If you’re trying to decide between the Bear and Nectar mattress, you’ve come to the right place.
Here I’m going to go over the firmness, feel and construction of these two mattresses. And then dive into who should buy which mattress.
Table of Contents
Key Similarities
Let’s start with the key similarities between the Bear and Nectar mattresses.
There are a lot because these are two very similar mattresses. Both have a very similar firmness.
Both of these mattresses are also going to have a similar feel. They’re both going to feel like a classic memory foam mattress.
They also both have very similar base layers, which is going to add a lot of structure and support to these mattresses.
Key Differences
Even though these mattresses are very similar, there are some key differences between them.
First off the Bear is going to be a thinner mattress. The nectar also is going to be not only thicker but it has a thick comfort layer that’s going to make it better for side sleepers, as they will find more pressure relief on the Nectar,
Finally the Bear has Celliant woven into its cover. Because the Bear was originally designed for athletes, the Celliant is going to help with muscle recovery as well as other health benefits.
The Nectar doesn’t have this feature in their cover.
Construction
Let’s move into the construction of these two mattresses.
Starting off with the cover.
The bear as I mentioned has their signature Celliant cover. This cover is designed to help with muscle recovery, to promote better airflow and to make sure you sleep cool during the night.
The Nectar is also going to have a cool to touch cover. It’s a soft thin fabric but it does include polythene, which is going to help cool it down and regulate airflow.
Both of these mattresses have two comfort layers.
The Bear’s first comfort layer is a soft thick memory foam that’s infused with gel and graphite. Because of the gel and graphite, this is going to help the mattress sleep cooler during the night.
The second comfort layer on the Bear is going to be a transition layer made of a slightly bouncier foam.
The first layer is going to offer that soft memory foam feel. This bouncier transition layer is going to make sure you don’t get stuck in the mattress while sleeping.
The Nectar also is going to have a soft thick layer of memory foam on top. This is also going to be infused with gel infusions to help you sleep cool at night.
After that the Nectar is going to have a transition layer. This transition layer is going to be slightly less bouncy and responsive than the Bear transition layer, meaning that the Nectar might have more of a softer memory foam feel overall.
Both the Bear and Nectar are going to have a very similar support layer.
The Bear has a thick base of poly foam that’s going to add structure and support to the mattress.
Similarly the Nectar has a thick layer of foam as well that’s going to be really dense and also add that structure and support.
So what does this all mean?
Overall you have two very similar mattresses here.
The main difference in feel is that the Bear is going to be a slightly more bouncy and responsive. While the Nectar is going to have a slightly softer slower memory foam feel.
The Bear also has certain features that are specifically for athletes and those who love to exercise, such as Celliant cover, which is going to provide muscle recovery and help the mattress sleep cooler.
Both these mattresses are going to be extremely durable because they’re made of high quality materials.
It is important to note that they are all foam, so they might not last as long as mattresses of coils. But you can expect these mattresses to last for many nights to come.
When it comes to cooling, both of these mattresses are going to be above average, especially for memory foam mattresses.
The Bear might sleep slightly cooler thanks to its Celliant cover and other cooling features. But both have gel infusions which are going to make sure that they’re breathable and promote airflow throughout the night.
Firmness & Feel
The bear and Nectar are going to have a pretty similar firmness and feel as well.
We rank mattresses on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, with 6.5 being the industry average or medium firm.
The bear comes right in at that 6.5, meaning it’s going to be about average when it comes to firmness. The Nectar is going to be slightly softer at a 6 out of 10.
When it comes to feel, these two mattresses are going to be pretty similar. They’re both going to have that classic memory foam feel.
However it’s important to know a subtle difference between the two.
The Bear is going to have a little bit more bounce and response to it because of that responsive transition layer. While the Nectar is going to be a slightly softer and more quick sandy in feel.
Sleeping Positions
So how do the Bear and Nectar feel, if you’re a side sleeper, stomach sleeper or back sleeper.
