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I would wait for a doctor who specializes in infectious / viral diseases to confirm as to how effective these fashion masks would be in comparison to a proper N-95 mask.

Just to be safe, I have trimmed my hair to size zero, shaved off [clean shave everyday], wear one 3 ply surgical mask and one N-95 over it.

I will not risk my or any of my family member's life and nor would advise anyone to wear anything which is not verified / approved.

This mask [if it can not ward off infection] would be as good as the cheap helmets without any certifications being sold by street side vendor. Rules being followed, yes, but effectiveness is a huge question mark and you just might have to pay a hefty price. Permanently damaged lungs is just one of them. We all know what havoc is Covid creating. Sorry to sound pedantic, but in these times, I won't take a chance.

In case the fashion mask is safe to wear, I take back my words. But in these times I would rather buy a 3M respirator mask (Rs. 3,000 odd) [if venturing out] than trusting Polo Ralph Lauren with their Rs. 2,000 mask.

The top three specialised masks I own, in the ascending order of price:

1. UA Sportsmask. Bought in March 2021 from Underarmour store, Mall of India, Noida for about Rs. 2300. Doesn't retail online in India AFAIK.



Pros:

• The XL size is actually XL (probably due to US sizing) and covers my large face and beard
• The material is sport-performance and wicks away sweat pretty quickly
• The mask sits above the face and gives room for talking
• The ear loops are the comfiest in the business
• Doesn't fog my glasses at all.

Cons

• The mask is thick due to the presence of a cooling-gel which does add some heft. The main body feels like a padded bra.
• No certified protection - but due to the sheer thickness and good fit, I'd say it is much better than most cloth masks.

2. Vogmask Organic N95 C2V. The old standby. Bought one a couple of years ago. Is the Khan Market favourite in winters and favoured by most embassy folks in Delhi.



Pros:

• A good balance of efficacy, fit and comfort.
• Has held up OK - it is washable but the nose pin snapped.

Cons

• The largest size is still too small for my face.
• I have the version with two air-vents so don't wear it often during Covid.
• It used to be retailed by 'Nirvana being' in India at around Rs. 2000-3000 (depending on size) but supply seems to have stopped post Covid.

3. O2 Curve mask. The most expensive face mask being mass retailed in India. I bought one (mask + 3 filters) around May 2021 from Amazon.in for Rs. 6990. NOTE - AMAZON has a 50% off at the time of writing bringing down the price to Rs. 3590.



Pros:

• The mask covers only the face and nose leaving other parts of the face free
• The fit is super modular with multiple strap adjustments for a custom fit
• Due to the silicon seal around the face - the protection is probably as good as the industrial 3M masks.
• You have to see the filteration to believe it - during peak pollution the pearly white filters turned sooty black in two weeks.
• The neck loop is useful for hanging the mask when eating or drinking water without having to take it off. I use it extensively while driving alone to beat our nonsensical 'mask-while-driving-alone' laws.
• The polycarbonate shell is sanitize-able, swappable and protect the inner filter.
• Doesn't fog my glasses at all.

Cons:

• Set of 5 filters cost Rs. 1255. You'll need to replace the filters every 14-60 days depending on your usage and environment.
• The mask will draw all kinds of attention. Some will be mighty impressed while some will liken it to an L guard.
• It is a very secure fit so breathing is a bit harder especially while climbing stairs etc.
• It does have external vents (facing downwards) but 02 now offers an attachment to fit a surgical mask over the vents.

Since a few BHPians asked about genuine N-95 masks, I've been purchasing these for almost a year now : https://www.amazon.in/CAREVIEWTM-CV1...s%2C300&sr=8-3

They're certified, pretty good quality and packed well. I prefer the bands going around the back of my head as it's more comfortable than around the ear, and these can of course be adjusted easily. I used these only for airline travel and my parents recently used them for vaccination visits. Basically, anywhere we expect a crowd and lack of social distancing.

For regular use, I've been using only the March mask, again for almost a year. Quality has been consistent : https://www.marchtee.com/mask/navy#.



These are 6-layer (not certified N95 or FFP-2), around the ear and really comfy (Great materials!). Pretty stylish IMO (especially in blue) can be used for up to 30-washes. Covers the nose effectively and maintains a good seal even while talking or moving about, making sure your glasses don't fog up either. Make sure you get the right size though since they aren't adjustable. I know it's a 6-layer but with the recent advisory to double-mask, I have been layering with a surgical mask when heading out of the society.

Our marketing team came to me with the same idea of putting our brand on masks but I rejected.

We are usually proud of what we brand. I am not proud of masks and I know how hard it is work with them on especially in our factories.

And I just felt I didn't want to in anyway get comfortable with this horrible pandemic and make it part of my life for a long time. This has to be a horrible part of history which has to be forgotten. But it's just me, you can look at it from another point of view and say masks save lives.

Try these I guess

https://m.shop4reebok.com/?gclid=Cjw...=&utm_adgroup=

How effective is the N95 masks, i have seen doctors in hospitals wearing a different kind of a mask which looks more like a pilots mouth piece. Dont have the pic to share. I also had a query on the N 99 mask, is N99 better than N95? I tried enquiring on the N99 but they are nowhere available. If any of the BHpians know where to get this if only it is better than N95 then i would be interested.

Here's an idea. VW India inspired Team BHP masks -

1. Standard N95 mask with BHP logo
2. Turbo mask - Same but with a red stripe
3. Turbo Max mask - Same but with red stripe AND red straps
4. Midnight mask - Same as standard but in black with white logo
5. Midnight limited edition - Same but with black logo
6. Sport GT version - its only a N90 mask, but with an extra strap and GT stickers all over

The possibilities are endless ! :D

If you are using a real N-95 mask, then there is no need to double up, or rather you should not since you are risking the proper seal offered by the N-95. The double mask is suggested for surgical+cloth combo, the effectiveness the combo is still less that just N-95.

PS: This from the info floating online and I don't have any scientific reference to back the info. But, looked logical to me.
PS2: Finding a real N-95 is easier said than done.


They are calling it face-cover and not even a mask. I don't think they will be any good for the current situation.

https://bblkart.com/ - you could give these a try.

i myself was looking out for one with a design similar to F1 and found these to be the closest in terms of design and from safety standpoint. i noticed them while watching election campaigns in Kerala and i saw the CM use this brand and searched for them online to find the website.

GTO, Came across these in Instagram, Maybe could be the closest option available to the ones worn by F1

https://fridomask.com/

P.S - Im in no way associated to this website.

It isn't. You need to look for NIOSH certified masks. You can find the list of NIOSH approved manufacturers using the below link:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topi...t1sect3-v.html

Every NIOSH mask will also have the approval # printed on the mask. You can verify whether the mask is a genuine N95 by looking up the CDC website using the approval #
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/niosh-cel/

Hope this helps :)

It would have helped if you had given links to buy genuine masks instead of details on how to identify them :D

Can you give the link again, it's broken, I am also on the lookout for a certified genuine N95 mask.

KK

Here you go! :)

https://paytmmall.com/venus-anti-pol...ype=n95%20mask


P.S. I have never ordered from either of the above sites before. I bought them from Amazon and Seniority.in

Folks, talking of REAL n95 masks, I’ve been using Careview ones for more than an year now. This thread got me thinking if these are genuine.
And this is what I found. Gives me more confidence now.Certificates.pdf