Product Challenge Result

The headgear is wonderful: comfortable feel and fit around the face and more importantly for me, the adjustment on the back strap is superior. Another positive aspect to the Bravo is the Active Swivel system and versatility with the placement of the tubing. This flexibility provided multiple adjustment options for the nasal interface. I also liked the little Velcro straps that allowed me to adjust the position of the supply tubing along the head gear straps. I liked the feel of the nasal pillows. The system was easy to dismantle and clean and re-assembly was not a problem. Sadly, despite all of the adjustment options, I could not achieve a satisfactory seal with the Bravo. For the first few nights, it created a 'free flow' condition that dried-out my month and created noise that woke me from sleep. After continued adjustments, the only solution I could find was one that required me to tighten the headgear so snuggly, that the overall system feel was tight and uncomfortable - as if I the nasal pillows were being 'pushed' further into my nostrils. I've watched the instructional video and checked the website for fitting tips, but I've been unsuccessful to date. If I had to try and describe the cause of the leak, I would say that it feels like the reservoir/nasal pillow assembly contour does not conform to my face. It does not feel like it matches the curve of my face created from my upper lip outwards and around my cheeks. I tried multiple supply tubing positions along the top and sides of the headgear, but to no avail. I must admit that I was biased TOWARDS the Bravo prior to the start of the Challenge: there were shortcomings with the Swift II that I truly hoped the Bravo could overcome. However, the inability to achieve a comfortable fit and seal have pushed me back to the Swift II.

The Swift II has an overall lighter feel to the system. The nasal pillows are comfortable, the seal is adequate, noise is generally non-existent, and the system is easy to clean and reassemble. Having using the original Swift for a couple of years, I was skeptical that the Swift II was such an improvement that it commanded a 50% increase in price, but as I continue to search for the most comfortable/quiet/effective nasal pillow system, I had to try it. The Swift II has more of a tendency to create a high-pitched whistle if the nasal seal is not as good as it should be, but continual headgear adjustments seem to help. When fitted properly, the Swift II is a very quite system, though I really never experienced excessive noise with the original Swift system. I do have a concern about the comfort of the Swift II headgear: the adjustment piece on the back strap of the head can be uncomfortable and leaves a temporary mark on the back of my head each morning. I also feel that that headgear straps are the weakest aspect of the Swift II: they seem to stretch out and loose some of their elasticity fairly quickly. I will stay with the Swift II for the time being. In my opinion, the Swift II system could be improved with a change in the headgear - the Bravo was clearly superior in that particular area.

More comfortable headgear; hose position options; less leakage (after adding stabilizing strap); the way the reservoir attaches to the straps is better for leak avoidance; no marks on face. It is the mask I now reach for without thinking. Durability is a guess - since the Bravo doesn't have the potential leaks at side joints, I've rated it as better in durability. A very good mask. I'm leaning toward the Bravo but only time will tell for sure.

Nasal pieces fit better without adjustment; both medium and large work for me. Since the reservoir and nasal inserts are one piece, they are easier to clean and put together. I'm still happy wearing it as long as I use teflon plumber's tape to prevent side leaks. An extra strap for stability helps somewhat also. A very good mask. I still expect to use it some of the time but may decide to switch to the Bravo. There are not big differences in how I like the two.

The Bravo had a better nasal seal. It's over all fit was more comfortable and secure. I sleep from side to side and the Bravo was clearly superior in this respect. Assembly was very strait forward and easy to understand. The Bravo was quieter than the Breeze and I felt it had better overall airflow. On the other hand... The piece of plastic that connected the nasal pillows was too snug and irritated the skin between my nostrils the very first night causing a breakout. I cut the offending piece of plastic off (as suggested in the brochure) and I still had irritation on the outside of my nostril. I continued to wear the Bravo for 3 more nights until it was unbearable to use any more. I switched back to the Swift II and the problem was resolved. If it weren't for the irritation, I'd switch to the Bravo from the Breeze II and I plan to try the Bravo again and see if I can resolve the problem I had.

The Swift II doesn't provide as good a seal at the nostrils and didn't have as comfortable a fit as the Bravo. The Swift can be used by sleepers that sleep from side to side successfully, but not as comfortably as the Bravo. The swift is easy to clean and assemble as the Bravo. The airflow is louder and not quite as effecient as the Bravo. I get no irritation anywhere wearing the Swift II. If it weren't for the irritation, I'd switch to the Bravo from the Breeze II and I plan to try the Bravo again and see if I can resolve the problem I had.

I loved the 2 hoses going to the nose piece, they were of sturdier plastic and I felt the air pressure was stronger/better because of the 2 hoses and not 1. But the stiffness of the hoses was a problem when changing positions, and pulled the pillows away from my nose. Also They wouldn't work in the position when I tried to move them up near my face to velcro them atop my head. They wouldnot widen. I tried and tried to get a seal that would stay. it was fine for 1 night and the other 5-7 nights, was not. The nose pillows move too much and are not stationary-enough to create stability. They wiggled around when trying to get a seal. I threw it across the room the last night I was so angry. And I was really hopeful, since I was not completely thrilled with the Swift II. Also, I was getting lots of air leak where the 2 tubes connected to the mask. The headgear was comfortable and the lines left on my face were less than with the Swift II.

The Swift gave a better seal, but the seal is still not great. The nose-piece is comfortable and the hose going to the nose pillows is nice and flexible. This mask is not an easy one to change positions with, it pulls the pillows away from your nose. The hose connected to the nose-piece leaks. The headgear is ok for comfort, but leaves deep marks on my face. Sometimes I have to make it very tight to get a seal and it scrunches my nose up.

I had a lot of issues with leaks using this mask. I couldn't get a good seal no matter what I tried. This seemed like a good fit in my nose but just wasn't right. I couldn't even use this mask for an hour.

