Best masks for travel?

[khuselid]

Hi,

 

Not sure where to ask this. We are looking for the best travel masks. Perhaps something with a neck strap for taking on and off so we aren't always mask hunting? Are airlines require specific types of masks? 

 

We find the behind the ear things really irritating over time......love to hear what you find has been best.

 

Thanks, Kim

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, khuselid said:

Are airlines require specific types of masks? 

 

Check with your airlines.

 

1 hour ago, khuselid said:

love to hear what you find has been best.

 

Since you asked, my personal choice for masks is the medical masks, especially after our congregational medical advisor team mandated them (or N95s) for in-person attendance. I am considering N95s for the airports and flights. 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, khuselid said:

Hi,

 

Not sure where to ask this. We are looking for the best travel masks. Perhaps something with a neck strap for taking on and off so we aren't always mask hunting? Are airlines require specific types of masks? 

 

We find the behind the ear things really irritating over time......love to hear what you find has been best.

 

Thanks, Kim

 

Around home we are still required to wear masks when indoors. With our 90%+ vaccination rates and low infections rates, we use washable cloth masks.

 

Although everyone boarding an aircraft in Canada must be fully vaccinated, we would still use our medical grade N95 or KN95 masks.

[KBs mum]

You could adapt masks by replacing the ear loops with suitable elastic material or even a bit of ribbon looped through behind the head and fastened with velcro, so the ear loops don't put pressure on the backs of the ears.  

As long as the edges of the mask fit snugly to the face the strap arrangement doesn't matter that much. 

Mine are 3 layer reusable cloth masks with adjustable ear loops and nose wire, which hold either a replaceable filter panel (medical Blue filter material) or can be used to hold n95, or similar type in placec. As they're cloth I altered them to fit comfortably and effectively

 

[amyr]

I just have my mask on a lanyard so I don't lose it, but when I am flying for extended periods, I have a headband with buttons on it just above the ears for the mask loops so they're not behind my ears, which avoids chafing.  Something like this, but this isn't the one I have (I may have bought it on Esty) so I can't speak to the quality:  Headband with buttons for mask.  This should solve your problem.  

 

Not sure what airline you're flying, but several international airlines require N95s or KN95s, so check with the airline.  I don't think any domestic US airlines have any requirements beyond banning vented masks and bandanas/scarves.  

[rbslos18]

4 hours ago, khuselid said:

Hi,

 

Not sure where to ask this. We are looking for the best travel masks. Perhaps something with a neck strap for taking on and off so we aren't always mask hunting? Are airlines require specific types of masks? 

 

We find the behind the ear things really irritating over time......love to hear what you find has been best.

 

Thanks, Kim

I spoke with an Infectious Disease doctor, I use for work consultations. He suggested we use KN95 or N95 for travel. There are comfortable attachments you can buy to get the loops off your ears. Ideally the masks should only be worn four hours at a time and then changed.  The used mask can be kept in a paper bag and reused after 3 days.

 

For indoor use on the cruise ship, we will use  Enro and LivinGuard masks. 

[LindaS272]

I can recommend Powecom masks from projectn95.org. Vetted by infectious disease specialists. I’ve ordered about 30 of these in the last year. Good fit, able to wear on long plane flights, don’t hurt my ears.

[MSEm]

In October 2021 we spent 2 weeks on a European River Cruise and land tour in the area.  Several people in the group were NOT allowed to enter a museum or a store while using a cloth mask. We were advised to carry and use mask available from the service desk on board the river boat.

Also to enter any restaurant  or cafe we had to show both Covid Vaccine card and photo ID.

[Twitchly]

On 11/6/2021 at 7:29 PM, LindaS272 said:

I can recommend Powecom masks from projectn95.org. Vetted by infectious disease specialists. I’ve ordered about 30 of these in the last year. Good fit, able to wear on long plane flights, don’t hurt my ears.

We have these as well. 

 

I wore an N95 mask when we flew last year. Wow, was it painful. It came from the hospital where DH works. I’ve since learned there are other versions out there that look much less torturous. But for our flight next week, I’m going for the plain old surgical paper variety. I may try the Powecom K95 for our pre-cruise flights in January, though I can’t imagine wearing one for 12 hours. They leave red indentations on my face after just a short time.

