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What mask are you wearing now?


mommyoffive
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I need to get some new masks for the adults and kids in the house.

What masks are you wearing now?   Which ones are your favorites? 

Is Happy Mask the best?  Even over a N95?

Thoughts on these ones? 

BLUNA FACEFIT KF94 Small / White (Kids) – Be Healthy USA

White Korean-Style Respirator 2.0 (10-Pack) – masklab US

Face Masks | Face Coverings | Bona Fide Masks™

 

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11 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Do they fit your kids?  Or only the adults? 

Adults and older kids. My 8 year old wears the adult size (he's a big kid with a big head) but I add double sided fashion tape to the nose to keep it in place and form a good seal.

My younger kids wear these, they fit their faces well but I have to either add the fashion tape or tie a knot at the tip of the earloops to get a close fit:

https://ppeshop.store/collections/n95/products/g-box-childrens-kn95-particulate-respirator-regular-pattern-individually-wrapped25-pcs

Edited by maize
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We have started doubling up due to the new variants.

DH and I wear a Halo mask under a typical cloth mask (I have some from Old Navy, some homemade and some from eShakti). Middle DD wears a disposable surgical under a typical cloth mask. Youngest DD wears 2 homemade ones, a mask with ear loops under a mask with ties, as we cannot find a mask that fits her. 

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We were wearing only Happy Masks (though when in the ER with unmasked people last summer, I doubled with HM on top of a Kn95).  But I have recently ordered Kn95s for regular use instead of only having one or two for riskier situations.

I really like the Harley masks that wrap behind the head at Bonafide.  I am on the small side and they are the only masks that have fit well.

Are you all putting a cloth mask over these, too?

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52 minutes ago, Spryte said:

We were wearing only Happy Masks (though when in the ER with unmasked people last summer, I doubled with HM on top of a Kn95).  But I have recently ordered Kn95s for regular use instead of only having one or two for riskier situations.

I really like the Harley masks that wrap behind the head at Bonafide.  I am on the small side and they are the only masks that have fit well.

Are you all putting a cloth mask over these, too?

I'm not putting a cloth mask over KN95 or N95.

I try to make sure I have a good seal with the respirator style mask. I have found when I try to layer another mask on top it sometimes interferes with the fit of the respirator mask. I'd rather make sure all the air I am breathing is filtered through the respirator mask than add an extra cloth filter layer but end up with unfiltered air seeping around the edges.

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31 minutes ago, Ditto said:

I have had my family doubling up on masks for a few months now.  We wear paper (hospital) masks under a cloth mask. 

Ditto Ditto. 🙂

Well fitting cloth mask over a disposable surgical mask.  The surgical mask provides excellent filtration, and the cloth mask makes the fit snug to eliminate gaps.  I think this combination is probably as good as a non-fit-tested N95.

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Triple-layer cloth Sock Fancy mask recommended here on the Hive: https://sockfancy.com/products/sock-fancy-mask?variant=32677541970023#looxReviews

Love it. Comfortable, looks good, washable. I love that it has a separate chin section. It stays in place better (doesn't ride up as much as other masks when I look down). Adjustable ear loops and nose clip. 

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We wear Happy Masks when we have to go out in public. I just bought blue medical masks to pair with them, since doubling up is being advised right now.

For neighborhood walks we just wear regular cloth masks. We almost never even cross paths with anyone so they don’t have to be perfect.

DS was wearing an Under Armour mask when he was skiing but it gets soaked with sweat and really gross. He hasn’t found any mask that prevents his glasses from fogging so he gave up skiing this season.

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We wear our homemade triple layer masks.  These are thick and work well. Plus, I have a filter pocket on them so we can add the filters if necessary.   
 

No masks when outside or exercising unless it is in the gym.  In the gym, I am wearing this mask my neighbor sent me from Japan.  It is multi layer and wicks the moisture of my face. I really like for exercising in the gym.
 

Edited by itsheresomewhere
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39 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

We wear our homemade triple layer masks.  These are thick and work well. Plus, I have a filter pocket on them so we can add the filters if necessary.   
 

No masks when outside or exercising unless it is in the gym.  In the gym, I am wearing this mask my neighbor sent me from Japan.  It is multi layer and wicks the moisture of my face. I really like for exercising in the gym.
 

Probably not something I can buy here is it? 

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Cloth masks outside. Just easier. We're not in crowds (beyond the normal city pedestrian traffic). Outside is so low risk that I can't be fussed to do much more.

Either KN95 or surgical and cloth double mask when I'm in stores. I don't do anything else indoors at all.

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N95 if I am inside a hospital, or at their labs (my pre-covid stash from when I refinished the deck)

KF-94 + cloth mask if I am at the orthodontist or the like where they are running lots of air scrubbers (labeled as cdc compliant but who knows)

triple layer cloth mask if I am walking/hiking and my contact with others is only momentary

 

The best masks are on me because I am immunosuppressed. My kids wear surgical + cloth when we go out to the orthodontist and the like.

 

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4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

I need to get some new masks for the adults and kids in the house.

What masks are you wearing now?   Which ones are your favorites? 

Is Happy Mask the best?  Even over a N95?

Thoughts on these ones? 

BLUNA FACEFIT KF94 Small / White (Kids) – Be Healthy USA

White Korean-Style Respirator 2.0 (10-Pack) – masklab US

Face Masks | Face Coverings | Bona Fide Masks™

 

I had high hopes for Happy Masks but they didn't fit my face well and no matter what, my glasses fogged up. I loved the breathability.

