A mask recommendation

[spinbaby]

Like many of you, I’m back to wearing N95 masks, which aren’t the most comfortable. A friend who’s a respiratory therapist told me to get Kimberly-Clark Duckbill N95 masks. She says they are the most comfortable and wears them at work, where she hasn’t caught covid even after being close to covid patients since the beginning of the pandemic. Let me tell you, these things really are far more comfortable than the basic N95 masks I’d been wearing. They have a lot of space to breathe and don’t fog my glasses. They’re my go-to mask now, enabling me to go out among the great unmasked.

[mucifer]

1. I couldn't pass the fit test with the duck bill I have to use the small 3M. It's not too bad

[snowybirdie]

2. I've been

Double masking with a plastic insert that makes breathing easier.

[sir pball]

8. Do not double mask with a respirator.

At best it does nothing, at worst it nullifies the protective aspect of a respirator. If you're using something that makes "breathing easier", you're bypassing the filtration of your K/N95 - might as well just wear surgical or cloth masks at that point.

[snowybirdie]

10. No

respirator. Just a plastic thingy that pushes the mask out a little bit. Still totally covered up.

[sir pball]

11. A K/N95 "mask" is a respirator

If your mask is certified to a specified level of filtration it's considered a respirator, but it will only perform to that rating if you wear it with nothing underneath. I'm familiar with mask frames, even if you feel you're still "covered up", you're likely loosening the respirator enough to allow unfiltered air in around the face seal.

I'm currently sitting on a plane to Florida with a 3M N95 cutting into my nosebridge; I do wish there was some way to make it more comfortable but it's just not possible without either compromising the protective aspects, or going with a full-blown half-face cartridge mask which is a little too much even for me...

[Ohiya]

3. Those are my favorites

I bought a package of 100 and they weren't very expensive. Our neighborhood drugstore sells n95's for $2.50 each!

[spinbaby]

6. They've become widely available

I found them in bulk at a bit more than $1 each.

[Ohiya]

7. I wasn't clear..

I meant that the neighborhood pharmacy's price was high. I ordered my pack of 100 online for much less.

[cilla4progress]

4. Are these N95s

Or KN95s??

Certain KN 95s are good and easier to find. I see alot of people wearing them and my paranoid nurse recommends the Powecom KN95 Respirator Face Mask with Ear Loops. I got mine from Bona Fide masks.

[spinbaby]

5. These are N95s

The kind with the straps that go around your head. KN95s have ear loops and usually don’t fit as snuggly.

[sir pball]

9. Currently on Amazon for $0.92/pc

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NVDFB3R/

[cilla4progress]

12. Sir, interested in your thoughts about the

Powecom KN95s? I've "invested" some cash in a bulk purchase...

https://bonafidemasks.com/Powecom-kn-95/

[sir pball]

13. Powecom masks are FDA cleared

They're Officially As Good as N95s...but I've found them to be as hard to get as N95s, too

Personally, for day to day use I have no-name KN95s, I got them from a reputable enough source that I trust they're not counterfeit. I have a couple of cases of 3M N95s for travel to hot zones, like today; if the SHTF really bad I even have a full-blown reusable respirator with P100 cartridges, the absolute gold standard for bioprotection. Which was surprisingly cheap...as in $13 for the mask and $22 for 3 sets of cartridges.