Airfit N30i Starter Pack Small, Medium and Large cushions

The AirFit N30i is a nasal cradle mask — not a nasal pillow mask. The distinction matters before you order. A nasal cradle cushion seals from below the nose; a nasal pillow cushion inserts into the nostrils. This starter pack includes one SpringFit frame in your chosen size (Standard or Small), headgear, elbow, frame wraps, and nasal cradle cushions in all three sizes — Small, Medium, and Large — so you can identify the correct cushion fit before committing to a single size for future replacements. This page is for patients who have not worn the N30i before, or who need a new frame and headgear along with their cushions. Patients who already know their cushion size and need only a replacement cushion should order the ResMed Cradle Nasal Cushion for AirFit N30 separately. Patients who prefer nasal pillows that seal inside the nostrils should see the AirFit P30i Starter Pack instead.

HOW THE NASAL CRADLE SEAL WORKS

The N30i cushion curves under the base of the nose. It contacts the tissue beneath the nostrils and at the underside of the nasal septum. Nothing enters the nasal cavity. The cushion uses a dual-wall construction: an outer curved wall that handles positioning and absorbs movement, and an inner septum bridge membrane that delivers the actual upward-pressing seal against the septum base. Because the seal is made from below rather than from inside the nose, the contact geometry is less sensitive to small positional shifts during sleep. The outer wall flexes as the patient moves, while the membrane continues pressing against the septum base. Therapy pressure reinforces the seal from within — as machine pressure increases, the silicone is pushed outward against the tissue, which helps maintain the seal without requiring additional headgear tension.

HOW THIS DIFFERS FROM NASAL PILLOWS

Nasal pillow cushions insert a short distance into each nostril and seal from inside, pressing outward against the nostril walls. The N30i cradle seals from below, never entering the nostrils. The practical consequences of this difference are specific. Patients who have experienced nostril rim soreness, redness, or irritation from pillow masks will not experience the same irritation with the N30i, because the contact point is entirely different — the nostril interior is not involved in the seal at all. At higher therapy pressures, roughly 12–15 cm H₂O and above, the larger sealing surface of a nasal cradle maintains more reliable containment than the discrete intra-nostril contact of a pillow. Patients with soft, wide, or irregular nostrils that do not hold a pillow seal consistently often find the cradle geometry more stable. There is one condition where the pillow interface may have an advantage: patients with dense facial hair directly at the base of the nose — at the tissue beneath the nostrils where the cradle membrane contacts — may find the pillow interface more reliable, since pillow seals are made inside the nostril above that contact zone. Patients who have no history of nostril soreness and prefer the smallest possible contact footprint should consider the AirFit P30i Starter Pack, which uses nasal pillow cushions that seal inside the nostrils.

THE SPRINGFIT FRAME AND TOP-OF-HEAD TUBE

The SpringFit frame is a hollow silicone tube that carries therapy air from the hose connection at the crown of the head down each side of the face to the cushion. It is soft and flexible — it bends and stretches with head movement rather than holding a fixed shape. This is the mechanism behind the mask's tolerance for active sleeping: the frame adapts rather than resisting. The top-of-head hose connection means the hose is above the patient regardless of sleeping position. Rolling from back to side to stomach does not change the geometry between the mask and the hose — the hose simply follows. The 360° swivel elbow at the crown allows the hose to trail in any direction without creating drag on the mask seal. Squeezing the elbow disconnects the hose from the mask without removing the headgear, which is useful for nighttime bathroom trips.

QUIETAIR VENTING AND THE FRAME WRAPS

The QuietAir vent diffuses exhaled air at two points: at the cushion itself and at the elbow. This two-stage diffusion reduces the concentration of exhaled airflow at any single exit point, which reduces both audible noise and directed airflow toward a bed partner. The frame wraps are soft fabric sleeves that cover the SpringFit frame arms where they contact the face and hair. Without them, bare silicone presses against the cheeks and temple. With them, soft fabric makes that contact instead — relevant for stomach sleepers and active sleepers who press the mask against a pillow during the night.

CHOOSING YOUR FRAME SIZE

Frame size — Standard or Small — is independent from cushion size. A patient with a Small cushion may use a Standard frame, and vice versa. Standard fits the majority of patients regardless of face size or cushion size. Small is for patients with narrower faces and smaller head circumferences — typically those for whom the Standard frame's headgear arms extend noticeably past the ears, or the frame sits higher than the nostrils even when fully adjusted. If you have worn this mask before and know your frame size, select it here. If you are unsure, Standard is the appropriate starting point for most patients.

FINDING YOUR CUSHION SIZE — WHAT'S INCLUDED AND WHY IT MATTERS

This starter pack includes all three cushion sizes — Small, Medium, and Large — so you can identify your correct fit before committing to a single size for future replacements. Cushion size is based on the width and height of the nose at the base of the nostrils. A cushion that is too small gaps at the septum; one that is too large rides up and breaks the seal at the sides. ResMed provides a printable sizing guide for the N30i that can help narrow down the correct size before trialing. Because our return policy does not allow returns on opened mask products, the starter pack is the appropriate first purchase for any patient who has not worn this mask before.

ONCE YOU KNOW YOUR SIZE

Once you have identified your correct cushion size from this starter pack, future replacements should be ordered as single-size cushions rather than another starter pack. Replacement cradle cushions for the N30i are available separately: ResMed Cradle Nasal Cushion for AirFit N30. Order the size confirmed by your starter pack trial.

CLEANING AND REPLACEMENT

Clean the cushion daily. Clean the frame, headgear, and elbow once a week. Replace the cushion every one to three months — silicone degrades with cleaning agents and physical compression, and the seal softens before any visible damage appears. Replace the headgear approximately every six months as the elastic loses tension. Replace the frame every six to twelve months or when the silicone tube arms lose flexibility.

AIRMINI COMPATIBILITY

The AirFit N30i is compatible with all standard CPAP and BiPAP machines. Use with the ResMed AirMini portable CPAP requires a separate adapter not included with this pack.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX

Standard or Small SpringFit frame, headgear, quick-release swivel elbow with QuietAir vent, frame wraps, nasal cradle cushions in Small, Medium, and Large, printed user instructions.