Bear and Leesa are two bed-in-a-box mattress companies who make their bedding in the USA. Bear specially constructs their mattresses with athletes in mind. They include technology that improves blood flow, and have several professional athletes who stand behind their product. Leesa is a socially committed business with one of the highest scoring beds on Mattress Advisor.
So which mattress is right for you? In this comparison, we’ll cover highlights, prices, dimensions, inner construction, and the results of our comprehensive lab evaluation. We also conclude with recommendations for different considerations when searching for the perfect mattress.
Bear vs Leesa: A Brief Overview
Customer Rating
MA Score
Summary
Firmness
Type
Trial Period
Warranty
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.6/10
Summary
Known to help relieve pressure points and aid in muscle recovery
Firmness
Medium firm: 7.1/10
Type
Memory foam with graphite gel
Trial Period
100 days
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.1/10
Summary
Foam blend mattress that's ideal for the average sleeper
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
Type
Foam combo
Trial Period
100 days
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Bear
Leesa
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.6/10
8.1/10
Summary
Known to help relieve pressure points and aid in muscle recovery
Foam blend mattress that's ideal for the average sleeper
Firmness
Medium firm: 7.1/10
Medium-firm: 6/10
Type
Memory foam with graphite gel
Foam combo
Trial Period
100 days
100 days
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
10-year limited warranty
Key Similarities:
- Both beds are constructed of all-foam layers.
- Bear and Leesa offer 100-night sleep trials and 10-year limited warranties for their mattresses.
- The Bear and Leesa mattresses each have a firmness level of 6.5/10.
Key Differences:
- The Bear mattress uses Celliant yarn and graphite to provide a cool, rejuvenating sleep experience, while the Leesa mattress keeps their foam layers simple.
- Leesa’s bed outperforms Bear’s for pressure relief, with an 8.5/10 score compared to Bear’s 7/10.
- Bear’s mattresses are $100-$400 cheaper than Leesa’s.
Bear Mattress Review Highlights
- Celliant Technology: Bear combines minerals and proprietary ingredients into the yarn that makes up their cover. This Celliant effect turns body heat into infrared energy that improves circulation, muscle recovery time, and overall wellness.
- Graphite-Gel Memory Foam: The graphite in Bear’s gel foam is high in thermal conductivity, meaning it helps regulate temperature. You can expect an especially cool sleep experience on this bed.
- Responsiveness: The original Bear mattress provides a memory foam feel with the responsiveness typically associated with hybrid mattresses. The foam layers quickly respond to your changes of position, keeping you supported in all sleep positions.
- Spinal Alignment: We gave the Bear mattress a high score for spinal alignment. The all-foam construction maintains a healthy sleeping posture, which prevents or relieves back pain.
- Cooling: The Bear is one of the most comfortable mattresses for hot sleepers due to its cooling technologies. This is especially unique for a memory foam mattress, which typically runs warm.
- Check out Bear’s other mattresses: Bear Hybrid and Bear Pro.
Leesa Mattress Review Highlights
- Top-Rated: The Leesa mattress topped our charts in every single category of our lab assessment, totalling 9.3/10—one of the highest scores on Mattress Advisor!
- Responsiveness: We gave in 9.5/10 for responsiveness, which is remarkable for an all-foam mattress and perfect for sleepers that tend to move around the bed at night.
- Motion Transfer: The Leesa bed also scored high for motion isolation with 9/10. You can count on uninterrupted rest when you sleep on a Leesa mattress with a partner, pet, or child.
- Spinal Alignment: Proper posture during sleep is instrumental in preventing back pain. Leesa’s mattress keeps your spine straight from head to tailbone in all sleeping positions.
- Pressure Relief: Leesa’s all-foam layers provide contouring to your sensitive pressure points. Side sleepers will fare especially well on this bed.
- Social Impact: Leesa has a One Good Bed Promise, where they donate a mattress to a child in need for every 10 mattress sold.
- Visit our reviews for Leesa’s other models: Leesa Hybrid, Leesa Legend, and Leesa Studio mattress.
