Club Benefits
As a runner and occasional hot sleeper, I was drawn to the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress with Celliant (down to $1,205 at Bear with code TOMS35) thanks to its promises of keeping me at the right temperature for deeper sleep, while boosting recovery from physical activity.
I first lay on this cooling hybrid in our sleep product testing lab and immediately saw its potential to become one of the best mattresses of the year. Seven months later, I've gotten to know it pretty well, and to put it simply: I'm a fan.
My two minute review of the Bear Elite Hybrid
- The Bear Elite Hybrid with Celliant is a true cooling mattress built with specialist temperature-regulating fibers that actually work.
- Available in three firmness levels (Soft, Medium, Firm), it's a solid choice for a broad range of sleepers.
- A zoned coil system paired with a plush Eurotop keeps your spine aligned and joints cushioned through the night.
- You'll blissfully sink a little into the mattress surface, but not enough for your hips to dip.
- The edges and motion isolation could be better, posing a problem if you need extra support getting out of bed or sleep with a wriggly partner.
A hybrid mattress that comes in three comfort levels — Soft, Medium, and Firm — the Bear Elite offers comfort and support in equal measure, no matter your preferences. As a combination sleeper who spends most of my time on my side, the Medium Bear Elite Hybrid is my ideal bed.
The plush Eurotop contours my shoulders, hips, and knees when I'm on my side without being too lax. I only sink into this top layer until I reach the support of coils, so my spine remains aligned.
My initial Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress review took place over three months, so I could really see how well I slept through every stage of my cycle. For reference, I tend to sleep hot around my period.
It's hard to quantify exactly how well the cooling technology in the Bear Elite Hybrid works, but I can tell you one thing: I haven't had a sweaty night on this bed.
Instead, I've slept comfortably cool even when I've ignored experts' sleep advice and squeezed in an evening run. I may go to bed with a raised body temperature, but I sleep sweat-free and wake up refreshed in the mornings.
Compared to other cooling hybrid beds I've slept on, like the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex and Helix Midnight Luxe (which is beloved by our Sleep Editor Nicola Appleton), I find the Bear Elite offers the best balance of cushioning and support.
That said, it falls short in motion isolation and edge support, meaning you may want to think twice if you have (or you are) a particularly wriggly partner.
Seven months later, the Bear Elite Hybrid with Celliant is still my mattress of choice, but I don't recommend it to everyone — hello, restless couples and strict stomach sleepers. Without further ado, let's dig into the pros and cons...
What I like about the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress
1. It's a true cooling mattress
I began testing the Bear Elite Hybrid in August, seeing out the final warm summer nights of 2025 on this bed. I was impressed then and still have praises to sing about the Bear Elite Hybrid's cooling capabilities.
Even when I've gone to bed without making a conscious effort to lower my core body temperature (as experts recommend for the best sleep quality), and during the hottest points in my cycle, I've not been restless on the Bear Elite Hybrid.
Why is this? The upgraded cover, which my mattress has, features specialist Celliant cooling fibres designed to absorb any excess heat from the body and quickly throw that heat out of the bed. (Our in-house lab tests show this.)
Along with help from other heat-conducting materials like copper-infused foam and Phase Change Material (PCM), the sleep surface remains temperature neutral. You're not sleeping hot, nor cold, but just right.
2. It's customizable
Okay, it's not quite as customizable as the best smart beds on the market. But the Bear Elite Hybrid does come in three different firmness levels, tailored to different sleep needs and preferences. Medium is the versatile crowd-pleaser, but you can also go Soft or Hard.
Choose the Soft Bear Elite Hybrid if you're a side sleeper under 130lbs.
Choose the Medium Bear Elite Hybrid if you're a combination side and back sleeper (like me) who likes a bed with little give.
Choose the Firm Bear Elite Hybrid if you're a stomach sleeper or like to feel as if you're lying on top of your bed.
3. It's designed for physical recovery
Besides keeping you at just the right temperature, the Celliant fibers in the Bear Elite's cover are also designed to boost muscle recovery.
When these fibers capture excess body heat, they turn it into infrared energy, which is then reflected to your sleeping body.
This may sound invasive and super science-y, but it simply increases circulation and blood oxygenation. Like infrared therapy, the Celliant fibers should help your tissues repair faster and reduce inflammation.
I don't have the means to test how true this is, but what I can say is this: I'm currently training for my second marathon and have been bouncing back between hard training sessions much better than I did last time around (pre-Bear Elite).
What's more, according to my Apple Watch sleep tracker, I'm getting quality sleep on this mattress. My Apple sleep reports show I'm getting plenty of deep sleep every night to support physical recovery.
What I don't like about the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress
1. It's pricey
As Bear's most luxurious model, the Elite Hybrid sports a premium price tag — and you must pay extra for the full cooling experience via the Celliant-infused cover.
