PC10: Opus 360 vs. Swift LT Results

Greetings CPAPtalkers,

Welcome to the first Product Challenge results release where users voted for both the challenge itself and the the products in it. This approach has produced very interested results. Thank you to all voters, enrollees and participants.

http://nasal-opus-swift.cpaptalk.com

The Opus 360 has proved competitive on product quality, superior on price and represents a good overall value for those shopping for a nasal pillow CPAP mask. The Opus offers a light and minimalist design which is accomplished through the use of an innovative ball and socket hose attachment. Based on user feedback, draw backs on the Opus 360 include a headgear which is not all neoprene (ditch the foam!), pillows that run a little too small for XL users and a ball and socket joint that while great when its working, can pop out for some users.

As expected, the market leading Swift LT turned in a solid performance. However, the dollar premium it currently commands in the marketplace increasingly appears to exceed the value added. Positive features of the Swift LT includes its ability to seal with a loose fit, its headgear is all neoprene which makes contacts with skin workable and its pillows can be angled in different ways for fine adjustment sealing. There were some negatives as well. Self identified 'active sleepers' could not maintain their seal through out the night, often waking up the readjust. The Opus 360 was preferred over the Swift LT in this regard because the Swift LT felt heavier, likely due to the "bar" that holds the pillows.

So what would the idea nasal mask look like? Here is our list:

* Minimal, "like it isn't there"
* Seal with loose fit
* Ball and Socket or Similar Swivel provides superior range
* Neoprene be used for all skin contact points
* Pillows that swivel independently for fine tuning
* Redirected vents so that air is blown up or down, not straight out at bed partner

On a personal note, this is my last product challenge post announcement. I am turning this aspect of CPAPtalk.com over to Katherine Fulmer, who will be posting announcements from now on. I've been working with her for several months now and know that the Product Challenge and CPAPtalk.com community are in good hands. Thank you CPAPtalk for your support of this process. Please be as uplifting and great to work with for Katherine as you have been for me.

Where do we go from here? We have another big challenge coming up! We've decided on the competitors, so we will not hold a vote this round as CPAPtalk will be sponsoring it. However, we liked the "CPAPtalk votes" format and will be returning to it in the near future. Thank you for supporting Product Challenges and helping us improve product quality

Johnny

Nice review of the challenge. Also fits with my personal experience of the two masks.

I have been tempted to go back and re-trial the Opus but the Swift LT has worked too darn well for me during the last year or so. Maybe if F&P decide to take the ideal improvment suggestions and do a better re-design than the last one they did I'll be ready to try it again.

Although I didn't get to participate in the challenge, many thanks for allowing others to do so and making this and all of the others available ... great idea.

Yesterday I came back from a weekend away from home -- took my Opus along this time. My hose hanging arrangements over there were better -- it made a noticeable difference (improvement) in the Opus's sealability for me. I shouldn't have been surprised -- but I was -- it seemed like such a slight difference in the routing. So which ever mask is not sealing well for you -- take a second look at your hose routing arrangements.

By the way, mouthtapers who are worried about asphyxiation, I have it on very good authority (who asked not to be quoted) that you can use the valve part of the F&P's "Elbow kit Non-Rebreathing Valve" instead of the Opus's swivel -- which means you can have the same safety feature in you nasal pillows mask-and-tape combo that you have in a full face mask.

At almost $40 a piece this addition it isn't cheap -- but full face masks are more expensive.

You can see in the manuals for F&P's FFM's that the elbow piece consists of the non-rebreathing valve, and the elbow - and may be taken apart. It's the part identified as "J" in the manuals ( e.g. http://www.fphealthcare.com/osa/pdf/HC432/185044542.pdf ), that can replace the Opus's swivel .

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... w-kit.html




O.