watercolor portrait of a friendly punk woman with long black hair and a red outfit autumn

choosing a face mask

table of contents

this page documents what i've learned about face masks for covid protection . i find disposable respirators very uncomfortable and scratchy against my skin , so the following information is skewed toward sensory friendly alternatives , without sacrificing protection .

autumn wearing xyr respirator while walking through the woods autumn wearing xyr respirator in a library
wearing my Honeywell 7700 respirator

rationale ☣

covid is still around .

if you think the "pandemic is over" , may i suggest :

  1. Let Them Eat Plague! by Comrade Dremel
  2. Why is EVERYONE more SICK? by Lola Germs
  3. r/ZeroCovidCommunity wiki
  4. r/Masks4All wiki
  5. Covid.Tips

if you think the "pandemic is a hoax" , refuting that is far beyond the scope of this page >.<

terminology

if you venture deep into the world of masks , you'll find a lot of jargon . here's an overview of some salient terms :

respirator
while "mask" and "respirator" are often used interchangeably , respirators are in a different class of protection , and must meet the standards of organizations like NIOSH . surgical and cloth masks are not respirators , and don't adequately protect against aerosolized viruses like covid
inhalation & exhalation resistance
the difficulty of breathing in and out while wearing a mask , usually measured in pascals ( Pa )
exhalation valve
many respirators have an exhalation valve , which makes them easier to breathe out of
source control
respirators always filter the air coming in , and are said to have source control if they also filter the air going out . respirators with exhalation valves don't have source control because your breath exits unfiltered . further discussion
elastomeric respirator
elastomeric respirators have a rubber seal that can provide a more secure and comfortable fit . they also have replaceable filter cartridges that last a long time , which can be cheaper and more sustainable
quarter , half , and full face
elastomeric respirators come in different form factors . half face is what you're probably used to , going from under the chin to over the nose . quarter face goes from above the chin to over the nose . full face usually has a clear visor that covers your eyes too
trade vs. boutique elastomeric
trade elastomerics are designed for the workplace , while boutique elastomerics are designed to be less conspicuous and more traditionally stylish . the latter also tend to be more expensive and less likely to fit well , due to being so niche . a distinction coined in Lola's Elasto Guide
speaking diaphram
some elastomeric respirators come with a diaphram that improves the clarity of your voice . electronic Voice Projection Units ( VPU ) are another option for this purpose
ear loops vs. headbands
masks with ear loops can be easier to put on and take off , but less comfortable and secure than headbands . you can also buy or make your own "ear savers" to convert ear loops to a headband
bracket masks
bracket masks are similar to disposable respirators , but have a silicone bracket and soft fabric seal to improve comfort , reduce breathing resistance , and increase filter lifespan . this is my favorite type of respirator for everyday use . further reading
fit test
a fit test determines how well a mask seals to your face . this is incredibly important , and the process depends on what type of mask you're wearing . i'll refer you to the relevant Masks4All wiki section for further details
duckbill mask
disposable masks designed in the shape of a duckbill , which many people find more comfortable and breathable
sip valve
a device you can attach to disposable masks that allows you to drink liquid through a straw , without needing to remove the mask . primarily sold by SIPmask
PAPR
acronym for Powered Air Purifying Respirator . they're similar to elastomeric respirators , but have a fan that actively filters and delivers clean air to your face . for that reason , they have the lowest breathing resistance of any mask . they're typically quite bulky and expensive
mask bloc
blocs give out free masks and other covid resources to their local community . here's a worldwide directory of them , and a guide on how to start your own

considerations

i'll be going over efficacy , breathability , softer materials , and aesthetic , although there are certainly other factors to consider that i won't be covering .

efficacy

research has established that covid is airborne , and spreads through droplets and aerosols . it's often said to visualize covid travelling through the air like smoke , which can hang in the air for a long time , and seep through tiny gaps .

as such , surgical masks and cloth masks , while not entirely useless , are not sufficient protection against covid .

i'd also hazard against cloth masks that claim to be an exception to that rule . i used to wear a cloth mask by Enro , because it claimed to be an exception , with "comparable filtration efficiency results to an N95 respirator" . however , i recently learned that it doesn't actually have NIOSH or equivalent approval , and third party tests don't paint a flattering picture .

breathability

one aspect of comfort is how easy it is to breathe through a mask . there are other reasons to prefer decreased breathing resistance too , like wanting to exercise in a mask as an asthmatic .

masks can vary significantly on the axis of breathability , even if they have the same level of protection ! part of this is the design of the filter material , but the surface area is also an important factor . pleated filters have more surface area , which is how the relatively small cartridges in many elastomerics can retain so much breathability . a mask that displays this concept outwardly is the Moldex M4620 .

PAPRs have the best breathability , but they're expensive and heavy . the CleanSpace HALO is one of smallest , if you can afford it .

softer materials

for me , the most important aspect of comfort is the material that touches my face . disposable respirators are almost always made of a papery material that's sensory hell , especially for long periods , and i'm not the only one who feels this way .

thankfully , there are alternatives that are more effective at filtration than cloth masks . elastomerics and bracket masks !

elastomerics

elastomeric respirators sidestep the scratchy material issue by having a rubber seal . some resources and examples :

i ended up deciding on a trade elastomeric called the Honeywell North 7700 . it's been very comfortable , and i love how it looks with the pink P100 filters ! my only complaint is the lack of a speech diaphram , so you have to talk somewhat loudly . i want to make a DIY voice projection unit to fix this . if you're thinking of getting one too , here's a size guide .

bracket masks

bracket masks are so much more comfortable than disposable masks , at a comparable price , that i'm unsure why they're not more popular .

an inner bracket keeps the filter from touching your face , and the seal that touches your skin is soft fabric . as a whole , it's more lightweight than an elastomeric , and doesn't muffle your voice .

the bracket mask brand with the highest availability is Zimi . you can get them in different sizes , filter strengths , valve configurations , band types , and filter patterns .

the Zimi ONE is what i use for most situations , which is incredibly breathable for a KN95 . even after reading that the inhalation resistance was only 40pa , it still came as a shock to try it on for the first time .

Zimi masks that have ear loops come with a plastic hook for converting them to a headband . i actually prefer this configuration to the built-in headbands .

aesthetic

for any of y'all who wanna look extra cute while wearing a respirator , this is for you . we'll go over painting , embroidery , and 3D printing .

painting

painting the filter of any mask is a bad idea , but elastomerics still have a lot of surface area that's not taken up by the filter . you can take advantage of this by painting any style you'd like onto it ! Mask Squad , who self describe as ...

An art project to re-envision the protective elastomeric respirator mask as a site of creativity and self expression

... have some beautifuly painted respirators that incorporate rhinestones and color-coordinated headbands :

other ideas for decoration include washi tape , stickers , and 3D printed accessories !

embroidered fabric

putting fabric over disposables may reduce effectiveness , by messing with the electrostatic charge that N95 and similar filters rely on . however , you may be able to make an embroidered "sleeve" that fits over the non-filter part of an elastomeric . i haven't seen this done directly , but here's some inspiration :

3D printing

for radical control , you could go ahead and design your own elastomeric from scratch ! here's one that can be printed using flexible TPE filament . that said , i don't know how difficult it is to design a mask that's equivalently effective to an N95 or higher , so pursue this route at your own risk .