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Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask

Average Category Ratings

Seal
3.9
Above Average
Comfort
4
Above Average
Quietness
4
Above Average
Ease of Use
4.3
Above Average
Ease of Cleaning
4.1
Above Average
Headgear
3.8
Above Average


Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask

- Tie
Number of participants who choose to switch to this product:
25 (50%)

Swift LT Nasal Pillow Mask

Average Category Ratings

Seal
4
Above Average
Comfort
4
Above Average
Quietness
4
Above Average
Ease of Use
4.2
Above Average
Ease of Cleaning
4.2
Above Average
Headgear
4.1
Above Average


Swift LT Nasal Pillow Mask

- Tie
Number of participants who choose to stay with this product:
25 (50%)

User Reviews     

Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask Reviews   Swift LT Nasal Pillow Mask Reviews
  By Challenge participant

PROS: -- The headgear is even more minimal than the Swift, less noticeable.
-- The nose piece if even smaller than the Swift, feels like less ″presence″ and contact with your nose.
-- The nose piece does not need press as hard upward on your nose to stay sealed.
-- The swivel connection makes sleeping on the side and moving around during the night even easier.
-- The air ″exhaust″ valve seems a bit quieter.

CONS: -- The nose piece comes out of its holder too easily, if you roll over in the night. Doesn't come out all the way, just pops out on one side, resulting in a rush of air and waking you up. The Swift has a little rubber ″stub″ that fits in a slot to keep this from happening.
-- The padding on the cheek pads does not extend beyond the plastic, sometimes resulting in a sharp edge pressing into your cheek.
-- The nose piece extends a little further up the nasal passage, perhaps making for a better seal, but sometimes it tickles the inside of your nose, necessitating pulling it out and rubbing briefly.
-- I worry that the swivel connection will not hold up long enough, that it will lose its seal and leak some air after a while. Just appears to be a little delicate. But we'll see.

CAVEAT: -- I did NOT run the hose up to the top of my head, attaching it to the top strap like the ″standard″ way appears to be. I leave it loose, usually pointing sideways or down. When sideways, I did NOT attach it to the side strap either. I usually roll to my back or to the other side once or twice during the night, and the Opus made that easier than the Swift.

   By Challenge participant

PROS: -- The nose piece fits tightly into its holder and won't come out.
-- The padding on the cheek pads extends beyond the plastic, so more cushioned support.

CONS: -- To get a good seal, the nose piece pushes up pretty hard, so sometimes a sore nose in the morning.
-- Less flexibility/movement at the connection point than the Opus.
-- While this is a pretty minimal unit and a huge improvement over the ″total nose cover″ unit I had before, it feels slightly more bulky and intrusive than the Opus. The Opus takes a further step towards ″I can hardly tell I have it on.″

  By Challenge participant

The things I liked better about the Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask is that it is more quiet than the Swift LT and generally it fit more comfortably on my face. Whereas I would normally wake up with a sore nose wearing the Swift LT, I did not experience such soreness wearing the Opus mask. In addition, the headgear is very to use, adjust and clean. That having been said, however, the headgear, although impressively small in its profile, is extremely prone to sliding around and falling off your head in the middle of the night, even if fastened tightly. Another problem is that the seal is not very good and I would often wake up feeling just as bad as if I never wore a mask at all. The seal is especially bad if you sleep on your side, which I think may be in part because unlike the Swift LT, nothing is holding the pillows flush against your nose thus resulting in constant leakage. In short, in terms of comfort and ease of use the Opus 360 excels, but to be honest I'd rather have a mask that works well, and the Opus 360 falls short of the Swift NT in this respect.

   By Challenge participant

There are a couple of advantages that the Swift LT has over the Opus 360. First of all, the seal is superior to the Opus 360. When you tighten the headgear the pillows are pushed flush up against your nose, creating a snug seal that will not be broken, even if you sleep on your side. The one down-side to this construction is that you frequently wake up in the morning with a sore nose from the pillows being pushed so much up against your nose, but to be honest it works pretty well and if you have a full face mask you can alternate the masks such that you only wear the Swift LT every other night of the week. Another advantage that the Swift LT hs is that the headgear is very well made and does not slide around in the middle of the night -- which is a problem that I had with the Opus 360. I think the Swift LT is also the easiest mask to clean, with very few parts which can easily be fit back into place with little effort.

  By Challenge participant

Okay, I'm a guy and it's common knowledge that all guys have a bit of Leo DaVinci rattling around inside us. We are mesmerized by clever feats of engineering. When I opened the package and spied the orbiting hose attachment at the front of this interface my heart leapt for joy! This may be the secret to interface fitment utopia. And in fact, it is very clever and does resolve one deficiency in my regular pillow interface, that being the need for the interface to flex in the ″pitch″ axis without pulling the pillows out of place. My first impression of the interface was generally good out of the box. It's very lightweight and profoundly simple in design. The 360's materials gave me a good first impression although I think the Swift has a little edge there. Unfortunately, I only managed to squeak one good night out of the pillow fit. The pillow material is stiffer than I felt comfy with and I just couldn't find a happy fit with my slotted and crooked nares. The 360 lacks and independent body adjustment axis for the pillow ″angle″ relative to the bottom of the nose which I felt would have made the difference for me. I could make up for it a little bit by playing with the headgear but just never found the ″sweet spot″. In regard to quality, My opinion at the end is still generally good, however I had to remove a dangling hunk of plastic from the hose swivel and at one point the swivel popped completely apart while under pressure. Overall, I think it boils down to this interface being a good ″match″ for it's user. If your individual physiology works with it's design I wouldn't hesitate to call the Opus a very acceptable interface that is superior to many other designs in it's class. And I really like that 360!

   By Challenge participant

Are you an Apple or a P.C? Seems like a fair comparison here. The Swifts competitor is a clever and thoughtfully designed interface that would be a satisfying solution if it fit me. Ultimately though, Resmed prevails for me with softer pillow material that conforms to my abhorrent nares and a swiveling body design that improved the pillow angle without having to jockey the headgear around like a horseys bridle. like the competitor, visibility is great and there is plenty of room under the hose for glasses. The Swift is lightweight and barely makes it presence known on my face (just don't walk past a mirror) and my chin strap works fine in unison with it. (REALLY don't walk past a mirror). The pillows have a snap in feature to them that may not make much difference mechanically but gives a bit more confidence that the pillows are correctly installed. I've had no quality control issues with the Swift. If I was going to fiddle with the design, I would re-engineer the hard plastic hose clamp on the top of the headgear with a softer design such as the velcro on the Opus. The Swift is a very desirable interface that is head and noses over most other pillow interfaces. If the Opus and the Swift merged their best features and hit the market as the Swiftus, I'd certainly buy a truckload of them!