Said model with the upgraded cover retails between $1,998 and $2,855 at MSRP, with a queen at $2,427. While you can frequently catch it with between 30% to 40% off in Bear mattress sales around major sale periods, it's not exactly a budget-friendly pick.
If your budget can't stretch quite as wide, you can get a hybrid mattress with a similar feel and reliable temperature regulation in the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro Hybrid at $999 for a queen size at Brooklyn Bedding right now.
2. The edges could be stronger
Edge support was one alarm bell that rang during our lab tests on the Bear Elite. Despite there being coils from edge-to-edge, the foot and sides of the bed didn't handle our 25kg weight as well as other beds.
I hadn't noticed a problem when sleeping on the mattress alone as an average-weight female. However, my partner came to stay recently and took a tumble off the side when reaching for his phone (I found it rather amusing; he did not).
Unless mobility issues mean you need a little extra support getting out of bed, or you prefer sleeping right up at the edge of the bed (each to their own), this shouldn't necessarily put you off the Bear Elite — it's just something to be mindful of.
3. It could absorb motion better
While, smugly, I haven't noticed an issue (I'm a real deep sleeper and the one who wriggles through the night), my partner often complains that I've woken him up in the night due to my movements.
We suspected this would be an issue after our lab tests revealed subpar motion isolation results. Now that I've got several months of home testing under my belt, I can confirm it's not the best option for couples with a nighttime mover.
Maybe the mattress could do better; maybe I could be a more pleasant co-sleeper. But I'm going with the former. That said, remember the responsiveness of springs in hybrid beds make them naturally more bouncy.
Who should buy the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress?
I recommend the Bear Elite Hybrid for...
✅ Chronic hot sleepers: If there's one thing you can rely on the Bear Elite Hybrid for, it's temperature regulation, thanks to its heat-conducting materials. No need to worry about hot flashes or night sweats here.
✅ Side sleepers: Built with zoned coils and comforting foams, the Bear Elite offers a solid mixture of support and cushioning for side sleepers, especially.
✅ Active people: Bear's USP for the Elite Hybrid is its Celliant fibres, which are scientifically proven to enhance strength and blood oxygen for better physical recovery and performance.
I don't recommend the Bear Elite Hybrid for...
❌ Restless couples: With motion isolation and edge support being two cautions around this mattress, co-sleepers may be disrupted by their partner tossing and turning next to them, and eventually fall off the bed if they are pushed right to the edge.
❌ Strict stomach sleepers: It is likely too soft for sleepers who spend all night on their fronts. If this is you, you'd benefit from a firmer sleep surface like that provided by the Plank Firm Mattress.
❌ Budget shoppers: The Bear Elite is a top-of-the-range mattress, and those on a tighter budget can find hybrids with a similar feel for almost $1,000 less (though you will miss out on the Celliant tech).
Frequently asked questions
What should you look for in a cooling mattress?
There are two things you should look out for when shopping for a cooling mattress: natural breathability and specialist cooling technology.
Natural breathability usually comes from a hybrid design (air flows through the coil layers) or light, porous fabrics like cotton in the mattress cover.
Cooling tech comes in many forms, from metal-infused foams (mostly copper and graphite) to PCM, cooling gels, and AI-powered hydro systems.
Copper and graphite foams conduct heat away from your body; polymer gels have heat-dissipating properties; while PCM absorb body heat when it changes phase.
Nighttime cooling gets serious in smart climate control systems like the Eight Sleep Pod where sensors track your body temperature through the night and adjust the temperature of your bed surface via water tubes running through the mattress cover.
Are hybrid mattresses good or bad for hot sleepers?
A hybrid mattress, rather than a full foam mattress, is generally the better choice for hot sleepers. This is because the coil layer in a hybrid allows air to flow through the bed, essentially blowing out any excess heat.
On the other hand, dense foam in even the best memory foam mattresses tends to act like a sponge, holding on to heat through the night. This can cause moisture build-up, leading to discomfort and also threatening the longevity of the mattress.
Personally, I find hybrid mattresses with a slight firmness help you sleep cooler at night. Fighting your way out of hugging foams when switching position can be flustering and soft mattresses that mold to the contours of your body can retain heat as there's less airflow.
Do I need special sheets for a cooling mattress?
One piece of advice from John Merwin, CEO at 3Z Brands, that's stuck with me is: A cooling mattress will only be as good as the bedding it's dressed with.
While you do not need special sheets to make a cooling mattress function, using breathable, lightweight, and moisture-wicking sheets is highly recommended by leading mattress manufacturers to maximize the mattress' cooling effect.
Instead of dense synthetic materials, it's best to look for cotton, bamboo, and Tencel, which allow good air circulation and absorb moisture through the night so you remain cool and comfortable.
It's also a good idea to protect your mattress so it lasts for years to come with a reliable, cooling mattress protector. You'll find plenty of options in our guide to the best mattress protectors of 2026. But our bedding expert Becky George swears by the Sijo AiryWeight Eucalyptus Mattress Protector.