[JeriGail]

7 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

We have these as well. 

 

I wore an N95 mask when we flew last year. Wow, was it painful. It came from the hospital where DH works. I’ve since learned there are other versions out there that look much less torturous. But for our flight next week, I’m going for the plain old surgical paper variety. I may try the Powecom K95 for our pre-cruise flights in January, though I can’t imagine wearing one for 12 hours. They leave red indentations on my face after just a short time.

There's a big difference between N95 and KN95 masks.  I ordered the Powecom KN95 masks that @LindaS272recommended and really like them.  They fit well but do not leave the red mark on your face that N95 masks do.  I'm not looking forward to wearing one for 20 hours on our travel day, but being safe is more important.

[FlyerTalker]

55 minutes ago, JeriGail said:

There's a big difference between N95 and KN95 masks.  I ordered the Powecom KN95 masks that @LindaS272recommended and really like them.  They fit well but do not leave the red mark on your face that N95 masks do.  I'm not looking forward to wearing one for 20 hours on our travel day, but being safe is more important.

 

Corrrection.

 

The difference between N95 and KN95 is the matter of which certification standard they meet.

 

The designation does not refer to any particular design feature, as any "red mark" would be a function of the mask manufacturer's design, not the filtration properties.  You will find masks with the same designation with vastly different features - each particular to the maker

 

If you have an N95 mask that doesn't work for you - try a different manufacturer.

[Messybill]

30 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

The difference between N95 and KN95 is the matter of which certification standard they meet.

 

Exactly.  N95 is the American standard.  KN95 is the Chinese standard.  Both of these standards seek to provide a very similar level of protection, and both are significantly better than reusable cloth masks.

[Twitchly]

1 hour ago, JeriGail said:

There's a big difference between N95 and KN95 masks.  I ordered the Powecom KN95 masks that @LindaS272recommended and really like them.  They fit well but do not leave the red mark on your face that N95 masks do.  I'm not looking forward to wearing one for 20 hours on our travel day, but being safe is more important.

Actually, the Powecom KN95s are the ones that leave red grooves in my face. That may be due to my chipmunk cheeks as much as anything. In spite of that, they’re still preferable to our vicious N95s. Those left bruises. 

[JeriGail]

1 minute ago, Twitchly said:

Actually, the Powecom KN95s are the ones that leave red grooves in my face. That may be due to my chipmunk cheeks as much as anything. In spite of that, they’re still preferable to our vicious N95s. Those left bruises. 

I have a smaller face, so they're probably more comfortable for me because of that.  My husband has a much larger face, so he will not be as happy on our long travel day.

[NTurner]

On 11/6/2021 at 12:20 PM, khuselid said:

Hi,

 

Not sure where to ask this. We are looking for the best travel masks. Perhaps something with a neck strap for taking on and off so we aren't always mask hunting? Are airlines require specific types of masks? 

 

We find the behind the ear things really irritating over time......love to hear what you find has been best.

 

Thanks, Kim

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Outdoor Research. 
I bought the new mask from Outdoor Research that is a reusable 3 layer mask good for 30 washes. It has an incorporated filter (non-replaceable) as the middle layer. It is equivalent to an N95 but it does state that it is not for medical use. This is a brand new product. I have used the OR mask with an insert able filter and have been very happy with it. I will be using the new mask on the flight to LAX and on the Viking Hawaiian Sojourn voyage in December.

[Mich3554]

We have been using cloth masks on the ship, wash them regularly as they are kinder to my skin.  However, we flew Lufthansa to Athens and you had to wear either a surgical mask or a N/KN 95 mask.  
 

My suggestion is to check with your airline.  I carried several types of masks with us so we would always be covered.

[FolsomMike]

15 hours ago, NTurner said:

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Outdoor Research. 
I bought the new mask from Outdoor Research that is a reusable 3 layer mask good for 30 washes. It has an incorporated filter (non-replaceable) as the middle layer. It is equivalent to an N95 but it does state that it is not for medical use. This is a brand new product. I have used the OR mask with an insert able filter and have been very happy with it. I will be using the new mask on the flight to LAX and on the Viking Hawaiian Sojourn voyage in December.

