Select Comfort vs Bear Bed Matress

[David and Jo-Anna]

We are investigating getting a air matress. We've checked out the web sites for both and are not sure what way to go. I know there have been comments previously - but the search engine is not being kind to me.

If you have experience with one or the other, can you tell us what you know are the differences, both pro and con. What model do you have? What size? 75" vs 80". We looking for a queen.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Jo-Anna

[adelmoll]

We have the full queen (80") Select Comfort model 5000 and love it. We have never tried the Bear Bed so can't compare.
If you order the Select Comfort, remember that you do not need the base stand for your RV. I like their 30 day return policy. Good luck.

Helen

[richfaa]

The select comfort and the bear bed are for all practical purposes the same bed. The sell point for the bear bed was that the air pumps are internal to the bed where the select comfort pumps are external to the bed. In a Rv were space is at a premium the internal pumps won us over.Of course the selects comfort had the Sleep number which was trademarked so the bear bed has just a Pump up and down and find your comfort level..however , note the bear bed web site as they now have a 'Number" also.Oh and if you are always changing altitudes that number is always changing anyhow. The price was also a bit less for the Bear bed and they will custom size one for you.. Both are good.

[PackerFan]

We have a Select Comfort, queen size, in our house and we just love it. I am a firefighter and have had bad lower back problems for many years. I hurt my back at a fire one night. I used to go to the Chiropractor at least 3 times a week just so I could get out of a chair and walk. Very painful and thought I would be that way for life and did not want to have back surgery.

A friend told us about their Select Comfort bed and we tried it at their house. Instant relief! We went the next day and bought one. After the first night sleeping on it I felt immediate relief in my back. We have had the bed now about 4 years and I have only been to a chiropractor 3 times since. When ever my back starts to hurt I lay down on that bed and within about an hour it goes away and I feel like a million bucks again.

I wouldn't trade that bed for anything in the world! My chiropractor even told me that he loses more patients to that bed. I don't mean to sound like a commercial here.....Just an honest experience! We plan on getting one for the 5th wheel also soon.

Sorry for being so long winded here. Just my opinion!

[dieselguy]

This is a reply from a different angle ... We've had water beds of different designs in our stick house since 1982. We've tried a SC air bed and just couldn't find the ultimate sleep number verses cost that others have. Frankly, if you talk to an air bed dealer that talks straight despite trying to sell you a bed, they'll tell you there is a noticable percentage of customers that return them due to my earlier comment. Yes, I do realize there are many others that swear by them. We bought a 4" memory foam topper to go on the "slate slab" factory mattress and are very pleased with it. I will warn you that the 2" versions like at Wally World really aren't worth trying.

[DONnANNIE]

quote:dieselguy Posted - Jul 26 2007 : 11:16:09 PM
...We bought a 4" memory foam topper to go on the "slate slab" factory mattress and are very pleased with it. I will warn you that the 2" versions like at Wally World really aren't worth trying.

Jo-anna we have to agree with dieselguy, we bought the 4" memory foam pillow top cover for over the OEM mattress. We sleep as well in the 5er as we do in the stick house bed. Ours is king size and we got it at Costco for about $150 a year ago. I would recommend trying it, unless you have your mind made up to get either the Select Comfort or the Bear Bed. If you aren't satisfied, you should be able to take it back.

[bncinwv]

For what it's worth, we also are looking intently at the 4" version of the memory foam topper. We both have back problems also (accident related) and have been using a 2" topper for three years now with good results. The 2" topper has served it's purpose well, (at the time of purchase I don't believe the 4" versions were available yet), but we will upgrade (the never-ending ending saga of RV ownership). We are going to keep the 2" topper for the LR fold out sofa bed for the daughters. As always - my own opinion only with no warrantees or guarantees (implied or otherwise).
Bingo

[Verle and Sue]

Hi, we were planning to get the Bear Bed in the Big Sky, and so, got one in the house, first, so we would have the "same bed" in both places. BUT, we really don't like our Bear Bed. If we both slept on our own sides of the bed it might be okay, but one or the other of us is always in the middle and the way the air chambers are set up, it is an uphill climb to try to get out of the dip in the middle to a side of the bed. There is a very deep/bad dip in the middle of the bed where the two edges of the air mattresses meet and so we feel we are always sleeping on a slope and having to twist our bodies into weird positions to try to maintain our sleeping position in the bed without rolling "downhill" into the dip. The Big Sky's pillow top mattress topped with a "GOOD" memory foam topper is doing great though and we're planning to get a similar bed for the stick house. Just our experience, but we were very disappointed in the Bear Bed. Sue and Verle C

[richfaa]

Verle..Do you have the two controls with your bear bed?? We have had ours in the 3400 for over a year and never experienced what you describe..The air chambers are set up the same in the Select Comfort so there would be the same problem.

[trukdoc]

We made the move from a water bed to a select comfort. The only way I would sell my Select comfort is to make enough to buy two. I have come across 2 people who did not like (one I work with) the Select comfort and I inquired as to why. In both cases they tried to get off cheap and not get the upgraded matress cover. I have the pillow top and used to have to crawl out of bed in the morning. Now I sleep all night and wake up in good shape and can immediatly stand. When my back is hurting due to a hard day I can simply adjust the pressure to what I need. I normally like a soft bed. But for a sore back a firm mattress is needed.

[Verle and Sue]

Hi Rich. Yes, we have the Bear Bed with the two controls and the built in compressors. We have the midrange bed (I'm allergic to wool, so we were afraid to get the "best" one as it has wool in it). We've considered putting a wedge of memory foam in or under the center to try to even it all out, but haven't done it yet. Even if we fill each side appropriately, evenly, or only one person fills both sides to meet his/her preference, there is still a HUGE dip in the middle and he/she "falls/rolls" into this dip constantly. Verle is usually the one in the dip because he likes to take his half out of the middle (as well as my half, LOL). If we weren't so disappointed, it would be hilarious, kind of like trying to sleep on the side of a mountain without rolling down the hill. We're past our trial period though, because we didn't get it set up until about a month after we received it, so we're just about ready to give it up completely. Somebody else (maybe Dustyuu???) had the same problem and they had the Bear Bed people send them a center line foam rail to put in theirs, I believe, we're just thinking since Verle sleeps in the middle, that rail would be as uncomfortable as the "dip". Sue and Verle

[Illini Trekker]

Do both bed makes only make a bed with dual chambers. Is there a air bed with a single chamber, if there is a problem with falling to the middle could the single chamber bed cure this?

[richfaa]

verle..We have the "deluxe bear" so perhaps that is the difference.

[drjjj]

We were able to fit a full king into our 3400. Yes, it is tight, and we have to deflate to #20 to make the bed, but we are both "good-sized" people, and the comfort is worth it. We mounted the pump under the front of the bed frame and drilled a hole on the side to run the power cord up the closet wall and in to the closet plug (with extension cord). After the unit is out of factory warranty we will do a more permanent job. I did add a piece of plywood to the bed frame so that the mattress is supported on the sides and foot. As I said, makes the bedroom a little tight, but worth it to sleep well at night. Just my $.02

[simonsrf]

David and Jo-Anna,

We moved our 80" queen-size select comfort bed from the stick house to the Montana. We were used to it before me moved into the 5er. I suggest you buy the quality pillow topper and get the dual controls.

Wouldn't sleep without it!