  By Challenge participant

The Opus 360 came with small, medium and large nasal pillows. The medium worked best for me. The seal was fantastic. My wife often complains in the morning that my mask was hissing all night. I received only one such complaint with the opus 360 and that was because the headgear slipped off the back of my head. I keep the tension of the headgear VERY light. I got a better seal with light tension than the Swift LT gave me with heavier tension. I also like the Velcro attachment to hold the tube in place overhead. The Swift LT has a plastic holder and I lose the seal when I lift the tube high enough to lock it in place, making more adjustments necessary. With the opus 360, I get everything adjusted and Velcro the tube down in perfect placement. The only feature of the Opus 360 I had an issue with was cleaning. The Swift LT detaches from the headgear making cleaning and reassembly a snap. The Opus 360 has foam on the headgear witch makes it very comfortable but not submersible. It you detach the headgear for cleaning than you have to readjust the tension when you reassemble. I did find a remedy that worked well for me. I use a 2 quart plastic bowl to soak my mask parts so the bathroom sink is still available. I found I could hang the parts that needed soaking into the water while the headgear remained dry outside the bowl. The nasal pillows were a little harder to reattach. It was easy to install them a little crooked. After a few nights I got used to the reattachment procedure and it was no longer an issue. During the product challenge I alternated each night between the Opus 360 and the Swift LT and I found myself looking forward to the nights I would use the Opus 360.

   By Challenge participant

When I saw the Swift LT had beaten the breeze (Which I used) I decided to give it a try. I fell in love with it. It was quieter and more comfortable. When I signed up for the product challenge between the Swift LT and the Opus 360 I thought nothing could be better than the LT. As it turns out the only thing I like better about the LT over the Opus 360 was the ease of cleaning and reassembly. It is a snap to disassemble and reassemble. The main problem I have with the Swift LT is when I attach the tube overhead, (which you don't have to do but I prefer) the tension I have to put on the tube to lock it in place is enough to break the seal, with then requires adjustment to get a proper seal again. I also needed more tension on the headgear to get a proper seal with the LT. My final complaint would be the price. I have a high deductible health care plan so my CPAP products are paid for out of pocket. I can almost buy two Opus 360s for the price of one Swift LT

  By Challenge participant

This is a very comfortable mask and, like the Swift LT, it is oh so light. It took a little experimenting but I was able to get a good seal after about a week.

The headgear straps that connect to the pillows holder feel uncomfortable where the foam ends and plastic starts. Despite loosening the straps I had more face marks with this headgear than any other. I think that the micro-fleece or cotton Padacheek covers designed specifically for this mask would help a lot. I tried using some heavier fleece pads I purchased from cpap.com but they were too bulky and I couldn't wear it that way.

After trying the original Opus about 2 years ago I hadn't wanted to try this one but with the challenge I decided I had nothing to lose. I'm glad I did because I do expect to continue to use this mask (after I get the padacheeks!)

   By Challenge participant

I've used the Swift LT off and on for some months. I finally realized that for me it does not seal well despite my best efforts and I've tried lots of solutions. It's nice and light. The odd little projections on the headgear are a bit annoying.

It is a little noisier than I would like though not very bothersome.

It's a good product overall but just not for me because of the seal issue.

  By Challenge participant

I liked the small size of the Opus nasal cushions and the quietness of the mask. However, I had difficulties obtaining a good seal when sleeping on my side. Also, the headgear left marks on my face each morning regardless of how loose it was adjusted. It's a good mask, just not quite up to par with the Swift LT.

   By Challenge participant

The Swift LT keeps a great seal regardless of whether I'm sleeping on my back or side. It's quite and the most comfortable headgear/mask I have ever worn.

  By Challenge participant

The lower plastic head gear is more stiff more prone to moving when turning in sleep. Requires a bit more tension on the straps to maintain a seal. Closer to the eyes than the Swift. Pillows do not have tabs to help lock the pillows in place.

It has a good strong anchored method for the short hose.

   By Challenge participant

Both medium and large pillow sizes can work for me. Tiltability of the pillows a plus. Softer and less tension required than the Opus

Pillows do not have a great lifespan. Top strap hard to stay put. Like the short hose to hang loose works better for me.

  By Challenge participant

the design of the nasal pillows and the headgear stability are better in the Opus model.

   By Challenge participant

the swift model tends to shift while i sleep, which is a nuisance. also, the nasal pillows are less comfortable.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus 360 is a nice simple design. It is easy to clean. But... The Opus 360 required more strap pressure to get a seal. The Opus 360 often made my nose very sore due to the increased pressure needed to prevent leaks. The Opus 360 also had a tendency to leave strap marks on my face more than the Swift LT. The Opus 360 vent hisses.

   By Challenge participant

The nasal pillow design is superior to the Opus 360. The Swift LT seals better with less pressure on the headgear straps making the comfort level higher. I think the dual (inner & outter) nasal pillow design of the Swift LT fits better and leaks less than any system I have tried. The Swift LT vent design is almost silent. I never had a sore nose using this mask. I never have strap marks on my face. This is my favorite mask.

  By Challenge participant

Seal seemed better and comfort of headgear.

   By Challenge participant

Very close to Opus 360 but seal seems to break easier.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus 360 mask was very much more comfortable than the other pillow masks I have tried. I am typically a gel nasal mask wearer but have been looking for a well fitting nasal pillow mask to try and this was the best one I have found yet. The pillows semmed to fit my nose much better than the others and I was able to sleep through the night while wearing this mask.

   By Challenge participant

The swift LT nasal pillow mask was your everyday average mask except for what I consider the most important aspect, comfort. I would awaken throughout the night struggling to adjust the mask to find the correct fit. I was very disappointed that I failed to find a comfortable adjustment for this mask.

