My Experience with the new N30i vs the Dreamwear

[2kittymom]

I slept with this new mask for 1 week. My previous mask was the Dreamwear, which I pretty much loved. I thought the quality was much better on the N30i, and that the cushion seemed more stable. I will now give you my pros and cons. The pros are that it is more stable. The cushion has a hard plastic bottom, and it doesn’t move when you turn over. I also like the fit of the top of the headgear. It’s accordion pleated and adjusts to the top of the head. It has a release on the elbow at the top to quickly remove the hose. I also like the pre-installed cloth covers on the sides of the cushion, which makes it very comfortable on your face. Now for the cons. It is heavier than the Dreamwear. You can feel the hard plastic parts of the cushion, although I kind of got used to it. The quick release on the elbow is nice for releasing the hose, but when I reattach it, it often pulls my hair. The Dreamwear doesn’t do that. Last night I wore the Dreamwear mask. It felt so much lighter. Both masks have a tendency for the straps at the back of your head to ride up. I wake up a lot at night, and often when I turn over, I pull the straps back down. My decision at this time is to alternate the 2 masks. They are very similar, and both are more comfortable than any other masks I’ve tried - and I’ve tried a lot of masks through my six plus years of using CPAP. After using the Dreamwear, which pioneered the hose coming off the top of your head, I don’t think I could ever go back to having the hose come down the front again. I hope my reviews are helpful to anyone who wondered about the two masks. Feel free to ask me any questions about my CPAP experience if you’d like.

[elizabeth25]

Thank you for the review. Could you compare how the two diffuse the air coming out. Also, is one more quiet than the other? You spoke of the hard plastic--do you think there would be a way to cover that up?
Thanks,
E25

[2kittymom]

They both diffuse at the bottom of the cushions, and at the top of the headgear at the elbow. The Dreamwear has a slit in the cushion where the air comes out. The N30i has two sets of tiny holes in the bottom of the hard plastic that contains the cushion. The Dreamwear seems to blow less air from the cushion. Since the top diffusing is at the top of the headgear, you wouldn’t notice any air blowing there. I find them both very quiet masks. As for covering the hard plastic spots on the N30i, I do not see a good way to do that. If you are used to any hard plastic mask, the plastic on the N30i isn’t likely to bother you. If you are a side or stomach sleeper, and really smash your face into the pillow, the N30i is probably going to keep the cushion in place, due to the plastic stabilizers. They are both really great masks, with minimal contact on your face, quiet, and no hose coming down the front.

[elizabeth25]

Thank you for the additional information.
E25

[donb123]

I read a review elsewhere where the reviewer said the Dreamwear had smaller tubing and thus didn't get enough air to breath and she specifically mentioned the N30i as a better option. What are your thoughts? The Dreamwear looks a bit nicer with the fabric options and nasal vs nasal pillow so I'm inclined to go that direction but I don't want to be oxygen deprived because of a potential design flaw.

[Janknitz]

My experience with the N30i was that the air vent from the cushion blew on ME and was very uncomfortable whereas the Dreamwear front vent is at just the right angle so it doesn't blow on me or the bedclothes. That was the primary reason I went back to the Dreamwear.

I read a review elsewhere where the reviewer said the Dreamwear had smaller tubing and thus didn't get enough air to breath and she specifically mentioned the N30i as a better option.

Smaller tubing has absolutely nothing to do with the "amount of air to breathe". That's merely perception. If it bothered that person, than so be it, but it's not a real issue by which to judge the mask.