When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Products or services may be offered by an affiliated entity. Learn more.
Bear Natural Mattress Review: Takes From Our Test Lab
Ranked #5 on our Best Organic Mattresses list
Designed with a springy and adaptive latex and foam comfort system and individually wrapped coils that are zoned for enhanced support where you need it, the Bear Natural promotes spinal alignment without sacrificing surface stability. It’s also breathable, stays cool, and has a reinforced perimeter for a strong edge.
- Zoned coil system enhances lumbar support
- Reinforced perimeter adds greater edge stability
- Balanced medium firm feel accommodates most sleep positions and body types
- Bouncy surface allows some motion transfer
- Contains synthetic components, which may not appeal to eco-conscious shoppers
Bear is a New Jersey-based mattress company that caters to athletes and other sleepers with active lifestyles. The flagship Bear Original uses an all-foam design, while the Bear Elite Hybrid, the Bear Star Hybrid, and the Bear Pro Hybrid pair foam comfort layers with supportive coils.
The Bear Natural Mattress is the company’s first latex hybrid model. This medium firm (6) bed incorporates natural materials and measures 13 inches thick. Compared to the brand’s other mattresses, the Bear Natural stands out by being the only model in the line that includes natural latex. This also gives it the highest price tag of any Bear model.
We put the Bear Natural through a series of tests at our Seattle-based lab and also had team members personally sleep on the bed. We’ll share our results and other key construction specs and company policies to help you decide if it’s a good fit.
SMART MATCHING
Is the Bear Natural Right for You?
Use the filters below to see how well the Bear Natural lines up with your unique needs. We'll also give you a couple other recommendations based on your answers.
TEST LAB RATINGS
How the Bear Natural Scored
Motion Isolation5.0/10
The Bear Natural Mattress’ moderate motion isolation is on par with many latex hybrid designs.
Because the top layer uses Talalay latex, which is naturally springy, some vibrations spread across the surface. The secondary polyfoam layer dampens the movement, though, and the individually pocketed coils help to minimize additional motion transfer.
We don’t expect this level of movement to cause problems for most sleepers, but those who wake up easily may notice it more.
Brad Nehring, Product Testing Manager: The floating sensation of the Bear Natural also helps to carry movement across the bed. It’s not the most noticeable effect, but you’ll feel it if your partner is tossing and turning.
Pressure Relief8.0/10
Thanks to its combination of cushioning and contouring, the Bear Natural Mattress’ pressure relief is similar to many of the best latex mattresses.
The cotton quilting cover softens the surface, while the Talalay latex comfort layer cradles the sleeper without hugging them too closely. Finally, the zoned pocketed coils target pressure relief and spinal support.
Mary Fenton, Head of Product Content: The Bear Natural’s cushy for a latex bed, and that definitely helps take the edge off as you lay on it. The floaty-ness under the cushioning doesn’t help with sore spots as much as memory foam, though.
Temperature Control7.0/10
The Bear Natural Mattress offers temperature control that’s in line with some of the best hybrid mattresses.
The organic cotton cover lets air circulate in and out of the mattress to limit heat retention. Additionally, air moves relatively freely through the Talalay latex layer and coil core to keep the sleep surface at a more neutral temperature.
Logan Foley, Executive Product Director: As a really hot sleeper, I was pretty happy on the Bear Natural. Coil cores have plenty of room for airflow, and latex is usually pretty breathable.
Edge Support7.0/10
The Bear Natural Mattress has stable edges thanks to coils that reinforce the core’s perimeter. The resulting usable surface area may appeal to couples and sleepers with mobility issues who need to sit before getting into or out of bed.
Most testing team members were able to lie along the sides of the bed without feeling like they were about to roll off. Those over 230 pounds felt slightly less secure.
Brad Nehring, Product Testing Manager: The Bear Natural’s coil core is rather strong. The edges provide plenty of pushback, bringing the bed’s edge support in line with other hybrid models.
Ease of Movement7.0/10
The Bear Natural’s latex hybrid design is quite responsive and helpful for facilitating movement. The buoyant Talalay latex layer spreads compression over the surface and springs back to its original shape when the sleeper moves so they don’t feel stuck in their own body impression. The coil core also adds bounce.
Our testers felt they could easily change positions and move across the mattress’ surface, making the Bear Natural well suited to active sleepers and those with mobility issues.
Logan Foley, Executive Product Director: I loved how bouncy this bed was. You can really feel the latex at work while you move around on it.
Durability9.0/10
The Bear Natural’s medium-firm surface holds up well against body impressions, and the thicker-than-average profile ensures that even with mild indentations, you shouldn’t be in danger of hitting the coils. Talalay latex isn’t quite as dense as Dunlop latex, and the Bear Natural Mattress has a layer of polyfoam that could contribute to some sinkage. However, we don’t believe these caveats will affect the longevity of this latex hybrid, likely around seven to eight years.
