Bear Original Mattress — 2 Years Old
About the Bear Original
The Bear Original is Bear Mattress's entry-level product. Bear built their brand around athletes and recovery — their marketing has always emphasized faster muscle recovery and better sleep for active people. The Bear Original is their most affordable option, coming in at around $700-900 for a Full size.
Unlike the Bear Elite Hybrid with its 5-zone coil system, the Bear Original is a straightforward all-foam mattress. It's about 8.5-9 inches tall with just 2 layers. Sometimes simpler is better — let me show you what's inside.
Measuring the Mattress
The mattress measures as advertised. The Full size came in at 58 inches wide, which is standard for a Full. Height came in around 8.5-9 inches — slightly shorter than the 10 inches Bear claims on their site. This is common with all-foam mattresses; they often compress slightly over time.
Inside: The 2-Layer Construction
The Bear Original cut open, showing both foam layers
The Bear Original has a simple 2-layer design. Here's what's inside:
Layer 1: Cooling Gel Memory Foam
The top layer is cooling gel-infused memory foam. This is the comfort layer — the part you feel when you lay down. The gel infusion is meant to help draw heat away from your body. Memory foam tends to sleep hot, so gel helps counteract that.
The foam layers exposed — you can see the different densities
Layer 2: High-Density Support Foam
The majority of the mattress is the support foam base. This is high-density polyfoam that gives the mattress its structure and prevents you from bottoming out. This layer is what determines how long the mattress lasts — if it breaks down, the whole mattress fails.
The foam quality is decent for this price point, but this is a basic construction. The support layer feels appropriately dense — not the cheap, squishy foam you find in budget mattresses. However, the comfort layer is thin, which is why this mattress feels more medium-firm than plush. The 2-layer design means there's no transition foam to prevent you from feeling the firm base. All foam is CertiPUR-US certified, which means it meets standards for low emissions and no harmful chemicals.
The Cover
Bear gives you two cover options with the Bear Original:
- Standard Breathable Cover — A basic quilted cover made with Tencel fibers, designed to be soft and breathable
- Celliant Cover (Upgrade) — Bear's signature cover that's woven with Celliant fiber, which they claim converts body heat into infrared energy to promote circulation and recovery
The cover is well-made with clean stitching. Whether the Celliant upgrade is worth it is debatable — there's some research behind Celliant fabric, but I wouldn't buy a mattress just for that feature. The standard cover is perfectly fine for most people.
Edge Support
Edge support is the Achilles heel of all-foam mattresses. Without a coil system or reinforced edges, all-foam beds tend to compress significantly when you sit or sleep near the edge.
The Bear Original has typical all-foam edge support — which is to say, not great. When I sit on the edge, I sink down noticeably. This isn't a flaw specific to Bear; it's just how all-foam mattresses work. If you need strong edge support (for sitting on the edge of the bed, or sleeping near the edge), consider a hybrid like the Bear Elite Hybrid instead.
Fiberglass Check
Bear does not use fiberglass in any of their mattresses. They use alternative fire barriers to meet federal flame retardant requirements.
No Fiberglass
Bear Original does not contain fiberglass.
All Bear mattresses are GREENGUARD Gold certified, which means they meet strict standards for low chemical emissions. This certification is harder to get if you're using fiberglass, so it's another indicator that Bear is using cleaner materials.
Who This Mattress Is For
Good For
- People who want a simple, no-frills foam mattress
- Stomach and back sleepers (medium-firm works well)
- Those who prefer foam over springs
- Light to average weight sleepers
- Budget-conscious buyers who still want quality
- Athletes or active people interested in the Celliant cover
Probably Not For
- Side sleepers who need more cushioning for hips/shoulders
- Heavier sleepers (may compress through the thin comfort layer)
- People who need strong edge support
- Couples who want minimal motion transfer (hybrids do better)
- Those who sleep very hot (all-foam retains more heat)
Bear Original vs Bear Elite Hybrid
If you're deciding between the Bear Original and the Bear Elite Hybrid, here's the quick breakdown:
- Price: Bear Original is about half the cost ($700-900 vs $1,600-2,200 for a Full/Queen)
- Cooling: Elite Hybrid has copper-infused foam and PCM cover; Original has basic gel foam
- Support: Elite Hybrid has 5-zone coils; Original is foam-only
- Edge Support: Elite Hybrid has reinforced coils; Original has typical foam edges
- Height: Elite Hybrid is 14"; Original is 8.5-9"
The Elite Hybrid is clearly the premium option, but the Original is a solid budget alternative if you don't need the bells and whistles.
My Take
The Bear Original is a decent mid-range all-foam mattress. It's not trying to be fancy — it's a 2-layer foam bed with cooling gel and a support base. The construction is solid and the materials are certified.
Where it falls short is typical for all-foam mattresses: the edge support isn't great, and the 1.5" comfort layer is thin, which makes this better for back and stomach sleepers than side sleepers.
At around $700-900 for a Full, you're getting a competent mattress from a reputable brand. It's not as exciting as the Bear Elite Hybrid, but it's also half the price.
If you want a basic foam mattress that won't break the bank and you're not a side sleeper, the Bear Original is worth considering. Just don't expect amazing edge support or the luxury feel of a hybrid.
Check Current Pricing
See current prices and any available discounts on Bear's site.
View Bear Original →