HELP.........With selecting Top Shelf "Quality" mask for virus control.

[Sourdough]

I have had very-very little contact with humans the last 52+ years.
I would like to purchase about (6) Six "Quality" masks. Is there a credible independent rating service....???

 

[Sourdough]

Please note: I don't care about anyone's opinion about "if" masks work. If I have to wear one in city once a year, it may as well be quality.

 

[Curmudgeon]

First thing I would ask is are you clean shaven or do you have a beard? Most masks aren't going to play well with a beard, the whiskers will hold the mask away from the skin and essentially give airspace around it.

 

[Sourdough]

Assume clean shaven when going to Los'Anchorage for medical "stuff".

 

[Caribou]

An N-95 mask. You might be able to find an N-100 but that is a little overkill. The duckbill shape works well, even with a short beard they don't work too badly.

 

[dademoss]

Properly fitted and with the right cartridges, there are a couple options, depending on your degree of perceived exposure.

Read the 3M article:https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media...tection-against-biohazards.pdf?&fn=TDB174.pdf

Either a 1/2 face respirator with P100 cartridges, or a a Full face respirator with P100 cartridges or better

I have both, thanks to previous work exposures.

That said, I have not worn either one during the "pandemic", but you get get to decide how you feel. I can't wear an N95 or 100 without n exhale valve, so the disposable masks are worthless to me.

 

[havasu]

Don't forget your Tyvex Suit.

 

[dademoss]

Don't forget your Tyvex Suit.

Probably overkill without a chemical exposure or something deadly like anthrax

I wore a bandana into public places that required a mask, and yet I live

I wouldn't recommend using that in a reaction cell filled with Hydrogen sulfide vapors, I wore the full face face respirator and a Goretex acid resistant suit.

 

[Caribou]

That said, I have not worn either one during the "pandemic", but you get get to decide how you feel. I can't wear an N95 or 100 without n exhale valve, so the disposable masks are worthless to me.

I love the exhaust valve on my N-95 masks. The hospitals dr. offices and other places where masks are required will make you take them off and they will give you a cheap surgical mask.
Edit: You could get an N-95 with an exhaust valve and bring blue tape to cover the valve, then remove the tape after the dr. visit.

 

[dademoss]

I love the exhaust valve on my N-95 masks. The hospitals dr. offices and other places where masks are required will make you take them off and they will give you a cheap surgical mask.
Edit: You could get an N-95 with an exhaust valve and bring blue tape to cover the valve, then remove the tape after the dr. visit.

My trouble is with the exhaled breath moisture, if I block the valve, I can't breath The end result is I take my chances with a POS surgical mask with no fit, that does squat, so thats what I have worn.

Thankfully I have a fully functioning immune system (so far)

 

[Caribou]

My trouble is with the exhaled breath moisture, if I block the valve, I can't breath The end result is I take my chances with a POS surgical mask with no fit, that does squat, so thats what I have worn.

Thankfully I have a fully functioning immune system (so far)

I too, take the proffered useless mask. I put it on upside down and bend the nose piece to vent down. I twist the ear straps so that it vents on both sides. I hate the restricted breathing and the health theatre.

This thread is to help Sourdough pick out a mask for his trip to Los Anchorage. Picking a high quality mask, to have it replaced with a low quality mask, is not helpful.

 

[havasu]

I am required to wear a mask during my physical therapy sessions twice a week. They provide the duckbill KN-95 masks, and are pretty inexpensive these days. I still like the useless black paper masks, but the fibers make my face itch.

 

[Curmudgeon]

In this case the 'duckbill' should work fine. As mentioned, the medical facility will likely not allow a mask with exhaust vent. You likely will have it on for a length of time and these don't rest on your mouth like the cheap ones.

You can find them on Amazon, Ebay etc.

 

[Haertig]

I take it the mask is for actual protection of yourself, not to play theater in protecting others.

Simply buying an N-95 mask that is highly rated is not good enough. If you really want it to do any good, you need to have it fit tested to your face, be trained in its use, and practice donning and removing the mask per training. And you don't reuse a mask either, so you'll need to buy a bunch. Not all mask brands/types seal on all peoples faces. You need to find the mask that fits YOU personally. You will know you are getting close to a good fitting mask when you can no longer breathe without effort.

Finding someone to train you and do an appropriate fit test will be the bigger problem for you. Simply reading reviews and blind-choosing a high quality mask without the required training and fit testing is just busy work that will gain you nothing, assuming your goal is actual protection from viruses. All the people who have been wearing masks for the last two years? Probably only 1 out of 10,000 got any significant protection from that.

 

[Neb]

My trouble is with the exhaled breath moisture, if I block the valve, I can't breath The end result is I take my chances with a POS surgical mask with no fit, that does squat, so thats what I have worn.

Thankfully I have a fully functioning immune system (so far)

That is technically called "CO2 deadspace". When an N95 mask is properly fitted we are breathing the CO2 we just exhaled.

Ben

 

[Terri9630]

I love the exhaust valve on my N-95 masks. The hospitals dr. offices and other places where masks are required will make you take them off and they will give you a cheap surgical mask.
Edit: You could get an N-95 with an exhaust valve and bring blue tape to cover the valve, then remove the tape after the dr. visit.

We just dealt with that while taking the Kid to Fl. The response I got when I questioned it was that your mask protects you but not me.... If your wearing mask shouldn't your mask protect you???

 

[Rick]

I have had very-very little contact with humans the last 52+ years.
I would like to purchase about (6) Six "Quality" masks. Is there a credible independent rating service....???

Look for one that is N95 rated ( most are not)
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html

 

[montanabill]

I do some art welding of old painted parts which can generate some toxic fumes. I use a decent welding mask with replaceable filters but it has a exhaust valve. I also have some N95 without exhaust valves and they have a soft silicone seal around the edge to promote sealing.
My self i have to concentrate on long slow breaths to get enough air exchange while wearing a mask for hours.
I find if a mask is working i can spray rattle can clear coat and not smell the paint.
If someone says the surgical masks work have them install some fiberglass insulation over head while wearing one.

I would say try a mask with bear spray but after my near death experience with bear spray in a car i would not wish that stuff on anyone.

 

[Magus]

I've been using this M3 model since the Vid hit, the mask is about 15$ the pink medical filters/6 micron anti aerosol grade ones are anywhere from 12-15$
If you believe the WHO and OSHA it will stop even Ebola and Marburg, not to mention Anthrax. I find the idea that the trapped bugs are on my cheeks instead of in front of my nose and mouth comforting, when I'm done for the day I spray both the filters and mask with 100% proof medical alcohol, then my hands. on a plus side, people avoid you like the plague and it scares kids! people tend to move along when they see me wearing it!

 

[Terri9630]

That's not allowed in the hospital either.