Saatva Latex Hybrid vs the Bear Elite Hybrid: I’ve tested both and this is the cooling mattress I’d buy in the Cyber Monday sales

There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning drenched in sweat — or worse, waking up in the middle of the night because you’re hot and no amount of throwing off bedding or nightwear can help alleviate your discomfort. The real culprit is probably not your air conditioning or bed sheets — it could be your mattress.

I’ve tested two of the most popular cooling mattresses on the market, the Bear Elite Hybrid and the Saatva Latex Hybrid. Here, I’ll guide you through the pros and cons of both, so you can decide which to buy in today’s Cyber Monday sale.

The Bear Elite Hybrid is the best mattresses we’ve ever tested for hot sleepers, while the Saatva Latex Hybrid is also superbly comfortable and cooling — but in a different way. While both are hybrid mattresses, a design that is more breathable than all-foam mattresses, they take two different approaches when it comes to dissipating your body heat.

Where the Bear Elite Hybrid’s cooling features center around a Celliant-infused cover that transforms your body heat into muscle relieving infrared energy, the Saatva Latex Hybrid relies on organic materials which are naturally more breathable for a temperature neutral sleep.

We know that temperature regulation isn’t the only thing to consider. Edge support, motion isolation, and surface feel are important too. Keep reading to see how the ultra-supportive Saatva Latex Hybrid compares to the plusher and customizable Bear Elite Hybrid mattress, so you can more confidently buy the best of the two in the Cyber Monday mattress deals.

If you want even more mattress sale content, be sure to check out our Cyber Monday mattress deals blog, for the most up-to-date news and deals.

Where the Saatva Latex Hybrid wins…

I’ve tested a number of Saatva mattresses, and the Saatva Latex Hybrid is my top choice. The mattress may be branded as medium-firm, but it sits on the firmer side. The surface is soft and comfortable, but I didn’t sink into the mattress and there wasn’t a contouring effect. Instead, my body laid atop the mattress, which fully supported my spine, hips, and stomach.

In my Saatva Latex Hybrid mattress review I note that while I’m usually a combination sleeper, with the Saatva Latex Hybrid, I was only able to sleep on my back or stomach comfortably. For the most part, I fell asleep quickly on my back and awoke with less pain and aches in the morning.

It provides a toxin-free temperature neutral sleep experience

When hot sleepers shop for a mattress, they tend to only focus on “cooling mattresses.” I’ve tested mattresses for nearly five years, and in that time, I’ve come to discover that a temperature neutral sleep is more attainable — and that’s exactly what I discovered with the Saatva Latex Hybrid.

Best yet, temperature neutral mattresses that harness natural materials for temperature regulation don’t rely on chemicals or man-made materials to make your mattress cooling.

Like the best hybrid mattresses, the Saatva Latex Hybrid is more breathable than some all foam mattresses due to the coil design. What most customers don’t realize is that top-rated organic mattresses like the Saatva Latex Hybrid, which uses organic cotton, latex, and wool, are even more breathable than any other type of mattress.

Memory foam and other foams can trap heat and increases your temperature; latex does not. Both cotton and wool wick away heat and moisture. These materials of the Saatva Latex Hybrid create a temperature neutral sleep. In other words, your temperature won’t increase at night because the materials and the design prevent heat from being trapped around your body.

For more Saatva mattress content, we’re tracking the Saatva Cyber Monday mattress deals live, with sale analysis, shopping advice and more.

Fantastic edge support that help you sit and stand and sleep near the edge

The coils that run along the perimeter of the Saatva Latex Hybrid are reinforced, offering incredible edge support. I never feared slipping off the mattress when lying near the edge.

I was also able to comfortably get dressed or fold clothes while sitting along the sides and the foot of the bed. My body barely sunk. Those with mobility issues will appreciate the support that the Saatva Latex Hybrid has to offer, while couples will enjoy a larger sleep surface.

Great motion isolation makes it a good choice for restless bed-sharers

Waking up in the middle of the night because your partner is tossing in their sleep can be frustrating. Although I don’t sleep with another person or a pet, I ran a number of tests with the Saatva Latex Hybrid that convinced me it’s a top tier mattress for motion isolation.

For one, I had someone get in and out of the bed, and change positions, and I barely felt the movement. My second test involved placing a wine glass on one side of the mattress and dropping a 15-lb. weight at various distances away. The tufted design caused the wine glass to tilt, and yet, no matter if I dropped the dumbbell 4 or 25 inches away, the glass never fell over.

Free white glove delivery makes everything easier

One of Saatva’s biggest selling points is their free white glove delivery service. The delivery servicemen removed my old mattress and placed the Saatva Latex Hybrid on my bedframe without me having to lift a hand. There weren’t any off-gassing smells, and I could sleep on the mattress immediately.

This may seem like a small pro, but as a single woman it’s not easy for me to move mattresses by myself. It’s a great perk for anyone with mobility issues, singles, or those who like the convenience of a hands-off set up.

What I didn’t like about the Saatva Latex Hybrid…

The Saatva Latex Hybrid is among the firmest mattresses I’ve tested. That’s not to say that the surface isn’t comfortable for someone who can sleep on their back or stomach, such as myself.

