Face masks...your most comfortable style/material?

Hi all,
Well we both have now received our shots and feel prepared to leave the cold and snowy North for the hopefully warm and sunny climate in Vegas. We have been wearing mostly the lightweight cotton type masks and some heavy material ones (face warmers) as well.

In reviewing most of the trip report pictures that have been posted it seems that the lightweight material style is the post prevalent which probably makes sense due to the climate but is the material comfortable to wear for hours on end flying or gambling?

Any recommendations as to the type and where purchased would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

I'm wearing Primal Wear masks exclusively. The frames are awesome:

https://www.primalwear.com/collections/masks-maskas

 

I wear one 8-12 hours a day at work and I'll be honest, the disposable ones are the most comfortable for me. Not as cost efficient, or environmentally friendly, but it's a simple and comfortable way to put a check mark in the requirement box. I have some cotton ones, but my beard has a tendency to get caught in them. A quick run of unscented/flavored chapstick above the ear and I can wear the disposable all day.

 

I'm still waiting on the shot so I bought some KN95s with ear loops and they are great. A 10 pack cost me about $12 from a mask supply website. Comfortable enough to wear for hours but still form a nice seal. I can tell because my mask breath is way worse in these than any other mask!!

For lower risk situations, I also got a 50 pack of cloth masks made by Hanes for around $15 on Amazon. They're literally underwear material but they're extremely comfortable. Plus, they're washable so you can wear it once or twice and chuck it in the laundry. Less effective protection, but if I was already vaccinated I would wear these most of the time.

 

Recently switched to KN95's. Amazon lists the ones that have approval. The actually stick out a bit from the face which I find comfortable, and way better protection compared to some of the cloth ones we have. (in my opinion - not everyone will agree - that is okay)

 

I've been rotating my masks. I think they're not awesome, but I also don't love wearing shoes, either! But while I haven't done an inspection of everyone individually, I will say that it's heartening to see that masks are near-universal even outdoors.

This is my primary one:


And then I just got this guy:

 

Also, Vegas is sunny, but warm is hit-or-miss. It was 39 when I woke up this morning...

 

Hopefully it will be warmer in April when we're there!

 

stick with k-95's if there's going to be a crowd... for cloth ones try Stance. they're incredibly comfortable and fit quite snuggly.

https://www.stance.com/face-masks/

 

I've only tried a few cloth ones but strongly prefer the disposable surgical variety. (I liked to about suffocated on a crowded plane with a cloth one. I thought they were better when I only wore em for quick grocery trips but soon as I had to have on for 6 to 8 hours straight I went disposable and never went back. The disposables are very breathable, cooler, and best of all, if they do get smokey or you cough or sneeze up a little nasty in em, you can just throw em out and grab another. I dont like the waste but I like to breathe and be clean so I make an exception for this)

Also, for what it's worth, some of the airlines do not allow KN95 or anything with a vent any longer. That was definitely true for American on my Christmas trip, announcement was made prior to boarding and prior to pushback on every leg that you must have a mask and K95 or vented masks, neck gaiters, and bandanas were not acceptable, and that crews had disposable surgical ones if one of the aforementioned was all you had.

 

Glad to read that Amazon has rated KN95's. Hope the rating system is accurate. Those are what we use, with one modification. My wife sews. She has made cloth masks that go over the KN95's and are held in place with a few strategically placed stitches. The masks she makes have no ear loops. We use the ones that come on the KN95's, tightened as need to assure a snug fit. It would work the other way as well- the KN95 loops could be cut off.When necessary, the cloth masks can be detached and washed, and the inner KN95's can be replaced. For the sake of comfort, I suppose that instead of cloth one could put a surgical mask over the KN95, so long as it fit tightly. Fit is crucial to effectiveness, according to experts.

I also have some American N95's that I have used for many years for woodworking. These have vents but would be acceptable to airlines with a cloth mask over them. They must be reasonably fresh so the rubber in the vents remains flexible. They have double headbands rather than ear loops, so they fit very snugly but are not especially comfortable. I wear them in high risk situations, such as (ironically) going for a Covid shot. My wife refuses to wear them because they mess up her hair.

 

I prefer the disposable masks; however, the ear loops do begin to hurt after wearing for an extended period, so I bought velcro straps that I can wrap around the ear loops and strap behind my head or neck for wearing the masks for an extended period.

 

Started doing the double mask also. So glad to be working from home so I only have to wear when I go out to do errands or such...

 

Wearing one 50 hours a week at work and having gone through a bunch, this has been the best for me so far.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B088CV63D6/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I have an ENVO for work if I go in an isolation room. Most of the times I wear a disposable. I've bought some on my own -- Fire works for New Years, hearts for valentines. I've got some floral ones for Easter coming. I keep them in the office for everyone to grab. I buy children's masks for my Daughter in law - she teaches pre-school in a very poor district. She said the kids usually come with no masks or very soiled ones if they do. The playful designs encourages the kids to wear them. They see it as a reward. But these are 4 year olds we are talking about.

 

I do the same in public, but if I'm just running down to CVS, I use my normal mask, which I just recently discovered was double-layered. I wash them pretty frequently.

It hasn't been bad in Vegas over the winter, but I'm dreading July...

 

I am so not into fashion, BUT a friend makes masks and I have numerous (7?) dog/cat ones and one for the Seahawks.. All but the Blue Heeler mask that I also bought have places for filters. So, what types of filters do you use? So far, I've not had one. These masks are pretty thick and I wonder how comfortable they will be to wear in Las Vegas.


Front & reverse.

 

GS Warriors and SF 49ers logos, cloth, two-ply, behind the head supports—over the ear slips because of my glasses. I've been double masking lately.

I think the end is near, "But you know, the darkest hour, Is always just before the dawn." David Crosby

 

I don't mind the slipping, it's the fogging that gets to me! I have a customized mask on order: "GLASSES FOGGER 9000, MK II". And I can't win, either I put in my contacts but still need my Oakleys, or it's nighttime and I'm wearing my regular glasses. I'd probably be better off trying to stumble around Vegas without corrective lenses.

But, it's important, and we gotta deal for now.