Good mask for exercising

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Da5id
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Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

I'm going out of state to an event which is now requiring masks. I was curious if people have specific recommendations for masks you've personally found particularly comfortable (or least uncomfortable) for moderately exerting for significant periods of time. e.g. exercise classes, dancing, or light jogging or such. My normal non-disposable masks feel pretty warm/stuffy for that. My disposables are kind of OK, but I was hoping for better.

Edit: Also note that the location I'll be at doesn't permit masks with exhalation valves.

Edit 2: I wear glasses if that is relevant to your recommendation

**PLEASE** don't address any aspect of COVID, or Delta variant, or whether the masks work or not medically in responses. Hoping for some information, not a swiftly locked thread.
Last edited by Da5id on Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:11 am, edited 3 times in total.
livesoft
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by livesoft »

I use an N95 mask with an exhalation valve when backpacking in smoky areas. I purchased a set of these masks from HomeDepot in 2018 or 2019. They are comfortable enough to sleep wearing them. They are made by 3M.
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Da5id
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

livesoft wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:27 am I use an N95 mask with an exhalation valve when backpacking in smoky areas. I purchased a set of these masks from HomeDepot in 2018 or 2019. They are comfortable enough to sleep wearing them. They are made by 3M.
Thanks livesoft. The rules of the location I'm travelling to don't permit exhalation valves.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by TomatoTomahto »

livesoft wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:27 am I use an N95 mask with an exhalation valve when backpacking in smoky areas. I purchased a set of these mask from HomeDepot in 2018 or 2019. They are comfortable enough to sleep wearing them.
I wore one of those to a doctor’s appointment a couple of weeks ago and was told I had to replace it with a surgical mask but I would be allowed to layer the surgical mask for double masking. Still blew a 99% on the ox sat :D
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Sandtrap
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Sandtrap »

Boxes of 10 N95 and KN95 (no exhalation valve) once again available on Amazon without limit as before the chaos for shop, hobbies, sawdust, trades, work and industry, etc, as well as various trendy or mandated uses.
Also various cloth ear loop types that fulfills various use needs, comfort and style needs, and so forth, ad infinitum, available on Amazon.

Standard dislaimer: no medical or legal content here.
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Da5id
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:41 am Boxes of 10 N95 and KN95 (no exhalation valve) once again available on Amazon without limit as before the chaos for shop, hobbies, sawdust, trades, work and industry, etc, as well as various trendy or mandated uses.
Also various cloth ear loop types that fulfills various use needs, comfort and style needs, and so forth, ad infinitum, available on Amazon.

Standard dislaimer: no medical or legal content here.
j🌺
Thanks. I own N-95s, surgical masks, and some OK for social occasions cloth masks. Hoping for specific recommendations from people who have jogged/biked/exercised in masks and found ones best suited for those purposes.
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anon_investor
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by anon_investor »

Da5id wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:44 am
Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:41 am Boxes of 10 N95 and KN95 (no exhalation valve) once again available on Amazon without limit as before the chaos for shop, hobbies, sawdust, trades, work and industry, etc, as well as various trendy or mandated uses.
Also various cloth ear loop types that fulfills various use needs, comfort and style needs, and so forth, ad infinitum, available on Amazon.

Standard dislaimer: no medical or legal content here.
j🌺
Thanks. I own N-95s, surgical masks, and some OK for social occasions cloth masks. Hoping for specific recommendations from people who have jogged/biked/exercised in masks and found ones best suited for those purposes.
I find the KN-95 masks I got from Amazon to be more breathable than any cloth mask I have.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Sandtrap »

Da5id wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:44 am
Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:41 am Boxes of 10 N95 and KN95 (no exhalation valve) once again available on Amazon without limit as before the chaos for shop, hobbies, sawdust, trades, work and industry, etc, as well as various trendy or mandated uses.
Also various cloth ear loop types that fulfills various use needs, comfort and style needs, and so forth, ad infinitum, available on Amazon.

Standard dislaimer: no medical or legal content here.
j🌺
Thanks. I own N-95s, surgical masks, and some OK for social occasions cloth masks. Hoping for specific recommendations from people who have jogged/biked/exercised in masks and found ones best suited for those purposes.
I’ve used all the masks I’ve mentioned including full cartridge ventilators for fumes and toxic vapors for very strenuous activities that exceed jogging, hiking, biking, and so forth. It might be an individual comfort zone thing. I’ve heard many say they can’t breath in any mask just sitting down. Why? Dunno.
The classic green medical and industrial N95 was a good all around mask but seems to have reached celebrity status with difficult availability due to the chaos perhaps.
Also the N95s with carbon embedded are still difficult to find in bulk for industrial or other use.
Many of the current N95 or equivalent are cheap and fragile and now have chinzy rubber straps that break easily.