  By Challenge participant

I actually preferred the opus over the swift. It was much quiter, and sealed better. It was relatively comfortable, but that is coming from a new user; just started my therapy about 4 months ago. I was able to sleep better with the opus and it will be my preferred mask in the future. The most innovative feature with the Opus is the ball and socket attachment on the head gear. The hose connects at this point which allows 180 degrees of movement in any direction. I found that the hose followed where ever I moved without pulling the mask from my face. There were only two things I did not like where I think the swift is superior. The over head tubing attachement is a velcro strap and it does not hold the hose very well, the hose ends up being able to slide around, which either gives you too much slack or not enough and pulls the nasal pillow from your face. The other item I did not like was the attachment of the nasal pillow. It can be knocked out of place and disconnected from the headgear to easily. A couple of times this resulted in me trying to reseat the nasal pillow in the dark...which did not work, I had to turn the light on to reattach. These are relatively minor things though. Due to the ball and socket attachment on the head gear, I found that I did not need to run the hose over my head. With this configuration, it was easy to roll to either side and the hose moved with me. The nasal pillow was only dislodged when the hose was attached to the top of headgear. I am also a side sleeper and found this mask very comfortable with a minimum of leaks when sleeping on my side.

   By Challenge participant

The two best features with the Swift mask was the hose attachment point at the top of the head gear. The hose just snaps into place and it has plastic fingers to keep the hose from moving around. The nasal pillow seat was also a great feature. It has tabs on either side that snap into place on the head gear. These tabs help keep the nasal pillow from coming loose in the middle of the night. Unfortunatley with this mask, I noticed a little bit more noise and I had more leaks with it when I moved in my sleep. I am a side sleeper, and I noted that the leaks usually occurred when I turned on my side. If you are back sleeper this would not be a hinderance to you. It is also a very comfortable mask.

  By Challenge participant

The pillows are extended a little more beyond the sleeve. This allows me to route the hose over my head without the sleeve rubbing my nose. I like the freedom of movement when routed this way, as opposed to straight down.

The seal wasn't as tight as the Swift LT, so I have to tighten the headgear more than the Swift.

Adjusting the headgear is so easy. The Opus has an additional adjustment to center the top band, which is useful.

The pillow sizes seem to run small. I normally use a medium from the Mirage brand, but had to go to a large on the Opus. Not a problem, just something to note.

Lastly, this is a problem with both pillow systems - The vents direct the air straight out. So if I turn to my wife, she gets an annoying draft. It would be nice if they had some clip-on sleeve that would direct the air straight up or down.

   By Challenge participant

The pillows are very light, soft, and comfy. They seal well, with only a slight headgear pressure.

But I can't route the hose over my head. That pushes the pillow sleeve against my nose, which is actually a bit painful. I route the hose down and clip it to my shirt, instead, putting the hose a little in the way, restricting movement. This is the reason I will stick with the Opus.

The headgear is also easy to adjust.

The air vents aim a little more down, but not enough. It still hits my wife if I turn towards her.

  By Challenge participant

The seal is excellent (not perfect, but what is?). Quiet, too. I think the design has a lot to do with it, as the nose insert has a wide base that keeps the seal when shifting position.

The Opus 360 nose pillow base also appears to be longer than the Swift LT so when my face moves during sleep, that movement is partially absorbed by the soft pillow ″neck″ rather than a plastic swival. The result is a better seal.

   By Challenge participant

Swift LT is comfortable and was my favorite mask to date, until I tried the Opus 360. Swift is a bit loud at exhalation, and the plastic hose clip should be replaced with a simple velcro strap, IMHO.
Other than those minor tweeks, an very good choice

  By Challenge participant

The design of the Opus is very, very similar to that of the Swift LT. They are both nice and light, very few parts, super easy to clean.

Compared to the Swift LT, there was nothing I liked better about the Opus, but one thing I found much worse: whenever I rolled onto my side, the seal broke and the leak would be so strong it would wake me up. I spent a fair amount of energy trying different adjustments and learning about the mask in order to fix this, but I had no luck. For this reason alone, I completely stopped using the Opus after the two-week challenge period ended.

   By Challenge participant

For me, the Swift LT holds its seal pretty well when I change sleeping positions, including rolling my head and face around on the pillow. In this way, the LT was far superior than the Opus. I also found the Swift LT pillow to be more adjustable (you can change the angle of it) than the Opus pillow.

In other respects, I found the two masks quite similar: the design is strikingly similar, they are both super light, easy to use, easy to clean.

I've tried 5 different masks (all nasal pillow style), and the Swift LT is the only one I like and the only one I will buy again.

That said, mask experience is highly subjective. One person's best mask may be another's worst.

  By Challenge participant

Still like the Swift LT Nasal Pillow Mask better for multiple days. Opus 360 was fine for first days but then started to get difficult to wear.

   By Challenge participant

Still the best I have found. Not perfect but best so far.

  By Challenge participant

I have been a Swift LT Nasal Pillow Mask user for some time and initially thought I would have leakage problems with the Opus 360 because of less ability to adjust the angle/position of the nasal pillows. However, leakage problems have been few and far between. The gear is comfortable, even when sleeping on your side, and easy to clean. Downsides: Seems to be a little noisier than the Swift LT, and the ″exhaust″ port directs air straight out which can be annoying to anyone sleeping with you. I recommend using some type of mask strap pad to prevent marks on your face in the morning. Finally, it did not work for me when I tried to sleep with the hose free rather than going across the top of my head (which is the way I sleep with the Swift LT). However, I did rather quickly get used to the hose over my head and it is no longer an issue for me. I give the Opus 360 a small edge over the Swift LT, but if the exhaust port issue is important to you, go with the Swift LT. I will actually continue to use both. Seems like after about a week, whichever mask I've been wearing becomes a little uncomfortable and/or starts giving me a little bit of a leakage problem. Don't why that should be, but changing to the other mask fixes things, so I'm going to automatically switch masks each week.

