Are travel CPAP machines worth it?

JJR wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 08, 2019 8:16 pm

Good info so far, thanks.

The Resmed’s carry bag works well for portability, but it’s another bag to carry.

I have been jamming the resmed bag in my backpack when travelling for work. Takes up most of the backpack but leaves enough room for the few other items I need to carry on.

Most frustrating part is the time at security with two laptops and a cpap machine...

The air mini caught my eye initially but I am just not sold based on some of the reports I have seen. Definitely looks small and handy. I might have to try it at some point.

Unless you are going to travel regularly in this manner, I wouldn't bother or incur the expense.

The space and weight difference can be easily offset by one less pair of shoes
and extra toiletries that can be bought at your destination or supplied by your hotel.
No sense compromising your sleep for a tiny bit more space on your nightstand.

You've had a lot of answers but I am going to post another, as well as an international travel experience.

I used to travel with my Airsense 10, with humidification. While it is true that in the US, a medical device does not count toward your bag allowance, that is NOT always the case internationally. While boarding a plane in Scandanavia, I was told that I had to pack my CPAP or my small (very small!!) crossbody bag into my suitcase. I explained it was a medical device. They said that was fine, pack it...only 2 bags, PERIOD!! I bought my AirMini when I arrived home.

The AirMini, packed in my little Vera Bradley lunch bag, is less than half the size of my Airsense carry case. I am able to use it with my Bleep (I hacked the hose. I carry it easily in either my carryon or purse and do not need to have 3 bags. In September, we went to Egypt and I put in it a backpack, my ONLY carryon, which contained my CPAP, meds, 3-1-1 bag, change of clothes, Kindle, and chargers. No way could I have done that with my Airsense!

It makes sense for me, because we travel internationally at least twice a year, 2+ weeks at a time. In addition, I/we take other, shorter domestic trips throughout the year, ranging from weekend through up to a week.

That said, my husband travels with his Airsense 10, no humidification. It is always his only carryon. Everyone's needs are different!

Plus one for what booksfan just posted! I was a happy traveler for 7 years with my main home machine (well, maybe not always happy - the security check points at airports always bugged me - with half of them requiring you to take the actual cpap machine out of it's bag and the other half not caring even though you already took it out for them - and then having to rush to repack my cpap travel bag - ha!) - but, this past year I picked up an AirMini and now travel with CPAP is a pleasure. I even got good usage on the plane for about 6 of the 8 hour flight coming home on a red eye from my last trip. So far I haven't hit any airlines that didn't let me bring my Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite battery along with me - although I got lucky on that recent return flight and they had a standard power plug between the seats. I also find that all the gear I take along with my AirMini (so power plug, hose, mask, etc.) weigh less than those that work with my at home machine - and the AirMini came with a bag to hold the accessories that I can easily attach to my laptop bag. But it's the smaller size of the AirMini machine itself that really scores the win in my book.

As others have said, the cost can play a big part in this decision - but maybe you'll get lucky like me and one year find you've got a bit of extra in your Flex Spending Account at years end and need a place to spend it - that's how I got my AirMini

- Roger

Ask anyone posting in this thread that the travel machines are not worth the money, space, weight savings......if they have actually bought and used one!

I have. I often ride thousands of miles at a time on a motorcycle. Don't tell me to just leave behind a pair of shoes....that may be the only pair I have to put on after taking off my boots! Space is critical. So is weight. Weight is just as important to those traveling by air, rail or boat as you usually have a bit of walking with your luggage to do.

I bought a refurbished Z1 pretty cheap. But it isn't all that good out of the box. You need to buy one of the inline mufflers. You also will need to buy the travel cpap hose. That hose gives a much better quieting of the Z1 than the muffler does! Plus it packs up very small compared to regular hoses. I keep a P10 mask in with the kit. Don't use the humidifiers. Didn't seem to make any difference! I have a ready to go kit that I simply pick up and put in with my gear. No unpacking of the home unit, or putting it back in place when I return. Yes the home unit is better. But the Z1 gets the job done well enough.

Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset carry bag compared to my Z1 kit:



Complete kit ( less the P10 ) with my phone in the middle for comparison:

Considering the cost of air travel, if you can afford that, then a travel mini cpap is no issue.
Just check it out beforehand to be sure you will be comfortable.

For me, the biggest difficulty with CPAP/travel is when flying. I will not place my CPAP equipment in a suitcase and let the bag be placed in the cargo hold of the plane. Too risky re damage or theft. Also, on occasion (o/n travel), I have used my machine while flying.

