Face Mask Roundup
DISCLAIMER: I am not assessing these for efficacy. I am not a doctor, scientist, or medical professional. I am simply discussing my preferences for masks.
Like it or not (I am in the “or not” group) face masks are now part of our EDC. As we start to look at the situation with more sober eyes, its clear that face masks are here to stay for a good long while. And if they are part of our EDC, it makes sense to sort through what’s out there and find the best stuff for the money. Since March I have tried: my woodshop respirator (with two N95 filters), one home made mask, a neoprene mask from Amazon, a cotton mask from American Giant, a cotton mask from Haines, the cheap, disposable paper masks that are now ubiquitous, and a 3D weave mask from a company called Heston. Some were atrocious, some were decent, and two were quite good. I wear glasses about 70% of the time, so the ones that didn’t cause me to fog up got some bonus credit.
I don’t have a mask scoring system (and I hope they don’t stick around long enough for me to develop one), so this is going to be a series of brief unscored reviews with the not recommended, recommended, and highly recommended conclusion. I am not going to offer any advice about their efficacy because I am not a doctor. For more information on that, see this excellent article on NPR.org on face masks. Here is information from the CDC.
Three general points: 1) scientist (yes, I still believe scientists) make clear that the benefit of a mask is not to the wearer, but those around the wearer (though there is some evidence that masks protect the wearer, too); 2) masks should pass the “sunlight test” (more on this below); and 3) recommendations are becoming more precise as we learn more about the virus (again, its that whole science thing where hypotheses are tested and change when new evidence arises).
Before we get to the actual reviews, I want to take a moment to address the elephant in the room—whether or not people can and should be required to wear masks. This blog has a strictly adhered to “no politics” policy. I do not intend to enter that fray. Instead I think a good answer comes from John Stuart Mill, one of libertarianism’s intellectual parents. Here is Mill’s most famous quote on freedom:
“The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way…”
As is often the case, we can find meaningful answers to modern dilemmas by listening to an engaging with great minds from the past. This is why, to this very day, I value my education in philosophy. A life lived in dialogue with great minds is a better life. Oh wait…that’s not the full JSM quote. Here is the full JSM quote:
“The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprieve others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.”
Not wearing a mask is a paradigmatic example of one person’s exercise of freedom that negatively impacts another’s exercise of freedom. So yeah, JSM, Father of the Libertarianism, says it right there—wear a fucking mask (swear intended). Our grandparents went without food, did darkness drills, and conducted metal drives during World War II. The least we can do is wear a mask out in public.
By the way, if you need a good, terse, quick read during your isolation, I can do no better than to recommend John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty (which is FREE on Kindle, I’d buy a Kindle for that alone). Its about 100 pages, written in a dense but not arachaic style, and really does a good job outline the basics of freedom, limited government, and the concept of individual rights. It is less bananas than Nozick’s Anarchy, the State, and Utopia, but still committed to the notion of personal freedom and personal responsibility. If you only read three books on well ordered societies (i.e. ethics or political theory), this is one of them. The other two, in case you are wondering, are Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (which is not a good read, but worth the effort), and John Rawl’s A Theory of Justice (again, not as well written as On Liberty, but truly foundational).
JSM, by the way, is probably the best writer among philosophers other than Nietzsche. Other cherry quotes: “One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests” and “bad men need nothing more to compass their ends than that good men should look on and do nothing…” I could literally go on forever. The joy you get from reading JSM has few equivalents.
Now on to justifications for rampant consumerism. Oh, I mean, reviews.
3M 6200 Woodshop Respirator
This works great in the shop when using high VOC stuff (like contact cement, yuck) and when sanding with something other than my Festool Rotex (Festool stuff…oh man…if had time I would write another blog just about their stuff). It is terrible in a grocery store. The filters are exceptionally effective, even blocking some odors, but it is hard to breath in this thing, it is heavy, and hard to put on and take off. I am sure it is as effective as anything available to civilians, but its just awful to use. I’d rather use something that is slightly less effective but more comfortable.