   By Challenge participant

I have been a Swift LT user for some time and recently had the opportunity to try the Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask. The gear is comfortable, even when sleeping on your side, and easy to clean. One advantage of the Swift LT is that the ″exhaust″ port is angled down. This makes it more comfortable for anyone sleeping with you, and it also makes the Swift LT a little quieter, in part due to no air flow hitting the pillow by your head. Leakage problems have been few and far between. The base that holds the nasal pillows can be rotated within the headgear, and that lets you adjust the angle of the pillows. Downsides: The clip that is used to route the hose over your head hasn't worked for me, so I've been sleeping with the hose free and running off to the side. That generally hasn't been a problem, but there have been times when I've found myself moving the hose when I've rolled over. I recommend using some type of mask strap pad to prevent marks on your face in the morning. I give the Opus 360 a small edge over the Swift LT, but if the exhaust port issue is important to you, go with the Swift LT. I will actually continue to use both. Seems like after about a week, whichever mask I've been wearing becomes a little uncomfortable and/or starts giving me a little bit of a leakage problem. Don't why that should be, but changing to the other mask fixes things, so I'm going to automatically switch masks each week.

  By Challenge participant

Easy to put in place and seal, it tended to stay that way. The rear headband became displaced more often than the Swift, but was not a real problem and was quickly and easily refitted. The ″ball elbow″/″mask frame″ connection is a ball type swivel, which while allowing for more movement, did pop off a couple of times. Would occasionally make a noise on inhale...like papers rustling....never did fiqure that out!

   By Challenge participant

Required a little more adjusting to put in place and get sealed every night.The headgear rubbed the top of my ears. Maybe my ears are just too high! Had to fiddle with the seal often throughout the night. Very quiet.

  By Challenge participant

I've only been using a CPAP for about 3 months. This is the second pillow mask I have tried. The size of the pillow was perfect. I does not put pressure on your nose or upper lip. The hose going over your head makes it easy to sleep on your side without losing the seal. The only downside to this mask is that the pillow does not swivel as musch as I would like. Overall a very comfortable and economical mask, highly recommend.

   By Challenge participant

This was my first mask. The headgear is extremly comfortable, and I really like the swivel for the pillow. Lets you get everything set just right you you. The only problem that I had with this is that I had a hard time initally setting the pillow so that there was not any pressure on my nose or my upper lip. once set it worked great.

  By Challenge participant

Right out of the box, I thought that the OPUS 360 was the mask for me. Well made, very light and much sturdier nasal pillows. Boy was I wrong.
It seemed comfortable at first. I didn't particualarly like the fact that the hose attachement on the the top of the head was a velcro tab. I occasionally like to shift from the over the head hose to side hose and it was clear that this would be difficult in the middle of the night.

Come bed time, I tried and tried and tried but just could not get a decent seal. tried different pillow sizes and even tried sleeping on my back (I am a definate side-sleeper).

I had been running a fairly consistent AHI of 3.5 to 4.5 with the Swift but could not get below 6.0 with OPUS.

I used the OPUS most of one night, some two days later and for about an hour four days after that. And boy could I feel the difference.

Thsi may be the perfect mask for some folks but not for me.

   By Challenge participant

Since going to the Swift LT from my originally prescribed Mirage Liberty w/ Nasal pillows, I have finally achieved decent sleep. With the Mirage, I could not get an AHI of less than 16 but upon going to the Swift, I saw immediate improvement.

I started mouth taping and my leak line and AHI were improved again.

I like the light feel of the Swift LT and especially the abilty to rotate the pillows to get better alighnment with my nares. That capability is great.

lately there has been some discusssion on the CPAPTALK forum about the Swift LT pillows not holding up. I don't know tha tI have enough experience to speak to that point but I do notice that over time, I do see the leak worsening slightly. Also, most recently I have been getting irritation behind one ear due to the strap slipping down.

One note, the Swift has a double-walled pillow made of very light material where the Opus was single-walled but much thicker material. If I could figure how to put the Opus pillows on the rotatable Swift frame, that might work better than either one.

For now, I will be sticking with the Swift LT but will always be looking for the next better mask.

  By Challenge participant

Who knew they could improve on the mask I finally found after years of looking.

I highly, highly recomend the Opus 360 mask. It stays secure all night long with my sleeping on my side and back.

If you aren't satisified with your current mask try the Opus 360. If you're using another nasal pillow system, try Opus 360.

It is great.

   By Challenge participant

I loved this product from day 1. I was told to use the CPAP 5 years ago and haven't because I was never able to find a mask that I could sleep with until the Mirage Swift LT. Once I tried it I was finally able to tolerate the CPAP and sleep with it.

The mask is different than every other one I've tried and allows me to sleep on my side with comfort. The nasal pillows are comfortable and stay sealed without leaks. The head strap felt comfortable and did not pinch or poke me.

  By Challenge participant

The pillow portion is lower than the Swift so it pushes less against your nose. It is the most comfortable mask I have ever tried. It leaks slightly more often then the Swift due to this lack of pressure against the nose. The headgear is very similar to the Swift. Overall either is an excellent choice.

   By Challenge participant

The seal is slightly better than the Opus. The trade off is slight discomfort as the pillow portion has to push against your nose to achieve the seal.Both the Swift and the Opus are so similar.

  By Challenge participant

There was nothing I liked better than the Swift LT Nasal Pillow.

What I did not like was it was a little too loud and not as comfotable as the Swift LT Nasal.

   By Challenge participant

It was much quieter, much more comfortable to wear. It did not irritate my nose.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus 360 with the medium size pillows fit me perfectly and rarely leaked at all. The headgear holds the mask in place better and is better when moving from side to side (which I do a lot!) than the Swift unit. I also seem to be able to exhale with less resistance. This is my favorite of the two!

   By Challenge participant

The Swift is a very good mask, but the Opus edges it out in several categories, at least for me.

  By Challenge participant

This is a far more superior product than the Swift LT. The seal and fit require little to no adjustment once set. I sleep much better with it. The swivel joint at the end of the tube is much better as well.

   By Challenge participant

This mask is great if you adjust it to fit and then don't move. But if you are a 'active' sleeper you will be dissapointed as you will often wake up and have to readjust to get your proper seal back.

  By Challenge participant

When I first put on the Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask my initial impression was that this is a well fitting mask that is very comfortable. I noticed that the mask applied little to no pressure to the upper lip and little upward pressure on the nostrils, both of which add to the comfort factor. The swivel fitting for the tubing looked to be a really great innovation. I was able to pull the mask on with relative ease and slept well while using the mask.