The Bear in particular is going to be an excellent choice for back sleepers. Back sleepers will find excellent lumbar support and spinal alignment.
Side sleepers might also find some good pressure relief. However over time they might develop some pressure on their hips and shoulders and the Nectar might be a better fit for them.
Stomach sleepers on the Bear will probably find this mattress to be a little bit too soft. However since it is firmer than the nectar mattress, it might be a better choice if you were just deciding between these two.
The Nectar on the other hand is also going to be a great choice for back sleepers. Back sleepers are going to get great support on this mattress.
Side sleepers should also get great support. Because of the Nectar’s top comfort foam layer, you’re going to feel excellent pressure relief near your hips and shoulders when sleeping on this mattress.
Stomach sleepers will find the Nectar to be way too soft and their hips might bow out over time causing lower back pain.
Motion Transfer
Now let’s dive into the motion transfer and edge support of these mattresses. Two factors which are going to be particularly important if you sleep with a partner.
When we’re talking about motion transfer, what we’re talking about is if you’re laying on one side of the bed and your partner’s laying on the other side of the bed, will you feel them tossing and turning during the night?
Both the Bear and Nectar are going to have excellent motion isolation. You shouldn’t feel your partner toss and turn during the middle of the night on either the bear or the nectar.
Edge Support
When it comes to edge support, both the Bear and Nectar are going to be about equally tied.
When we’re talking about edge support, what we’re talking about is if you’re lying or sitting near the edge of the bed, are you going to feel secure or like you’re going to fall off?
On both the Bear and the nectar whether you’re lying down or sitting on the edge, you should feel completely secure.
It’s important to note however that with the Bear you might feel a little bit of give if you were to bend down to tie your shoe. The Nectar is going to have a slightly better edge support than the Bear.
Who Should Get The Bear?
The Bear mattress is a great fit for back sleepers. Back sleepers are going to feel a lot of spinal alignment and support on this mattress.
It’s also a great fit for athletes and those who love to exercise because of its muscle recovery feel and also because it sleeps cool at night.
Finally those who want a firmer mattress are going to like the Bear. Especially if you love that average firm mattress feel, you’re really going to like the Bear original.
Who Should Get The Nectar?
The Nectar mattress is going to be a fantastic choice for side sleepers. Slide sleepers are going to get great pressure relief on this mattress.
It’s also a great fit if you like softer mattresses.
The nectar is definitely a softer than average mattress and it’s really easy to sink into it.
Speaking of, if you’re a fan of that classic memory foam feel, the Nectar mattress might also be a fit for you.
Unboxing
Both the Bear and Nectar mattresses are a bed in a box. That means that they’re going to arrive at your front door in a cardboard box.
To unbox your bed in a box mattress, you’re first going to need to find a friend to help. These boxes can be heavy and you don’t want to hurt yourself.
Then bring the box inside and into your bedroom. Open up the top of the box and take out your mattress.
Then place it on their frame or foundation and slowly carefully cut through the layers of plastic. You don’t want to damage your brand new mattress.
Give the mattress about 24 to 48 hours to expand and off gas and you’re good to go.
Policies
Before I wrap up let’s go over some additional information about both of these mattresses.
The bear is going to have a 10 year warranty on all their mattresses.
They also offer an impressive 100 night sleep trial. So you have plenty of time to try out your new mattress in the comfort of your own home.
The Nectar has a lifetime warranty on all their mattresses and they give a 365 night sleep trial, meaning that you have a year to try out your mattress.
Wrap Up
That’s about it.
What you have here are two very similar fantastic memory foam mattresses.
The Bear is going to be a little bit bouncier and have more cooling features so it’ll sleep cooler. While the Nectar is going to have that softer classic memory foam feel.
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Alex P. Davis has a BA in Interior Design from The New York School of Interior Design and 10 years of experience expertly designing sophisticated interiors.