Dislaimer: my pov only having used and use various mask protection for industry and trades n a daily basis far exceeding filtering tiny critter things.

Post sans medical or legal or other sensitive topics.
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Da5id
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:58 am I’ve used all the masks I’ve mentioned including full cartridge ventilators for fumes and toxic vapors for very strenuous activities that exceed jogging, hiking, biking, and so forth. It might be an individual comfort zone thing. I’ve heard many say they can’t breath in any mask just sitting down. Why? Dunno.
The classic green medical and industrial N95 was a good all around mask but seems to have reached celebrity status with difficult availability due to the chaos perhaps.
Also the N95s with carbon embedded are still difficult to find in bulk for industrial or other use.
Many of the current N95 or equivalent are cheap and fragile and now have chinzy rubber straps that break easily.
Thanks. The N95s and KN95s on Amazon have OK ratings in general, but a disturbing number of 1* ratings for most of them say they are flimsy/straps break/etc. My trust in Amazon ratings is quite weak anyway (think they are often gamed by sellers), which is why I'm hoping for brand or very specific mask recommendations.
Superleaf444
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Superleaf444 »

I’ve tried so many different masks and just stuck to a standard double pane cotton one. Maybe carry a few to swap out from dampness.

Honestly idk how anyone can wear a n95 and exercise. It lowers your o2 levels eventually. If it doesn’t than your prolly aren’t wearing it correctly or have a well fitting one.

Kn95 I’ve found to be okay but since they are disposable seems like a waste to cover them in sweat.

Standard medical masks just get too wet too fast from my experience.


The cotton ones are by no means comfortable because of heavy breathing. But I’ve just found them the most user friendly.

Good luck!
Bulldozr
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Bulldozr »

I like the Kitsbow Wake ProTech Merino Reusable Face Mask (with Filter). It has a built in filter that's made of some sort of blown plastic, I think, though they don't specify exactly what it is or its filtering specifications. The mask has two elastic head straps, not ear straps, with plastic springy bits that you can use to adjust the straps. My wife and I use this as our primary mask for everything from hiking to grocery shopping to air travel. We've had ours for at least 9 months now and they stand up very well to washing. Also, if you're wearing the mask more because you must rather than because you want to, you can keep the lower strap pretty loose and it makes it a lot easier to breathe without looking like you're intentionally wearing the mask wrong.

These are made to order. I recommend that you carefully measure your face based on their diagram, and if you are unsure about sizing order the larger size. I feel like my face is probably on the small size of normal for an adult yet I use extra large.

Unlike other masks I've used, these tend to hold their shape pretty well around the nose so they don't compress my nostrils which drives me crazy. They also don't get completely soaked after a hard workout, and again since they hold their shape you can still breathe pretty well.
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JoMoney
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by JoMoney »

If you can find the "KN95" masks that look like below,
Image
I've found them pretty comfortable to breathe through (although I don't like the ear-strap chafing around my ear.) You can literally see through the little dashed/dots that run across from the front, which I suspect makes air flow easier. I'm not sure how that's filtering to whatever KN95 standard is, but that's out of my league. I would expect that there is a trade-off between any mask and it's filtering effectiveness and ones ability to breathe through it. If one is only looking for compliance with some mask policy, without concern for effectiveness, there are many masks available online that advertise themselves for that purpose, stay cool, and easy to breathe through.
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livesoft
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by livesoft »

JoMoney wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:19 am If you can find the "KN95" masks that look like below,
....
I've found them pretty comfortable to breathe through (although I don't like the ear-strap chafing around my ear.) You can literally see through the little dashed/dots that run across from the front, which I suspect makes air flow easier.
The dashed dots which run across the top, edges, (and anywhere else) are just where the mask has been melted and the polymer (polypropylene, plastic) looks clear. No air goes through those dots in the same way that air does not go through a plastic sandwich bag.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by quantAndHold »

Any of the blown plastic disposables will be easier to breathe through than an effective cloth mask. From there, you then need to decide how much protection you want or need.

A simple medical mask is the cheapest but probably won’t fit all that well. If you want actual protection from other people, you might need to double mask with a cloth mask on top, which defeats the breathability.

