Great Hassle Free Mask
August 6, 2007
Reviewer:
Michael Smith from Oregon
I give this mask 5 stars. It is quiet, comfortable, durable, and leak free. This mask seals better with less pressure than any other mask I have used. While many masks claim to "inflate" to make an effective seal, this mask actually does just that. It is designed to move around on your face if you turn over or move, and that advertisement is entirely accurate. This roll-over leak-reducing feature results in an added benefit: the silicone part that fits over your nose has an additional fold or "bellows" to it, and it inflates more than any other mask I have tried--this means that very little pressure is needed to keep this mask sealed all night long. The result is that you don't need to strap this mask down very hard, so you won't be waking up with red marks on your forehead or around your nose that take hours to disappear.
This is hands down the best mask I have used, and as I've been using mine for well over a year, I'd have to say it is also the most durable mask I have used. The clips are easy to connect and disconnect, and are more durable than the clips of other masks I've used (which tended to break or crack). Additionally, the forehead pads and the nose piece pop off and on easily--so cleaning them and the nose piece every day is a snap. The nose piece connects with an audible "click" so you don't have to turn your machine on to tell whether the nose piece is where it is supposed to be. With other masks, the forehead pads were a hassle to get off--the result being that I didn't always clean them every day.
No mask is perfect, so let me list the drawbacks. Because this mask is so sturdy and hearty, it does weigh a little more than some other masks. Personally, that doesn't bother me, as I generally use this product lying down and the little extra weight is no big deal. However, that is a characteristic of this mask that might bother you. Along the same lines, because the nose piece has an extra fold or bellows to it and inflates more than most masks, the part that covers your nose takes up more room than a lot of nose pieces. This results in the mask taking up more room around your nose which causes this mask to sometimes rest up against your upper lip. It doesn't bother me, but it is a different sensation. Also, because the nose piece inflates so much and so well, it tends to inflate/deflate or "pulsate" a little with each breath, especially if you don't strap the mask down with lots of tension. The first few nights I slept with this mask, I noticed the melodic inflatio
n/deflation with each breath. However, after a couple of nights, I didn't even notice it (kind of like a chiming clock or the CPAP hiss--after a couple of nights I didn't even notice it). But you may. Each of these potential drawbacks to this mask are natural consequences of the positive features of the mask, and for me at least, the benefits substantially outweigh the drawbacks. I point them out to you nevertheless, as we are all different.
As far as sizing goes, I would recommend buying a size smaller than you think you might need. I used a large Ultra-Mirage and a large or medium-large Nasal Aire I. Because of the amount the nose piece inflates, I easily use a size medium in this mask.
For comparison purposes, I have used the following other masks (each of which I found inferior to this mask): Nasal Aire I (too loud and hoses kinked), Mirage Vista (great mask but didn't seal nearly as well as this mask), Ultra Mirage (another great mask, very quiet, light weight, but definitely not as durable and needs more pressure to seal); and a Respironics mask that came with my CPAP Pro that I never liked.
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