I've been using the swift and then the swift II for a couple years now. I keep trying different masks(have about 15 in my closet) and keep coming back to the swift because of the performance, comfort, and the good seal.

This unit was much more quite than the Swift 2. The air ports on the front of the unit allow much less air out which I assume accounts for the quieter operations. That's about the only thing I like better than Swift. On the down side, The instruction DVD did not work. (In any of my 5 DVD players or 2 computers). The head set was abrasive on the cheeks, although the velcro adjustments were better than the Swifts set up. The swivel on the Bravo was very stiff at first use, but after a week or so, it moved easier, but then began to leak on both sides of the port. The hoses from the ports tended to kink unless the hose from my CPAP machine was "just right". I finally modified them by cutting them down a few inches and this took care of the problem. Good product even with it's negatives. I'll continue to work with it until I get it right!

The Swift is overall a more comfortable unit. The "brackets" for the head gear are not as good as the set up for the Bravo, but the neoprene unit is far superior in comfort. The Bravo is much quieter than the Swift, and doesn't have the high volume of air constintly blowing out of the port. The seal is, for me, much better with the Swift. Maybe it's due to the fact I've been using it for a bit longer, but I don't wake with any leaks as I did with the Bravo. I do prefer the one hose to the two and the Swift hose has never kinked as does the Bravo's hoses. It's a close one, but even with the added noise, I'm leaning to the Swift.

This mask had nothing, I repeat nothing, over the Swift II. It was very difficult to fit, leaked profusely, bulkier and heavier, and had more parts to fool with. Had I not committed to this evaluation I would have thrown it away the first day.

Superior to the Bravo in all ways! Swift II's sister Swift I, it is a better value. II is $40 more for a simple, but not significant vent relocation.

Overall, the Bravo seemed better designed. I really liked the smaller air tubes, and I really liked being able to route them upward to my head so that the hose was at the top of my head. The reduced profile allowed me to sleep on my side without the force of my pillow dislodging the nasal pillows. The swift is *very* unforgiving of lateral force from the pillow. The slightest sideways force will cause it to start leaking. This is particularly true when laying on the side where the air hose is connected. I also thought the body and nasal pillows were more comfortable than the swift. They did not hurt my nose and upper lip area like the swift does. The biggest shortcoming of the Bravo is in the pillows. I had a hard time getting the pillows to seal when putting the interface on. Also, there were times when my APAP machine would go to a higher pressure (12 cm h2o) and the seal between my nares and the pillows would "blow-out". With the pressure this high I could not get the pillows to re-seal. I'd have to turn the machine off and back on to get a seal. I even started using KY jelly on my nares, but it didn't help. Perhaps it is just my anatomy - this may not be a problem for others. In short, the overall design of the Bravo is better (and it looks more durable than the swift to boot). This is particularly true for side sleepers for which the swift is a poor choice. However, the Swift seems to have better pillows and a quieter exhaust.

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Pros: * Very comfortable headgear, once adjusted. I found no undue pressure points on my head, which would have caused discomfort while sleeping. * Having two uptubes connecting to the main tube is helpful as it provides equal tension on the headgear and tubing. * Versatility, the choice to have the mask tubing below the head or above the head is quite helpful, depending on your sleeping position or activity (watching television, reading, etc) Cons: * Insufficient instructions, neither the video or the booklet explained or illustrated the different positions for the dual tubes of the mask. I am certain the engineers who designed this mask had certain configurations in mind when they designed it. Why not let the users know what the preferred configs are? * Okay, perhaps I am picking a nit, but I was unable to play the instructional disc in my DVD player. I was expecting a DVD, as it was a video. I had to take the disc and place it in my computer to watch it. Not everyone with OSA my have computers, but most, I believe will have a DVD player. * My biggest problem was the fitment of the nasal pillows. None of the three included sizes fit my nose. As was suggested in the manual, I removed the bridging between the pillows. Even with custom fitting each pillow I was unable to effect a strong seal. Without an effective seal, the mask is useless to me, no matter the other benefits. Conclusion: As much as I wanted to be able to use this as my primary mask, the fact that a good seal was impossible for me to attain blew it out of the water. If it had a good seal, this mask would win, hands down, no questions asked!

Pro: * Excellent nasal pillow seal. Even while sleeping on my side the pillows remain firmly seated and sealed. In addition, the nasal pillows are quite comfortable. After only a few days I found that I did not notice they were "up my nose". :D * Getting the headgear adjusted for a good fit was very easy for me. Pulling the straps behind the head first, then those above the head resulted in a quick, comfortable headgear. During actual use is a different story. Please see Cons: * The uptube attaches to the headgear placing the tube above my head. This helps to keep me from becoming entangled in my 10-foot long hose. The re is a downside to this. Again, please see Cons: * Mask noise is very low for me. Unless I per chance place a hand or arm near the exhaust holes, I do not hear it at all. Cons: * While the headgear is easy to adjust, there is a plastic fitting which the pulls are attached to at the center of the back of the head. Excess pull material can bunch up under your head and become uncomfortable. I realize that this could be trimmed but then it would be difficult to adjust the headgear. Also, the plastic fitting sometimes causes discomfort for my head while sleeping. It is solid and is an unwelcome pressure point. * Having the uptube attached to one side of my headgear is good for hose placement, but the unequal tension of the weight of the tube pulls inordinately on the headgear. This makes adjustment and achieving a comfortable fit quickly impossible. Conclusion: I am using this as my primary mask only because I was unable to get a good seal on the Bravo unit.

Very disappointed in the Bravo, it looks good but performs poorly. The dual hose design does not fit around my head (which is normal size). Not designed for side sleeping. When sleeping on side or moving, dual hoses cause an uneven pull and lose of seal. Headstrap is not of a material that will stand up to regular cleaning. Other nasal components and joints feel like they will rapidly wear out and/or crack. Printed instructions and CD are minimal, barely adequate. While the Bravo is at a good price point, it is not worth even the low price due to it poor performance, never got a proper night's sleep with it.

Simply, I like the Swift II. It fits, it seals, it is quiet, it accomodates movement at night, I always get a good night's sleep when using it. Price could be better. From what I have read recently it looks like ResMED is trying to control its high price, too bad.

Tubing - I liked the tubing on the Bravo better than the Swift II. The first reason is that the tubes run in the center which makes side sleeping easier. Also, the seal on the tubes is better on the Bravo than the Swift II which seems to always leak air which is very noisy. Nasal seals - The Bravo mask didn’t do well when I switch from sleeping on my back to a side or vice versa as the nasal seals would not hold. The Swift II does a better job of keeping a seal but it too will "break" over time. I believe the problem with the Bravo mask is there is no support strap from the nasal area to the side of the head so the mask “hangs” freely. This causes it to move too much when switching positions. Cleaning / assembly – The Bravo was a bit harder to assemble (specifically in the area where the tubing meets the nasal pillow) than the Swift II but it was still easy enough to put together. Overall I like parts of both masks but neither is perfect. Since the Swift II is so noisy, because of the leaking air problem from the tubing leading into the nasal pillows, I can't see using it much in the future. I think at this point I am more inclined to use the Bravo more and I may add a "support strap" as an experiment to see if that helps the nasal seal problem when moving from side to side.

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The bravo seemed to try and imitate the Swift II in so many ways including the packaging of the device. But I felt it failed short. The Bravo seemed to be rather bulky and several parts of it were lacking or cheaply designed such as the velcro straps included to hold the hoses. They could have been an inch or so longer, so they could actually wrap around the hoses. Also the hosing itself seemed to not be very flexible. These might sound like minor things, but when it comes to comparing it to the Swift II

After having the Swift I for a long time, and then migrating to the Swift II, I've always liked it's ease of use, it's comfort and how lightweight it is. However, one problem that I've always had is that I always feel like I am stretching the main portion where the nose pillows are located. Essentially I think the main portion needs to be widened a tad to fit faces that are a little wider. Because of this, I have gotten leakage at the ends of the barrel due to being stretched.

Liked: Individual adjustable Nasal pillows. Lightweight, easy to clean. Good airflow from vent, try this disconnect from CPAP plug end of hose with finger, breath in/out through interface and note resistance, this is quite low for the Bravo, better then swift II Dislike: Vent blows straight out from face onto bed partner and critters. Tubing is not re-enforced and frequently folds over on itself collapsing the tubing and cutting off the air supply - bad thing. This item will keep me from using this interface on a regular basis Sleeping on side tends to push on the reservoir breaking the seal or placing extra pressure on the nose causing discomfort/pain the next day. Velcro straps need 'courtesy tab' i.e. the ends are hard to find/break loose in the dark while trying to adjust the headgear while wearing. Headgear can leave marks on cheeks.

Liked, Lightweight, easy to clean, quiet, re-enforced supply tube. Supply tube interferes less with side sleeping then expected. Good flow through vent, disconnect from CPAP plug end of hose with finger, breath in/out through interface and note resistance, this is quite low on the Swift II, but the bravo edges it out. Dislikes, angle of pillows not adjustable like on Bravo. Side straps on headgear when worn on a wider face apply side pressure/torque on ends of reservoir causing leak(s) in plug on non-supply side. Vent allows a very large volume of air out which cools with expansion, this can give you a rather cold nose, heated hose compensates for this, but without the heated hose I found this interface too cold. Exhaust is out front of face and can blow on bed partners/critters. Adjustment strap ends flap loosely about.

Easy to put on.Easy to clean

Light, quiet, subtle

Overall it was the more comfortable mask, and I like that I can wear my glasses with it on. I had a lot of trouble tuning the nasal pillows to get a seal, and could never get it 100% despite trying both Medium & Large sizes (definitely not a Small).

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Pros: 1. pillow assembly are not resting on the cheek. makes for a comfortable placement on face 2. alot quieter 3. ability to position the appliance in different ways on the face. The supply tubes can be down the front, over the ears or in front of the face. 4. did i mention, alot quieter 5. easily ajustable pillow sizes Cons: 1. (and only one) the supply 'Y' tube from the cpap machine to the mask is using tubes which are easily kinked and should be made of a corregated tubing like the supply from the cpap machine to eliminate this from happening. Overall: I LOVE THIS MASK AND WOULD HAVE NEVER TRIED IT IF NOT FOR THIS PRODUCT CHALLANGE. THANK YOU

Pros: 1. (and only one) smaller footprint on the face with only minimal tubes. Cons: 1. LOUD 2. LOUD 3. DID I MENTION LOUD 4. headgear stretched out only in 3 months and is impossible to get a good head fit now. 5. LOUD THIS MASK HAS BEEN DEFEATED IN MY MIND BY THE BRAVO AND HAS NOW BEEN RETIRED FROM MY THERAPY. IT JUST DOESN'T MATCH UP WITH THE BRAVO BOTH IN USABILITY AND QUIETNESS OF OPERATION. THE SWIFT WOKE ME AT NIGHT WITH THE NOISE AND I NEVER REALLY SLEPT AN ENTIRE NIGHT AND THE BRAVO GAVE ME A FULL NIGHT SLEEP THE VERY FIRST NIGHT.