Well fitted N95’s, KN95’s, and KF94’s have better protection by themselves and are easier to breathe through, but the challenge is getting actual ones. All Amazon seems to have are cheap, and possibly ineffective Chinese knockoffs.

I’m using KF-94’s I got from the Korean market. KF-94 is the Korean standard similar to N95, but they are much more comfortable. I wear them for four hours at a time when I’m teaching martial arts, and they’re still comfortable at the end of the day. The Korean market had the real deal in packs of 20 for $25.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by wander »

I wear a surgical mask to everywhere.
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Da5id
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

quantAndHold wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:32 am Any of the blown plastic disposables will be easier to breathe through than an effective cloth mask. From there, you then need to decide how much protection you want or need.

A simple medical mask is the cheapest but probably won’t fit all that well. If you want actual protection from other people, you might need to double mask with a cloth mask on top, which defeats the breathability.

Well fitted N95’s, KN95’s, and KF94’s have better protection by themselves and are easier to breathe through, but the challenge is getting actual ones. All Amazon seems to have are cheap, and possibly ineffective Chinese knockoffs.

I’m using KF-94’s I got from the Korean market. KF-94 is the Korean standard similar to N95, but they are much more comfortable. I wear them for four hours at a time when I’m teaching martial arts, and they’re still comfortable at the end of the day. The Korean market had the real deal in packs of 20 for $25.
Thanks. Do you have a specific brand or link for the KF-94 masks?
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JoMoney
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by JoMoney »

livesoft wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:26 am ... No air goes through those dots in the same way that air does not go through a plastic sandwich bag.
:oops: That makes sense, thank you for the explanation.
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tm3
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by tm3 »

Your first concern should be if the mask works, with comfort being an important but down the list priority. That topic cannot be addressed here, but you have at your fingertips the ability to comb through actual articles from journals that report the results of randomized control trials, which is where the gold is as opposed to observational studies. I of course am not recommending that you do that; I won't give any specific recommendation other than blue masks are the best.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by quantAndHold »

Da5id wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:36 am Thanks. Do you have a specific brand or link for the KF-94 masks?
Any of the actual Korean ones are pretty much the same. They occasionally pop up on Amazon, but they’ve mostly been driven out by cheaper counterfeits. The cosmetics store that’s attached to the local HMart had two different brands for the same price earlier this week. Once the package is opened, it’s hard to tell which is which.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by stan1 »

I used a disposable surgical mask while I did brisk walks last year (6 miles in 90 minutes). That's what I would use again at an outdoor event that required a mask.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by LadyGeek »

I removed a post and reply which challenged WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations on wearing masks for exercise. See: Medical Issues
Questions on medical issues are beyond the scope of the forum. If you are looking for medical information online, I suggest you start with the Medical Library Association's User's Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web which, in addition to providing guidance on evaluating health information, includes a list of their top recommended sites.
Let's try and focus on the consumer aspects.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by squirm »

I use Armbrust, they're level 3, while lifting at the gym. I also have worn then doing cardio but it's not fun.

Might as wear something that works, otherwise what's the point.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by lightheir »

I ran extensively with a 2-ply (not thin) mask all last year, much of it in summer heat. I train for triathlons, so compared to noncompetitive runners, I tend to run pretty fast (6 min/mile-8min/mile typically), including interval work, so it's not just easy running.

The most important thing for me actually wasn't the mask itself - it was a soft plastic 'mask bracket' that you slip under the mask to give it a noncollapsible shape when you are breathing hard. Otherwise, the sweat-soaked fabric will suck into your mouth and totally block airflow, mainly when you are running very hard. The mask bracket totally prevents this, and works great. You get used to the higher CO2 than normal pretty quickly as well.

I had no problems flipping the mask + bracket up over face when passing or near people on the trails, and then pushing it back down once I was well past them.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by oldfort »

n-95, what makes a good mask doesn't depend on whether you are exercising
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Da5id
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Da5id »

Thanks to those who gave non medical input. I have ideas to try out on my exercise bike.
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tarnation
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by tarnation »

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v101146024/
These are the ones I use. High quality. Good seal. Pretty comfy on nose and no ear loops. Some places will sell loosies (they are individually wrapped) so you can try a few without getting a case.
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Re: Good mask for exercising

Post by Misenplace »

Thread has run its course and is locked.

OP has gotten some ideas to try. However, several off topic and/or trolling posts have been reported and had to be removed.

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