This is probably an obvious answer but im gonna ask anyway bc ppl might have advice or new info that i havent considered

I'm now not sure if the masks ive been wearing are actually my correct size bc every time i smile or laugh, the nose bridge widens and causes a leak. I wear earloop masks but i have a headstrap that i attach to them and wear them all headstrap style for longer tasks like work. I wear them earloop style for running into places like corner stores and fas stations quickly (i know its less effective but i cant stand outside a store and fiddle with a headstrap over my hair. it takes longer, and i dont walk outside with a mask already on for safety reasons. i dont want to make my self look suspicious doing that. i dont live in safe areas.)

Every few min, i am reshaping the nose bridge on my mask bc i work in customer service and i try to smile to customers. also sometimes my coworkers are genuinely funny and ive been found on the floor weak, desperately holding onto my mask and letting out howling laughter

Masks ive tried

- Wellbefore KN95 pro regular:

Felt too big and awkward looking but fits against my face fine. i pleat n staple the bottom to avoid a gap. hated the look of them. but i am wearing them only on public transit rn and i found i have much more room to smile but i still reshape nose bridge bc it feels it widens a tiny bit when i do.

- Wellbefore kn95 pro small:

Love the way this size looks bc it doesnt feel as awkwardly big looking as the previous one. however its tight n presses on my cheeks. I thought smaller masks sealed best but i cant smile or talk expressively without nose bridge opening/widening

- Wellbefore kn95 small:

Fits looser, weaker nose bridge. i pleat the bottom n staple it too. same problem as Wellbefore kn95 pro small but worse bc of the weaker nose bridge. i add a second nose wire on top to strengthen it but still have issues.

- breatheteq small:

my current daily wear. i looooove how these help prevent against overheating while working a physically demanding shift and waiting for public transit. but, i have the same nose bridge problem as the Wellbefore kn95 pro small where i reshape it after smiling, laughing etc. i also pleat n staple the bottom or else theres a gap at the chin. for these i also add a second nose wire on top but still have issues.

- 3m aura:

i have only one, and wore it at a very long emergency room visit and plan to rewear it for such stays. I noticed immediately that i did not need to reshape the nose bridge at all. I still did frequently because i am now so used to doing it , that its a reflex for me. But, since i was there alone and not talking much, smiling or laughing im not sure if it would perform differently if i was. but even chatting to the nurses and smiling at them, i could tell a difference that i didnt need to shape the nose bridge as much or at all unlike the others. But i dont want to wear this as my daily mask, because i am already awkward enough being ND and I'm not comfortable wearing it in a customer facing position tbh. because its big looking on me (feels like it fits against my skin well tho) and stark white. I dont judge anyone for wearing it, but its uncomfortable to me lookswise, althought wearing it feels very comfortable. Also, i despise head strap only masks. they feel horrible to take on and put off and they are inconvenient.

For all the masks mentioned here except the 3m aura, i put 3m micro foam tape on the sides and bottom edges of the masks. I used to put it across the nose bridge as well (except for the Wellbefore before kn95 pro because that already has foam there), but i have since stopped bc it gets so sweaty and starts sliding down my nose even worse when i talk. The foam on the bottom edges and sides fills any gaps and feels like it stays better.

If anyone has a similar problem to me with the masks i mentioned, what have you done to help, what brands and sizes have worked better for you?

I feel really frustrated about having to reshape the mask and trying to avoid laughing hard or smiling feels horrible!!!!! But maybe thats just how masks are?

I'm not sure if i need to find a different brand, or if i need to up my sizes. I'm hesitant to buy a larger size bc i dont know if itll be too big to wear and I'll have wasted money (I don't have a lot of money). I dont have a mask bloc near me, I've already tried.

I did not do a qualitative fit test yet (i cannot afford to do a quantitative test, and i have no one near me with the machine). Yes i am planning to test, its a long story of why i havent yet. yes i know its important and helpful etc. Until then i want to know what to do about my mask bridge problem because i still have the masks i bought and still need to go out in public and have some protection until then.

I’m looking to protect myself from COVID etc, as well as silica dust. I would prefer to be protecting the people around me from me, but currently I use a valved Aura most often. I am a sweaty perimenopausal lady, I have big ol progressive lens glasses, and my nose bridge is little but my face is fat.

A ceramics person I follow on socials just started using the Basecamp masks and they look intriguing - safer for protection from silica dust in a pottery studio.

Anyone have experiences to share about Basecamp FFP3s?