I just checked the OR website and it does not say it is equivalent to an N95. Apparently, it meets some other CDC standard and says it is not guaranteed for anti viral protection. It’s all so complicated. 

[rbslos18]

4 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

I just checked the OR website and it does not say it is equivalent to an N95. Apparently, it meets some other CDC standard and says it is not guaranteed for anti viral protection. It’s all so complicated. 

Equally unsettling is the large number of counterfeit masks. 

 

[LindaS272]

26 minutes ago, rbslos18 said:

Equally unsettling is the large number of counterfeit masks. 

 

This is why I buy from ProjectN95.org. I sent for some Korean-made KN94 masks through Amazon but they had a disturbing chemical smell. No idea if they were legit—but I got my money back on them. Then I read about ProjectN95.org in a news article quoting epidemiologists I trust. This Project vets their products and they tell you who they are. They are very easy to order from and their masks are reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

[NTurner]

7 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

I just checked the OR website and it does not say it is equivalent to an N95. Apparently, it meets some other CDC standard and says it is not guaranteed for anti viral protection. It’s all so complicated. 

https://www.cleanairresources.com/mask-protection-efficiency-scores
So forgive me. Draw your own conclusions. I will stick with Outdoor Research.

[formernuke]

On 11/8/2021 at 1:05 PM, Messybill said:

Exactly.  N95 is the American standard.  KN95 is the Chinese standard.  Both of these standards seek to provide a very similar level of protection, and both are significantly better than reusable cloth masks.

Except that they don’t. At work during the height of the pandemic and N95’s were hard to find we ordered thousands of KN95’s. Our IH lab tested them and found that the material was ok, in fit test measurements they did not stop 95% of test particles as they are supposed to because the fit for most people was poor, allowing particles to bypass the filter. Better than a cloth mask but not up to N95 requirements 

[FlyerTalker]

10 hours ago, formernuke said:

Except that they don’t. At work during the height of the pandemic and N95’s were hard to find we ordered thousands of KN95’s. Our IH lab tested them and found that the material was ok, in fit test measurements they did not stop 95% of test particles as they are supposed to because the fit for most people was poor, allowing particles to bypass the filter. Better than a cloth mask but not up to N95 requirements 

 

And that filtration requires a positive seal around the entire edge of the mask.  Any gaps where the mask does not closely fit to the skin will reduce the filtration quality.

 

I chuckle at the folks with their KN95 "coffee filter" masks - with the huge gaps along the sides and chin area.  It's as if virus particles would only approach from directly in front of the person and not be entering the nose and mouth through the sides.

[Twitchly]

8 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And that filtration requires a positive seal around the entire edge of the mask.  Any gaps where the mask does not closely fit to the skin will reduce the filtration quality.

 

I chuckle at the folks with their KN95 "coffee filter" masks - with the huge gaps along the sides and chin area.  It's as if virus particles would only approach from directly in front of the person and not be entering the nose and mouth through the sides.

Yeah, unfortunately that seal is required in order to reach the listed protection of 95% or whatever. I just wish I could achieve it without the rather pronounced discomfort/bruising. 
 

I wonder if there are any studies showing what kind of protection you get with a looser fit. Probably too many variables to measure, but I imagine it’s better than 0%. 

[FlyerTalker]

1 minute ago, Twitchly said:

Yeah, unfortunately that seal is required in order to reach the listed protection of 95% or whatever. I just wish I could achieve it without the rather pronounced discomfort/bruising. 

 

It's a simple choice:  You want the filtration, you suffer with the close fit.  Fact of life.  And physics.

 

I just hope that folks realize that the effort they go through to be sure to buy and wear 95 masks can be heavily negated by deciding to make them comfortable.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And that filtration requires a positive seal around the entire edge of the mask.  Any gaps where the mask does not closely fit to the skin will reduce the filtration quality.

 

I chuckle at the folks with their KN95 "coffee filter" masks - with the huge gaps along the sides and chin area.  It's as if virus particles would only approach from directly in front of the person and not be entering the nose and mouth through the sides.

 

So true and which is why we had annual respirator fit tests. If you can smell anything through the mask it doesn't work.

 

The other one is chaps with stubble or even full beards - they don't provide any seal.