Barrel difficult to adjust, but stays in place. Very little contact with upper lip. Needed to make covers for the narrow supply tubes to decrease rain-out. Didn't solve, but helped. Leak from swivel joints where the two pieces of the swivel connect. Annoying. Got air in eyes, cold, noisy. Customer Service at Bravo said they'd never had that problem and offered to replace unit. I'm curious to know if others had leaks. Hard to take apart to clean. Headgear didn't do well for my head/face shape. Website has a download for "proper" way to orient headgear. That way didn't work for me, nor did any of the photos show anyone actually wearing it that way. First time I used the Bravo, the air shreiked through one of the vent holes enough to wake hubby. Had to clean material out of one hole to stop the whistling. Nostril pain from pillows. Stiffer than Swift. Direction of exhaust too close to eyes.

Barrel does not stay put when I rotate it, but it's easy to adjust. More contact with upper lip than I'd like. Vents onto lip, which can be annoying. Made a "rug" which protects lip (a rectangle of fabric which has holes to fit over pillows, and hangs down over lips). (Rug also catches drool). Easy remove pillows to wash. Leaks easily resolved with teflon tape. Quieter than Bravo. Thank you for the opportunity to compare, if only to show me that the Swift, though annoying at times, is a useful mask. Comfortable, quiet, easy to clean.

It stayed sealed much better when I laid on either side. It seemed to stay sealed better all around. It was very easy to clean. The attachment for the hose on the back of the head can be uncomfortable if you sleep on your back.

If you lay on both sides during the night you end up on the air line and it is easier for the seal to break. It is complicated to break down and reassemble for cleaning.

Had a lot of problems with keeping a seal. I am back sleeper and the connection on the sides of the nasal system would tend to twist as I moved during the night and leaks would develop. The mask basicaly didn;t move well with me. The hoses on either side were to stiff and didn't become part of my head and resisted when I would toss and turn during sleep. THe pillow system was al right, but I would ahve liked some expander pillows, which I use in my breeze. I also had a difficult time of keeping the mask on. THe head strap system empolyed here did not fit well and keep rideing up on the back of my head. This produced leaks. My CPAP prescription is not severe (8) so it is was not a pressure issue. I did like the exra width that the system designed into the straps on eaither side. I have tried the swift, but it is too narrow for my head and produces marks on either side of my face in the morning.

Much too narrow for my head size. Not comfortable when sleeping and in the morning. Leaks were a problem with the unit. Toss and turing during the night caused lots of leaks. Would have liked to be able to purchase expander pillows like on the breeze.

The head gear is fairly comfortable and does fit a bit better than the Mirage Swift II. Found it difficult to keep a good seal not so much between the nose piece and my nose, but between the mask and the nose piece. I also did not like the rubber/sticky of the two air hoses connected to the mask. They pick up lint from bedding. Also this mask is one of heaviest I've ever used. I would wake up every time I moved because the mask would move off of my face, and then I'd have to re-adjust it back into position.

I thought the Swift I was really quiet and I did not have any seal issues at all with the Swift I. The Swift II. I was unable to get a good seal with the product alone. There is a lot of air leakage between the mask and the nose piece. In addition there are a lot of air leaks between the rubber seals of the headgear and the mask. The Swift II mask does not appear to be wide enough to accommodate what it is designed to do. Now having said that, with the use of some plumbers teflon tape, I was able to wrap pieces of the map between the joints, and get a great seal that way. With those modifications the mask is the quietest I've ever used, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another even knowing that I'd have to make modifications to it.

The Bravo was somewhat quieter than the Swift II. The tubing and pillows though lighter in weight, were flimsy and hard to work with compared to the Swift II. The Bravo would not stay in place unless I remained motionless on my back. To get the mask to seal at all was like being hung by my nose. I was unable to get the headgear and pillows adjusted in order to sleep successfully. The experience was very frustrating. I was unable to sleep for any length of time with this mask. Not at all a good experience for me.

The Swift II is overall much more comfortable and secure than the Bravo. There is much less movement of the mask when changing sleeping positions. With the Swift II there are more parts to be taken apart for cleaning, but they are much sturdier than the Bravo, and much easier to work with. The Swift II is noisier than the Bravo. The Swift II is a "keeper".

I liked the fact that the Bravo comes with three sizes of nasal pillows and the medium pillow fit my nostrils perfectly, but there is no adjustment for the spacing between the pillows and the pillows were spaced too far apart for my nasal openings. I was unable to obtain an adequate seal with the Bravo to prevent air leakage.

I liked the fact that the Swift II comes with three sizes of nasal pillows and the spacing between the pillows is proportionate to the pillow size, but unfortunately the size of my nasal openings fall between the medium and the large pillows. I was able to obtain an acceptable seal with the Swift II, but the seal would often be broken when I rolled over on my side.

I could not get the individual nose pieces to be comfortable. Also, quite a challenge to do the daily cleaning. If it fits for you it nice and quiet and comfortable.

I used the original and was very satisfied. The Swift 11 is a big improvement in the softer nose pieces and it is much quieter.

Things that I liked about the Bravo mask are 1) The "barrel" does not rest on the upper lip as much as the Swift II 2) The 2 lines comming off the Y to the Barrel give it more stability. (When you toss and turn it does not pull on one side of the mask and break the seal like it does on the Swift II). 3)To me I have to say that the headgear is hands down way more comfortable than the Swift II. It stays put once set and is very easy to slip on and off. 4) The noise level of the mask is very low and superior to that of the Swift II. 5) The mask feels very light and I like that it can be worn over the head with the enclosed velcro rings or down below the face. Things I dislike about the Bravo are: 1) The most annoying thing about this mask is the two tubes that run from the Y to the "barrel" under the nose are made of non ribbed silicone and whe I toss and turn the lines very easily becomes kinked, cutting off the air in the line completely and with a higher pressure of 17.5 IPAP I felt like I was not getting enough air and was chocking when this happened. 2) I also feel that the lines are not wide enough for the upper pressures(felt I was laboring to breath)but this did get a little bit better after the first week. (still not as easy to breath as the Swift II) 3)Taking apart the mask to clean it was easy but, it was kind of hard to get the silicone tubing back on the elbow.(I am sure that it would get easier with time) Overall this is an excellent mask. The ONLY thing that is keeping this off of my preffered list is the formentioned issues with the tubing kinking. I think with a little tweaking (changing silcone tubing to the slightly larger ribbed tubing found on other masks ie Comfort curve mask)would be a great improvement and the mask would be one of choice for me. A little info about me to help other people is, my pressure at the time of trial was IPAP of 17.5 and EPAP of 15 my face is slightly rounded and head size is slightly large. This is stricktly my opinion of this Bravo mask.

