First, if you don't do masks that's fine. Keep it to yourself. Not here to discover your views.
But it looks like they will be around for a while so I am ready to up my game a little from the glovebox full of single use Chinese ones that businesses hand out. I see people with very comfortable looking units with some framework and Velcro straps and that sort of thing. I don't know where they get those but I'm sure someone does. Or tell me what works for you.
My fave come from the maker of the dog coats we sell at my wife's store. Chilly Dog out of Canada. Elastic goes over head and around neck. No ears involved. Hate the ones that go over my ears. Wearing glasses makes it worse.
Fortunately, I seldom have to wear one, but when I do, I can’t handle any of the ear stretchers. So I to am interested in alternatives. As it is cooling off, I do have silk “gaiters” from my ridin’ days, but they are not ideal.
I dig the blipshift masks enough to have bought them twice now.
Comfortable and stylish!
I am making masks, the style I make is washable cloth with a filter pocket inside. You don't have to use a filter. One piece elastic goes behind the neck and head. I've been selling these for $10 each. If you're interested let me know, I have a few different fabric colors on hand.
In reply to EastCoastMojo (Forum Supporter) :
Post a picture or 2 please.
In reply to TurnerX19 :
I'll post some in the morning when I get off work 
+1 for both Blipshift masks and handmade ones. The BS ones are light and stretchy and are great to keep in the car and use for outside activity. I have some hand made ones that sound a lot like mojo's that I got from Etsy that are very nice. They are a heavier fabric and are good for indoors. I want to get an infinity neck scarf type one next. A guy I work with uses one with his suit and it's really handy to just have it around your neck and be able to pull it up.
My awesome wife is making ours. I have two that are elastic over the ear for use when exercising (where I don't wear my glasses) and a style that uses a single piece behind the neck and over the head using a cord stop.
The cord stop ones are 100% more comfortable, but much more likely to jiggle loose if you're moving around a lot *unless* you're wearing a hat and keep it cinched tight *BUT* they're a huge pain in the butt to try to sip from a water bottle while wearing one. They're great for long term use, like if you're grocery shopping.
The Snap-On dealer has nice ones on the truck. Comfy and fit well.
Works better than the Zorro mask I've been using.
Initially was going in for the neck gaiters, I had been getting some before the pandemic for sun protection (I hate the greasy feeling of sunblock and I have ginger-vitis) but then saw reports that they were not really useful for the virus.
Went to single use medical style ones and. I need a better solution. I was in the hospital with my wife for the birth of kiddo number 2 and it was 3 days of solid wearing unless I was eating or drinking. Including wearing while sleeping. Some of you guys just think your ears are sore... I bled until one of the nurses took pity and gave me a little behind the head extender. A week on and I'm still sore.
ShawnG said:The Snap-On dealer has nice ones on the truck. Comfy and fit well.
They’re only $1000 each but Free replacement if you manage to break one
I figured, what with everybody wearing a mask these days I might get away with dropping a bomb here or there. Well, I have managed to achieve social distancing more often than not
My wife made ours with some fabric left over from quilt projects. She used a high thread count fabric with two layers, a filter pocket and it has ties behind the head and neck. We tried the elastic behind the ear but it really bothered my ears with my glasses. She found the pattern somewhere online.
In reply to Peabody :
Actually they're somewhere around $5.00
I'd rather buy from a small business in my own town.
I'm in them 12hrs a day 6 days a week at work. I haven't found one yet that doesn't fog up my safety glasses. I've made about a dozen if my own out of t shirts and other materials I've had laying around. I've tried behind the ears, behind the neck and head both elastic and tied. Nothing's comfortable. The most comfortable ones I've bought came from home depot.
I'd be willing to spend some money on comfortable ones seeing how much I have thi have one on. Just haven't found a good one yet.
In reply to EastCoastMojo (Forum Supporter) :
In terms of making your own- have you experimented with that rubberized coating that makes fabric not move against your skin? Between that and a good nose bridge- I've wondered if that will deal with the nose leakage and movement better.
I got some from Blipshift and Hunziker, both comfy
When at work I wear a gaiter style one. I started out wearing a camo one I owned for deer hunting early season but it didn't meet dress code so I ordered a pack from SA. My kids also wear the same style too school.
The hospitals won't allow cloth or hand made masks to be used by employees or contractors because they don't filter very well and the quality is so variable.
I did a little digging and I'm buying these from Amazon. 3 Ply Disposable Masks Made in Texas instead of China.
What do you glasses-wearing types prefer? I have struggled to find anything that adequately mitigates the fogging whilst exhaling thru the mask.
In reply to FSP_ZX2 :
I use the ones I posted. Slide the mask up high on the nose. Form the bridge. Put your glasses on top of the mask. It's not perfect, but it helps.
I made a couple double-layer cotton ones from fabric I had laying around back in April. I made the straps go over head and neck instead of ears because they had to be pulled pretty tight to seal.
After a while I've switched to the disposable nonwovens because they are so much easier to take on and off. I'm one of the few people where I work that wears one or practices distancing, so I suspect it probably doesn't matter what I wear. I take mine off when I'm in my office, so it's off and on multiple times a day and the ear straps just make it more convenient.
We just bought a box of 5-layer KN95 masks. I suspect in coming months upgrading to a mask that offers me some modicum of protection in addition to protecting others will be a good plan. I haven't tried one on yet, but they had good reviews.
Recently, the internet served me up an ad for masks from K&N Filters.
The neck strap seems nice but I couldn't figure out how often you had to re-add oil and I wasn't sure of the controversy of weather these were really better than non oil versions.
I have these and they are the most comfortable ones I have found. https://www.statebicycle.com/collections/clothing-all/products/state-bicycle-co-smiles-for-miles-face-mask-3-pack
I have to wear a 3 ply surgical mask supplied by my employer everyday (I teach in a high school, and we aren't doing any remote learning). My friend just sent some "ears-avers" he printed with his 3D printer, and they are heavenly. They keep the loops off the back of my ears.
Not all three-ply masks are the same. Some have more aggressive elastic. And some seem to be "too small" for my nose and mouth, so that they become ill-fitting when I am talking and teaching.
I know we don't want to derail this thread, but I will say this. I haven't had a cold since returning to school. This is highly unusual, as I generally have one by the end of September. And we have had one incidence of COVID in my school of 1300 students (and 3 in our district, with 21000 students, since August 31). None have led to an outbreak or any other positive tests. I don't love wearing them, but I am grateful that they seem to be working. Students can wear any masks they wish -- but they aren't optional. Some are pretty creative, and it is great to see the different expressions of personality that are coming out.
I usually change my mask at lunch. A fresh mask is becoming one of life's simple pleasures.
You'll need to log in to post.
