3M 8210 N95 Face Masks - bad quality or what?

[bbi1]

Got some 3M 8210 N95 Face Masks and have been using them but they don't last long at all. Maybe 3 days max. The rubber band strap always breaks after 3 days of usage, very poor quality indeed, and yes it is an authentic 3M mask as I verified the serial number on their website. Is this normal for other people using 3M masks or the 8210 mask in particular? How long are they meant to last for?

[Millian]

I was under the impression that disposable facemasks are generally only supposed to be used once. I looked it up, as I was wondering how long the filters last, but couldn't really find an official answer, but found this independent test:

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/how-long-masks-last/

 

He found that the mask lost 1.4% efficiency after 11 days, so advises they are good for 2 weeks.

I've been wearing my 3M masks for two weeks and the elastic lasts fine, although different model to yours.  I'm using 9001V



 

Edited February 6, 2019 by Millian

[K in BKK]

I work in an industry where we wear face masks and respirators. We would use the 8210 for a few hours then get another one due to perspiration and wear and tear. I've never seen anyone get a day out of one...so well done to you.

[Zenwind]

I have recently started using the 3M 9501 model which filters out the smaller and more dangerous particle pollutants, which I acquired from my local pharmacist.  She graduated from Univ. of Southern California, and I’ve found that her medical knowledge and advice has been absolutely right-on throughout the years.  She told me that one day of use would come close to ending the lifespan of each individual mask, but I’m not sure what to think about all of this. 

 

I’ve always taken regular brisk walks near the river in northern Bangkok.  During the worst of this latest extremely foul hazy pollution episode, I put on a new mask and marched about 3k to the pharmacy on a general neighborhood shopping expedition (with a return march home).  I tend to march fast, so I was breathing heavily through the mask – which added a substantial workout for my lungs since it took much more effort to suck air in through this “tight” filter. 

 

Upon arriving, my pharmacist told me that my (new) mask showed signs of “black” on the outside, indicating that I was close to saturating it with captured pollutants.  She is not one to try and con me into buying anything I don’t need, so I note her advice well.  But I also take it with a grain of salt, too.  I didn’t see the “black” she mentioned, and I wore the same mask the next day on a long neighborhood shopping walk that had me humping a heavy load of supplies back home in my backpack – and the mask still seemed to protect me perfectly well in the dirty air. 

 

I do have several of the same model masks in reserve.  The recent wind has cleansed the air quite a bit.  Hopefully we will not have to endure this pollution all the time.   But I have no definitive assessment yet on the lifespan of such filters.  

[just bob]

I've had some of those red rubber bands on my 3M masks that seem to be bad batches.  I find it helps to hold them so you don't allow pressure on the part of the band that is stapled to the mask when putting them on as that seems to be a weak point.  Also have found that leaving them in the sunlight - like hanging on your scooter mirror - lessens the bands lifetime.  I usually just use the top of the two bands solo a few days until it stretches to a comfortable level then start using both.  I got two months out of one years back and it looked like charcoal and smelled like an old sock.  I've since ordered by the case through Lazada.

[Searat7]

I find they last about 2 weeks before the rubber band breaks. For me the 3M N95 masks have been great....I had bad sinus and cough problems a year ago but no health problems using these masks. Breathing is a bit tight for the first day using a new mask but then becomes comfortable.

[pogal]

There is a flood of copied Chinese N95 masks in the market right now. 

The rubber band breaking is a good sign it's a copy. That doesn't mean it is not N95 but just low quality bands. 

Quality NIOSH certified N95 brands are the only way to go but again, the Chinese are experts at copying that stamp too. 

 

Basically you have to buy from a more reliable country from a major retailer to be sure. Otherwise there is no way you can now for sure ????

 

2 weeks is the standard for usage confirmed by private laboratory testing.

Edited February 8, 2019 by pogal

[Elkski]

I live in USA and have had issues with the rubber bands coming loose at the Staples.   I'm pretty sure they are not Chinese knock offs.   I can buy them here in box of 40 for about 30 baht each.   

[AndyTurner]

I used to use the N95 charcoal one with the square flap thing at the front, elastic lasted about a week before it just wore out, so I just replaced it with a 20 baht elastic from the 20 baht store, then I got 2 - 3 months out of it until it became grimy and horrible.

 

Can't find this mask easily now, so I bought a couple of Aura 9322A+ masks the other day for 90 baht each. the elastic looks flimsy, like a thin blue rubber band. They get good recommendations on http://aqicn.org/mask/acu but after 4 days of wearing one the nose wire became displaced and I managed to manipulate it back into place. On the good side, I wore the mask and cycled through Chiang Mai city center and didn't get any whiff of diesel or tuk tuk smoke at all.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Part of the reason, I think, it's hard to find some standard guidance on how long a mask can be worn is there are a lot of details in play that can vary wildly.

 

Does wearing a mask for a day mean one hour during the day, or all day from morning to night? Are you wearing it in a comfortable indoor air conditioned environment or outside in a hot, humid sweaty environment? How bad is the air pollution at the time you're wearing the mask? Etc etc etc.

 

From what I've been able to read and find, the best advice seems to be that it's time to get a new mask when either:

a -- breathing becomes noticeably more difficult than when you first started wearing it.

or

b -- the mask becomes dirty or soiled on the inside or outside for whatever reasons.

 

In my case, I usually wear mine only for brief trips outside lasting an hour or a couple hours at most. I take care in storing the mask in its original package and let it air out/dry out at home before putting it away. In that mode, I don't need to pull out a new mask any more often that every two weeks or so.

 

And as yet, with a case of 3M masks bought from Amazon in the U.S., I've yet to have one have its elastic band break, even though my head is a bit on the large size when it comes to pulling on and then pulling off the mask each time.

 

[bbi1]

On 2/8/2019 at 6:12 PM, pogal said:

There is a flood of copied Chinese N95 masks in the market right now. 

The rubber band breaking is a good sign it's a copy. That doesn't mean it is not N95 but just low quality bands. 

Quality NIOSH certified N95 brands are the only way to go but again, the Chinese are experts at copying that stamp too. 

 

Basically you have to buy from a more reliable country from a major retailer to be sure. Otherwise there is no way you can now for sure ????

 

2 weeks is the standard for usage confirmed by private laboratory testing.

Mine are original 3M masks ordered from 3M directly in bulk and also verified the serial number on the 3M site. If the originals last 3 days max (wearing it maybe 2 hours per day) then the Chinese knockoffs would be lucky to last 1 day before the rubber band is broken.

Edited February 13, 2019 by bbi1

[fruitman]

15 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Mine are original 3M masks ordered from 3M directly in bulk and also verified the serial number on the 3M site. If the originals last 3 days max (wearing it maybe 2 hours per day) then the Chinese knockoffs would be lucky to last 1 day before the rubber band is broken.

I doubt if the chinese copies work at all....they should get banned and the vendors put behind bars...people doing efforts to save their health but it doesnt work because of some greedy corrupt chinese businessguy.