Review: Fix the Mask

[jducoeur]

Fix the Mask was a Kickstarter I backed a couple of months ago. Having just given mine its first serious use, let's talk about it briefly.

The idea behind FtM is that the common melt-blown surgical-style masks are now thoroughly common (enough so that I no longer feel guilty buying them -- I got my pack in Staples). They're fairly effective, significantly moreso than most fabric ones according to most reports I've seen, but not even remotely N95 level, mostly because of fit: they cover your mouth and nose, but are pretty loose around the edges.

So the FtM is a rubber frame that you put over a surgical mask, specifically designed to seal it down properly. It pulls the mask down over your mouth and nose, so that you are breathing through the mask, rather than around it.

I don't spend enough time indoors outside the home to usually care, but tonight was massage, which is when I really do. Yes, Kate and I are getting massages again: while it's a risk, Massage Therapy Works is sufficiently paranoid that we don't think it's a crazy one. (The fact that I've had massages repeatedly cancelled out from under me is actually encouraging: any time a therapist has a potential exposure, they are apparently required to get tested and take time off to make sure they have a clean bill of health. And neither of us can go much more than six weeks without hitting "badly broken", so the tradeoff is real.) That said, even with their considerably-improved HVAC and PPE on the therapists, it's being inside a room with someone else for an hour, so good masking is especially important.

Overall, FtM seems to work as billed, pulling my mask good and tight for the duration. The surgical masks breathe far better than fabric ones, so it was a more comfortable experience than I've had with other masks. The only real problem I've found is that my beard is slippy under my chin, and it took a while to get everything securely seated. Getting the FtM on is a mild hassle (and their instructions for unpacking and assembling the thing leave something to be desired), but the fit around my nose is good enough to mostly fix my usual glasses-fogging problem, which is a good sign. Once it is on, comfort is fine: I had no problem wearing it for about three solid hours. (Including the walk to and from Davis, and picking up dinner.) I found that it worked particularly well with a plastic frame over my mouth and nose (which I am mostly doing these days when I need to wear a mask for more than a short time, especially if I have to talk).

It's not dirt-cheap ($15 each), but should be indefinitely reusable so the price isn't bad. And while they are quoting shipping delays of up to a week, that's nothing compared to the several months waiting for the Kickstarter.

So it's worth considering. If you need to spend significant time indoors around other people, this seems to be a good add to the standard melt-blown masks, providing something at least approximating N95 quality without having to feel guilty that you are using PPE that belongs in better hands.