warm water and a mild detergent solution. 
 
The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress has a quilted top cover, zoned support, and reinforced perimeters. Plus, it’s notably taller than typical hybrid mattresses. We expect the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress to last 7-10 years with proper care. 
 
Sale! 30% Off + 2 FREE Pillows
Dr. Ifran Saddique
Medicine

Dr. Ifran Saddique

MD

Dr. Saddique completed his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the Combined Military Hospital Medical and Dental College between 2012 and 2017. His rigorous medical training has provided him with a solid foundation in medical sciences and clinical practice. He has held the position of Medical Doctor at St. Bartholomew Hospital, Barts NHS Trust since May 2023, where he has been actively involved in delivering high-quality healthcare services. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Medical Superintendent at Children Hospital. Moreover, Dr. Irfan specializes in medical content writing and has provided his knowledge and expertise on many blogs and articles on health and fitness, behavioral health, and medical issues.

Read full bio

Looking for something else?

    • Great value memory foam mattress
    • 365-Night Home Trial
    • Free Shipping
    • Forever warranty
    9.7
    • Luxury hybrid construction
    • 365-Night Sleep trial & free Shipping
    • Lifetime warranty
    • As low as 0% financing with affirm
    9.8
    • 365-night home trial
    • Lifetime warranty
    • Free white glove delivery
    9.5
Picture
Early bird or a Night owl, Are you getting enough sleep?
Sleep calculator
Picture
Are you sleeping on the right mattress for you?
Take a quick quiz