Ministry of Supply mask review!

[wathe]

21 minutes ago, maize said:

I use disposable masks plus a strip of fashion tape if the nose fit isn't tight; works well for my 8 year old.

Not the type of tape I have but similar:

https://smile.amazon.com/Fashion-Clothing-Tape-Double-Sided/dp/B088F8V97M/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=fashion+tape&qid=1607830231&sprefix=fashion+tape&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUEdYRjJSWE44OVVCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODI4NjI2MUoxVjJGOFkzTk05SSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzc5NjQ4UzE1QVlKUUczRTNVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I use a strip of medical tape across the nose at work.  Ugly, but works really well.

[Pawz4me]

A retired vet friend says in all his years of wearing surgical masks he tried just about everything to prevent his glasses from fogging and that taping across his nose is the only thing that ever really worked.

[Not_a_Number]

More review coming up! I’m going to post pictures from my phone, then edit from my laptop.

I took the Ministry of Supply mask for a spin in the cold weather! It was cozy and worked very nicely. It continues to seal in air quite well on top.

One note: you can definitely feel the mask move up and down, even with the filter in. Here it is on an exhale: 

Here it is on an inhale: 

As you can see, it pulls in! 

I've also noticed it slide down my nose a bit more after a few washes, although I haven't actually taken it out since then, so I don't know if that's an actual problem or my paranoia. 

@MEmama, I also tried out both the Ministry of Supply Mask and the Happy Mask on DH, who wears glasses, and will include that part of the review below. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Not_a_Number]

DH and I also took our Happy Masks out for a spin. Overall, I was very happy with mine -- it stayed on well, and I really liked the ear loop adjusters. It clearly seals in well on an inhale as well, and it doesn't move up and down as much as the Ministry of Supply Mask: 

 

However, while DH liked the feel of his Happy Mask and how stable it felt on his face, it SERIOUSLY fogged up his glasses. He tried the Ministry of Supply Mask as well and said it was MUCH better at sealing up on top -- his glasses got less foggy. However, his Ministry of Supply mask turns out to be too short for his face (he ordered an M, but he has a long and narrow face, so we'll see if an L with ear loops shortened works better.) 

@MEmama, that's the comparison for you 😄 . Not sure if you're still looking for a mask that works for skiing or not! 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Not_a_Number]

5 minutes ago, kand said:

Thanks for the reviews and pictures. Any chance you could share a picture of the Ministry of Supply mask from the side? I’m wondering how it fits along the cheeks near the ears. I put a Happy Mask on my wish list on a whim during one of these threads, and I almost hope I didn’t get the me because the more reviews I read, the more I think I won’t be as happy with the fit as I am with the ones I’m currently wearing. 

I thought they were both quite good on the sides, but I didn't check carefully. You want a picture of both of them from the side? (That is, Happy Mask and Ministry of Supply mask?) 

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, kand said:

Both would be ideal, but if that's a pain, just the Ministry of Supply.

Nah, that's easy! Be back in a jiffy 😄 

[Not_a_Number]

Ministry of Supply from the side: 

As you can see, it lifts somewhat further away from the face than the Happy Mask. However, it's also quite a wide mask, so you can see on the inhale/exhale pictures below that it does cling close to the face in a way that seals the air in from the side: 

Inhale from the side: 

Exhale from the side: 

 

Super close up (sorry for the blur): 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Not_a_Number]

Happy Mask from the side: 

This one really does seal in on the side. I've run my fingers across the top and bottom of both the masks, and they are both good masks and seal in most of the air on an inhale. However, on an exhale, I can feel the difference at the tops of the masks -- the Ministry of Supply masks seal in much better on top. (Some air does escape over the top of one's nose, but that's all.) 

 

Again, sorry for the close up blur: 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Not_a_Number]

@kand, do those help? If those aren't good enough, I'll have my sister take a picture. I didn't realize they blurred quite as much as they did. 

[Not_a_Number]

4 minutes ago, kand said:

Those are great. I can see well enough. I definitely like the side fit of the Happy mask. Sounds like if the two masks could marry, it might be even better. Thanks for taking them!

Hah, probably, although I honestly don't think the side fit of the Ministry of Supply mask is worse -- it doesn't let any more air out, it just doesn't cling to your face on the very outside of the fabric. But it clings somewhere along the way... at least, I couldn't feel ANY air coming out the side, and I checked. 

If I had to do pros and cons, here are the ones I can think of: 

 

Pros of Happy Mask: 

-- more structured, so stays on face a bit better

-- doesn't need filters

-- comes in cool patterns 

 

Pros of Ministry of Supply mask: 

-- Washable in a machine (you swap out filters) 

-- Better fit on top of the face and therefore fog up glasses less

-- Warmer for cold weather

-- Actually tested as a mask and not just as a filter. 

 

I think they are both excellent masks that obviously get most of the inhale air through the mask and have good filters. I would be pretty happy wearing either of these day to day. 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Not_a_Number