[Product Review] Philips Respironics Slim Lightweight White Performance Hose (6 foot)

[DancesWithCats]

 

• Pros - no leaks so far but that's mostly because the cat hasn't attacked this one. Yet. Even the crap hose didn't leak until that happened.
  
• definitely lighter
  
• slightly more flexible
  
• slightly quieter (movement of head/hose noise)
  
• Relatively good value for money
  

• Cons - not as flexible and quiet as I had hoped. 
  

Part Number 1074400 since there seem to be multiple similar items, with pricing that varies. This was $11.89

i.e the part number PR15 looks similar (white 15mm slim hose, standard 22mm connectors, doesn't say lightweight in the name, but does in the description) but was selling for quite a bit more ($17) - which $5.11 I'd pay if I knew for sure it was more flexible than this, but I don't know that, and it doesn't even claim that. Appears to be identical for more money until proven otherwise.

I got crappy stiff noisy 22mm "no brand name made in Indonesia" hose from my crappy DME rather than the Resmed Slimline tubing the machine should have had. (Supplier had left the machine set for slim tubing, even though they gave me "regular" tubing. Truly crappy.) My cat used it for a chew toy and I decided I'd see about (finally) getting some slim tubing for it, but I gagged a bit on the ResMed Slimline tube pricing since I'm currently at odds with my insurance and the crappy DME. I've also seen some reviews claiming that the ResMed Slimline "used to be more flexible" and "newer versions of the same part number were stiff" which didn't make me comfortable spending the price for that. At about 1/3 the price this seemed worth trying. The yet cheaper Sunset slimline tube had reviews on a few sites indicating that it was prone to breakage. I don't seem to have enough issues with rainout to go for ClimateLine, though this shopping episode is the first time I noticed that ClimateLine is ALSO 15mm tubing, just somewhat heavier with the heating elements in it.

Anyway, what I really think I want seems to be unobtainium - 4-6 feet of the super-flexible and very quiet hose (appeared to be silicone) I saw (2 feet or so of) attached to a friend's nasal mask. This hose is a step up from the junk I was issued, but just like that junk, you can still see every fold in the hose from when it was packed, and there's no sign that it will ever relax and drape, as opposed to being a series of short straight sections with the memory of bends it got when packed at the factory. It's a little less stiff, and much lighter, so it makes a little less noise, but I dream of a hose that simply doesn't rattle because it flexes nicely and flops like a rope.

Can't say anything about longevity yet, but it's perfectly serviceable hose, I just wish it was more flexible and thus quieter than it is. But definitely a step up from what I had been issued.

[BobinHI]

I just got a new ResMed Slimline hose, and it does seem stiffer to me.