Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Essential Face Mask Kit

Bought these in early March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. These have keep me safe and the anti-bacterial spray is an extra feature which give me piece of mine. Suggestion: If the regular filler bunchs up in your mask, go for the medium size for a more snug fit. Amazing quality and product!

Great mask, have bought several. Do wish the filter stayed in place a little better. But the fit itself is very comfortable and covers the whole face more than any other mask I have tried

I now own 3 of these masks which makes it easy to switch them out daily. As a nurse I am used to wearing masks for 12+ hours a day. I have also sewn my own cloth masks. Out of all the masks I have bought and made this is definitely the most comfortable. The nose piece is easily adjustable. Even though I wear glasses, I have no issue with my glasses fogging up. The best feature on these masks is the adjustable ear bands. This makes it easy to get the mask to fit to different face shapes. With all this praise, you may be wondering why only 4 stars? The one thing I would change on this mask is how the paper filter fits into the mask. The filter is secured by tucking each end in. This results in the filter rubbing and bunching up easily. Why not sew a sleeve instead where you could insert the filter into. Thereby it would be soft fabric touching your face and not the itchy filter. This would also add an extra layer of protection to the mask.

It appears to be much thinner than the solid colored masks I have purchased from OR.

This is a great well made comfortable mask. My only suggestion is that the inside filter pockets on each side need to be extended another inch or more in width. As they are now the filters are not contained in the pockets and routinely fall out of the mask.

I was so very dissatisfied with the masks I was wearing until a vacation trip to Wyoming and found your incredible, comfortable, beautiful design, and most amazing masks! Thank you!

I have to wear a mask all day everyday at work and play and these are the ones I use for standard safety protocols. Best mask for everyday activity. I use S-biner clips to keep them around my neck when not in use and to keep ear straps from snapping off my ears (and from losing the rubber retainers.) Dislike the filter retaining system. doesn't hold well, so I modify all of mine to have the filter in between the two fabric layers. Don't know if that changes the filtering qualities. Maybe OR engineers will weigh in on that.

Best mask I have!

This mask is comfortable and comprehensive in its coverage. The nose piece makes this mask better for folks who wear glasses. Also, like the replaceable interior filters. Would appreciate a passive way (Velcro, clasp etc.) to secure the interior filter though - it tends to bunch up when removing the mask...

Good looking, comfortable mask, fits to nose well. Filters don't stay in super well without regularly adjusting, but it works just fine as a "cloth mask" without the filters.

Durable adjustable masks, only 4 stars due to the chemical odor when removing from package. I washed them first and aired them out. After that they work great.

Love this mask. The size is a bit on the larger size (for me) which I like as it goes well under my chin. This feels secure to me. The mask stays in place well and NEVER falls off my nose. It is comfortable enough for all day wear and the adjustable strap is helpful. The only reason it is not 5 star is the filter. Installation of the filter is a bit cumbersome. If they can improve that I would buy a bunch more and replace the few I already have.

Great masks in the sense they do what they are advertised to do. They fit my face better than other masks I have bought, owing to the adjustable nose piece and as it's wider than other masks I have purchased. So in short it's a more effective mask for blocking covid and the filters it comes with are a nice bonus. On the negative, as a runner, it's too hard to pull on and off. I don't live in a super densely populated area so I can go for most of my runs without passing anyone. However when I do see someone I want to have the mask on. Running with the mask especially on hills is too uncomfortable and I can't get enough air intake with it on. Other masks that I have, which admittedly afford less protection, are easier to slip on and off. My conclusion is these are great for hiking, skiing, grocery store, but less good for sports with higher cardio demand.

Masks fits great, but only downer is the filter moves around quite a lot. Other than that A for me

This mask is option, and a great value, offering added protection. I really like it, it fits well, is washable, and comfortable around the ears. My only complaint with it are the filter holders - the filter struggles to stay in place, since the holders are on the side and not one sheath. If this was improved, and more filters were included with the product I would recommend it better. Honestly? I have ended up using it without the filter for the most part.

I have purchased several of these masks for my family. The fit and breathability factors are top notch. That being said, the filter will not stay in place for long. My kids just hide the fact that filter is missing which kind of defeats the purpose. I have found that ripping 1" athletic tape lengthwise, and taping the insertion flap to the filter on both sides keeps the filter in place for a short time. If the filter and face mask fabric would make contact and stick/grab like velcro even a tiny bit I would recommend to everyone and give a five star review. If the peeps at OR aren't working on this it's a shame because it's a great product otherwise.

I really like this mask, being required to wear one, over the surgical or cotton masks provided at work. The fit is comfortable around my face, it is not awkward or annoying during prolonged wear. The nose wire keeps it from pulling down annoyingly while I talk, plus it helps keep the shape when wearing sunglasses. I do not like the excess strap material and the toggle behind my ears, but since it's not custom made for my face it's a small complaint.

This is my favourite mask so far. It is the only one I have that doesn't slowly pull down my face when I am talking. The adjustable ear loops are really nice. The filter material can bunch up a little, especially if you are wearing the mask outside in the cold and it gets damp from your breath. It isn't a big deal though and I find you can usually straighten things out enough with a small adjustment. I am planning to order some more to have spares available!

Fits very well and is easy to adjust. Works great for running, but I take out the filters. I would love to have a version that doesn't require filters.

Much more comfortable and better fit than plain cloth or medical type masks. Great in cold weather because it doesn't soak up moisture and freeze! Its not an athletic mask, but I've worn it as such when I forget my athletic mask and its fine. The adjustable cords have a good stopper; it doesn't slip and they haven't become overstretched, even on my oversized head! The filter arrangement is the only thing keeping me from giving this five stars. The top and bottom points are not anchored in the mask, leading them to crumple around your face and pull the wings out of the side pockets they are held in. Its annoying, and caused me to run through filters at a good clip until I started putting a single stitch through the top and bottom of the filter to anchor it. That's an ok temporary fix, but a pain when you change filters.

I work in the film industry and have to wear a mask for 12 hours straight daily, I also wear glasses so finding a good mask is hard. This mask works pretty well but after about a month of use the metal nose bridge snapped. Also the filter system is pretty terrible. It constantly gets pulled out of place so I'm constantly touching it which kind of defeats the point.

I wear these masks at work and they do a nice job of protecting me while also being comfortable. However, the replaceable filters deteriorate easily if my face isn't freshly shaved. If I have prickly whiskers, I have to wear a different mask until I either shave or let the beard grow in a bit.

This mask works well. The coverage is good, the color and material is also nice. The only setback is that the filter doesn't stay in place. There are only pockets on the sides to hold the filter and they are not enough. May need to use safety pins to help the filter stay put.

Love the OR mask, but as many have commented, filters do not stay in place. Both frustrating and may limit effectiveness. Filter modification to keep it flat and in place - simple and cheap. ADHESIVE VELCRO DOTS. Turn the pocket inside out, attach one fuzzy dot at the inside near outer edge seam. Attach another pair of hook dots to the filter outside edge so it will match. You can buy sheets with a couple hundred dots for a few bucks from the prime guys. I use the 15mm (5/8"). One dot on each side works great. So, for a couple pennies and a couple minutes you can change Velcro each time you change the filter. OR - maybe consider dispensing these with the Filters?

I bought these masks for alpine skiing. They work well and fogging is minimal with sunglasses and nonexistent with goggles. I would advise taking an extra filter as when using the mask in cold temperatures exercising causes a lot of condensation. Once the filter gets damp, it tends to migrate in the mask.