I am going to date myself here — and I know certain content doesn’t age well — but 11 months ago today, California was the first US state to enter a lockdown because of COVID. What a bizarre year it has been, am I right?
Masks weren’t recommended for the general public at that time, but the rules changed and today they are as ubiquitous as shoes and shirts. THINK: signs outside restaurants now require all the above.
Gathering market data all the while, 3M™ began developing a new daily use Mask for their comprehensive portfolio. This new one is for you, me and the rest of the general public. Introducing the 3M Daily Face Mask….
Skip to Where to Buy or visit 3M’s Product Page for this item.
To summarize, here are my top three benefits of selecting 3M’s Daily Face Mask versus others I’ve been using for the past 11 months:
- Won’t fog up [most] glasses*
- Comfortable – two layers of cotton, washable and reusable.
- Secure – adjustable ear straps for a snug fit.
*Everyone in my *pod* above the age of 3 wears glasses, and 100% of these 8 people have said that this mask is the best at minimizing fogging on the lenses. I field tested this with a few different sets of eyewear, and in different climates. I am impressed.
The Secret Sauce | my observation is that 3M™ lent itself a design feature that borrows from its family of disposable respirators, and that is a metal wire along the nose bridge. This adjustable wire ensures you can enclose the gaps on either side of your nose, between the bridge and your cheeks. The benefit is two-fold: fewer harmful particles enter the respirator, and less hot air escapes upwards to fog lenses.
The Stress Test | The design works so well, that I felt compelled to stress test the Mask in various indoor and outdoor conditions with a variety of eyewear. Finally, at 20F during a blustery mid-February day at ocean’s edge where humidity is high (and my car was heated to 75F) I was able to get some lens fog around the frame contact points with my warm skin.
My Findings | Larger lens-framed glasses fair worse than smaller glasses, especially when there is direct contact made between the mask and the glasses. Also, climate plays a role where a substantial temperature delta occurs and humidity is elevated. No mask is perfect but this one does very well and should be a consideration if you wear eye glasses or sun glasses.
The fit is adjustable and comfortable, and feels secure. 3 weeks of regular wear and the ear loop straps haven’t lost their elasticity. I know because the fit remains tight and I haven’t tweaked the rubber stopper once. This should be another consideration for people who have poor mask etiquette and/or poor quality masks and have to constantly be lifting their mask back onto their nose (you know who you are!).
I have twice cleaned this mask: once in the washer and once a spot clean. The color and stitching has held up well and demonstrates no noticeable wear compared with a brand new one.
Bottom Line: I believe this is one of the best daily-use masks for minimizing exposure to COVID, and should be a top choice for people who wear glasses. I give it my endorsement and suggest you click this link below to find a list of Where to Buy your own. Item # RFM100-10 for the 10pack.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this review! ~TMG