Compare Mattress Sizes and Heights
Check out how Leesa and Bear compare in thickness, width, and length.
| Bear | Leesa | |
| Thickness | 10” | 10” |
| Twin | 39″ x 75″ | 39″ x 75″ |
| Twin XL | 39″ x 80″ | 39” x 80” |
| Full | 54″ x 75″ | 53” x 75” |
| Queen | 60″ x 80″ | 60” x 80” |
| King | 76″ x 80″ | 76” x 80” |
| California King | 72″ x 84″ | 72” x 84” |
Learn more about mattress sizes.
Compare Bear and Leesa Price Points
See if the Bear or Leesa mattress best fits your budget.
| Bear | Leesa | |
| Twin | $595 | $599 |
| Twin XL | $695 | $699 |
| Full | $895 | $895 |
| Queen | $995 | $999 |
| King | $1,195 | $1,299 |
| California King | $1,195 | $1,299 |
Inside the Bear Mattress
- Celliant Yarn Cover: Bear’s soft woven cover features Celliant technology that doesn’t wear out or wash out.
- Graphite-Infused Foam: This open-cell foam is cool to the touch and temperature regulating. It also cushions sensitive pressure points.
- Transition Foam: The transition layer provides extra bounce and responsiveness. Bear has labeled this their “hybrid foam.”
- High Density Support Foam: A durable base layer that prevents your from sinking into the body of the mattress and prevents premature sagging.
Inside the Leesa Mattress
- Twill Fabric Cover: The Leesa mattress cover is designed to look as good as it feels, with a sleek lined pattern and seamless edges.
- Memory Foam: A cushy top layer of memory foam alleviates stress on pressure points. The breathable construction helps to keep you cool by improving airflow through the foam.
- Responsive Foam: The second layer of memory foam provides additional pressure relief by contouring to your body’s curves. It also does a great job at isolation motion across the mattress surface.
- Support Foam: This support layer of dense foam keeps your body weight from causing premature sagging and improves the overall durability of the mattress.
Compare Personal Test Scores
Take a look at how the Bear and Leesa compared in our comprehensive lab evaluation.
| Bear | Leesa | |
| Shipping | 10 | 10 |
| Trial Period | 9 | 9 |
| Return Policy | 10 | 10 |
| Warranty | 9 | 9 |
| Set-Up Test | 7 | 8.5 |
| Motion Transfer Test | 7.75 | 9 |
| Edge Support Test | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Pressure Relief Test | 7 | 8.5 |
| Spinal Alignment Test | 8.5 | 9 |
| Responsiveness Test | 9 | 9.5 |
| Cooling Evaluation | 9 | 8.5 |
| Durability Evaluation | 8 | 9 |
| Customer Service Score | 9 | 9 |
| Social Impact Score | 6 | 10 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 |
Sleeping Position
Both of these mattresses are medium-firm on the firmness scale. The Leesa is the clear choice for side sleepers, who need extra pressure point relief. The Bear mattress is the better choice for back sleepers or stomach sleepers. Both mattresses scored really high in responsiveness, so either one suits combination sleepers.
Budget
Bear is the better budget mattress, ranging between $100-$400 cheaper than Leesa. Both companies offer financing through Affirm.
Sleep Environment
Hot sleepers will fare well with either of these high-scoring memory foam beds, but the Bear outperforms the Leesa. Between the Celliant cover and graphite-infused layers of foam, it regulates your temperature and directs heat away from your body.
The Leesa is the clear choice for couples and light sleepers. It scored a full point higher than the Bear mattress for motion isolation.
Buying Experience
The Bear and Leesa mattresses have almost identical buying experiences. They both offer:
- A 100-night sleep trial
- Fast free shipping
- A full refund for returns (minus original shipping costs for Bear customers and a $100 return fee for Leesa customers in Alaska and Hawaii)
- 10-year warranties for the original owners, covering body impressions, memory foam cracks, and manufacturer defects from normal use.
The only difference in buying experience is that you can try out a Leesa mattress in one of 88+ West Elm stores across the USA. Visit Leesa’s website to find the store nearest you
Final Decision: Which Is the Best Mattress?
Still can’t decide which is the best memory foam mattress for you? Reflect on which one works best for your sleeping position, budget, sleep environment, and ideal buying experience. Whichever you choose for your new mattress, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
More Comparisons Featuring Bear and Leesa:
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