Things I like about the Swift II mask are: 1) The mask is easy to take apart and clean, just slide the bottom clip off and take pillows off and clean. very easy to put back together. 2)Can be worn over the head or down below the face. 3) Easy to breath with the higher pressures I have.(get enough air flow) 4) Very comfortable to wear. Things I dislike about the Swift II are : 1)The noise of this mask is somewhat high side. but sleeping with a fan for background noisehelps alot. 2) I found that the buckles on the headgear can lose their hold requiring frequent adjustments. 3) The barrel of this mask rests a little bit on the upper lip and can be uncomfortable at times. 4) The tubing on the one side of the barrel can break the seal of the mask when I toss and turn. (in my opinion this mask would be excellent if tubing was slightly more smaller and on both sides of the barrel) Overall this is an excellent mask with a few short commings. The benifts of this mask far out weight the negitives.It remains my go to mask for now. A little info about me to help other people is, my pressure at the time of trial was IPAP of 17.5 and EPAP of 15 my face is slightly rounded and head size is slightly large. This is stricktly my opinion of the Swift II mask.

I felt the Bravo was just a bit more comfortable to wear. However, it did keep falling off of my head and did not seal consistently.

I like the Swift because it is virtually silent when the seal is good...and it stays sealed most of the time. It is comfortable, though the air tube on one side makes it a little uncomfortable to sleep on that side.

I could not get the pillows to slant enough for my nostrils. I need a good 45 degree slant. Tube was not flexible enough to bend. If it did bend more the tube is so narrow it would have lessened the air flow. Liked the option for two size pillows. The air vent was too close to my lips and I felt I had a leak all the time. The head gear would not stay put. I tried different adjustments but could not get a good fit that put the nasal tube in the right placement. Leaks in the two elbow connections when I put the hoses over my head.:-( Chin strap needed for jaw and to hold headgear in place!! Easy to clean and assemble. It looked like the answer to my prayers, but not quite.

I have to work to get the slant on the pillows to fit my nostrils, but I managed it better than the Bravo. No option for two sizes of pillows. Head gear is good, but chin strap is needed. Wish the pillows lasted longer...

Most uncomfortable mask I've owned (Activa, Swift, and Swift II being the others) I found that the twin supply tubes were always getting in my way or tangled. It was harder to exhale with this mask than any ot the other 3. The seal was Ok. The one thing I DID like was the head gear - it was more stable than the Swift headgear After a year or 2 of 100% compliance with the swift series, every night I tried the Bravo, I ended up waking up part way through the night, ripping the darned thing off my head, and getting my swift so I could go to sleep

The Swift I and II have been my default mask, and I've never really had any complaints. If I let my hair get a little long, the head gear tends to slide around, and in this way, the Bravo mask was better. In every other way, I vastly prefer the swiftII

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Better: The Y tubing kept even tension on both sides, keeping the resevoir from being pulled up on one during while changing positions. Sturdier headger was easier to put on head. The elbow and resevoir connection was very comfortable while sleeping on side. Didn't like: Difficult to rotate resevoir to adjust up/down angle of pillows; also difficult to get on/off the elbows. With headgear in place, the resevoir was prone to loosing the bend in the middle, causing the angle of the pillows to shift from this position (/) to this position (||), leaving a gap between my nares and the pillows causing a major air leak. Headgear kept riding up on the back of my head. Air vents blow air on bedding and/or myself. Conclusion: The Bravo was light weight, quiet and very comfortable to wear. The quality of the headgear, the silicone pillows and resevoir was excellent. The ability to use two different size pillows at the same time is a plus for those that need it. I had high hopes for this mask....Unfortunately, despite numerous adjustments to the headgear, cutting the strap between the pillows, trying the diffent size pillows, I just wasn't able to maintain a good seal. Between the headgear riding up and the pillows loosing their angle and pointing straight up, this just wasn't a good fit for me.

Better: The frame keeps the pillow sleeve in a fixed position, allowing the pillows to remain at the correct angle even while adjusting the up and down angle. Headgear tends to stay in place, better. Rotating the frame can easily be done with one hand. Didn't like: The single tubing sometimes causes the frame to shift while changing positions. The end caps and elbow can be uncomfortable while sleeping on side and can push on the frame and break the seal on the pillows. Headgear leaves "swoosh" marks on face. Air vents blow air on bedding and/or myself. Conflusion: I feel that the Swift II is equal to the Bravo in being light weight, quiet and comfortable. The quality of the headgear and silicone is also excellent. However, the pillows on the Swift II maintain their angle better than the Bravo and I have fewer air leaks. Overall, I would have to say that the Swift II is a better fit for me.

The bravo is potentially good if some aspects of the product is changed. 1. pillows need to be fixed to the base unit like the swift is. they tend to leak more. 2. the pillow base unit needs to me more stiff and have an ease of tilting position like the swift. 3 I do like the fit of the head gear on the head. I like that you can attach the small tubes to the side with the Velcro tape to the side compared to the Swift's attachment of side tube. I will have more clinical data from my cpap unit this week. Overall I had to take off the bravo to switch over to the swift either in the middle of the night or before sleep. I felt that i was more tired during the day compared to the swift. Maybe it was getting used to the bravo, but I am sure that break in period was less with the swift.

