Aloha Pillow compared with Swift LT

I'm a user of the Swift LT and am pretty happy with it. Of course I can't help wondering if there's something just a little better out there (greener grass). I've been hearing a lot about he Aloha Pillow and was wondering if anyone has experience with both the Swift LT and the Aloha. The Aloha looks very similar to the Swift. Is there much of a difference?

If you like the Swift LT, I just imagine you will like the Aloha.
I have used the Swift LT in the past (then switched to the Swift FX) and now I have got to try the Aloha.
It reminds me a lot of the Swift LT but more comfortable. Some very minor differences with the placement of the nasal pillow itself and some minor differences in the nasal pillow itself.

The Aloha mask vent noise is much less than the LT though.
When I switched from the LT to the Swift FX...the Swift FX venting was quieter than the LT and the Aloha is more quiet than the Swift FX.

I do imagine that the Aloha is going to be very a very popular mask. Most people so far love it.
If you are a nasal pillow person...I expect you will love it.
The only person I know that doesn't seem to do well with the Aloha is someone who doesn't seem to do well with nasal pillows masks in general.

What about side-sleeping? Sometimes my Swift LT shifts when I plant the side of my face in the pillow. It looks like the Aloha has a slightly different configuration around the cheeks/mouth area. Does this difference have any impact on side-sleeping?

I am predominately side sleeper (or I try to be because supine sleeping just kills my back) and the first night I used the Aloha I woke up with face pretty much completely squished into the bed pillow and no discomfort and no apparent movement of the nasal pillows that presented any horrible leaks.
The side thingies...the LT seemed to dig more into my cheeks than the Aloha does. I can get by with the regular side thingy wraps on the Aloha but on the LT I had to use Padacheeks side pads.

Given a choice of the Swift LT and the Aloha....the Aloha is more comfortable. I think you probably would be very happy with it. While the configuration looks a little weird it is really quite comfortable.
As usual the standard YMMV sticker applies and it is really hard to have much of a real idea how something will work for you based off of someone else's thoughts.
So I think you would most likely like the Aloha...will you like it better than the LT? I don't know.
I like it better than the LT but I still like the Swift FX best. But that is me...I am quite happy with the FX and only tried the Aloha out of curiosity and not really to be looking for a replacement.

My leak lines aren't perfect with the Aloha but they weren't perfect with the FX. I move around A LOT in bed due to my back issues. Any movement increases the chance of nasal pillows moving out of position...since it isn't a huge issue and it doesn't ever wake me up..it is a non issue for me but then I am content with less than a perfect 0.0 leak line. I don't care so much about numbers...I do care about comfort and things that might wake me up.

One more thing--not sure if it's applicable, though.
The Swift LT for her differs from the regular version in COLOR only.
If the Aloha comes out in a "wahine" (my suggestion), it would be most likely be a smaller size --to fit us who need a smaller size.
A fem color would not be advised because it could be a youth model as well.

Pugsy wrote:My leak lines aren't perfect with the Aloha but they weren't perfect with the FX. I move around A LOT in bed due to my back issues. Any movement increases the chance of nasal pillows moving out of position...since it isn't a huge issue and it doesn't ever wake me up..it is a non issue for me but then I am content with less than a perfect 0.0 leak line. I don't care so much about numbers...I do care about comfort and things that might wake me up.

Pugsy... have you purchased nasal pillows for the Swift recently? Do they seem the same as the ones you purchased say, 6 months ago? Mine (even brand new ones) are hissing like crazy and making me crazy.

ems wrote:Pugsy... have you purchased nasal pillows for the Swift recently? Do they seem the same as the ones you purchased say, 6 months ago? Mine (even brand new ones) are hissing like crazy and making me crazy.

I got some new ones from an EBay seller a couple of months ago. They were fine as far as I can tell.
I am not a good one to judge though...remember I can use the same pillow for months without issues and normally just change them out do to ugliness.

I am due for a replacement FX pillow though from DME....I will try to get over there this week and get one and make sure I try it and not from my "stash"...so that I am getting the "newest" to try. Once it goes in the "stash" with the others I don't know who was the newest.

All along all the nasal pillows have seemed "squishy" to me...new or months old with lots of use. The difference has been barely perceptible if at all...at least for me.

The orginal Swift LT was a good mask when it had those milky colored pillows that lasted for months.
Then they came out with those clear ones that collapsed after 1-2 months.

The Aloha pillows are more durable and just as comfortable, there is more vent noise on the Swift LT.
The swivel hose connector on the Aloha works much better and the headgear is more durable and more adjustable.
The Aloha also costs less.

~UB

So Pugsy, which do you like more: the bella or the aloha?

SleepingUgly wrote:So Pugsy, which do you like more: the bella or the aloha?

I knew someone would be putting me on the spot pretty soon. So I have tried to think really hard on this...
I like the Swift FX better....between the Bella loops and the traditional headgear...it is pretty much a toss up so far when comparing within the FX gear. Some nights the Bella loops and some nights the traditional headgear works better.

The Aloha comes in a close second.
I just prefer the least amount of stuff on my face as possible. That is why my preference for the FX.

I give up some stability when I use the FX... I know... but since I rarely have huge stability problems...it is something that is an acceptable "con" for me. It doesn't wake me up. I am well rested as long as I get my normal hours of sleep and my leak lines (while maybe not perfect) are well within acceptable limits.
Heck, sometimes I have even had a near perfect leak line with the FX.

The Aloha would be my preference when comparing to the Swift LT though. It is less noisy venting and more comfortable all around.

I can foresee the Aloha pillows lasting longer than either of the Swift's pillows and for those people who aren't as lucky as I am (getting months of use out of a Swift pillow) for sure the Aloha would likely win out.

On a scale of 1 to 5...Both the Aloha and the Swift FX would rate a 5 in my book. My preference for "less on my face" still is my preference though.

I liked the Aloha well enough to pay for it and keep it. That should say something. The person who originally ordered it, changed their mind and offered it to me to try...no strings attached. I was under no obligation to keep it. I essentially had free mask insurance.

The swift Lt was a lit better with the wraps but you have to buy them as they don't come with. Also, if your married, you need exhaust that will blow in a direction away from the spouse and my aloha does that perfectly where. I needed gel for my nose with the LT, but I could get a seal so that's wasn't a deal killer.
I swift FX collapsed in my nose too much and doesn't go in the up position so that was a deal killer for me. It's probably great for low pressures and i know the ladies seem to like it.

The aloha is a clear winner for me but I know there's no one mask for everyone. I know that because I must have tried 100 in the 7 or so years I'be been at this and I know there's been some real trash in that pile that someone 'Just loved"