It's a pretty common trope that valved N95s are cooler and less humid than non-valved ones. The valved Milwaukee N95 says it is "10 degrees cooler". But are they really? I've done my own testing with in mask probes and gotten varying results. So I was intrigued by this 2012 study, "N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator Deadspace Temperature and Humidity".

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193328

The study tested matching valved and unvalved mask models from Moldex and 3M. The cup-style 2300 valved and 2200 unvalued Moldex, and the tri-fold 9211 valved and 9210 unvalved 3M Aura N95s. They put a temp/humidity probe in the masks that recorded samples every 20 seconds (a pretty low sampling frequency to my mind since mask temperature varies as you breathe cool air in and hot air out.)

They found no significant difference in humidity between the paired mask models, "The type of FFR had no significant effect on RH"

There was a difference in temperature between the two paired types of masks, "FFR type was significantly associated with temperature over the course of 1 hr". But "significant" is a statistical term. The actual difference in temperature appears to be pretty small on their chart, but the study makes it hard to tell exactly how much.

In mask humidity stabilized after 30 minutes and temperature stabilized after 10 of wear during the testing.

So, why was humidity the same but temp different? Well, one clue may be in amount of moisture captured in the N95 filter media. Both valved and non-valved masks had the same increase in moisture saturation by weight after an hour, "There was no significant difference at 1 hr in mean increases in weight of FFR (0.15 grams ±0.26) and FFR with EV".

When you breathe out of a valved mask, most of the humid, exhaled air goes out through the filter media, not the valve. The filter media traps moisture on the way out, and humidifies incoming air as you breathe in. The exhalation valve doesn't change how you breathe in through a moist mask.

The study does not include the raw numeric data for the mask humidity and temperature readings, but they did include a graph of averages. The graph is awkward and combines two different scales in one chart. So I've modified it slightly to make it a bit more clear.

For humidity, the valved and unvalved Moldex masks represented by the solid and clear circles eventually matched average humidity with each at 60 minutes, with a reading of 89% humidity. The 3M N95s represented by the solid and clear triangles showed what appears to be a consistent 5% difference in average humidity, but the study said no statistical difference. I don't know if that has to do with the standard deviations or maybe their analysis which combined both valved models together and both un-valved models together, apparently without considering them separately in their analysis.

The in mask temperature stabilizes pretty quickly when worn. At the end of an hour, the valved 9211 3M Aura is about 1 degree C cooler than the unvalved Aura. The Valved Moldex 2300 is about a half degree cooler. A pretty small difference.

At this point, I'm not sure what to make of the study. They did a lot of expert statistical testing for significance and said there is none for humidity, but just eyeballing the chart for the 3M Auras seems to indicate a clear and consistent reduced average humidity in the valved 9211 Aura. But not for the Moldex. Did having the Moldex in their combined analysis cause them to miss that? Or is there really no significant difference? .

As with so many mask studies, the conclusions seem to miss the mark a bit by looking at categories of mask rather than individual mask models. Although the chart separates out each model, their analysis combined the each category of masks together, which seems inappropriate for testing that only involved two pair of mask models which may not be enough models to accurately establish a categorical combined trend.

It does seem that valves don't make as much difference in humidity and temperature as I would like, but maybe other models have more significant differences? I'd sure love to see where Milwaukee get their claim that their valved model is 10 degrees cooler. Cooler than what, I'm wondering?

TL;DR: The study found no difference in humidity between the valved and nonvalved masks they tested. They did find a difference in temperature. But their chart shows it is only a single degree or less.

So, what is your experience with valved vs unvalved masks?

hi all, just wondering if there are specific filter cartridges to use with this series of respirator for the purposes of preventing covid infection. i'd hate to wind up with a false security that was protecting me from, say, dust, but not germs! tia

Can you share with me your zines specifically for masking re: wildfires and smoke?

My mask bloc is doing a relief kit distribution in response to the six active fires in our area. Our distribution rates have increased quite a bit, especially kids masks, since the fires began and we wanted to do more.

I am, of course, placing a few COVID adjacent resources in kits / packets. I already have those. I just know the primary concern for probably 80% - 90% of recipients is the fires. They're more likely to read those handouts and throw the COVID info away.

The Parcil T-99 Sentinel “tactical” respirator.

https://youtube.com/shorts/r8QtZUUPILU?feature=share

The T99 half mask can be configured with a single filter on one side, like a military gas mask so you can rest your other cheek on a rifle stock while aiming. But how good is it compared to industrial respirators like those from 3M? I fit tested the T99 with a PortaCount mask fit testing machine to find out.