Having used the OPUS for a month I did notice a number of factors that on second glance need some improving. The innovative swivel for the air hose is a nice concept but it little to the overall comfort of the mask. In fact a couple of times during the month I slept using the OPUS the swivel connection came apart in the night time and I had to reconnect it. The nasal pillows on the OPUS were comfortable in general but I did encounter a leak in my right nostril upon inhalation that I could not eliminate with any regularity. There appears to be no way to adjust the nasal pillows up and down on the OPUS which would add to the comfort. In addition when removing the nasal pillows for cleaning, there are no alignment marks to aid with reinsertion of the silcone nasal pillows into the frame. The swivel connection to the CPAP hose also tended to come apart when the hose was removed for cleaning. The headgear is very comfortable and easy put on, but it tends to leave red marks on the side of the face, especially for users that sleep on their side.

   By Challenge participant

I have been using one version or another of the Swift Nasal Pillow Mask for a couple of years now and the latest incarnation is the best yet. The Swift LT is a very comfortable mask with silicone nasal pillows that are double walled to insure a good seal with no leakage. The pillows will leak if the inner wall has collapsed which can happen during cleaning. The nasal pillows adjust up and down easily which add greatly to their comfort. The headgear is easily adjusted and leaves no marks on the face even for those users that sleep on their side. When removed for cleaning the silicone nasal pillows are easily aligned by simply making sure the ″Resmed″ logo is face up.

It would be great if the Swift LT applied less pressure to the upper lip, which would really make it more comfortable.

  By Challenge participant

The Pros: The mask is very light, simple and efficient. I liked very much the concave design of the mask which keeps it from pressing on the upper lip. The semi-ball joint is very practical, swivels easily in all directions and gives me freedom to toss and turn. It's very easy to clean this mask, as there are only one piece to de-assemble.

The Cons: The hedgear is terrible. The angle bewtween the straps is poorly designed, making the back strap to keep riding up my head and eventually pop out. I fiddled with it for hours and couldn't find a good setting that would keep the hedgear in place. This resulted in a poor seal of the pillows and constant waking up for adjustment. Also, I fould the mask a little bit louder than the LT.

Overall, F&P made a very good mask and it will be perfect if they take another look at the hedgear and improve it.

   By Challenge participant

The Pros: Light and easy to use, pretty quiet and keeps a very good seal. I like a lot the new design of the pillows, with double walls made of soft material. The hedgear is perfect; once the ideal setting is found, it stays in place night after night. It's easy to clean (one piece to pop out).

The Cons: While still light, it has a bulky back that rests on the upper lip and puts some pressure on the lip and gums, making the mask a bit uncomfortable (but not too much). The elbow conntection to the little hose is not as good as the semi-ball joint in the Opus and if you don't like to strap the little hose to the top of your head (I don't) it may restrict movement just a little bit.

  By Challenge participant

The headgear is more comfortable on the Opus. The configuration of the nasal pillow applies less pressure to my nasal septum and uper lip. The Opus makes a better seal when lying on my side.

   By Challenge participant

Often the Swift causes soreness on my nasal septum from the pressure required to make a good seal.

  By Challenge participant

I liked the way the hose comes in to mask with a ″swivel″ connection. The nasal pillows (even the large one) was not big enough. The first night I used it I think I had it a little too tight and it made my nose so sore I almost didn't wear it again. I had to take it off at 4:00 am. The fact that the nasal pillow was much too small made the whole fit bad. It was uncomfortable, it didn't seal properly, and that made it very loud because air leaked out all night. Every morning after wearing the Opus 360, my wife complained about how loud it was.

   By Challenge participant

The nasal pillow is larger and makes for a much better fit. The swift LT is a far superior mask. It is much more cofortable and provides a better seal. At times it is a little noisy when the air outlet is up against a pillow or the covers. If it had the ″swivel″ like the Opus 360 it would be better in every way.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus 360 mask was very comfortable. Unfortunately it was louder than the Swift LT. There was a distinct high pitch hum that my wife found to be quite annoying.
The headgear straps that slide in and out of the mask frame are a definite advantage of the Opus 360, allowing for removal of the straps without having to readjust them when you put them back on.

   By Challenge participant

The Swift LT has many different levels of adjustment which make it easy to get a comfortable fit and seal on the mask. I also like how easy the mask comes apart for cleaning.
The mask is super quiet.
One disadvantage is the inability to remove the straps from the headgear frame without having to readjust them.

  By Challenge participant

I liked the seal of the pillows. The Ball joint of the mask seemed innovative and I thought would be a superior connection. However, whenever the mask was pressurized, the joint would pop back to center. The short mask hose did easliy allow movement.

The biggest drawback to the Opus was no adjustment for angle of the pillows to nose interface. I did not feel comfortable with the fixed angle of the pillows, it just did not fit my nose as well as the Swift LT. Also, the plastic part that holds the pillow to the headgear was very uncomfortable and tended to scratch my face. I am sure that a cover would correct this, but I did not have one that would fit this mask. The ajustment tabs on the headgear was difficult to find by touch, but easy to adjust once you did.

   By Challenge participant

The head gear of the Swift LT is very easy to adjust. Once you get used to the fact that a better fit is achieved by loose headgear, all the better. The ajustment tabs of the headgear are easy to find by touch and adjust. The way the LT allows for adjustment of angle of the pillow to nose interface makes it much more comfortable. Both the Opus and LT are lightweight minumal masks that allow me to wear my glasses. The double walled area of the pillow acheives an execellent seal. I use the resmed branded, cheek fleece cheek cushions that makes an already comfortable mask even more so. Maybe I will eventually get a Pad-a-Cheek one to match my hose cover..... The

The only downside to the mask, is that although minimal, the plastic part that holds the pillow, is difficult to clean without soaking.

  By Challenge participant

There is s definite long-lasting indentation on the cheeks after the headgear is removed.

The nasal pillows section is easy to put into position. It is great that there is just one piece instead of the two individual nasal pillows to insert. That section did come loose 2-3 times while I was sleeping over the course of my evaluation, but it is easily replaced.

The seal around the nostrils is a great innovation and made keeping the seal during sleep much easier.