I would change the head gear on the swift to be more like the bravo. Use double sided Velcro to attach the Swift's side tube. Lower the cost of parts and whole package. Make the head gear stronger with more life to it. I feel that once the bravo engineers the unit better, it will still be lower cost. as with the bravo I will have better clinical date from my resmed cpap unit.

The comfort level of the Bravo is much better than the Swift II. Being more of a active side sleeper, the Bravo allows a better configuration by allowing the air tubes to run over the top of the head. The Swift II allows the tube to go over the head but since the tube attaches to the nasal pillows from the side, sleeping on that side is not comfortable. I feel the pillows fit better in the nose and has a better airtightness mainly because the tube does not get in the way, causing frequent readjustments, everytime I switch from side to side using the Swift II. I'm not too thrilled about the cleaning of each tube as well as the nasal pillows instead of the nasal pillows on the swift. The biggest issue I have with the Bravo is I experenced a couple of times during my sleep where the air did not flow through the nasal tubes properly due to the real flexible tubes. I think those tubes should maybe be ribbed so they do not bend as easy but that may introduce a bit of discomfort on the face.

The Swift II seems a bit easier to clean. It has a nice seal on the nasal cusions and it is slightly more user friendly as there is only one tube that connects to the nasal pillows. Unfortunately, the Swift II has issues with comfort when I have the air tube attached to the mask straps atop of my head and sleeping on that side. Although I believe it maybe more durable, it appears that air leaks out of the sides more when I use it. This is probably because switching sides frequently must cause a pressure on the nasal set forcing me to readjust. The Bravo does not have this problem.

I only used it for a portion of one night. I tossed and turned for 2 - 3 hours, trying to adjust it to make it comfortable. I finally gave up and got up and changed back to the Swift II. I checked "average" under the "Cleaning" and "Durability" category because I had to pick something. I don't know how easy/hard it is to clean because I didn't clean it because I used it only once and will not use it again.

It is much more comfortable than the Bravo. I started out (a little over a year ago) using the Comfortgel Face Mask. It was comfortable at first, but caused sores to form on the bridge of my nose, where the top of the mask touched my skin. I had to use a bandaid every night to cover up the area. Then, I went on-line and found the Swift II at the CPAP.com website. It is MUCH more comfortable. The only problem I have is the price (way too high for several pieces of plastic) and having to clean it every night. If it were less expensive, I would buy extra pieces, rotate them and clean everything once or twice a week.

The nose piece is smaller and contoured to the nose. The nasal pillows are easy to remove and clean! The head gear seems larger, but in fact is flatter and wider in spots where it needs to be, to keep the mask in place during the night. Very nice overall weight as well. Weighing only a few ounces, you hardly know it is there. The only drawback for me is the dual hose configuration, which seemed a little bulky at first.

I like the single hose going to the nasal interface piece. The head gear straps are really small as well. However, the mask tends to slip around some at night. The noise level is way below others. The center nasal pillows are easy to get off and clean, but takes 2 hands to get it back on correctly. The seal could be better, as the nasal pillows are in a straight line, so the adjustment in width has to be done with the pillows.

Light weight. Really liked the design. Only part actually touching face were pillows and head gear on the cheeks. Felt like air more equally distributed due to two supply hoses. Better overall fit and comfort. Pillows did not seal properly. Tried all three sizes and a combination of sizes but could never get a complete seal on right nostril. Didn't like the fact that the pillows were individually attached. They actually fell out once. Had a harder time with exhalling pressure.

Better seal. Better constructed nasal pillows. Pillows attached to the air reserve won't fall out. Air reserve heavy on upper lip. Amount of air release seems too high during regular use.

The best thing about the Bravo is that it is the quietest of anything I have ever used! If the nose pieces don't fit perfectly, it is a hassle readjusting all night long. Once fitted correctly, it was very comfortable, but the strap tended to slip off of the back of my head. But, a fantastic product and advancement in CPAP technology!

Both are equally easy to clean. The Swift II was a little more comfortable because the straps stay in place and don't slip off of my head. This is easy to fit and to wear, does not require readjustments during the night. It is very comfortable and does not get in the way of reading, watching TV, or wearing glasses.

Good seal for active side Sleeper. Body was comfortable. Head gear heavy but durable. The small nasal tube are too noisey for me, on exhale it is loud. Had to really be tired to fall asleep.Feeder tubes were hard to get dry after cleaning.

Very comfortable , light, easy to clean. Much quieter. Fall asleep much quicker. Head gear light Proplem on active nights,nasal tubes would occasionally pop out of nose, this would wake spouse or me.

It was comfortable, but it was not as flexible as the Swift

It was more flexible than the Bravo

First of all, let me say that the Bravo is an excellent product but, unfortunately, was edged out only slightly by the Swift II. The headgear on the Bravo is exceptionally more comfortable and the smaller diameter reservoir is much better than that of the larger Swift II. The velcro adjustment of the Bravo headgear eliminated the occasional hair pulling I've experienced with the Swift II headgear. Unfortunately, the reservoir does not freely swivel due to the way it is connected to the Y-circuit. The inability for the reservoir and pillows to swivel freely caused me to have many leaks throughout the night and I would have to awaken and re-adjust the headgear due to my normal movements in my sleep. This is the only reason I gave the Bravo and 'Average' in the 'Seal' category. I also rated the 'Ease of Cleaning' below the Swift only because it was sometimes difficult to disconnect the reservoir from the Y-circuit, however, this is almost a negligible point. Also, the Y-circuit design of the Bravo does not allow occasional rain out to reach the reservoir nearly as easily as the Swift II. Ideally, if the reservoir were able to swivel as the Swift II's does, I would use the Bravo exclusively.

