What is the best hybrid mask?

[Junebug999]

I use the Quattro FFM, but in early December I'm going to have some sunspots taken off my forehead so will need a mouth,nasal kind of thingee mask then.

I am curious about the Mirage Liberty. I'm thinking that might be a good hybrid (is Hybrid the correct word?) to try -- nasal pillows and a mask over the mouth, because when I get DEEP asleep that mouth does come open sometimes (even though doing much better with closing the trap!)

Thanks....just thought with your consensus I could make an intelligent decision what to try next.

ignore the speeling, it's late, i'm sleepy...

[cflame1]

Everybody has their own favorite (just like any other mask).

I'd recommend the Hybrid for the reasons that follow:

Chin flap (in case you open your mouth it stabilizes the mask)
Multiple sizes of pillows and cushions (it comes with 3 of each, the Liberty has 1 size per mask)

[BlackSpinner]

I love my innomed hybrid. The chin flap is a definite plus.

Make sure to get it working for you at least a week or 2 before. It is a bitch to get fitting right and may need an extra strap across the pillows. Only when I got my hybrid did I finally understand peoples "mask rage".

[roster]

From an old post of mine:

But I do always recommend the Innomed Hybrid (https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html) over the ResMed Liberty because:

1. The Hybrid comes with all three sizes of mouth cushions. The Liberty only one.

2. The Hybrid has a built-in chinflap. The Liberty has no chinflap (Hybrid patent prevents this).

3. If you prefer the mask without a chinflap (as I do), the Hybrid chinflap can be easily cut away with a pair of scissors.

4. Some people have complained that the headgear on the Liberty mask is inferior to the headgear on the Hybrid Mask.

5. On cpap.com the price for the Hybrid Mask is $119 and the price for the Liberty mask is $207 (Those clowns at ResMed!)

IMO the ResMed Liberty is a more expensive and inferior copy of the Innomed Hybrid.

[chunkyfrog]

Note also the Liberty headgear is a torture device; but they do have nice soft pillows.
I found the Hybrid a MUCH better fit.
LIberty would fart all the way around--Hybrid only at the pillows.
I sent the Liberty back--No charge (DME charges $272 for it)
I kept the Hybrid--($119 at cpap.com) It might even fit my husband, too.

[neverbetter]

Chunkyfrog
Amen and Amen.
You can't beat the real Hybrid. I think it confuses people when people refer to the Mirage Liberty as the Hybrid.
The only Hybrid is the Hybrid and the two masks are night and day. I think people call the Liberty the Hybrid because they think it describes the mask. It's like calling a generic cola a Coke.
Liberty is a knock off of the Hybrid. They never got it right because they forgot the chinflap which is oh so important to the seal.
When the Hybrid people blew in on the headgear, they fixed it with fantastic headgear and gave everyone free upgraded headgear for over a year. Those people have GREAT customer service and a fantastic product.
I would like to see Resmed fix their Liberty headgear and give it away for free to tens of thousands of customers. They might get my respect then. They do make a good machine, though. I would buy one if they didn't hike up the price so much online to fake out Medicare.

[Junebug999]

well I'll be hog tied and hogswaggled.

I didn't know that a "hybrid mask" was THE "Hybrid Mask"....and I almost didn't even ask thinking maybe this was a silly question and to just go look at the CPAP.com masks.

Now I know, and I'll ask for the Hybrid Mask like you suggest instead of the Liberty.

I'll copy the info from CPAP.com and give to my doc and get the prescription.

THANK you so much for the info.

And that was a good idea about the getting used to it part. I can't get used to a new mask on work nights now, so I'll break it in over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Thank you! I can always depend on ya'all for good information!

[Muse-Inc]

June Bug, many of us wearing a hybrid-style mask end up making a third strap of some sort. Rooster's got some great suggestions here viewtopic.php?t=14422&highlight=

[Junebug999]

Thank you Muse -- I can always count on you!

[Sacto Granny]

To Muse-Inc....I see you use the Hybrid with an Autoset II. What mask setting do you use? I cann't seem to get the right one - the pressure keeps rising beyond the "normal" setting.

[trip68]

I found the hybrid to dry my nose and leak real bad.
But you may not have that issue. It just did not work for me.

[Muse-Inc]

To Muse-Inc....I see you use the Hybrid with an Autoset II. What mask setting do you use? I cann't seem to get the right one - the pressure keeps rising beyond the "normal" setting.

MIR FULL and I expect a little leak (.02-0.1) as the Hybrid vents a bit more than the ResMed FFMs.

[danimal71]

I personally refer to the Liberty as a "hybrid" mask as it is a cross between a ffm mask and a nasal pillow mask.....thus making it a hybrid of the 2. I would have to say that there are hybrid masks and then there is the Hybrid mask which is a model of a mask. If you look at CPAP.com you will see that they have a hybrid mask category....so to say that the Liberty is not a hybrid mask I believe would be incorrect.

[Ms.Snuffleupagus]

I really like the Hybrid mask. I tried the Liberty but couldn't get the mouth portion to stop leaking. And it is wider than the Hybrid. You really notice it in side sleeping. I have not had to use an extra strap on my Hybrid, but I did loop 2 tiny elastics together and placed them over the base of the pillows for added support there. Works fine and I get virtually no leaks.

[Sacto Granny]

To Muse-Inc: Thanks for the prompt reply. Will try the setting.