When traveling, I always travel with my computer, a small backpack (food/headphones, phone, e-reader, etc) and a couple of cameras and lenses. I'd never put any of these items (except maybe a cheap, relatively non-complex lens or two) in the suitcase that goes under the plane. I've already significantly downsized my photo gear. Would love to downsize my CPAP gear as well but have not been able to get acclimated to the noise of either the Z1, Transcend (gen 1) or the Resmed Mini. These three are the smallest machines. Going larger (including the Dreamstation Go) is a case of diminishing returns re reduction in size.

I keep hoping that Resmed might release a second generation Mini that is quieter but to date, it's not happened.. which begs the question of the extent to which a quieter Resmed Mini is possible.
I still do have hope...after all, we did put a man on the moon.

I just bought my AirMini. It was a tough decision as I travel from time to time.

Here are a few thoughts on why my cheap wife and I decided to fork over the money for Lofta’s Blackfriday deal:

1. I travel for work and don’t like the advertisement that I have OSA

2. I got my machine under amazing insurance and didn’t pay more than $100 out of pocket and can’t imagine needing to pay to repair or even the thought of one night at home without it.

3. Recently while traveling, I opened my trunk and my CPAP fell out as it had shifted in transit. I grabbed it before it hit the ground. Barely. Too close for comfort.

4. When traveling by airplane, I hate having 3 bags. It’s a pain in the rear. Recently, while coming out of TSA, there were 4 identical Resmed bags all on the conveyor at the same time. The big thing for me to know mine was my custom engraved medical device luggage tag. Too close for comfort for me.

5. To expand on the point above, I have had to put my Resmed bag in the overhead storage which I never use. I’m paranoid I’ll forget it. To this end the mini fits in a Dopp kit that can fit in my backpack (old trusty that has been around the world).

6. When I’m traveling for work, I am normally straight into calendar events so going for distilled water is a giant pain.

7. See note about not wanting to go without CPAP at home ever again.

8. When I bought the portable CPAP, I got a new complete mask which my out of pocket is $120, so getting it on sale for around $650, it was really about $530 when I took out the cost of the mask.

9. My wife told me I could.


Here are a couple tips if you decide to go for one - specifically the AirMini. 1. Get the small hard case for it, then get a Dopp kit that is designed to fit in carryon luggage- make sure it has the zip open bottom - the machine, mask & power supply go in the top section and the bottom has the hose so it doesn’t get damaged.

There are many good perspectives here.
Everyone has different needs. If I could wave a magic wand, I'd have my Resmed unit with me all the time. I feel that machine is one of, if not THE gold standard in therapy.

That said, traveling does impose limitations. I can't bring less shoes for example, because usually I only have the pair I'm wearing.
I also traveled throughout Japan a lot before my CPAP days. I can assure you that having large luggage or multiple bags on a bullet train can be a real adventure.

Obviously there is not one correct answer for everyone. My Z2 Auto does a very good job, and IMHO the ease of travel is worth the small noise issue. The main thing is that I sleep well with that unit too. Based on the comments here, I'll probably purchase the travel hose before my next trip since the reports say this is one of the best ways to mitigate any remaining noise issues.

jsmit86 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 15, 2019 1:44 pm

Obviously there is not one correct answer for everyone. My Z2 Auto does a very good job, and IMHO the ease of travel is worth the small noise issue. The main thing is that I sleep well with that unit too. Based on the comments here, I'll probably purchase the travel hose before my next trip since the reports say this is one of the best ways to mitigate any remaining noise issues.

Well said. Travel machines are a compromise. None of them are close to the home units in noise and comfort ( humidifier ).

Let me know what you think of the travel hose. I have beat the crap out of mine, and it has never hurt it. They take a bit of patience to get them back on the stem the first few times. You MUST push down the hose and keep it down all the way up or you run out of room on the tube! You'll figure it out right away.

I purchased an AirMini this year and am happy that I did. I bought it because I was traveling a fair bit and I wanted to travel with just a decent size back pack. The pros are that the difference in size and weight makes it much better than lugging my regular machine. The big con is that is quite a bit louder than my Resmed AutoSense 10 so I have to sleep with ear plugs. Once I finally get to sleep I sleep quite soundly. I don't have any problem with not having humidifier capability..

Some people can forgo heated humidity--others need it.
Some people fly--others drive.
Boots vs moccasins.
We are all different, and choose according to our needs and finances.