The Swift II has a swiveling reservoir which allows the pillows to remain sealed tightly throughout the night and my normal movements during sleep. The Swift II's reservior is larger than the Bravo's making it a little more obtrusive against my upper lip. The headgear of the Bravo is much, much more comfortable and easier to adjust. The connection for the Swift II allows rainout to enter the reservoir more easily than the Bravo but I rarely have problems with rainout. The ability for me to sleep throughout the night without having to awaken to adjust or reseal the Swift II gives it the advantage. The Swift II is my system of choice for now but a few minor changes in the Bravo could change my mind easily.

The Bravo came packaged nicely, with clear instructions on usability and maintenance. It is light, and does not interfere with watching TV or wearing glasses. It was fairly easy to clean, though not quite as easy as they Swift, as the dual tubing is small and long. I usually like to snake a rag through the tubing on my Swift to make sure it is dry, and no creepy crawlies start growing in there. I am not too hapy with the comfort. I tried several positions over the head, tieing the tubes in differnet spots to the headgear with the elastic. I liked the tubing coming in at the back behind my head, but it made it uncofortable to impossible to sleep on my back, depending on the position. If I ran the tubing down in front it seemed to pull the pillows away from my nose and caused leakage as the mask tubing is so long and heavy. It also felt like the pillows were too far apart, they put pressure on the outer sides of my nares, which I don't quite understand, becuase it looks to be about the same distance apart as the Swift. I tried and tried with different positions over this trial, and while I could get some to an acceptable level, it just wasn't quite as good as the Swift.

I have been using the Swift II for a while now, so it may have an unfair advantage, but I just don't remember having the same issues with comfort in the begining that I did with the Bravo. The Swift is quiet, light, easy to clean, has the same open vision the Bravo has, and I am able to sleep better with it through the night. The only complaint, if there was one, is that with the single tube on one side, I will wake up with a zebra type pattern on my forehead if I manage to sleep on that side. Not taking in to account price, this one was the clear winner for me.

I preferred the adjustability of the Bravo's headgear, velcro is definitely the way to go. I really liked the "soft hose" design, which felt much more comfortable than the swift's hard hose, especially since I switch sides during the night. The soft hoses offer much more flexibility and comfort when switching sides, and they don't bother me when they come in contact with my face and my pillow. At a retail cost of $50 less than the Swift, the Bravo is a better value. I think the Bravo flowed less air than the Swift, probably because the "chamber" attached to the nasal pillows is significantly smaller. When I would breathe deeply before falling asleep, I would feel that the Bravo wasn't flowing as much air as I would like. This was also especially noticeable on nights where I had some nasal congestion. I don't think the nasal pillows themselves were quite as comfortable as the Swift's, and the Bravo was more likely to leave my nose sensitive in the morning. I think this is because the nasal pillows' plastic is more tacky than the Swift's. The first night I slept with the Bravo, I only rinsed the system with water, and not soap. I smelled a very strong odor from the plastics all night. After using baby shampoo the next night, I had no more complaints on any subsequent nights.

Overall, I found the Swift to be a much more comfortable system to wear on nights that I slept on my back or on the side opposite the hose. It seemed to flow significantly more air than the Bravo, which I liked, especially on nights where I had nasal congestion. The nasal pillows are much more comfortable on the nose, probably due to the softer and more "slippery" plastic used. Although the Swift doesn't adjust as easily as the Bravo, I was able to attain a good seal quicker, and was able to maintain a better seal thru the night. The Swift made less noise. My biggest complaint about the Swift is the conventional "hard" hose used, which was less flexible, and less comfortable when it came in contact with my face and pillow. The hose was fine when I slept on my back or the "opposite" side, but when I slept on the "hose" side, it was uncomfortable and more prone to leaks. This is probably the biggest deal-breaker, since I tend to switch sides several times during the night. Also, as the Swift costs $50 more than the Bravo, the Swift is not as good of a value.

Could not get the pillows to seal. Maybe my nares are just too large. I like the fact that different sized nares can be accommodated; different sized for each one, but I couldn't find any large enough. Headgear is sturdy and strong; stays in place. The mask set-up is heavier than the Swift II and the hoses much longer to accommodate over the head positioning. Cleaning involves removing the pillows like the Liberty but no guide to get them back in right place. The barrel was much too difficult to turn to get the pillows aligned correctly with nares. In the two weeks I tried this mask, I was only able to get a good seal twice and that was with a lot of work and didn't last throughout the night.

This mask is light! Other than leaking at the barrel (which was fixed with teflon tape), this mask is quiet! The exhaust is noiseless. The pillows seal up easily without over-tightening and the barrel rolls easily for the right angle of seal. It is not very comfortable for side sleeping with the hose up the side of your face. It is easier and more comfortable to leave straight down and let it follow you from side to side as you turn. The cleaning is simple by sliding the retainer, the pillows and barrel(molded together) come right off for cleaning. Some headgear slippage both at the clip and the strapping but did not interfere with my sleeping. This mask does what it is designed to do......Lightweight and sealable!

I like the air coming into both sides of the nose piece. I felt it has possibilities, but it would not stay in place when moving about while sleeping and lost the seal easy. I like the design but felt it needed a stiffer plastic for the nose piece as it didn't stay in place. It was quiet but I had to lay completely still for it to work.

I am very satified with this product. It fits well, it's very comfortable, easy to clean and use. Very little noise. I enjoyed the product challenge.

It took longer to get the pillows situated, perhaps because there were so many choices. I did not like how far apart they were. This made it difficult to get a good seal. Since my nostrils are different sizes, I liked that the pillows could be cut apart and I could use the appropriate size for each nostril. The headgear was more comfortable and easier to put on than the Swift II. The double hoses seemed like they would be more comfortable but created twice the noise of moving air. I could not get a good seal with the Bravo. It felt fine as long as I didn't move, but when I turned my head it broke the seal, leaked and woke me up. I tried both with the hoses down and also attached and over the head.

