Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Essential Face Mask Kit

I don't much care for the shape of the mask itself or the way the filters fit/don't fit inside. I do like the light weight and comfort of the fit though.

These masks are nice but the filters do not fit inside the mask well. They are not secured in a pocket and sit right against my face. They bunch up while the mask is being worn. Very expensive product compared to what can be bought elsewhere. The filters, if changed after wearing the mask every time are expensive. Because of COVID-19 I did not return the mask and did not get a refund.

These masks are nice but the filters do not fit inside the mask well. They are not secured in a pocket and sit right against my face. They bunch up while the mask is being worn. Very expensive product compared to what can be bought elsewhere. The filters, if changed after wearing the mask every time are expensive. Because of COVID-19 I did not return and did not get a refund.

Doesn't fit a petite woman's face very well. The product should come in different sizes.

Two stars because it is comfortable and the adjustable are nice. Minus Three because of the filter placement and lack of connection. If you have facial hair it will work out and eventually fall out, possibly when you least realize it.

The disposable filters need some means to secure them to the mask. As they stand, the filters constantly fall out. I disassembled AC filters, that are N95, and cut out my own that are heavier and stay in a little better, but it is just a stopgap measure.

I was disappointed to see how thin the actual mask material is and that there is a seam that runs down the entire front of the the mask; you can see daylight through the entire mask even though it has two layers of fabric. Also there are no instructions included on how to install the filter (even though there is a cardboard insert with the mask with one side that is blank- plenty of space for instructions), and it is not intuitive.

I've always had great experiences with OR products, but this one is a let-down because of the poor filter pocket design. In their rush to release a product they didn't do enough field testing. The filter is designed to sit next to your face. It becomes limp from breath humidity and does not stay in place. In fact, the filter scrunches up, If you remove the filter you can see through the pores, so that's not an option either. It seems that in their rush to bring product to market, OR did not do the usual quality and performance testing they are known for. I would suggest having the filter between the two layers of cloth, and making the filter from a more substantial material that doesn't lose firmness when exposed to high levels of humidity and heat (ie, your breath).

The mask is very lightweight, well-constructed, and easy to use. There is a big drawback, however, in that the replaceable inner filter categorically does not stay in place, rendering the function...well, less than functional.

Hot these for COVID protection. The filters they provided are completely inadequate. Not only are they flimsy and only one thin layer, they don't fit the mask! Can't find filters anywhere in the marketplace that fit this mask either. What to do?

Fairly comfortable, as far as masks go, but the filter that's supposed to be used with this just won't stay properly attached.

This mask was a real disappointment, especially having waited so long for them to become available. The sewing and materials are first rate. The problem is that the filter pockets are too small and do not fully cover the filter material on the inside. As a consequence the filters are always falling out and having to be reinserted.

I bought this mask to keep in my backpack for use when I go into town to resupply, and any other social distancing situations on the trail. It fits comfortably and seems durable enough to stash away and forget about until it's needed.

The design of this mask was not thoughtout. The method of installing the filters is a design error. The mask has two inside pockets located near the ears. You take a filter, open it up so it takes on the inside shape of the mask, and insert the ends of the filter into the pockets. This design was intended to hold the filter in place..... It doesn't. The filter is paper thin. This design puts the filter against your mouth. When you talk the filter slips out of the pockets and bunches up in front of your mouth. It seems every 5 minutes I'm taking it off and fixing it. Poor design. This means you have two layers over your nose and mouth; the outer mask fabric and the filter. A well thought out design would simply have an interior pocket over your mouth and nose. The filter would be inserted there, also covering your mouth and nose. Talking wouldn't cause the filter to bunch up, because the pocket fabric protects it from your mouth. Also, this design will allow for three layers of protection over your mouth and nose; the outer mask layer, filter and pocket layer. Its so simple.

Very disappointed with the filters. It came with three and I bought three extra packs. It appears the mask requires two per mask and there is a gap in the middle right in front of the mouth. Doesn't seem to make sense and doesn't seem to provide any additional protection with the gap in the middle. And why send three filters when the make requires 2 to function.

Had high hopes for this product. The material is super itchy(and I have super sensitive skin). The adjustable ear loops are great as is the fit. There are pockets to insert disposable filters but once you put them in there's no material between them and your skin/ lips. More itch! Also, there's a giant tag sewn in the needs to be cut out. All in all, for the price, I was disappointed.

Granted I am a tall person with a big head, literally! My wife and I both bought one. We are on opposite ends of the spectrum size wise. Hers fit OK but mine was definitely too small and did not fit comfortably. It had nothing to do with the adjustable elastic and everything to do with the size and shape of the mask. As you would expect there are no returns allowed on this kit.

They are awful, just an absolute horrible design. The filter doesn't even stay put and you end up constantly touching the mask in order to keep the filter In place. Year and a half into a pandemic and the design is still the same!?! Do you even wear your own products? What a waste of money..

Im giving a 5 star mask, 1 star because I think it is falsely advertised. I see way too many people wearing this mask without using a filter. It is a great mask when properly used, but OR needs to do a better job of communicating the need for a filter. Even a sales person told me that they use it without a filter and it is literally just MESH! The filter is necessary to keep yourself and others safe when wearing this mask- if only OR could state this more clearly to its customers.

I put the filter into the mask and it just wouldn't stay in place. The filter ripples when it is on your face, which feels very annoying. The nose bridge part does not stay up against your nose, and it fogs up any glasses that sit on my face. No matter how I adjust the ear loops they just don't have a good feel.

I wanted a mask with a contoured nose so I tried these. Despite washing them twice, they maintained a really weird/bad smell that made them unbearable. The fit was not working for my face, either - the metal nose bridge seemed too intense and the entire mask felt like too much fabric. I gave them an honest try because they were so expensive, but ultimately these went in the trash.

The mask has replaceable filter which are not secured in the mask. They have to be repositioned every time to take it off or put it on. Not up to OR standards.

Decent quality but they're enormous. I have a huge head and these are sloppy big on me. The chin part is at least a half inch away from touching my chin and lower jaw line making them basically useless. Shipping took two weeks as well but when I ordered them, to their credit, they said their shipping was slow, so at least they delivered on their word of slow shipping. I'm stuck with them because masks are not returnable, so I will likely just throw them away.

Filter doesn't stay in place. I think a sleeve to slide the filter into would be great.

Weak material structure, mask does not meet any safety guidelines for virus protection. Threw them away.