[split] ResMed AirFit F30 - Helpful Tips

[Big Guy]

I started SA Therapy with the AirFit F20. When the F30 hit the market, I ordered one. Initially, it did work well for me. But after about 6 weeks or so, it began to leak air in a big way.

I did like how it allowed me to breathe thru my nose more easily. I'm a die-hard mouth breather. And, if my nose itched during the night, I could scratch it.

But, I eventually went back to my F20 mask. Although not perfect, it does seem to serve me best. I still have the F30 and I will continue to some degree, to try and figure out why it's problematic for me. 

I'll try a new cushion on it and see if that helps any. I'm hoping that they will last longer than just six weeks...........

BTW, my F30 was a real PITA to take apart for cleaning. It was a real bear to reassemble.

[RayBee]

I'll try a new cushion on it and see if that helps any. I'm hoping that they will last longer than just six weeks...........

BTW, my F30 was a real PITA to take apart for cleaning. It was a real bear to reassemble.

I've had to revisit adjusting the F30's headgear too. After about two or three weeks, it seemed that I couldn't quite settle in on a good fit, feel and performance.  I had to tighten the lower side straps a touch, expand the over-the-head adjustment and slightly tighten the upper side straps. Not too much of an adjustment but a big difference. I suppose it makes sense. There are a lot of parts, including my face, that will stretch, shift, smush, whatever, over an initial break-in period. Then the perfect fit slowly goes South.

I suppose that tells me that a few minor tweaks can make a big difference for improvement. Likewise a few minor imperfect adjustments can make for really poor performance.

I'm in F30 happy-land again. In fact, I really look forward to putting it on. It's comfortable and I get a great night's sleep with it on. Towards the end of my F20 experience, I looked forward to taking the F20 off. And didn't look forward to my poor painfully battered nose. Then again, if ResMed made a mask smack-dab in the middle of Medium and Large, I'd be in love with it.

On the take apart... My F20 initially gave me fits.  I thought the cushion was epoxied to the frame when it was new. But it loosens up after a month or so.  That's why I wanted to be clear on how to disassemble the F30 in my review. Since it seemed to only have delicate silicone conveniently placed to grab onto to disassemble, I wanted to share in detail what I had discovered works well for me. For the relatively high price of the F30, you think ResMed could develop a tiny plastic tool for 10 cents that could help disassemble it without the struggle. That would certainly be something to praise.

[Big Guy]

I'll try a new cushion on it and see if that helps any. I'm hoping that they will last longer than just six weeks...........

BTW, my F30 was a real PITA to take apart for cleaning. It was a real bear to reassemble.

I've had to revisit adjusting the F30's headgear too. After about two or three weeks, it seemed that I couldn't quite settle in on a good fit, feel and performance.  I had to tighten the lower side straps a touch, expand the over-the-head adjustment and slightly tighten the upper side straps. Not too much of an adjustment but a big difference. I suppose it makes sense. There are a lot of parts, including my face, that will stretch, shift, smush, whatever, over an initial break-in period. Then the perfect fit slowly goes South.

I suppose that tells me that a few minor tweaks can make a big difference for improvement. Likewise a few minor imperfect adjustments can make for really poor performance.



I'm in F30 happy-land again. In fact, I really look forward to putting it on. It's comfortable and I get a great night's sleep with it on. Towards the end of my F20 experience, I looked forward to taking the F20 off. And didn't look forward to my poor painfully battered nose. Then again, if ResMed made a mask smack-dab in the middle of Medium and Large, I'd be in love with it.

On the take apart... My F20 initially gave me fits.  I thought the cushion was epoxied to the frame when it was new. But it loosens up after a month or so.  That's why I wanted to be clear on how to disassemble the F30 in my review. Since it seemed to only have delicate silicone conveniently placed to grab onto to disassemble, I wanted to share in detail what I had discovered works well for me. For the relatively high price of the F30, you think ResMed could develop a tiny plastic tool for 10 cents that could help disassemble it without the struggle. That would certainly be something to praise.

I know that I can be a bit impatient when it comes to adjusting headgear. I'd sure like to be able to wear the F30 all the time. I'll try some more strap adjusting and see if I can find that sweet spot. 

Seems like I over tighten or I don't tighten enough. There's got to be a fine line in there somewhere. 

[RayBee]

I know that I can be a bit impatient when it comes to adjusting headgear. I'd sure like to be able to wear the F30 all the time. I'll try some more strap adjusting and see if I can find that sweet spot. 

Seems like I over tighten or I don't tighten enough. There's got to be a fine line in there somewhere. 

I noticed too, that when I adjust the top-of-head adjustment that the mask seems to rock a little (but noticeable) on my face. And that changes the propensity of: too hard of force upward on my nostrils, drastically reducing airflow into my nose; more or less leakage above my mouth to the sides of my nose; and more or less leakage around the lower sides of the cushion at the creases of my mouth.