HANDS-ON TESTING
Testing Team Takeaways
To test the Bear Natural Mattress, we had three people on our testing team each take the bed home with them for one week. Here are their initial observations.
Brad Nehring
Product Testing Manager · Back sleeper · 215 lbs
Back sleeper · 215 lbs
The latex layers on the Bear Natural give you the slightest feeling of sinking in, but the surface really held my body on top of the bed — a bit of a floating sensation. My lumbar region was well supported and it was easy to move around the surface of the bed.
Mary Fenton
Head of Product Content · Combo Sleeper · 150 lbs
Combo Sleeper · 150 lbs
I agree with Brad here that the ″floaty″ feel of this bed really stands out. The Bear Natural is on the softer side for a latex hybrid, so I feel like I sank in a bit more than I expected to, but after a minute or two it was like I was floating on my back in water.
Logan Foley
Executive Product Director · Side sleeper · 140 lbs
Side sleeper · 140 lbs
The Bear Natural is a new latex hybrid that hits all the right marks. It’s cushioning and bouncy from the latex comfort layer and supportive in all the right places from the zoned coils. The fact that it’s made from nontoxic and natural materials is the icing on the cake.
Who it Fits
Fit by Sleep Position and Body Weight
Sizes, dimensions and weights
Side Sleepers
Most of our testers who sleep on their sides enjoyed the Bear Natural’s medium firm (6) feel and moderate contouring. The natural Talalay latex adds buoyant cradling to relieve pressure without restricting movement, while the polyfoam layer lets sleepers sink in without pressing against the support core. Thanks to the core’s zoned pocketed coils, our testers also felt that the bed helped them maintain good spinal alignment.
Testers over 130 pounds who sank into the surface a bit more deeply noted better pressure relief, but most team members under 130 pounds still felt comfortable lying on their sides.
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers on our testing team found that the Bear Natural’s cotton quilting, Talalay latex, and polyfoam worked together to cushion and contour their bodies while cradling the lumbar region to support good posture. Meanwhile, the coil core’s zoning prevented their hips from sinking excessively and misaligning the spine.
The Bear Natural’s medium firm feel was most suitable for our back sleepers under 230 pounds. While most testers over 230 pounds also received adequate support, those who carry more weight around their hips said they prefer a firmer mattress.
Stomach Sleepers
The Bear Natural earned the highest marks for stomach sleeping from our testers under 130 pounds, who praised its balanced, medium firm surface. They felt that the even plane supported their posture well, though some testers over 130 pounds noted that their lower back bent slightly.
Construction
Inside the Bear Natural
Cover
Organic Cotton
Comfort Layer
Talalay Latex, Polyfoam
Support Core
Pocketed CoilsPolyfoam
Other Bear Mattresses You Might Like
Bear Elite Hybrid
8.5/108.5/10 · $1,299 – $2,876
Hybrid · Medium (5), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Bear Original
7.8/107.8/10 · $398 – $1,075
Foam · Firm (7)
Bear Star Hybrid
8.0/108.0/10 · $974 – $2,078
Hybrid · Medium Firm (6)
Buying It
Trial, Warranty, and Delivery
365 Night
Sleep trial
Lifetime
Warranty
Free
Ground shipping (contiguous U.S.)
Availability
The Bear Natural Mattress is available through the official Bear website. Bear mattresses are also sold at select brick-and-mortar retailers throughout the U.S.
Shipping
When purchased directly from Bear, the Bear Natural Mattress ships for free within the contiguous U.S. Nonrefundable shipping fees may apply for orders to Alaska and Hawaii.
The mattress is compressed, rolled, and shipped in a box via FedEx. Orders typically arrive within 3 to 10 business days. The box is dropped off wherever the customer ordinarily receives large packages.
Additional Services
Bear offers White Glove delivery through a third-party hauling and furniture removal company. New mattress installation and old mattress removal cost $175. Alternatively, you can purchase new mattress setup or old mattress removal separately for $100 each. Additional service packages are available for bed base installation or removal.
Sleep Trial
When ordered directly from the company, the Bear Natural Mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial for first-time purchasers after a 30-night break-in period. Returns are eligible for a full refund within the trial window.
Warranty
The Bear Natural Mattress comes with a limited lifetime warranty. The nontransferable policy covers visible indentations 1.5 inches deep or more and flaws that cause the foam to crack or split. To qualify as a defect, the damage must not be due to abuse or misuse of the bed.
Bear offers to replace the mattress if a qualifying defect arises. While the customer is responsible for return shipping charges upfront, the company will cover transportation costs if it verifies that there’s a qualifying defect.
Brad is a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest who holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Western Washington University. As someone who has lived with sleep problems throughout his adult life, Brad is passionate about helping others get the rest they need. He’s professionally tested and reviewed sleep products for nearly a decade.