CPAPcap Review

[krousseau]

Well the cap is great-it works! Looks like my chef's cap (until I add the chinstrap and mask). Some background on my problems-small head and mouth opening when asleep. So I use a homemade chinstrap. I had pretty much given up on the Activa. Resmed's headgear was hopeless, way too big. I modified it with velcro strips but it still would not hold the mask in place-I'd wake up with the mask dangling off to the side of my face-all the velcro straps still attached. The mask itself is also really too big for me-almost looks like a full face mask that is a bit too small. But in spite of the size (or perhaps because of it) the lower edge of the mask touches my lower lip and seems to act as a tactile "reminder" to keep my lips closed during sleep if I can keep it in place. I have used a neoprene cap and like the stability of a cap, but neoprene is hot, even with vent holes.
Enter the CPAPcap. The fabric is cool (thermally and visually) and does not make my hair look like a punk rocker in the morning. The fit is a tad large for my small head-no surprise there. How to put it on and attach the mask was intuitive (though I later read the directions to make sure I hadn't done anything wrong. The back overlap straps just barely stick together. Having a longer strip of the narrow velcro along the sides would solve that for me. The chinstrap is better than any I've made or bought. It applies the right amount of pressure-in the appropriate direction to keep the jaw from dropping. It does not pull back on the chin and worsen mouth openings like some other chinstraps I have used. The wide strip of velcro on the sides for attachment of the chinstrap and mask forehead straps is well placed and using both the hook velcro and the fuzzy velcro is a feature that adds to the stability of the mask once all the velcro fasteners are in place. The forehead strips attach very securely to the cap. I can put the cap on and fasten all the velcro tabs without a mirror. Once attached my Activa is on solidly and comfortably-it does not move even if the hose gets tangled in my blankets and tugs on the mask. After one week I'm using the Active comfortably and securely and it has become my mask of choice. So the CPAPcap actually turned the size problem into an asset and saved me from buying another mask. The tail of the cap protects the lower back of the head/neck area from strap pressure and has been much more comfortable than any headgear I've used. None of my other headgear would rate more than a four-even the ones I modified. CPAPcap gets a nine for comfort and function-a ten if they add a little more velcro.