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On which I’ve collected my notes on masks and respirators for COVID safety.
<aside> ⚠️ Note: I update this page from my notes when someone in my circle asks me for mask recommendations. Between updates, the information can become outdated. The last update to this page was in September, 2022.
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Fit is more important than filtration. An N95 where you breath filtered air is better than an N100 that lets unfiltered air in through the edges.
If the mask doesn’t make it harder to breath, it’s not working. This effect is less apparent with larger filters. For example, the Elipse [sic] is breathable because it has a huge filter area.
The masks and respirators here filter out small particulates, not gas (and other VOCs). You can still smell smoke and other gasses through them, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t working. (Carbon filters remove VOCs, but they need to be changed frequently even if there aren’t any particles or VOCs in the air. They’re more difficult to keep fresh, and unnecessary for COVID prevention.)
KF95’s are recommended over KN95’s, since there don’t yet appear to be fake KF95’s on the market.
There is a list of Sources below.
Never buy safety equipment from Amazon. Many products are fakes, and it is impossible to distinguish these before ordering (and sometimes difficult without disassembling the product once it has been received).
The 9205+ has a rubber headband.
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The 9210+ has a braided cloth headband.