I saw an old post on here saying that the dr puri heat stamp branding makes the mask useless. Does anyone have information on this? I couldn’t find anything online. Wellbefore masks which I also love seem to have heat stamp branding too so it worried me!

My lovely mask bloc unfortunately only has 3M auras which are too big for me.
My recent masks were the Fluidshield Halyard N95s (orange ones) (unsure if to call them duckbills but they do have that shape) but holy cow are they too expensive for me now, they’re like $40+ not even taking into account shipping.

I think the most I can do is $35 honestly.
I’m a bit skeptical to order from Amazon 1. Goes against my ethics 2. Scared of getting counterfeit masks but I may have to just go on there.
Any recommendations or anything?

Also I like the BNX duckbill N95s has anyone had success with them (not counterfeit/tested for effectiveness)? These seem fine but I wish they were available elsewhere…I’m going to have to take a leap too because whatever I buy MUST fit since I have such a limited spending amount.

All help is being appreciated. Hope I don’t come off as too picky or ungrateful…

from canadastrong. these things will never be 100% accurate/applicable in every case, but there's a dearth of quick reference material like this around.

imo something like this (or similar/better) should be pinned here, along with stuff like the masks by breatheablility chart that u/SkippySkep went to all the trouble of making...but that's up to him.

I have a respiratory illness, so I am more sensitive than most.
My wife is petite with a small face.
I am small/med build.

Given that fit is most important, I was leaning towards 3M Aura 9211+ with Valve for both of us.

Maybe 3M 8511 for me, although I worry that with a small/med face, it might be too rigid/big.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

I'm switching to the Resmed P30i after wearing full face masks for the first year of my CPAP journey. I always wore a sleeping cap but with the way the P30i looks I'm questioning whether going with strap covers would be the more effective way to prevent hair breakage.

Input needed please;

I tend to get sick when flying if I don't wear a mask, especially if I fall asleep. But the masks I've tried feel almost unbearable to wear even on short 2-hour flights, and I know there's no way I'll keep one on for an upcoming 8-hour flight. Aside from rubbing on my face and leaving marks, the suffocating/moist feeling reminds me too much of how an asthma attack feels, which makes me super anxious.

I've tried Cambridge cloth n95, duckbill n95s, and the 3m aura with valve.

Are there any recommendations for a mask that's soft on the face while still sealing, gives a little space, and doesn't build up a ton of condensation? I've been looking at the Envo and Envo Pro, but reviews seem mixed.

Thank you!

I love wearing soft comfy ones just for comfort when I'm alone in the car and am trying to find soft comfy ones for car rides, any recommendations are appreciated

Background:

My nose is big enough that it's hard to get a good seal with many disposable masks. The Aura 9205+ with foam at the nose bridge has been wonderful. The kind with the white band is too tight, but the blue strap fits great.

Reading about wildfire smoke makes me think if I need to be outside, depending on proximity to the fire and what's in the air I might want a mask that uses cartridges (because I think one can get cartridges that filter not only particles but also gases).

Some but not all 3M cartridge masks say they have a "silicone" face seal for comfort.

Question:

Which cartridge masks fit the most similarly to an Aura 9205+ with blue straps--especially as regards fitting around the nose?

How similar are the silicone face seals on some 3M cartridge masks to the nose foam on Aura 9205+ masks?

So, I've been looking into a mask to use to deal with the horrible symptoms I've been getting because of the recent spike in air pollution. One of the ones I've found that seems like it might be good is the Cambridge Masks (https://cambridgemask.com/) and I was wondering if anyone could attest to if they are actually any good or just bogus. Particularly against the PM2.5 issues in my area.

Am I better off just using a bunch of disposable N95's? If so how often do I have to switch to a new one?

Tldr: partner has a very big head, long face & high nose bride. Only has 2 masks that work Delta plus m1300v and Cambridge pro XL. Has tried XL Zimi and many other masks but still not found anything better than the delta plus. Any suggestions from anywhere in the world welcome.