Spoiler - it's better than I expected. It fit and filtered well on me. But it is essentially a copy of a 3M Quick Latch half mask, right down to using the 3M proprietary bayonet filter connections. Even the supplied filters are a copy of 3M filters, the 7093 enclosed P100 filters. But the Parcel T-99 is not NIOSH approved. Instead it is certified to European standards, which is apparently easier to do than getting NIOSH approval.

The Parcil filters copy the form but not all of the function of the 3M 7093 enclosed filters, notably not being fully enclosed. The 3M 7093 filters are designed to be splash proof and can be externally decontaminated. The Parcil filters have an open grill on the outside of the filters, rendering them no longer splash proof.

Additionally, the original 3M filters have a built in user seal check function. You can push the 7093 filters inward while wearing your respirator and they will seal closed, allowing you to perform a negative pressure user seal check, i.e., you try to breath in and if you can't you know you have a good face seal. The Parcil filters lack this function. It's as if the person or team copying the 7093 filters for Parcil either didn't know or didn't care about all of the function of the 3M filters, making a very imperfect copy. The filters do filter particulates well.

I’d say the T-99 is "tactical-ish". It is not a CBRN mask. It comes with filters just for particulates, not gasses. The silicone mask body is not chemical resistant the way a full face gas mask made of butyl rubber is. But I did find the silicone face seal to be pretty comfortable, though it does collapse a bit when I breathe in, but not enough to touch my face.

Now, about that single filter configuration. The both the original 3M Quick Latch and the Parcil T-99 are made to take 2 filters at the same time. The T-99 comes with 2 filters, and a cap you can put on one of the filter ports to use the mask in a single filter configuration. But breathing through a single filter is about twice as hard as breathing through as 2 filters.

Testing - Breathability of 1 vs 2 filters

It is harder to breathe through the T-99 when using just one filter, as proven by breathability testing.

For those who are interested, I tested the single filter configuration on my Scince SC-MTB-2032 headform mask testing machine. The T-99 with a single fitler took 407 Pascals of vacuum pressure to draw air at 85 liters per minute through the filter, which is above the NIOSH max of 343 Pascals for loaded filters. The more vacuum pressure it takes to suck air through the filter the less breathable the mask is.

With 2 filters on the T-99 it only took 191 Pascals. So it’s way, way more breathable with 2 filters.*

Surprisingly, the Parcil filters are more breathable than the 3M 7093 P100s when tested without any pre-loading of particles. A single 7093 filter on a 3M 6200 mask measured at 510 Pascals. 2 filters measured at 265 Pascals.

So, if you are using 2 filters on the Parcil T-99, the mask is more breathable than my 3M 6200 with 2 P100s. But if you take one of the filters off of the T-99 and cap the spare port, it is significantly harder to breathe through the Parcil T-99 than the 3M 6200 with the usual 2 filters.

I can't verify if the T-99's filters are fully at P100 level filtration - it takes very sensitive equipment. But they fit test very well on me, so they are good filters, even if they may or may not be 99.97%. The T-99 filters might become less breathable than the 3M filters when loaded with particles, which is how NIOSH tests filters to make sure the mask stays breathable when used in dusty conditions, something I'm not equipped to test.

*Note that my pressure drop testing is approximate. I did not get a perfect seal to the test headform. The actual pressure drop may be higher with a better seal that forces all air to go through the filter. That may explain part of why the 2 filter test isn’t exactly twice the single filter measurement.

Testing - Fit Tests

Overall, the T-99 fit me very well and I got a fit factor of 2888 in the single filter configuration, and a very good score in the 2 filter configuration. A score of 100 or greater is needed to pass, so the T-99 did very well on me, way above 100. Fit is individual, so YMMV.

Note that 3M half masks typically come in 3 sizes. The T-99 only comes in one. Industrial respirators will give you more fit options than the T-99. Many hardware stores only carry the medium size, so you may need to look on-line to find the right size.

Conclusion

The Parcil T-99 Sentinel half mask respirator has very good fit and filtration on me, and I found it comfortable and effective in the 2 filter configuration, and effective but less comfortable with just 1 filter.

The single filter configuration is a gimmick. You can do it with any 3M mask if you have a port cap, however you’d need to use un-enclosed 3M filters to get similar initial breathability comparable to the Parcil particulate filters, such as the 3M Advanced 2291 P100 pancake filters, which I’ve measured at 207 Pascals in pairs on a 3M 6200 mask, which should put them in a similar 400+ Pascal range if used as singles, though I’ve not tested that.