The headgear back strap tended to go up to the top of my head during the night when I was turning, so I had to pull it back down to maintain the fit and seal, but this was not a big issue.

There is the option with the swivel to have the hose connected at the top of the headgear or not. After trying it both ways, I prefer to have it attached to the headgear.

   By Challenge participant

The headgear is not as easily-adapted as the Opus 360 to fit properly; when changing sleep positions, it often requires more of an alert/awake adjustment to get the seal to work properly.

The nasal pillows are comfortable, but the seal is not as good as the Opus 360 Nasal Pillow Mask. When changing sleep positions, a readjustment of the nosepiece is required.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus does seem to be a little bit quieter than the swift LT. The Opus noise is only slight on exhale where LT noise is slight on inhale and exhale. The headgear seemed to move around more than the LT. Once a good seal was achieved it was fairly comfortable. I was skeptical that I would have red rings around my nostrils as there was no adjustment in the angle that of the pillows like the LT. But, I didn't have any problems getting a seal without overtightenting, it just seems like the angle is a little off for my face/nose shape. I'm not 100% sold on the Opus yet, but it is much less expensive which is a huge plus. I'm going to keep using it for another month or so before I decide to switch or not.

   By Challenge participant

May be a little louder than the Opus, but both are quiet and do not affect sleep. LT headgear is a little more comfortable and can achieve a seal with a little less pressure. This seems to come from the ability to adjust the angle of the pillows which is not a feature on the Opus. Overall the differences in comfort, seal, quietness, cleaning, etc. are very small. There is a difference in cost though.

  By Challenge participant

The straps on the headgear are very uncomfortable. There is a lining/foam padding material on the inside of the straps which comes in contact with the user's cheeks and result in almost instant sweating. The straps would need to be redesigned, and adjustability enhanced (no angle adjust on the nose piece) for this product to be a serious contender in this market.

   By Challenge participant

This is the current gold standard for this style mask. Good seal, comfort way above average, non-intrusive during use and probably the least difficult to become accustomed to. I'll keep my Swift LT, the Opus doesn't come close.

  By Challenge participant

Very easy to adjust, this head gear seals perfectly with very little pressure. The materials look cheaper than the Swift LT, but I had no durability problems. Overall, this is my favorite mask/nasal pillow mask I have tried to date.

Shared negative: the air vents straight out from the mask, so if you sleep on your side facing your partner, they get a stiff breeze and you get a stiff knee in the ribs.

   By Challenge participant

Good quality materials (better than the Opus 360), but I was unable to get a good seal through the nasal pillow without tightening the head gear until it hurt my nose. Air flow rate was also worse than the Opus 360.

Shared negative: the air vents straight out from the mask, so if you sleep on your side facing your partner, they get a stiff breeze and you get a stiff knee in the ribs.

  By Challenge participant

Liked
1. Harness Device seemed more precise in ″setting″ and ″fit″
2. Hose Design seemed to pump more Oxygen/fresh air into my lungs
3. Overall design of the mask allowed better side sleeping
4. Silicone Pillows went deeper into nostrils seemed to seal my nose and provide less leakage.
5. Cleaning is easier due to less parts

Disliked:

The velcro straps that held down the hose need to be better designed. Hard to grasp and open

   By Challenge participant

Liked and Disliked.

To sum up succinctly: Until this CPAPtalk product challenge I was quite satisfied with the LT II. After using both products, Swift II is a grade ″B″- Opus Nasal Pillow is an ″A″.

  By Challenge participant

Out of the box, the Opus was very appealing. The headgear was very lightweight, fit well and was comfortable. The first thing I noticed, the straps do not rub my ears. The straps adjust much like the Swift LT, and I prefered the feel of this mask over the Swift LT. The short tube attatched to the mask is on a ball and socket type swivel which allowed me to sleep in a more comfortable position than the LT's. Also there is room between the pillow and my upper lip, making it more comfortable. The drawbacks I found in this mask is the barrel where the pillow sits does not pivot like the LT's does, if they could make it pivot like the LT, it would be a bit more comfortable. However, since it does not pivot, a leak requires some more adjustments to control. I do like this mask a lot and it is now my # 1 choice.

   By Challenge participant

The Swift LT is lightweight and comfortable. The barrel rotates to fit my face easier, and this is a big plus for me. If the pillows are leaking, a small twist and they seal easily. I think the double wall construction of the pillows is a superior design. The 3 drawbacks to this mask are (1)the straps rub my ears, which I have fixed with pads. The design could be changed slightly to raise the straps or include pads with the headgear. (2)The hose connection on the barrel does not swivel like the Opus does, and in some positions I find the exhaust blocked slightly and a pivoting ball and socket connection I believe would improve the comfort of this mask by allowing me to sleep in a slightly more comfortable position. (3)The pillow rests on my upper lip. This mask will be my # 2 choice for now.

  By Challenge participant

Excellent mask! This was a comfortable,quiet mask. IT is a little more difficult to clean than the Swift LT but is still easier than others that I have used. For the money this is the best mask I have ever used.

   By Challenge participant

I love this mask. The seal, comfort, and ease of cleaning is unsurpassed. All though I like this mask better than the Opus 360 the heftier price tag for this model would probable lead me to purchase the Opus.

  By Challenge participant

Once that I use humidifier water keep coming into my nose from mask.

   By Challenge participant

Same for here once that I use humidifier water keep coming into my nose from mask.

  By Challenge participant

The nasal pillows fit very well and always had a good seal. The material was very soft and molded to my nose easily.

The nasal pillow pushes into a slot in the outer edge of the base. I had the pillow come loose one night. I don't know if I didn't install it tightly or if it worked loose.

   By Challenge participant

The fit is very good, but it wasn't as comfortable as the Opus 360. The nasal pillow has a ridge that holds it in the base.

  By Challenge participant

Fitting was the issue with this mask..Medium ws too big small too small...I found head gear not comfortable & was hard to find a comfort on the face...

   By Challenge participant

I like you can adjust the arm and it can be moved slightly up or down..directions to use are OK..Both could label each item so you know top from bottem...Maybe color code sizes of the nasal masks..Does it matter what direction the nasal pillows are?