Hey fellow maskers,

I have been on the eternal search for a better mask for my partner. Currently the only 2 masks that fit him are the Delta plus M1300V ffp3 (he hates the bright red valve) and the Cambridge pro XL (not reliable for high risk situations). I have bought a lot of masks (listed below) and have previously asked on here for advice and have tried all of the ones suggested, at least I think I have 😄

We just managed to try the Zimi XL which I know is very popular. Unfortunately it was still too small. The bottom sat not far below his bottom lip and even with the foam strips if he tried to talk or yawn or move his face it just popped off. So now I'm starting the search again and looking for any suggestions from anywhere in the world. Really grateful if anyone has any ideas of masks we could buy.

Here's all the brands I can remember trying:

Drager, Jedx, imask, Zagor, Zegler, Trident, 3m aura, 3m vflex, Kolmi, Alpha solway IXL & their cup masks, Portwest ergonet (was a recommendation and almost fit), Handanhy, Laianzhi, JSP, Zimi, Moldex, Lupa, Beeswift, Vitacore 95 & 99, Readimask (got an XL from a mask bloc and it worked), Valmy, Honeywell XL, GVS, Oxyline

There might be more but I can't remember.

I understand the general premise of N95s blocking 95% of PM2.5 particles down to .3 microns. But is it true that a lot of wildfire smoke particles are smaller than .3 microns and can bypass the filters? So do we have any specific data on what degree of protection N95s supply in terms of overall exposure to harmful pollutants and health impacts? How much exposure are we actually reducing? Are these masks still highly effective, or only partially due to particles smaller than .3 microns?

Hello, apologies if this has already been asked. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS); I react strongly to perfume, cleaning chemicals, and other household fragrances (including some hand soaps), not to mention the recent wildfire smoke. My reactions include chest tightness, shortness of breath, brain fog, and eye/sinus/throat irritation.

I'm looking for a mask with activated carbon filters. What are some good reusable options?

Fwiw, I'm currently using RZM3 w/ carbon filters.

Hello I recently purchased a JSP Force 8 half mask in medium size however the mask doesn’t seem to be sealing around the lower left side of my chin no matter how much I tighten it. The mask does suck inwards when I breathe however I can feel air rushing in from the lower left side I was wondering if this is possibly a sizing issue or perhaps I need a different mask brand entirely. I checked the measurements online and they seem like they should fit me I figured I’d come to here before making any more purchases

My measurements are 14cm cheekbone to cheekbone and 12 cm from the bridge of my nose to my chin

I work in a factory that produces yarn/thread for upholstery fabrics and I'm looking for a good mask to wear long term. I really like cambridge masks and I believe they're enough for the fibers as long as they fit good, plus I like how they look. Any other recommendations? My main goal besides proper filtration is that they look halfway decent lol. I don't personally like the look of masks like n95s. Though if that's what I really need I'll wear it! Just wanna know if there's anything like cambridge masks that will work better in some way.

I'm just trying to continue exercising outside while the AQI is high. I don't want to spend a ton on a disposable mask/respirator. And I want a mask/respirator that isn't going to jostle while running. It seems like a good seal whlie moving is paramount. An n99, n100, p2, p3 mask seem helpful, not necessarily because 99 percent filtration is necessary over 95, but because those higher percent filtration masks seem like they may have better fits/seals than an n95. I am no confident the kn95 I have right now is able to seal well enough to be fully 95 percent filtrating.

BUT, it seems possible there could be good light weight sports/running designed half mask reusable respirators too. For those anything with a filtration rating of 95 or above seems like it'd be fine.

Any opinions, advice or experience with running with these masks in a poor AQI?

A while back, I posted asking for respirator recommendations for people sensitive to scents/fragrances/outdoor air (MCAS here). I was wearing N95's with carbon and still getting pwned for existing when I stepped outside and it was hard to shop at half of the stores I needed.

After a bunch of research and trying on respirators, I wanted to report back on what's worked really well for me: the 3M Rugged Comfort Half Facepiece (6500 series) paired with the P100 filters.

