Written by Hulet Smith, OT
Caregivers have a tough job making sure that people in their charge are safe, happy, and healthy at all times. A large portion of the work that caregivers do every day is transferring these people from one surface to another, putting themselves at risk for a lot of strain-related injuries if they don’t use the proper equipment.
Thankfully, transfer sheets are available to offer an easy way to slide and reposition patients either within a bed, or across two horizontal surfaces like a bed and a gurney. They even make fall retrieval easier by helping patients to slide more smoothly with less effort needed.
Transfer sheets operate using a simple yet effective mechanism. The sheet is arranged beneath the patient, often tucked between the patient and a layer of bed sheets, then when the time comes to transfer the patient, the transfer sheet’s low-friction, low-shear design allows caregivers to easily slide the patient across the sheet and onto the new bed or stretcher.
Thus, the benefits of transfer sheets are obvious: by facilitating the transfer process, they increase patient safety and reduce fall risks, while also significantly reducing the risk of strain injuries to the caregiver.
Given the noteworthy value of reducing risk and improving comfort for both patients and caregivers alike, transfer sheets are a popular tool for a broad range of healthcare settings. But, there are a wide variety of transfer sheets on the market; how are you supposed to know which one’s right for you?
We’ll help ease the process for you by comparing two of the most popular options on the market, the Arjo MaxiSlide and the Tollos Sally Tube, and determining which comes out on top. We’ll also include some notable honorable mentions, saving you the trouble by putting all your research in one easy place.
To start, we’ll go over some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a transfer sheet, and then compare how each of the two top products stacks up.
Naturally, one of the most important features to consider when looking into a transfer sheet is what it’s made of. Different transfer sheets have different constructions—some are lightweight cloth, whereas others are made from a more slippery composite material.
The composition of the sheet may also be altered by slide-promoting supports in areas associated with a larger distribution of body weight, such as the hips and shoulders. Because the composition varies from transfer sheet to transfer sheet, it is worth reviewing the composition of a product before making a purchase.
The ARJO MaxiSlide Low Friction Transfer Sheet is made from a composite, low-friction material that is designed to promote easy, efficient sliding of the patient for both lateral transfers and in-bed adjustments.
The Sally Tube Slide Transfer Sheet is also made from a low-friction composite material.
Both the MaxiSlide and the SallyTube are available in either reusable or disposable designs, allowing multi-patient facilities to promote maximum hygiene or individual patients to get the most out of their transfer devices.
Because of the large number of similarities between the two sheets in this area, we'll say this one is a draw.
Another vital consideration to make when purchasing a transfer sheet is the product’s size and the number of sizing options available.
Depending on the product you’re looking into, the number of choices in size may vary drastically. Having a larger range of sizing options can be a valuable asset to the product, as it increases the range of patients that can be helped by using the product.
In regards to our two products, the MaxiSlide has a distinct edge in this category, as it is offered in 17 different sizes across its reusable and disposable formats. The Sally Tube, on the other hand, is only offered in four sizes across its two formats.
With this in mind, we can confidently say that the MaxiSlide sheet has the edge as far as sizing options.
As with all products, considering the price of an item as compared to its competitors is vital when deciding on a purchase. In the case of transfer sheets, the cost-effectiveness of a product can be slightly more challenging to determine, as refills and quantity per purchase must also be considered.
Fortunately, for the purposes of this article, the comparison is rather one-sided. The MaxiSlide is offered at a consistently lower price than the Sally Tube in each size and format.
Both the reusable and disposable MaxiSlide sheets are notably less expensive, save for the larger sizes that the Sally Tube Slide sheet is not available in.
The one point in which the Sally Tube comes out on top is in their 50-sheet disposable package, which is slightly less expensive, but the MaxiSlide also offers a 20-sheet disposable package which is the cheapest package available from either product.
Given the fairly consistent lower price, it’s easy to give the MaxiSlide the win in the area of price point.
The final category that should be considered before purchasing a transfer sheet is the feedback of other customers regarding each product. Reviewing what customers have experienced with the product can offer some valuable insight to the overall quality, longevity, and efficacy of each tool.
The reviews for the MaxiSlide are almost exclusively glowing. Customers praise it for the smooth, easy-sliding material, its price point, and the large selection of sizes it’s available in. Almost every review claims that this sheet is comfortable, easy to use, and highly effective.
The Sally Tube, on the other hand, has a seemingly “hit or miss” review rate with customers. A large number praise the sheet for its utility and comfort, but quite a few customers also noted that they felt it was not as helpful as they had hoped.
With the direct feedback from customers leading the way, the MaxiSlide once again appears to take the advantage over the Sally Slide Sheet.
As we’ve clearly seen demonstrated in this article, the ARJO MaxiSlide Low Friction Transfer Sheets claims a distinct edge over the Sally Tube Slide Transfer Sheet with regards to its sizing options, cost-effectiveness, and the reviews of customers.
The two products were relatively evenly matched when it came to composition and design, as they both are offered in washable, reusable formats as well as disposable formats.
However, given this three-category edge for the MaxiSlide, we can confidently conclude that it is the winner in this head-to-head comparison with the Sally Tube Slide Sheet.
To learn more about either of these high-quality transfer sheets or to look into other useful transfer tools and rehabilitation products, visit Caregiver University where you’ll find top of the line products and handy shopping/buying guides just a click away.
Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.