  By Challenge participant

The silicon pillows has no lock and sometimes get detached from mask frame

   By Challenge participant

swift lt nasal pillow mask is better then opus 360 nasal pillow mask

  By Challenge participant

The only area I felt this was superior to the Swift LT Nasal Pillow was the seal. There was no leaking at all - probably because it was so tight on my face. I adjusted it a few times during the night and just couldn't make it comfortable. It was so uncomfortable that I only used it one night.

   By Challenge participant

I have been using the Swift LT Nasal Pillow for about a year (after using the Comfort Gel Mask) and find it to be very comfortable. Minor problems with the seal from time to time, but nothing major. It's the most comfortable device I've used. In my opinion, if a mask isn't comfortable, none of the rest of it really matters.

  By Challenge participant

Thank you for allowing me to participate in this product test. This mask has two strong features. The seal, once you get the headgear properly adjusted is the best I have used. It is also the quietist I have encountered. Those two positives were strongly offset by headgear which was very annoying to get into and which had a tendency to allow the nasal pillows to shift out of place during the night. It was quite challenging to untangle the headgear and put the mask back on in the dark after a bathroom trip in the middle of the night. I expected that with the hose connection up over the top of the head that it would facilitate turning over during the night but that wasn't the case. Another negative was the ease with which the nasal pillows would separate from the base of the mask and the hassle to reinstall them and get them to stay in place. I have certainly encountered masks that were far worse over the past 7 or so years but the Opus 360 wouldn't be my favorite.

   By Challenge participant

I began using the Swift LT several months ago as an upgrade from the Swift Mirage and Mirage II masks that I used for the past 3 years, which tend to pull to one side of the face during the night due to the side mounted hose. Although not as quiet as the Opus 360 the Swift LT was much easier to put on under all conditions. However, the seal was not as good and the position of the hose connection tended to pull the nasal pillows away from my nostrils during the night. The fit might have been better with the smaller diameter and slightly longer nasal pillows like those used in the Opus 360. The Swift LT suffers from the problem I have found with all of the Swift products in that the headgear is excessively stretchy and allows the mask to shift around during the night. The headgear also wears out and loses its fit quite quickly. Both products are far superior to the old style traditional masks that cover the nose and they are also better than the older model Breeze that I used several years ago that was too rigid. It all boils down to trade offs. One is quieter to use and has a tighter seal while the other is easier to use but has a slightly looser seal and is a bit louder. You just have to decide which features are most important to you. With a couple of minor modifications either could be a truly great product.

  By Challenge participant

The Opus mask is smaller at the nose piece and the hose is on a ball swivel that is nice.

Because the mask does not have any rotation on the nose pillows, I was not able to get a comfortable seal on the Opus mask. The head gear slipped up and loosened the mask every time I wore it.

   By Challenge participant

The Swift LT allows you to rotate the nose piece to achieve a more comfortable fit and a better seal.

The head gear seems to stay in place better than the Opus mask.

  By Challenge participant

First off, to CPAP.com a big THANK YOU for being there for us sleepers, I was saving up ( I have BCBS and I save money purchasing out right), to purchase the OPUS 360 and bingo a free trial, at the cost of an evaluation.

I took the Opus to bed put it on strapped it down, it pop right off of my head, I had learned on the swift, so I let off of the straps until it loosly stayed on my head. it was really comfortable on my nose it didn't havs any preasure points on my lip or in my nares. Note the xl pillow sise was perfect and the med was to small but worked. Making the OPUS 1/2 size smaller than the Swift.

Head gear materials Same slick neoprine to hair and face and the same near super glue to my pillow, I move my head while on my side, I have to repossition my nose pillowes. Now I roll over get my head set in the most comfortable position pull the back strap back down, and wiggle the pillows to settel the longest plastic pillow to head gear of the bunch in place under my cheek, wriggle the nose gear until no leaks and back to sleep.

The nasal pillow can be adjusted by positioning the over head hose clamp. It works best for me with the clamp closer to my fore head rather than the center of my head. The pillow frame and the contact with my nose is perfect, no preassure points by the pillows inside my nose.

The plastic side arms will leave dents in my face (side sleeping) but I'm lucky they go away about 15 min after I am up.

Un straping the feed pipe did not work well for me the Tail wagged the dog and often caused leaks. the strapping system on the Swift works a bit better and cope better with strange beds ab tubeing plumming issues.

I tryed to sleep with my Swift LT and still can but the OPUS sutes me better.

I am a poor cleaner, I just take the entire set into the shower fill them with hot soapy watter play coocracha with them rince them then let the whole assembly hang dry. I do worry about the hard plastic swivel on the pillow mount dirt has goten underneith it and caused a leak.

   By Challenge participant

This was a good 3 week period for the equipment I slept in 6 different beds and my camper, so I had to try every combination of hose placements and 6 different pillows is a chalange.

I used the same Swift Lt for over a year mask pillows and head gear (poor). I obtained and tried the old Swift Mirage with the hose on the side (worthles) feature for a side sleeper like me, but to date the Swift Mirage has the most comforatable nasel pillow frame work, as far as the fit to my face is concerened.

I bought the Hybred because of mouth leaks and thought, cool. It will not work with facial hair at all. , I could barely get it tight enough to seal.

Then I bought the Breeze Sleep Gear Quite the gadget everything adjusts Plastic aliuminum angles but no mater what the strap pads chin straps settings were as soon as I laied on my side the nose peice fell off of my nose it just out weighs the head gears ability to hold it in place.

Back to the LT and head gear, in fact all single band head gear on all 3 masks, it just doesn't work on a egg shaped head, if you tighten the straps they just slide up my head, sliding up my hair and bunching it up like the green leaves on a carrot. So in the last year I have learned the proper fit is loose. I just pull up what hair I have left and put it over the strap. The materials on the inside of the straps are soft cooshie and have no grip on my hair, head, or the skin on my face. The adjustable rotating pillow is a great feature except the pillow holder presses on my upper lip making a sore spot after 6 hours or so. Note the adjustable rotating pillow on the OPUS and Swift II do not do this. This leads into the next biggest problem with all 3 nasel pilow head gear sets. The mechanism that connects the straps to the adjustable rotating pillow frame has big long ridigid plastic arms covered in soft to the skin slipery are so long that as soon as the side of you head hits the pillow boing, just like mashing on the tip of a spoon, it pops the pillows out of your nares. The next wonderful feature these semi ridgid side straps provide is the ability to stick to the pillow better than your head, move your head 1 silly milimeter and the pillows pop out of your nose or leak like a sive.

