KN95 masks - anyone still wearing or have a brand they like?
-
I can't shake the feeling that we are headed for a bird flu pandemic and would like to stock up on KN95/N95 masks now. I made it through covid only wearing surgical masks - I never found a KN95 I liked and since we hardly ever left the house I didn't feel the KN95 was necessary. Bird flu is a whole different story and I'd like the best mask possible. When I look on Amazon, I see a number of generic knockoff brands that all have maybe 90% good reviews and 10% of "this is the worst piece of crap i ever tried".
Anyone have a brand they recommend? Bonus if they are individually wrapped. Extra bonus if they are reasonably priced (e.g. not 3M!), as I'd like to buy a stash for several family members as well.
-
@Mark recommended these during COVID and we ordered some. They were very comfortable, though the behind the head thing is a bit of a pain, but that comes with any N95, I think. If you put in the discount code ACI75, the price comes way down. They come in quantities of 50 or 300.
For everyday use, we like these. They have a nice little flap at the top that opens up to cover the top of the nose. Keeps glasses from fogging up.
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
-
Moldex 2200n95. The 'k' basically has ear loops instead of head straps and doesn't give quite as good a seal.
I've been using them for a 25+years for sanding/finishing work. They are ugly, but they do form a much better seal than any kn95 and regular n95 mask I've used. No clue how effective any of these are against viruses, but if after a day of sanding (even with a light beard) my snots are clear vs mahogany...that's a good mask, lol.
Here’s the inside of one I’ve been using the last couple days. Shows where the potential leaks are. Clean shaven, I get a somewhat more defined line.
-
We had some discussion during COVID and people shared some info there:
https://well-temperedforum.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9130004433/m/7573918797/p/1
-
@wtg said in KN95 masks - anyone still wearing or have a brand they like?:
If you put in the discount code ACI75, the price comes way down.
I just scrolled to the end of the page...the masks have an expiration date of January 1st, which is why they're being discounted.
Disclaimer: These masks are expiring on Jan. 1, which is why we are offering them at a significant discount. While they have been stored under optimal conditions, we cannot guarantee performance beyond the original expiration date. All sales are final.
-
tl;dr version: jump to the end for a link.
@Lisa I have never stopped masking. I wear a mask 100% of the time when I teach. I wear a mask in stores and when I go to a concert etc. Oh, and of course whenever I'm on a plane or other public transportation, when I (rarely) use an uber... When I'm at work, I don't wear one alone in my office, but if the dept. is crowded, I'll wear one walking around or going to the bathroom.
I take a few calculated risks. We eat out rarely, but of course then I don't wear a mask. I wore my mask during the concerts I played in, only removing it when I myself was playing. Oh, btw I always keep my mask on at academic conferences, even when I'm the on presenting.
The only time I went mostly maskless was a 2-day period in January 2023, when I had my on-campus interview for the job I now have (that was one of those calculated risks).
I have been doing this since 2020, whenever it was that I first got my hands on some masks. I started with surgical masks, and I can remember double masking and using mask tape the first time I wore one of those on campus!
When I got ahold of KN95s, I switched to that style and I've been wearing them ever since.
I have so far not had covid (unless I had a truly unsymptomatic case, which I doubt) and since February 2020, I've been sick exactly once, one unidentified cold in February 2024 (flu, rsv and covid tests negative). That time, I suspect I picked something up on campus, when I would walk around my building and use the restroom without a mask. I have since gone back to being more careful there as well.
And for the record, I don't take my mask off when I speak. If someone can't hear me, it's because it's a noisy environment. I once declined an invitation to participate in an academic roundtable event because it was one of those things where you have multiple tables in one large room, each table has a group of experts, and people move from one table to the next doing Q&A etc. I was invited as an expert, but I knew it would be hard for people to hear me in that setting with my mask on, so I said I couldn't do it.
My approach to masking is that I have to be comfortable. For me, that means I need ear loops, not the straps that go around the back of your head. I recognize that I give up a little in the tightness of the seal as a result, but that's a tradeoff I'm ok with because it means I actually wear the mask consistently. Those ear loops make it easy to put the mask on and take it off, so for example, when I go into the grocery, mask goes on. As soon as I'm back outside, mask comes off. I have a dedicated pocket in my purse for the mask, and I never leave it dangling from my ear.
I usually re-use the masks two or three times before getting a fresh one. Unless it's a special situation like a 12 hour plane ride or a super crowded place, or I was sweating or it was raining or something and the mask got damp, in which case I toss it and get a new one.
So! Sorry for that endless explanation....
Here are the kind I buy the most:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q8HKCTW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
These masks are not officially recognized or certified, but I did all those mask tests when I first got them them. I confirmed that I could see the layers etc. and they seem ok. And as I said, I've never had covid or the flu, despite being the classrooms with tons of college students, during various surges.
I love matching my mask to my outfit, so I rotate colors as much as possible. Sometimes I can find a purple one in this version, so I'll buy those as well.
-
BTW the ones I linked are not individually wrapped, they're in little packets of five I think.
I once got these, they're individually wrapped. But IIRC they were a little too big for me.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B1XKW4F?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
I also tried some Made in the USA ones, I'm pretty sure the link is in one of those threads @wtg linked above. But I didn't like them, they felt thin to me and they seemed loose.
-
We’ve been using a brand called “AL-SHIELDS” which come individually wrapped in a box of 20. I like them but couldn’t find a place to reorder them.
So I bought a box of masks branded HOTODEAL, which were on Amazon and were recommended on the Wirecutter review site. (They also liked the WDOLL that SK referenced above.). Have not tried those yet. They are not individually wrapped.
I have a feeling that many of these KN95s of similar price point are mostly identical except for the branding.
I still mask up in the supermarket and on public transit, but it’s getting to be a real drag. Not in restaurants or concerts any more. It’s just harder to breathe in them…it’s easier in the thin blue ones.
-
I have one left. I'm buying more. I use surgical masks but, as I planned, used the last one to do chores yesterday. I hung it on a hanger when I was done. I'm going to use it again. It was amazingly helpful not to breathe mold and chemicals. I have reasons to believe I have a compromised immune system. I'm switching back to them.
-
We haven't worn masks for a couple of years.
Coincidentally today we just chucked packets of out-of-date covid tests.
We tried a variety of masks most of which were poor quality and relatively expensive, but you bought what was available during the crisis.
For efficient protection we ended up buying these:
