Sleepweaver Elan review

Sleepeaver Elan review

I've been using the Elan for two full weeks now and think it's time for an in depth review.

The Elan is a cloth nasal mask with a harness / headgear that follows the current trend of avoiding a forehead strap. It is wider but shorter than the still available Sleepweaver Advance that has been my favoured mask for the last year.

It is not a replacement for the Advance, just a different model. Unlike the advance it has a proper 360 degree swivel and a short lightweight hose in the box, and comes in two sizes both of which are supplied in the box.

Initial fitting is simple when you realise the adjustment tab goes downwards. Disassembly for cleaning is also simple but reassembly is quite fiddly. It's easy to pull the swivel from the mask if you tug the hose to try and remove the mask, but near impossible to reassemble in the dark.

The mask seals over the tip of the nose only, this makesa very secure seal using the air pressure to inflate the mask which secures well at my set pressures (8-10hpa)- I've briefley tried it at the extremes of my machine, 4 and 20, and it seals fine then too.

Venting is through a few smallholes at the bottom and is very well diffused, there's no jet, and no noise, if the mask is assembled and sealed correctly. This and the advance are the only masks I have where the machine noise is louder than the mask noise.

The headgear has a crown strap, and a strap above and below the ears making it very stable. Unless I sleep on my side there are no strap marks in the morning, and minimal marks from the mask itself. It is just possible to wear glasses while using this mask.

I have found this mask to be as effective as any other, but oddly more comfortable with a 1-2hpa raise in pressure over the advance (but not as much as I need to make a fullface mask work). AHI is unchanged and the mask stays in position very well, only occasionally sliding up slightly causing an awakening and a repositioning.

So the pros: Over the advance it offers a more secure fit, less headgear pressure, even lower noise. Over an plastic mask it offers comfort and a great seal. Over pillows masks like the swift FX it offers lower irritation. Over any plastic nasal mask it offers lower noise, irritation and lighter weight and excellent stability

Cons: Hard to assemble / reassemble at night. The lightweight hose can cause rainout / condensation which may need a reduction in humidity setting (but doesn't mean a reduction in humidity levels, as the airflow is slower in this mask).

Conclusion: This is now my mask of choice, I'd been swapping from the Swift FX to the Advance every few weeks as the FX seals better but gives me some irritation that the Advance releives me from in a few days. The low noise, the great seal and the lack of irritation make this a top choice for a mask to try if you can get one from your clinic or afford to buy one.