Not Recommended (though Highly Recommended in a woodworking shop when spraying paint or varnishing)
Home Made Mask
I used this no-sew method found here. I cut up old t-shirts and used 550 paracord as the cordage (EDC represent!). Unfortunately, I made and used this before I was aware of the sunlight test and this set up doesn’t pass the test. Here is the sunlight test: you should be able to hold your mask up to the sun at midday and not have sunlight leak through. If it does, scientists know that it is not sufficiently protective to work in blocking virus transmission. Another tip I got from the NPR sources—natural fibers like cotton are better at “catching” stuff than synthetic ones because they are rougher on a microscopic level. In the end, it was hard to keep this thing in place so I ditched it.
Not Recommended
Neoprene Mask
Lots of companies are selling these masks and they all look the same. Some places have branded them and charge insane amounts of money for them and others just sell them through Amazon for a small mark up. I found this mask difficult to wear. It didn’t fog up the glasses, because of the tight fit, but that same tight fit made it very hot. I am Italian and I tend to sweat, so this thing caused a ton of problems for me. Also, while on a long bike ride (pulling a kid in a ride behind), one of the nozzles popped off and the mask was basically dead at that point. I also found the velcro in the back to be fidgety. If it was put on JUST right it would work, but if not the mask would slide around. If you want to look like Bane, this is your choice, but if you want something effective and comfortable keep moving.
The big problem is that these vented masks are strongly discouraged by the CDC and so, despite its advantages in terms of comfort, I can’t recommend it. If the standards change, the recommendation would change.
Not Recommended
We ordered these early in the pandemic when everyone and their mother was ordering masks. They took a while to arrive and they were pricey (the American Giant Upcharge was developed by the same marketing team that gave us the Benchmade Tax, I think). As these are some of the oldest masks I have, I can tell you they hold up well (I have a AG hoodie that was the first thing they made, it is has held up well too). They are a bit tight, but that makes them less likely to cause my glasses to fog. I have done a lot of physical work in this mask and it has been excellent. Other than the price, there is nothing to dislike here.
Highly Recommended
Haines Mask
This is basically the AG mask with thinner material and a bendable wire in the nose to make up for a poorer fit. They are also about 2/3 the price. One thing that was a big yuck was the smell they had when they arrived. The AG white cotton masks smelled like cotton clothes. These smelled like industrial lubricant. It was disgusting. A trip through the washing machine fixed that, but still, yuck.
Recommended
Disposable Paper Mask
If these actually work and you don’t mind replacing them right away, these are by far the most comfortable option. That said, I have torn these probably 1 out of every 3 times I use them. In a pinch they work and if you are sitting around watching TV (who does that away from home now?) they are fine, but I would look for a more durable option. After all the price difference between these and the Haines cotton masks isn’t that big.
Not Recommended
And now we come to the least familiar option. I have been following Heston since they announced they were using new tech to sew a backpack. But in the time between that announcement and today, this little pandemic thing happened and they used that same tech to make masks. These masks are durable, the most comfortable on the list, tied with the paper masks, and they have a bit of shape to them so they follow the contours of your face naturally. They barely fogged up at all, yet they were more breathable than the neoprene masks. Of all the options I have tried, this was my favorite. It also really makes me want to get their still-in-the-offing pack.
Highly Recommended
Tips for Makers
The Heston mask is very close to an ideal mask, but here are some tips for folks making masks.
Use cotton (here is why): Honestly, reading the stuff about natural fibers and wearing a mask a lot, I can’t see a reason to use something else.
Put a blank tag somewhere: We had six mask wearers in the house when the pandemic started and having a place to write your name is handy.
Avoid Ear Straps: I like masks that tie or latch around the back of my head and have cut outs for ears. The straps-around-the-ears designs have really irritated my skin behind my ears.
Make it Shapely: Both the Heston mask and the AG mask have some shape to them and that helps with fogging and comfort all without the need to use a bendable wire that can break or poke through (the Heston mask has one, but doesn’t really need it)
Don’t Make Price the Only Concern: The Haines masks are okay, but they would be so much better if they weren’t solely designed around a price point. People will be using these all of the time and I am convinced that folks will be willing to pay a bit more for something comfy and nice.
Hopefully, this ends in a few months, but until then have fun looking like a bank robber at the grocery store or having your children make fun of you because you look like you are wearing underwear on your face (yep, the Haines ones are just underwear on your face).
Amazon Links (purchasing items through the links below helps the blog stay 100% independent):
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice