Bear vs. Nectar
The past two decades saw the rise of memory foam mattresses. Although the earliest variety of memory foam was developed by NASA in 1966, it wasn’t until the early 1990s that this innovation hit the consumer market.
From then on, memory foam mattresses have enjoyed a reputation for their remarkable quality and comfort. They are known for their ability to provide extraordinary support, body contouring, and pressure point relief, and their design can also involve some special materials and technologies which can encourage faster muscle recovery, help handle body heat, deal with allergens, etc.
To illustrate all the benefits of memory foam mattresses incorporating special technologies within their construction, we have picked the two highest-quality all-foam mattresses, Bear and Nectar that we’ll compare in today’s review and help you realize why an all-foam mattress may be the right pick for you. Last updated
Bear
Construction and Materials
The Bear mattress is a 10″ thick memory foam mattress made up of 3 layers of graphite gel-infused memory foam, quick response foam, and core support foam wrapped in a Celliant cover.
- 1″ Top comfort layer – This layer is made of 1″ of graphite-infused memory foam designed to provide cooling and comfort. Graphite-infused memory foam has been shown to be 7 times cooler than traditional memory foam.
- 2.5″ Middle support layer – This layer is made of 2.5″ of quick response foam and provides responsive support and pressure relief. The special proprietary Bear Quick Response Foam used here provides faster responsiveness when changing positions during the night.
- 6.5″ Bottom foundation layer – This layer is made of 6.5″ of core support foam that provides deep compression support and serves as the foundation for the layers above.
The Bear has a cover made of polyester and Celliant. Celliant cooling technology within this cover converts body heat into infrared light, helps with muscle recovery, and ensures a quality sleep, which makes this mattress ideal for athletes and those with an active lifestyle.
Firmness and Support
The Bear mattress is a universal comfort mattress coming in at a 7 on the firmness scale (10 being firmest). The combination of graphite gel-infused memory foam and quick response foam in the comfort and support layers provides a somewhat firmer feel, but with time the mattress perfectly adapts to your body.
Andrew as a heavier sleeper than me felt the Bear was on the firmer side, which is often the case for him with many universal comfort memory foam mattresses. This is because he tends to compress through thinner top comfort layers and feel the underlying firmer foundation layers beneath, but I felt it was just right as I generally prefer mattresses with a firmer feel. With time, however, it totally adapted to our bodies and seemed less firm to Andrew.
Bear mattress queen size
The 10-inch design of this mattress and the combination of different foam layers in its construction provide a good support for various sleep positions. The 3.5″ comfort layer provides enough responsiveness and bounce and works together with the underlying core support layer to prevent you from sinking too much in the mattress, and it is especially good for heavier sleepers like my boyfriend.
Comfort
The graphite gel-infused memory foam, a quick response foam, and overall construction of this mattress provide a comfortable sleep in all sleeping positions.
The mattress quickly responds to changes in position during the night, and it does not cause the feeling of being stuck in foam typical for most memory foam mattresses.
The Bear mattress also has a good degree of bounce coming from the responsive foam layer used in its construction, which is especially beneficial for late night’s amorous activities of couples.
Bear mattress profile view
Sleeping Hot
The Bear mattress sleeps quite cool due to its use of the graphite gel-infused memory foam known to sleep 7x cooler than traditional foam. It not only stimulates faster muscle recovery but also prevents heat retention and creates a cool and comfortable sleep surface that allows continuous and restful sleep.
Sinkage and Motion Transfer
There was an average amount of sinkage with the Bear mattress, but this was mostly due to Andrew’s heavier weight (230 lbs).
When sitting up or near the edge, he compressed the mattress to a certain degree. However, when lying prone on the bed during the night, the mattress did a good job at supporting his body, and it distributed his weight evenly. As a lighter sleeper, I did not sink into the mattress so much.
As for motion transfer, there is a moderate amount of it with the Bear due to the use of the responsive memory foam layer in its construction, but it is nothing too serious to disturb your sleep during the night.
Smell / Off-Gassing
The Bear Mattress has a minimal amount of off-gassing upon opening the box, which is to be expected due to its all foam construction and the nature of its delivery. However, any smell that is present dissipates within a few hours.
Customer Service:
- 100 Night Sleep Trial
- 10 Year Warranty
- Made in America
- No questions asked return policy
- Free Shipping
Price
The Bear is reasonably priced coming in at $850 for a Queen, but you can get it for only $800 with $50 memoryfoamtalk.com coupon.
Click here to read the full Bear mattress review.
Nectar
Construction and Materials
The Nectar is an 11″ all foam mattress made up of 4 layers of various foams.
- 1″ Top Comfort Layer – This layer is 1″ of quilted foam that is sewn into the cover that is designed to improve airflow and relieve pressure points, while providing softness and a luxurious feel to the top, and it also provides pain relief.
- 1″ Support Layer – This layer is 1″ of 4lb patented Lush Foam semi-open fast-recovery gel memory foam, which provides primary support and aids in cooling and comfort.
- 3″ Transition Layer – This layer is 3″ of 3lb medical grade cooling gel embedded foam that acts as a transitional support layer between the upper and lower layers and also aids in cooling.
- 6″ Foundation Layer – This layer is 6″ of high-density foam that acts as the foundation and provides deep compression support.