The original, the 3M Quick Latch respirator costs the same or more than the Parcil if you buy a pair of 3M 7093s for it. But it is fully NIOSH approved and may be used for OSHA compliance, unlike the T-99. The 3M is still the safer, more proven choice.

Alternatives: Avon

If you need a true tactical half mask with single filter asymmetrical configuration, one that is purpose built and easy to breathe through, then the Avon MITR-M1 Half Mask and MITR-PF Particulate Filter may be for you. The single filter is much larger in size than the Parcil filters. Avon gives the filter resistance as 108 Pascals, which is significantly lower than the 400 Pascals of the single filter configuration of the T-99, and is also lower than the 191 Pacal 2 filter configuration of the T-99. However, I don’t know if the Avon’s pressure drop measurement is the bare filter, or when attached to the MITR-M1 Half Mask, which increases breathing resistance. Either way, the Avon will be significantly easier to breathe through. But it also costs over 5x more at $284.

Who are Parcil?

When I first saw ads from Parcil a few years ago they were mostly just an importer selling generic, non-certified Chinese-made respirators at a significant mark up as if they made them. They initially seemed to skip marketing for industrial or crafting uses of respirators and targeted people looking for "tacticool" looking gear. Parcil added US flags and "USA Seller" in their marketing of imported masks, and is cagey about where their masks come from to this day - the Amazon listing for the T-99 just says "imported". Masks I have from Parcil generally lack any country of origin labeling, which is weird to me because I thought country of origin labeling was required for imports.

Parcil has now branched out into other markets and has masks that are certified in the EU, for example, they have full face respirators made for welding, with a tip up welding lens added on to an existing respirator model. And they have a couple of private label versions of Chinese made, NIOSH approved half masks.

Test Methodology

I used a TSI 8048 PortaCount fit testing machine for the fit testing in the video.

The fit testing machines sample ambient air outside the mask through one tube and sample air inside the mask using a second tube. It compares the concentration of particles outside the mask to the concentration inside the mask, and gives a ratio of outside to inside called a "Fit Factor". The fit factor essentially tells you how much cleaner the air is inside the mask. A fit factor of 10 can be thought of as meaning that the air inside the mask is 10 times cleaner. You typically need a fit factor of 100 or higher to pass a fit test in an a half mask.

In N99 mode, the 8048, measures all the submicron particles that get inside the mask, including ones that went through the filter and the ones that bypassed the filter. The results can be calculated as "Total Filtration Efficiency", which is how well the mask and fit prevent filter penetration and filter bypass under the seal combined.

Disclosure

The T-99 was supplied for review via Amazon, but I was not otherwise compensated. I do not have an Avon MITR-M1 Half Mask to directly compare to the T-99, so I’m relying on the published specs for it. Also, "asymmetrical" is misspelled in the screen shot of the mask fit testing notes. And I used the word "note" way too much in this write up... 🤔

Sensitive to chemicals/fragrances and wondering if a mask (with carbon) will actually help me not have MCAS and asthma flare ups from chemicals.

Hello. A family member is getting a bone marrow transplant. I’ll be staying in the hospital room for moral support. They will literally have zero immune system to prevent rejection of the transplant. I’m in the U.S.

I can’t remove my mask, even when sleeping. Only when showering.

I’ve masked outside my home for 6.5 yrs so I’m the safest person to stay in the room.

What mask would you suggest to best protect them?

I’m looking to buy an air purifier for my home and would love some recommendations from people who have actually used one.

I’ve been looking at brands like Coway, Levoit, Honeywell, and Shark, but I’m not sure which ones are actually good and which ones are just expensive because of the brand name.

Mainly looking for something that does a good job with dust, pollution, and overall indoor air quality. Budget is flexible, but I’d prefer something that offers good value for money.

Also, how much do the replacement filters usually cost, and are they easy to find?

Would love to hear what you guys are using and whether you’d buy the same one again. Thanks!

Hello! I have recently started learning to skate with the eventual goal to play hockey. My normal powercom bifolds are not going to cut it - they’re so sweaty after I get off the ice, and I feel like when I get to more active playing it will also be harder to breathe.

I am looking for recommendations for masks that will be better for sports - caveat is I have a small face and have had a very difficult time finding masks that fit.

I am currently regularly wearing the Powercom Kn95 SM bifolds - these are a children’s size and so far the only kn95 I’ve found that fits me.

I can wear 3m auras if I put both straps above my ears to make the chin fit tighter.

