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Your mask probably isn’t making you happy, but here are 7 that will
Masks are easy, masks are hard. Masks are political, masks are back. And masks are effective. But your mask probably isn’t as good as it could be.
Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its recommendations (again), and lines in the sand are drawn around the politics of masks, from legislatures — state and national — to classrooms for students of all ages, the mask challenge continues along with the questions: When? Where? For a small strip of cloth, masks carry a lot of weight.
When lockdown began in March 2020, my wife and I immediately started looking for masks, running through something like 20 types between the two of us with a focus on fit, effectiveness and comfort. The view by many on masks is they are something temporary, but it was easy for us to see that masks were going to be around for some time.
“I never stopped (wearing a mask) either, because I saw certain behaviors that made me decide I am going to keep wearing the mask,” said Dr. June McKoy, associate professor of medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. McKoy is also a mask advocate, a decision underscored by having lost her mother to the pandemic.
She talks to people on the bus that she rides to work and carries around a manila envelope full of masks that she can hand to people who don’t have one. “I am always willing to say, ‘Here’s a mask,’ ” McKoy said. “People look at you a little strange, but they will take it.”
Because she is a doctor, and one who has worked the front lines at the peak of the pandemic, McKoy wears and carries surgical masks. “But they are very good, and they wear out over time,” McKoy said.
What makes a good mask? When medical personnel get set up with their PPE suit that includes a mask, it usually involves a fit test so that the face covering can be as effective as possible. Civilians don’t have that option, and fit matters. You can check things such as eyeglass fogging or how much air escapes at the mask edges when you breathe out forcefully. Don’t forget that a mask is to protect not only you but those around you. McKoy thinks it’s most important to have a mask that has some kind of filter.
“I tell people who are asking that if possible, get a surgical mask,” said McKoy. “Because I know that the surgical masks have built-in filters. No one needs to wear N95s anymore. It’s a waste of money, but the mask should have a filter. I also recommend that you replace the filter. Some people get the removable filters, and they might want to change those every 12 hours. That is the usual recommendation made.”
So. You need a mask. Or maybe you aren’t happy with the mask that you have and are looking. My wife is a walker and runner. I am a racing cyclist and powerlifter. Together, we are a demanding duo. And we would be pretty unhappy if we had children because kids’ masks that offer adult-level protection and comfort are nowhere near as abundant as they should be.
Your mask should seal to your face, which means a moldable nose bridge at the least. If your glasses fog, your mask isn’t fitting properly. Masks that are most comfortable sit off your face, because stuff touching your nose and mouth is gross. And the more you breathe and talk, the grosser it gets.
We prefer to use masks that are N95-level, ideally from companies that publish test results of their mask or filter. We have used these masks on runs, vigorous walks, powerlifting sessions and cycling at speeds from casual (12-18 mph) to race pace (sustained 30 mph+). There are some great mask options out there. Here are some that are recommended, but to start with, a few that aren’t.