Nectar mattress layers
The cover of the Nectar mattress is made up of soft, long staple cotton that includes Tencel – a fabric more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk, and cooler than linen. It adds to the soft and luxurious feel of this bed, allows the circulation of air through the upper layer to improve airflow and circulation, and is naturally resistant to bed bugs.
Nectar mattress cover
Nectar Sleep is unique in that it offers its customers the option to replace the cover at no charge. Therefore, if the existing cover wears out, you don’t have to spend your money on buying a new mattress when you can simply replace the cover.
Firmness and Support
The Nectar mattress, like the Bear, only comes in one firmness option which is medium-firm, and scores 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest.
Its top comfort layer provides a soft, luxurious feel, while the underlying support layers made of dense foam provide firmer support below and do not allow heavier sleepers like Andrew who is 230lbs to press through the top comfort layers and come to rest on the base support layers.
The Nectar provides good support for all sleeping positions. It provides the necessary support for back and stomach sleeping and it provides enough give in the top comfort layer to perfectly hug and mold to hips and shoulders when sleeping on your side.
Nectar mattress – side view
Comfort
The Nectar is a very comfortable mattress. The top layer with its Tencel cover provides a soft and supple sleeping environment, while the layers below consisting of gel foam and adaptive foam support and contour the body during sleep.
These underlying layers also provide the needed response when switching positions during the night and a nice degree of push-back and bounce ideal for late-night amorous activities of couples.
Sleeping Hot
The Nectar mattress does a good job at reducing heat, sleeping cool, and eliminating sweating and the feeling of stickiness present with many other memory foam mattresses. This is due to its multiple gel-infused foam layers and the quilted foam within the cover that allows easier circulation of air.
Sinkage and Motion Transfer
The Nectar does a pretty good job in this category. It does not cause too much sinkage when lying or sitting on the mattress due to the high-quality dense foam layers used in its construction.
Edge support with this mattress is also good, and it prevents you from rolling off of the bed when sitting or sleeping near the edge.
Nectar mattress – profile and logo
Motion transfer with the Nectar mattress, unlike with the Bear, is almost non-existent due to its all-foam construction known for its capability of reducing the motion transfer when adjusting positions or getting in and out of bed during the night.
Smell / Off-Gassing
Nectar gets high marks in this category too for not having any noticeable smell upon opening the box. There is not much off-gassing and odor with this mattress as it is the case with many other memory foam mattresses, and any smell present dissipates within 24 hours.
Customer Service:
- 365 night Trial period
- “Forever Warranty” for the life of the mattress
- Free Shipping
- 100% money back guarantee for Returns / Refunds
Price
Nectar is reasonably priced, coming in at $799 for a Queen. This is a great price for a mattress of such high quality.
Click here to read the full Nectar mattress review.
Bear vs. Nectar Mattress Comparison
Below is our comprehensive side-by-side comparison of the Bear vs. Nectar mattress.
| Bear | Nectar | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers | 1″ of graphite infused memory foam, 2.5″ of quick response foam, 6.5″ of core support foam | 1″ of quilted foam, 1″ of 4lb patented Lush Foam, 3″ of 3lb medical grade cooling gel embedded foam, 6″ of high-density foam |
| Height | 10" | 11″ |
| Cover | Made of polyester and Celliant | Soft, long staple cotton including Tencel |
| Firmness | 7 out of 10 | 6 out of 10 |
| Support | Very good | Very good |
| Motion Transfer | Moderate amount of motion transfer | Very minimal |
| Price-Queen | $840 | $850 |
| Price-King | $940 | $950 |
| Warranty | 10 years | Everlong warranty |
| Trial Period | 100 days | 365 days |
| Shipping | Free shipping | Free shipping |
| Refunds & Returns | No questions asked return policy | 100% money back guarantee for Refunds & Returns |
Which Mattress Is Right for You?
Choose Bear mattress if you like:
- Memory foam feel without the feeling of being trapped – The layer of responsive memory foam within this mattress allows you to change positions during the night, and it does not cause the feeling of being stuck in foam typical for most memory foam mattresses.
- A cool-sleeping mattress – The unique design of this mattress combining the graphite gel-infused memory foam and the Celliant does a good job at regulating temperature and keeping this mattress cool throughout the entire night.
- Leading an active lifestyle – Celliant cooling technology incorporated within the cover of the Bear mattress converts body heat into infrared light, helps with muscle recovery, and ensures a quality sleep, which makes this mattress ideal for athletes and those with an active lifestyle
Choose Nectar mattress if you like:
- A medium feel –The Nectar comes in only one firmness option, which is a medium-firm scoring 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest, and it is suitable for sleepers of different firmness preferences and different weights.
- A full memory foam mattress – The Nectar is a full memory foam mattress composed of the highest-quality memory foam layers. It offers the sleepers many benefits of traditional memory foam such as deep compression, pressure relief, more hug and contour, minimal motion transfer, etc. while at the same time provides enough support and eliminates the feeling of being trapped in foam that many classic memory foam mattresses cause.
- A very supportive mattress – As it has been already mentioned, this mattress offers enough support for all sleeping positions which makes it ideal for sleepers of different weights.
- Responsiveness and bounce – The underlying gel foam and adaptive foam layers of the Nectar mattress provide the needed response when switching positions during the night and a nice degree of push-back and bounce ideal for late-night amorous activities of couples.