The pillows on the LT/Swift products are between sized for me, I breathe the best through the XL pillowes but are difficult to keep in my nose and sealed. The medeium, seal great but touch the inside of my nares and after 6 hours my nose hurts so bad I have to wake up and remove the mask for 15 min before I can tollerate the pain, and go back to sleep. The Med pillows often feel like they are restricting my exhaled are, not good.

The swift LT is now my second choice. After a year of total all night compliance they held up perfectly look worn out, but are all origional and work every time I put it on.

  By Challenge participant

I like nasal pillow type masks best because they allow me to wear my glasses while wearing the mask. so that I can read before going to sleep. The Opus 360 is light weight and very comfortable. I like the way the hose is like a ball joint attachment to the pillow. I wish the headgear had alittle more swivel where it attaches. The headgear fits nicely and does not need to be tight to get a good seal.

   By Challenge participant

I found the Swift to be more comfortable than the Opus. The nasal pillows were slightly more comfortable and provided a better seal. That is why I switched to nasal pillows because I could never get a good seal with masks. The headgear is a vast improvement over the old style hard gear.Although I found the Swift to be a little more comfortable and it being my preferance I think I would consider the cost to be my final consideration. I think I would not hesitate to purchase either mask.

  By Challenge participant

If you have struggled with nasal pillow masks in the past, this one will make you to a true believer. It lives up to all of the claims. It is quiet, comfortable, easy to clean, lightweight, comfy (compared to..) etc. After using this for a couple of nights, it was difficult to revisit the Mirage (see the review next to this one). At first glance it looks like the Mirage Swift - a few straps, some hose, the euphemistic ″pillow″ (come on - you are sticking it on your nose). But the appearance belies some simple yet meaningful engineering. Look at the pictures on the website - see the ball and socket arrangement at the base of the pillow. It compensates for different shaped faces and also allows a more accurate placement of the pillow. And if you are like me, if you wake up at night and have to blow your ″pillow holder″, a simple lift of the mask is all it takes. Then slide it back in place. You don't have to open your eyes or fumble to figure out how to put the darn thing back on. If it does slide back (which it did after turning over a couple of times), you just reach around the back and pull it down like a hat. Never woke my wife up once fumbling or loosing the air hose connection. Couple all of that with a more face fitting jaw support structure and this ends up being the mask that finally convinced me to change to the nasal pillow that helps me sleep. Final word: if you do take the strap off without reading the instructions be sure to remember which strap goes through which clasp. Not saying I did that - but ....

   By Challenge participant

Most of the things I said about the Opus - apply in principle to the Swift. Lightweight. Easy to clean, Quiet. Etc. It just falls short in a couple of areas. First of all. It may just be me, but 6 out of 11 times when I attached the hose or snapped the pillow hose in place - it pinched my hair, and I need all of the hair that I have. Bothersome. Because the top support is rigid, there were a few occasions where a toss or a turn left me ″disconnected″ from my air line. And of course, I am the second person in the bed to notice the burst of air. The supports that run along the jaw lines seem to be too long and are definitely inflexible. If your nose does not line up with the pillow - you need to adjust the whole headset not just the nose. Like many masks, it must be difficult to find cloth-like-Velcro-laden-material that is flexible, and soft, and durable; and that maintains its tensile strength and stays in place without having to make tightening adjustments at 3 AM. Unlike, the Opus - this mask had a tendency to slide off. This was my oringinal attempt at replacing the nasal mask with the pillow. Looks like the OPUS WON.

  By Challenge participant

Liked quietness!

Disliked headgear, hard to adjust!

   By Challenge participant

Easier to adjust headgear. More comfortable.

Dislikes none.

  By Challenge participant

From the first day that I tried it, I was hooked. Simply put…I loved it, but what is not to love? If you are a nasal pillow user, you have to try this one because it is one of the top three in comfort, quietness and ease of use. The only thing I didn't like was that the hose ran up the middle of the headgear. This was an easy fix because it (the hose) can be positioned anywhere or left to track. The "Ball Socket" hose attachment is a really neat feature and one that will make this my number one choice.

   By Challenge participant

This has been my number one choice since it came out a few years ago and I haven't looked back. It is light, comfortable, quiet and easy to clean and use. I had used the original swift and loved it until the LT hit the market. I really don't have any negative to say about the Swift LT because it has been my nightly companion for a year or so.


Our Comments

The Opus 360 vs. Swift LT challenge was exciting because it resulted in the first ever tie and because the CPAPtalk Community voted on the contenders. The Opus 360 is a legitimate contender for the best nasal pillow system but not a clear victor. Both masks have room for improvement and the first company to turn Product Challenge feedback into feature improvements will take the spoils.

What features switched 50% of Swift LT users to the Opus? Excellent participant feedback points to the Opus' light weight "minimal" design as well a ball and socket joint which is preferred by the majority of active and side sleepers. The large "barrel" Resmed's design uses to provide pillow stabilization can become an irritant due to continuous weight in a sensitive area. The Opus design solves this issue. Lastly, although included fitting documentation suggests a "tube over head" configuration, many participants noted better results allowing the tube to float free.

The market leading Swift LT is solid mask. Participants continued to be impressed with the Swift LT's ability to seal well while being worn "loose". The barrel may not be loved by all, but it does the job. Participants also appreciated the Swift LT's independently adjustable pillows, which allowed for an ideal level of fine tuning. Good Swift LT headgear design ensures that only Neoprene touches patient skin; the Opus lost votes using a foam material in the cheek region, which can cause irritation and sweating. The Swift LT also provides well considered pillow sizes that fit the vast majority of users. We note that all participants with XL nares had trouble sealing with the Opus as their pillows run small. A new XL size pillow should be made available for the Opus.

The participant's comments are excellent. End users and manufacturers alike should read and benefit from this information. Thank you to all who helped select the challenge, participated in the challenge or enrolled. We are thankful for your support and grateful for the opportunity to improve our industry together.


Until the next Product Challenge,
John Goodman, President, CPAPtalk.com


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