The fit of the pillows, even though my nostrils are two different sizes. It sealed easily and stayed that way no matter how much I moved. I could even sleep on my side without a problem. The headgear isn't as comfortable as the Bravo, the back strap tends to slide down and sometimes causes discomfort to the top of my ears. Overall, I got a better nights rest when I used the Swift II.

Did not like anything. Disliked: 1 velcro strips to hold side tubes to headgear, velcro would stick to scalp during night. 2 very noisy, had trouble sleeping 3 uncortable headgear. 4 did not like 2 tubes

Disliked the buckles in the head gear, would prefer adjustments with velcro strips. Liked the unit a lot, did not find anything objectionable

I like the option of wearing it down or over your head. The material for the headpiece seems very durable. I had a hard time fitting the nasal pieces. I woke up this morning with chapped skin on my nose and some discomfort in that area. I was not very comfortable sleeping with the bravo. I found it hard to get a good seal. One night I had to stop using it because there was too much leaking into my eye area.

The swift nasal pillows fit my nares much better and do not cause discomfort. It seems to seal well. It was quieter. I slept more peacefully and comfortably with the Swift II.

Pillows were too far apart to get a good seal.

No Comment

I feel badly that I can't give this product the ratings the quality probably deserves; it is just the wrong product for my face/nose. I have a small nose with slotted nostrils and although the small size seemed to fit appropriately, I could never get the mask to keep a seal. It was only in doing a side-by-side comparison to the SwiftII that I finally realized that, in the small size, the nostrils were just too far apart, which lead to rubbing a sore against the inner nostril (first ever in a year of BiPap.) The wide spacing also meant that the seal popped loose every time I turned on my side. The headgear also seemed designed for a larger head than mine. When I tightened it down to fit my head, the velcro completely overlapped all of the neoprene, resulting in NO stretch remaining. Likewise, the low noise rating is due to the lack of seal. Like all nasal pillows I'ved used, it was almost silent when the seal was perfect, and tornadic when the seal came loose. On the plus side, I liked the clear view and the double hose configuration that, with the enclosed velcro holders, allowed many configurations. The mask seemed well made, with comfortably soft pillows - it just doesn't work well for me. If this mask had a pillow that fit around the nostrils like the ComfortCurve, I would probably give it a superior rating.

I like nearly everything about the Swift II. The only exceptions being the Price, and that the headgear is a little large for my head. I also still can't quite figure out the best hose placement for when I move from side to side at night. I love having nothing on the bridge of my nose or forehead to impede reading glasses. The swiveling holder for the nasal pillow system is especially easy to adjust to a wide variety of angles.

The Bravo was very light weight and comfortable. However, it also did not feel as durable. The nasal pillows were actually too flimsy and lightweight, causing them not to make a good seal in all sleeping postions unless the straps on the headgear were pulled almost uncomfortably tight. Compared to the Swift II, the Bravo was difficult to dissamble and reassemble for cleaning. You have to peal the tubing off the nose piece, rather than just snap it off. There were no markings, like there are on the Swift, to make reassembly easy. Consequently the Brave took longer to break down, and more time and thought to reassemble. (It was not intuitive, like the Swift.) Had I cut the nose pillows apart, it would have significantly added to the difficulty of reassembly and proper realignment. The Bravo's strongest points were it's weight and comfort, although the Swift II is also light weight and comfortable. The Bravo can truely adapt "on the fly" to any sleeping postiion without rearranging anything. Unlike some units I've tried, there is also ample exhaust force provided, makeing exhailing natural and unlabored (although not necessary better than the Swift II, in this regard). Overall, I'd say the Bravo was a close second to the Swift II, and certainly much better than the Respironics OptiLife.

The Swift II is quite, comfortable, and easy to dissasemble/reassemble for cleaning. Also very quick and easy to adjust for maximum comfort, once you put it on. It generally makes a good seal in all sleeping positions. It is light weight but well made and seems extremely durable. Exhaust ports are designed well, making exhailing easy and unlabored. I'd rate it as the best of the three nasal pillow systems I've used - slightly better than the Bravo, and much better than the Respironics OptiLife. It's only negative point is that the hose can get in the way, if you roll over on your side on the side where the hose connects to the pillow sleeve. However the hose can be connected to either end of the sleeve, depending on which side you are most prone to sleeping on.

The connection at the elbow is very stiff and hard to connect & disconnect. Once it is connected, it leaks. I did like the headgear for the Bravo better than the Swift II. It is softer and a little easier than the headgear for the Swift II. The headgear is the only thing I liked on the Bravo better than the Swift II.

This is much quieter than the Bravo. The diffused vent holes make it quieter. It is easier to clean than the Bravo and offers more options for routing the hose. I don't like the headgear for the Swift II as well as the headgear for the Bravo.

Good for side sleepers as sleeping on my side didn't affect the nasal mask by pushing it to the side to leak. Unfortunately the nasal pieces didn't seem as soft or as easy to fit my face. I fight to get a good seal before I even go to sleep. Woke up lots with the nasal piece leaking. Seemed very quite. Might be a good mask for some others that the nasal piece fits better.

Good for back sleepers but as the hose exits on one side it's not a side sleeper mask (which I tend to be). This mask is light weight and doesn't make you feel like Darth Vader. The nasal part is pretty good, but I'm finding as the mask wears out I'm having more problems with getting a good seal. I had to replace the center nasal piece at 2 months and it looks like I'll be replacing the mask at 4. A little noisier than the Bravo as well. But in the end this one works better for me.