I initially adjusted the top fairly short, or tight if you will, in order to keep the back of the headgear off my spine since the F20 headgear gave me a nasty chronic headache.  But since the F30 headgear eventually ridded me of my headache, I lengthened or loosened the top strap which lowered the rear of the headgear. That's when I discovered that the angle of pull on the cushion had changed.  And that affected the mouth seal and tension of the nose-piece against my nostrils.

I would have never imagined such a small change would have that much of a ripple effect on all these other things.

You'll get there.  I hope the F30 becomes your number 1 mask of choice.

[wesozzzz]

I started SA Therapy with the AirFit F20. When the F30 hit the market, I ordered one. Initially, it did work well for me. But after about 6 weeks or so, it began to leak air in a big way.

I did like how it allowed me to breathe thru my nose more easily. I'm a die-hard mouth breather. And, if my nose itched during the night, I could scratch it.

But, I eventually went back to my F20 mask. Although not perfect, it does seem to serve me best. I still have the F30 and I will continue to some degree, to try and figure out why it's problematic for me. 

I'll try a new cushion on it and see if that helps any. I'm hoping that they will last longer than just six weeks...........

BTW, my F30 was a real PITA to take apart for cleaning. It was a real bear to reassemble.

I switched from a F+P Simplus FF mask about 3 weeks ago and  can compare the two. I have found it to be more comfortable , less head clamp ache in the morning but best of all my APAP mask pressure has dropped from 19.9 cmw to 15.4 cmw. this I think this has stopped my  aerophagia and its resultant stomach cramps and lots of gas.
However the leakage rate has increased in the last few days and this may become a problem, I will fiddle with the adjustment straps and hope this will fix this. Its going to be an expensive mask if I have to change a cushion every 4 or so weeks.

[freddyfl209]

  Its going to be an expensive mask if I have to change a cushion every 4 or so weeks.

Since I am considering this mask. I would like to know why the cushion needs changing every 4 weeks, please.

[RayBee]

Since I am considering this mask. I would like to know why the cushion needs changing every 4 weeks, please.

The AirTouch F20 uses memory foam for the seal and should be replaced more frequently than a silicone-seal mask for a variety of reasons.  But it is purported to be quite comfortable.

The AirFit F20, F30 and F30i all have a silicone seal.  As far as I know, the AirTouch F20 is the only one ResMed makes with memory foam.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

That said, I just checked ResMed's website and they recommend replacing the cushion on all of these products mentioned on a monthly basis.  I have been using the same F30 silicone cushion for 6 months and I have no issues with it.  Easy to keep clean and it is holding up quite well in spite of how delicate the silicone seal appears to be.

I think ResMed just likes to sell lots of product, but if you took a pole, I think most people use their cushions for much longer than the manufacturer's recommendations.  Well, unless their insurance replaces them for free.  I'm 100% out of pocket, so I like to take care of the equipment I have, keep a spare of the consumables on-hand, and replace parts as needed.

On a side note, the frame and headgear of the F30 and F20 series are not interchangeable.  However, the QuietAir elbow is universal to the two frames.  So you can do what I did - find your best price on the parts you need on Amazon, eBay or wherever you like to source your xPAP gear.  It is much cheaper than buying the whole kit.  Go to ResMed's site or search the internet for the F30 Fitting Guide and see what size fits you best.

I am 6 months into my F30 and am still quite happy with it.

[DeepBreathing]

The AirFit F20, F30 and F30i all have a silicone seal with no memory foam counterpart.  As far as I know, the AirTouch F30 is the only one ResMed makes with memory foam.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

You're wrong.  The F20 has a memory foam cushion (AirTouch).

[RayBee]

Guys, just a reminder that this is the Review forum - general discussion on masks (and anything else) should be in the main forum.

The AirFit F20, F30 and F30i all have a silicone seal with no memory foam counterpart.  As far as I know, the AirTouch F30 is the only one ResMed makes with memory foam.  Please correct me if I am wrong.

You're wrong.  The F20 has a memory foam cushion (AirTouch).

I can't keep my F20's and F30's sorted out.  Thank you DB, I edited my boo boo.  

Let me see, is my head screwed on straight?  Maybe that's why my mask was leaking last night???  

[freddyfl209]

That said, I just checked ResMed's website and they recommend replacing the cushion on all of these products mentioned on a monthly basis.  I have been using the same F30 silicone cushion for 6 months and I have no issues with it. 

That's because CPAP are greedy capitali$t companies, and has little to no morale, medically speaking. They just try and trick you into buy, buy BUY.
IMHO. I have personally observed this.
CPAP Therapy is good, if they actually knew why we need it. Dogs snore, but so far we don't have masks for them.