It's been effective for me for:
- Almost all odors and fragrances
- VOC's
- Pollen and outdoor air contaminants
- Most cooking odors/smoke

Like a lot of us, I have neck/shoulder/hypermobility issues and the most common 3M respirator sold in chain stores was too heavy and really bothered me because the head and neck straps are attached in a figure 8 formation. The model I got instead has independent straps and is much gentler on my neck. Also, they have models with and without the "Quick Latch", and I super recommend getting one with it. It makes it much faster/easier to pop it off to speak more clearly to someone and then pop back on.

In case anyone else is sensitive to this kind of stuff and I can save you even a little time and money, figured I would pass this on! I was sensitive enough that even in an N95 I couldn't walk my dogs or go in half my usual stores without a horrible reaction. This has given me so much more freedom while I'm healing from this flare.

PS: My partner just found some filters that are supposedly just as effective but longer lasting and even lighter, will report back if I find that's the case!

I'm willing to buy in bulk. These are my favorite masks but I really wish I weren't paying >$3 per mask. I prefer valved Dragers since I'm usually the only one masking anyway and they're more comfortable for long-term wear. I'd appreciate any recommendations.

I'm having some trouble reconciling the notion of a qualitative testing with adjusting fit for Zimi masks, because some of the steps are difficult or not possible to undo.

Cutting a slit at the nose of the gasket is helpful, but can't be undone.

Applying nose foam is also helpful, and somewhat difficult to undo. Side note: any tips for removing and repositioning nose foam?

It's also challenging because adjusting one of these may affect how the other affects fit.

How do you approach adjusting these, and how many rounds of tweaks do you go through before committing to a qualitative fit test?

I understand that much of this may come from experience of wearing the masks day to day, and also I'm curious to learn of any obvious pitfalls to avoid wasting masks.

Thanks!

Hello everybody. I had a wisdom tooth taken out this week and I’m wondering when it’s safe to wear a mask whilst the wound is still actively healing. I wear FFP3s (switching from ear loops to head loops) and I’m worried about the pressure from the mask digging into my jaw and making the healing process worse and slower. I couldn’t find anything online so any guidance would be appreciated

Random but I'm just wondering what the risks would be in this type of work, perhaps requirements, or anyone's experience with it.

Since this will probably happen from time to time the next few years (unless something magical happens to the people creating climate change) what can be done for people's pets?

Are there decent dog masks or air filtering devices for dogs? Is there anything in development?

I (46 yo femme) have been wearing an Envo inside my congregate setting job+transport for years. Except for extreme face humidity & fragility, it was working well enough. (I just went thru 3 of the outer thingies in like a month or 2, tho.)

I got prism progressive glasses 5 months ago; been wearing reg progressives for 2+ yr), hoping to help weird vestibular stuff. No such luck. I fell (again) yesterday & broke my glasses. Now may be the moment to switch.

Criteria:

Sensory/comfort

- off the neck/waddle area entirely

- smushy/no hard edges

- humidity help would be rad

Visual Field & Glasses Considerations:

- Envo fills up a good chunk of my downward vision

- Hard to find glasses frames that accommodate Envo seal

- Focal point of glasses made to accommodate Envo (iirc, don't remember the vocab)

Idk, but I wonder if limited focal whatever & the jutting out of the Envo were too much for me to compensate for? (I was in a rush, too, but still)

❓️If you're a glasses-wearer, esp progressive +/or prism, can you share your experience?

❓️Even if you don't wear glasses, but fall/stumble a lot, I'd really appreciate your experience.

*Flo Mask fit strip indicated I'm "high", if that's helpful.

Not really a face-picture on the raw internet kind of gal, but if seeing particular things would help you help me, plmk.

Tysm.

I got this for cleaning mold in my washroom and im curious if itll be effective against smoke

Maybe this is a dumb question. If an N95 mask has been out in a smokey area - while not being worn, so the smoke has gotten inside the inner part of the mask - is wearing that mask later still effective at filtering out particulate matter from more wildfire smoke?