I double mask with disposables and use this style of extender to get a good fit. 

I'd like to find a cloth mask to go over the disposable so it would be reusable, but I keep having the fogging problem with all that I've tried. 

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My husband is fully vaccinated so he wears a three layer disposable when at work, because of the conditions they have to be changed multiple times a shift and anything else is just not realistic.  He wears Happy Masks when outside of work.

I mostly wear Cambridge Pro Masks that I had prior to the pandemic because most people in my area aren't wearing masks these days.  I will wear a multi-layer disposable over it in certain circumstances.  I also wear Happy Masks, it depends on where I am.

My kids wear a combination of Happy Mask and Vog dependent on their preference.

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1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

Probably not something I can buy here is it? 

I wish I could buy it here.  I am hoping she sends another one soon so I can attempt to translate the package to find it here.  I am a person who sweats and overheats in certain temps.  This mask is fantastic.  If I get another one and translate the package, I will let you know what it is. 

Edited by itsheresomewhere
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I'm still wearing my Happy Masks. I have 3 in rotation and am considering getting one more. I don't go out much so I don't need masks that often. CDC guidelines say to wear masks that have a nose wire and 2 or more layers of fabric and Happy Masks fit that requirement. I got lucky in that the adult medium size fits my face perfectly with no gaps anywhere all the way around. I've tried a number of other cloth masks that are supposed to be good and well-fitting but these are the only ones that truly fit well. I know not everyone gets such a good fit. Ddil loves Happy Masks but they don't fit her as well.

 

7 hours ago, Ailaena said:

Those Powecom masks from bonafide are a great price right now!

Thanks. Dh and ds both wear them to work so I just ordered a bunch more. You can't beat that price!

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DH wears a Happy Mask layered with a surgical mask at work (high school teacher). I do the same on the rare occasions that I'm inside and around other people. Outside stuff with other people around I wear a Sock Fancy mask. I keep thinking of getting KN95s for DH, but I'm not convinced they'd be any better than his Happy Masks + surgical masks combo and I don't think they'd be nearly as comfortable to wear 8 hours a day every day. 

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We're still wearing Breethy masks--silicone with a KN95 replaceable filter. https://www.stsofficial.com/products/reusable-silicone-kn95-mask

We keep wearing these because they are comfortable enough for all day wear. They are the only masks we have  with no glasses fog, and we tried a lot.  I can't feel any air escape at all. I really like the close fit. 

 I couldn't find any independent testing information for their KN95 filters unfortunately. For my mom, I'm putting an extra layer of Filti filter material inside on top of the KN95. I may do that with all of us in some indoor situations going forward. People are a lot less careful here now, with far less mask wearing

The only design downside of these masks, imo, is that people with high nose bridges may find the interior cage hits the nose a bit when it's worn in certain positions. Easy to ignore in my opinion, but I wish they interior top part was just a touch bigger for those of us with high nose bridges. One of mine gets  a lot of moisture build up when he's active in the mask. He has that problem with all masks he's tried. 

I love that I can put them in the dishwasher to clean. They are holding up really well. 

 

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Since there has been mention of N95's on this thread, it's probably a good spot to post some N95 information to help with purchasing and avoiding fakes.

When people talk about N95 masks, they usually mean NIOSH N95 FFR ("filtering facepiece respirator").

It's very important to note that NIOSH N95 FFR is a device standard, as in for the whole device - including device structure, head harness, and fit.  It does not refer just to the filtering capacity of the fabric.  People sometimes use "n95" as shorthand for filtering capacity of a mask's fabric; do not conflate that with the NIOSH N95 standard.  They are not the same.

There are 2 subclasses of NIOSH N95 FFR: standard and surgical.  Surgical NIOSH N95 FFR adds fluid resistance.

Useful links:

Canadian government page all about NIOSH N95 FFR

Canadian summmary of NIOSH N95 FFR standards *** and standards for most other medical PPE.  Note that the filtration capacity of the fabric of surgical masks is just as good as, or may even be superior to the filtration capacity of N95 respirators. But they do not meet the standard for structure, head harness and fit. This site is very comprehensive!

CDC site with a list of NIOSH N95 FFR manufacturers, and tips on how to read labeling to ensure that what you are buying is a real NIOSH N95 FFR

Direct link to manufacturer list

And one last point: to know that your N95 is effective, you really need a formal fit test.  Different models are fit-tested to each individual. 

For most people, a very well fitting cloth mask over a  disposable surgical mask is likely going to be just as good (and maybe even better than)  an N95 that doesn't fit.  N95's that fit properly are mighty uncomfortable.  It's hard to keep them on your face for any length of time without touching/adjusting them.

***ETA that KN95 standards are on this page too.

Edited by wathe
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1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

I am using a disposable mask under a Under Armour cloth mask. I can still smell people smoking though even with the masks on. My nose is flat and my ears are “pointy” so it is easier to keep a disposable mask on by wearing a cloth mask or neck gaiter over it. 

I can still smell through my fit-tested N95 at work.  I wouldn't rely on ability to smell as an indication of mask quality.  Many (most?) aromatic molecules are smaller than 0.1 micron and won't be filtered out by even the best fitting medial mask or n95 mask. (by aromatic, I mean in the colloquial sense, meaning smelly, not formal organic chemistry classification)

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