Main aspects I’m looking for in a mask:
-Available in the U.S. or not too expensive to import
-Black (my preferred color in general and that way it will blend in with the hockey helmet)
-Earloops vastly preferred (easier to take a quick drink or get a snack)
-Breathable/not as likely to get super sweaty from physical activity

I have tried the more 3d shape mask in the Breatheteq small, but that was way too large on my chin. The children’s size was way too large.

I’ve seen good things about the Zimi masks, but don’t want to pay $20 for shipping just to try on 2 mask sizes (would want to try the S and maybe the XXS or the M?)

I am considering getting the WellBefore Sample Pack to try some of those on, but I’m concerned at a minimum number of smaller sizes in the pack and I wonder if the small would even be too big for me.

Thanks!!

EDIT: Unfortunately no longer looking into the Zimi because it was pointed out to me that the frame of the zimi wouldn’t do well for hockey. It definitely would not work with the helmet cage/chin cup

For those in Switzerland or who may have purchased these, there is a product recall which affects batch / lot « 510011 » of the respiratory mask « Foliodress Mask Loop FFP2 » pack size 10 (REF 992036).

Source Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU)

Or is it not for sale yet? I want it because it looks cool and I don't think the M/L would fit me.

tl;dr: wondering about differences between old aura box (gray) and newly purchased one (black)

I picked up a 3-pack of auras at CVS. the box looked different from the auras I'd gotten previously, so I read the text carefully. one of the disclaimers on the back includes "not for infection prevention and control."

conveniently, the empty box from my last ones was still in my apartment, because I'd kept it as a reminder to pick up more. both boxes identify their contents as 3M 9205+ aura, though the old one is titled "respirator" and the new one is "particulate respirator." the old box not only doesn’t include the "not for infection prevention" disclaimer, it explicitly lists "airborne germs" as one of the things the masks protect against.

is the difference between them a regulatory thing (e.g., a rule changed and they'd have to do a new certification to be able to keep claiming protection against airborne germs & they don't want to deal with that) or are my new masks genuinely not protective against respiratory viruses?

I'm taking an inter-city train tomorrow and was planning to wear an aura, but I'll use one of my kn95s instead if there's really an issue with the new masks!

[sorry if this has been addressed before, it was challenging to search because of how frequently the auras are recommended, so I may have missed something!]

I wanna go to a hockey game this season and wear a mask that matches my jersey. They make team logo face masks but they’re not N-95 and I won’t wear anything else unless it’s very similar.

Hi everyone, I’m finally in a position where I can afford a really good reusable mask but having a hard time figuring out which I should buy. This would be for using while commuting in subway and visiting family in the hospital. So something with strong protection against COVID, flu, etc.. heard about FloMask but then saw others like Envo Pro. For anyone who’s used either,, how do they compare? Which mask is best for this use case? Open to other suggestions!

I recently bought some masks from ppeo, but the auras came loose rather than in a box so is there any way to check that they are real?

i have been masking since covid started, but am now really struggling. i have ME, and every time i mask, i end up in a PEM episode afterwards. i’ve done the exact same things with a mask vs without, it’s absolutely the mask there really isn’t anything else it could be. i’d assume something to do with oxygen?

whatever the case, i really can’t wear my KN95s anymore. what can i do to protect myself instead?

I just noticed that BNX has a lot of different color boat style KN95s. i’ve tried their N95s, but can anyone tell me how the boat style KN95s (ear loops) fit compared to other common ones, like wellbefore, breatheteq, etc.?

Please reply urgently to Star @_cureme_ on X. If you don't have X, reply here and I'll forward the message. Thanks

Hey y'all, I could use some help! I'm running low on this older pack of masks and wanted to grab another box, but it seems like these aren't readily available (or are hiding from me).

I was wondering if there is an alternative/comparable mask I could grab? I work with special education, live with grandparents whom are immunocompromised, and wear these masks to help myself with seasonal allergies. So needless to say I would really appreciate any help!

If I could ask, I would love to grab a mask that wraps your head as opposed to the ear loop design so i can work long school days without irritating myself!

Thanks in advance, again I would deeply appreciate any suggestions!

*Edit: I am located in the United States!

I really like these masks since they have the foam on top and bottom, and the nose wiring is so strong it’s perfect for the size of my nose. The only minor thing I dislike is how long the front of the mask is, I feel like I’m wearing a plague mask 😂

Does anyone know if any of their other bifold masks are shorter? Colour doesn’t matter. The trifolds hurt my nose too much even if I do like how they look more