If you haven’t heard yet, nearly every health agency in the world is advising people to wear masks (no, not your Incredible Hulk mask) to help curb the spread of Covid-19. While everything short of N95 masks, which you’re also being advised not to buy due to supply shortages, won’t really guarantee sufficient protection against the new coronavirus, the O2 Curve Mask 1.2 definitely appears to be one of the better respirators when it comes to keeping yourself protected.
A consumer-grade respirator, it’s designed to protect you from various particulate matters, keeping airborne pollutants and irritants from getting into your mouth and nose, making it an extremely useful tool in today’s potentially hazardous public environments. Will it keep you from getting that nasty virus going around? They won’t guarantee it, but given how locked down the darn thing is, it will probably be your best bet as far as publicly-available consumer-grade masks.
The O2 Curve Mask 1.2 consists of a curved mask that completely covers your nose and mouth using a medical-grade silicone seal that, the outfit claims, puts it on par with the protection provided by N95 masks. Despite the tight seal, it claims to deliver a “premium breathing experience” that doesn’t compromise your comfort, ensuring you can breathe just as freely as you do when you walk around unprotected. The mask itself won’t actually block particulate matter. Instead, it uses an electrostatic filter installed under the curved main shell, which can trap particulate matters down to 0.1 microns. Does this include the new coronavirus? Theoretically, it should, although the relative novelty of the virus and the fact that it isn’t fully understood yet makes it all uncertain as of now.
The filter is completely replaceable (just detach the shell, replace the filter, and put the shell back on), so you can just swap in a new one as soon as your filter is used up, allowing you to use the same mask many times over, provided you have a supply of filters available on hand. This actually makes it much better than a lot of PPE masks out there, most of which are intended to be disposed after use, although you will have to stock up on filters, especially if you plan to wear it for the months (and possibly years) ahead.
The O2 Curve Mask 1.2 comes with straps that go above and below your ears, all of which are completely adjustable, so you can tighten or loosen it to create a snug fit on your face. To keep the mask from moving, it comes with silicone ear loops that secure to the back of your ears, ensuring you can stay active throughout your day without the mask getting out of place. It also comes with a neck strap, so you can keep the mask hanging on your neck like lanyard even if you’re not wearing it (you can’t eat or drink with the mask on, after all).
Available in four colors (white, black, blue, and red), the O2 Curve Mask 1.2 is available now, priced at $69.99.