There is a slight softness to the supportive surface that offers some pressure relief. However, as a combination sleeper, I enjoy sleeping on my side as well, and that wasn’t possible with the Saatva Latex Hybrid, as it didn’t offer enough give or softness to make that position comfortable.

Beyond the mattress itself, the 365-night sleep trial is great, but it’s worth noting that Saatva charges you a fee of $99 to return or exchange a mattress. Plus, their limited lifetime warranty means that the brand will replace a mattress if there is something defective within the first two years. After that, you’ll have to pay a processing fee of $149.

How does the Bear Elite Hybrid compare?

There is a misconception that back and stomach sleepers must sleep on a firm or very firm mattress to be fully supported. This is not necessarily true, and I only had to sleep on the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress to understand that.

The Bear Elite Hybrid can be ordered firmness ratings of soft, medium, or firm, which are a 5, 6, or 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Side sleepers will love the soft or medium firmness options, while combination sleepers should order the Bear Elite Hybrid in medium. Back and stomach sleepers are better suited to the medium or firm options.

During my Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review, I tested the medium version, which allowed me to comfortably sleep on my back, stomach, and side in such a way that I was completely supported. Best yet, the soft-medium feel of the surface put me to sleep faster than any other mattress I’ve tested.

I didn’t quite sink into the mattress, but I felt nestled by the quilted surface and experienced pressure relief around my hips. Other Tom’s Guide reviewers raved about the comfort of the Bear Elite Hybrid and gave it top marks for pressure relief, especially in comparison to other mattresses.

The Bear Elite Hybrid’s Celliant cover removes heat quickly and keeps you cool all night long

I tested the Bear Elite Hybrid with the Celliant-infused cooling cover in my hottest room in July in Texas – and I never once got warm. That’s why it’s the best cooling mattress on the market.

When sleeping, your body produces heat, which can be trapped by certain mattress materials causing you to overheat at night. However, the cover uses celliant, which is a thermo-reactive fiber, designed to capture your body heat and push it back into your body as infrared energy. Not only does this help with muscle recovery, but it prevents you from overheating at night.

The mattress also has copper foams and Phase Change Material (which absorbs and dissipates body heat) that work together to create one of the top cooling mattresses. In fact, we recommend it to those with hot flashes or night sweats.

What I didn’t like about the Bear Elite Hybrid…

Despite high density coils running along the perimeter of the bed, the edge support is a bit lacking. When I tested the mattress, it didn’t dip when I slept near the edge, but it felt less supportive when I sat along the foot of the bed.

Other Tom’s Guide testers had difficulty balancing a 25kg weight three inches from the edge of the mattress without it falling off. This is not to say that the Bear Elite Hybrid’s edge support is awful, only that other mattresses – like the Saatva Latex Hybrid – excel more in this area.

In terms of motion isolation, the Bear Elite Hybrid scored average. In my testing, I found the motion isolation to be fairly good, however, Tom’s Guide reviewers did a more in-depth test that discovered the Bear Elite Hybrid isn’t ideal for light sleepers, light bodies, and side sleepers.

Initially, the Bear Elite Hybrid appears to absorb motion well, especially when someone gets into bed. However, if the person starts to toss and turn, this results in movement being carried across the bed and felt by the other person.

The luxury hybrid I’d recommend to hot sleepers this Cyber Monday

I’ve tested both the Saatva Latex Hybrid and the Bear Elite Hybrid and they’ve since become two of my favorite mattresses. However, if I had to say which mattress is best for those who sleep hot to buy during Cyber Monday sales, I’d have to go with the Bear Elite Hybrid.

Although the Bear Elite Hybrid didn’t score as well at the Saatva Latex Hybrid in terms of edge support or motion isolation, Bear allows customers to choose between three firmness levels, which means that the Elite Hybrid is accessible to hot sleepers of any sleep style (side, back, stomach, or all three).

The Celliant-infused cover may be $93, but I guarantee it’s the best $93 you’ll ever spend toward a lifetime of cooler sleep. Our reviewers found that the Bear Elite Hybrid dissipated heat quickly and even transformed body heat into infrared energy to help aid in muscle recovery. I’m not one to suggest adding cooling covers, but this one actually works. Not to mention, you can add the cover to your order and the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress will still be cheaper than the Saatva Latex Hybrid.

If you struggle with overheating at night, the Bear Elite Hybrid is the best choice, especially when you consider the Cyber Monday sales price includes a lifetime warranty, free shipping, and free returns. That said, the Saatva Latex Hybrid is better for:

Back and stomach sleepers: The Saatva Latex Hybrid is equally as supportive as the medium or firm option of the Bear Elite Hybrid, however, the surface is more firm in feel making it an ideal choice for back and stomach sleepers or those with larger weights.

Those with fidgety partners: Our tests showed that you won’t wake up when your partner gets in and out of bed or changes sleep positions in the middle of the night.

People with mobility issues: Edge support may seem like a small thing, but if you deal with mobility issues, you’ll be glad to know that the Saatva Latex Hybrid’s edges are so supportive that you’ll barely dip and never slip getting in and out of bed.