Social Distancing: Mask Comparison

Public health officials recommend that we wear masks when we go out in public. They help protect others in case we’re carrying COVID-19 and don’t know it, and they may help protect you from a potential infection.

They say a simple cloth mask is sufficient for running errands.

Heck, I made one out of a t-shirt last month. It worked pretty well. But since then I’ve gotten a couple nicer masks that aren’t just a ripped up shirt.

I have a mask that you tie in the back, and I have one with elastic loops that go around your ear. I wanted to compare the two styles and see the pros and cons of each one.

On to the tie-on mask. It definitely is more of a chore to get on. It took me about 20 seconds to tie both knots behind my head.
But once I did get it on, I loved the fit. It’s nice that you can adjust how tightly it fits.
I did have some issues with my glasses fogging while wearing it, but the strings were comfortable to wear.
It didn’t feel like it was gonna fall off, but I felt like I should try not to move my mouth too much and jostle the mask, which is hard for someone who likes talking as much as I do.
It also took a bit of time to untie properly. You want to make sure you do the top tie first so you can remove the mask safely and kind of unpeel it over your nose.

Now let’s check out the elastic mask. It was super easy to put on. It took like a second and a half.
But it’s a one-size-fits-all situation, and I didn’t like the fit as much as the tie-on mask. It felt a little looser.
Also, the elastic loops dug into my ear. They’d get pretty uncomfortable after a while.
I did not have the glasses fogging issues I had with the tie-on mask. And again, I felt like there was no danger of the mask falling off as long as I’m not yapping like a maniac.

So let’s go to the tale of the tape.

The elastic mask gets marks for how easy it is to put on.
But I thought the tie-on mask was more comfortable and offered a more snug fit.
The elastic mask didn’t fog up my glasses like the tie-on mask did.
But I felt they both offered a secure fit and I would feel comfortable taking either mask out, although if I’m gonna be out for a while, I’d opt for the tie-on mask.

How are you staying safe when you have to run errands? Have you been able to find any disposable masks? I tried ordering some over a month ago and it was a nightmare. Are you getting creative with home-made masks? Show us! We’d love to see what you’re doing. Message me on Facebook and Twitter.