Hey Lloyd! Thanks for testing my mask! I think this was fake because after talking with 3M, I noticed that the 3M logo was faded and had a white line through it. the nose foam was also a lot more dense. Also, at some point, they want to be so much like the real thing, that they are the real thing. Finally, you were right, that smell was horrible! Thanks again, Reed
Hey Reed, I have some 3M 1870+ Aura masks which were made in the USA probably in the same factory. They are authentic and sometimes have white lines on the logo. The fakes I have seen seem to have better printing :P You rock man!
Hi folks, the smell concerns me. 3M cares about the smell because bad odor could mean hazardous chemicals used in the adhesives, which may impact your health. I would file a customer complaint with 3M and them investigate. A genuine 3M mask should not stink.
I believe the smell is from the plastic packaging that each individual mask is wrapped in. I have a box of 3m Aura 1870+ and I have to air them out for at least a day after removing them from their plastic wrap packaging - then they're fine. Great masks - super efficient and breathable!
I've purchased 5-6 batches of Aura 9205+'s from various online retailers over the last year and a half. The one here looks exactly like those I've received. The masks do have a distinct smell when first worn, solvent-like but nothing I recognize. It goes away after a short while. I'd be suspicious if an Aura didn't have that smell.
So neat that you are taking submissions. Glad the 3m 9210+ design seems to provide great protection since I just ordered some. Thank you for your work!
The ergonomics of this mask are excellent. When you talk it doesn't start dragging down your nose because the chin piece moves. You can position the bottom section on the tip of your chin or pull it underneath your chin. Much better ergonomics than the KN95 flat fold shapes. Unfortunately I think they chose the wrong kind of foam for the nose bridge area inside. It is such a smooth foam rubber that after a short time it feels like it's sticking to your skin. Especially if you are working hard and start sweating even just a little bit. I haven't had this problem with other types of N95s from 3M, Honeywell and other manufacturers. They use a porous foam that doesn't feel sticky even after hours. I'm going to try powder or cloth medical tape across the foam. The metal over the nose inside is strong and very malleable. The blue straps feel super soft on my bald head.
Love the insight on the foam. This is the only brand/product I have worn for more than a year now. Great for folk who wear glasses. Would you mind sharing the names of the other n95s that were equally good as the Aura? Thanks in advance.
You must have a super sensitive nose. I have these masks and the smell is minimal. Maybe it's just I'm used to the smell from the Powecome KN95s we've been using the last year and they don't smell any worse than those.
The 3M 9210 that you reviewed had an airflow resistance of ~100 Pa. This one shows ~240 pa. How come could they be so different? Would you please comment on the range of airflow resistance for a good mask?
Thank you! I am thinking about getting this one. But I am sensitive to bad smells. It looks like it fits well. I wonder if the smell dissipates over time.
Is it normal for the efficiency to start lower and increase the longer the test is running? It started well below 95% and increased until it 100%. Is this a case of the mask becoming clogged?
Almost correct, the surgical mask is the 1870+ (not the 1870). The 9205+ is the non-surgical variant. The only real functional difference between the two is that the 1870+ offers a higher level of fluid resistance than the 9205+. For everyday use, the 9205+ would be more than sufficient and these masks are readily available at many hardware stores, such as Home Depot.
Does the individual bag have any perforations such as vents or is it completely sealed? it is super important for me to know because all the individual bags of the 3M 9010 mask have that perforation and it makes me uncomfortable when trusting what I buy ;( I would really appreciate an answer, regards.
Yes but I can't read so instructions have always been an issue 🙃 if we're talking serious mask game there's no way I'd pass a fit test with that beard... the mask fabric is still good though!
The Aura is no good for women who wear glasses, snags on the eyeglass earipeces and elastic breaks if you have to take it on and off, tangles with hair, pony tail or bun, hate staples, I have a big supply and want to staple a different earloop or head loop on it.
That score of 240 or whatever on breathability is a terrible score afaik. I thought the lower the score the better. The owner of Armbrust also tested a Demetech surgical mask ( not n95) that scored 40 or 50 and ive used that mask and its easy to breath through ( also around - in that respect its like most surgical masks - there are gpas on the sides). Also I've use 3m 1870's many times and i find them difficult to wear for very long at all. Too hard to breath.
My understanding from his explanation is the breathability score is not accurate because of the smaller area that was tested due to the shape of the mask. So I would think the real breathability score is actually quite a bit lower.
No, what matters when it comes to it being real or fake is sourcing. Here's a more comprehensive answer from a doc I've made: My mask passed the candle test, so it must work! Ditto with the fluid test. Nope, that means nothing. There are tests such as the candle and water tests that are complete nonsense and not helpful at all when it comes to determining if your mask is effective or not. The candle test shows how breathable a mask is and/or how the air goes through it (if there’s a small surface area you can blow out a candle even if it’s not too breathable). This is a separate measurement from filtration efficiency and you actually want air to go through the mask so that it gets filtered and so you can breathe. So you actually want low breathing resistance. Fluid resistance only matters if you are dealing with splashes/sprays, this matters way more for certain (but not all) medical professionals who deal directly with splattering fluids. The vast majority of people do not need fluid resistance and only need to filter aerosols. There are surgical/procedural masks with fluid resistance and surgical N95s that provide fluid resistance for those medical professionals. A face shield and other barriers that can add fluid protection to a non-fluid resistant mask such as an industrial N95. There are masks that can easily pass both tests, but not do a great job with actually filtering. A sheet of plastic would pass both easily, but air would come into the sides of it and not get filtered at all or it’ll suffocate you.
Hey Lloyd my man! How are you? Good? Great!! Lol For real though we can send masks for you too test? Even KN95s? KF94S? My grandma's favorite chiffon mask?
