Firstly, wanted to thank you for all the wonderful work you do!! I stumbled across your website maybe a week ago and it’s been an absolute joy to read all your articles.
Now onto my question with some context first!
I work in retail and my shifts are typically 6 hours long (sometimes shorter, but can be up to 9 hours). I really want to protect myself from COVID as someone who is already disabled and has many immunocompromised friends. I would love to be wearing a half-respirator at work, but they’re just too heavy and uncomfortable to be in one for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week (plus customers can’t hear me in them!).
I’m currently wearing 3M Aura 9320+ every day but the fit is so uncomfortable. I’ve been scouring your reviews to select something that I think will be the most optimal choice, but thought I would ask directly too! So, my question is which mask/s would you recommend in this situation?
My biggest priorities are comfort and price. This is of course because I’m wearing them for so long so that I need them to be as comfy as possible, but also price because I will be using the mask for so many hours that I will need frequent replacements/filter replacements.
Thank you for reading all this! I hope you’re having a fantastic start to your 2025.
Hi, @Gee! Thanks for joining, and great question! I’m glad you’ve found the website helpful so far, and I hope I can give you some further suggestions and advice.
You mention not wanting to wear a half-face respirator at work due to the weight and discomfort, but I’m wondering if you would also prefer to avoid them for other reasons (such as the look - I can totally understand that if this is the case!). I ask because I think weight and comfort could be overcome with some half-face respirators, but I’m not sure if you would also prefer to avoid them for other reasons.
Anyway, if you are okay with trying some lighter and more comfortable options, I recommend checking out ElastoMaskPro, Envo Mask, and even Flo Mask. They are all reusable, have the potential to fit well (but, of course, this depends on your facial features), and are good products. However, they do attract some stares at times.
This is very interesting to hear as many people find the Aura to be quite comfortable! Could you let me know which aspects you find uncomfortable so I can suggest something better? Is it the breathability, fit, materials, or otherwise?
The look is definitely part of it as I have had members of the public be rude about my half face respirator (GVS Elipse), but ultimately I definitely care more about safety.
In terms of the Aura, I have quite a narrow face (and nose) so always have to pinch the wire quite tight around my nose to get a good fit. I have long hair too, so I find that the elastic straps slip a lot and end up resting on my ears which becomes quite painful throughout the day. I adjust them when I can of course, but don’t get much opportunity to do so as I’m constantly working with my hands. Anything with adjustable straps is way better for me!
This is totally fair! I am the same in all but the highest-risk situations and I will opt for a good respirator like an Aura (for me!) or VFlex instead. Actually, that leads me to a recommendation! I definitely think the VFlex is worth trying if you haven’t already. It’s more comfortable than the Aura for most people, and you can buy them in a small quantity first to try.
Unfortunately, the elastic straps will likely still be an issue, though. While it won’t solve the nose issue, have you tried the Auras with the woven head straps? I believe they tend to hold their position better for those with longer hair (they are what my wife normally wears, and she says they keep their position quite well).