Mask Fitters Reviewed: Fix the Mask and Badger Seal

 

In a previous post, I reported on research studying how well different kinds of masks block SARS-CoV-2 aerosols. The research is still under review, but used a very cool design that you can read about in the previous post if you're interested.

None of the masks did a great job on their own, especially the ones we see everyone wearing. Cotton masks had 7.5% efficiency, and blue procedure masks  came in at 15.8%.  

But the research found that the performance of all of them could be boosted by use of an appliance called a mask fitter or mask brace.  They boosted the filtration efficiency of inexpensive melt-blown polypropylene procedure masks  up north of 90%!

This got my attention. So I decided to obtain and test Fix the Mask and Badger Seal. Both work by pressing the mask down around your nose and face, where masks tend to gap and leak. I have not received any incentives to do these reviews. The mannequin in the pictures below is not masked because I thought the components of the fitters would be easier to see against a uniform background.

Fix the Mask

Fix the Mask is sold through a site on Shopify. The product is the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign run by a mechanical engineer and a marketer, both of whom have worked for Apple. 

The e-commerce experience was smooth. The minimum quantity you can buy is two, for some reason. That was twice the quantity I needed so that's a small minus. The two-pack cost $30.00, plus $5.00 shipping. I ordered on a Sunday, and received the shipment the following Wednesday.

One feature of Fix the Mask is a set of "fins" that are perpendicular to the nose strap (see the inset in the pic above).  These push the mask down to seal around your nose. Accordingly you have to provide a nose size (!) when ordering.  They have a clever way of finding your nose size using a quarter coin (though you need to mouse-over a graphic on the web site to see this, which is not immediately apparent and is fancier than need be).

Following the instruction card that came with the package, I found putting on Fix the Mask took quite a bit of fiddling around. Once you get it on your head, you need to adjust and position the straps quite a bit for it to work properly. This took more time than I expected and I felt like the process benefitted from use of  a mirror. It has gone more smoothly now that I've done it a few times. 

It was generally comfortable to wear, except that the chin strap kept slipping up over my chin, requiring frequent repositioning. If I put it far enough under my chin for it to stay in place, it was beyond the bottom edge of the mask and no longer sealed it.

I contacted the supplier about this problem. They got back to me promptly, suggesting I reposition the bottom strap from the back of my neck to a spot just below the top strap. That did the trick.  

I wore it for about two hours. The chin strap stayed in place. By the time I took it off my nose was feeling a little put-upon, so this is something to consider if you're someone who would need to wear the mask all day.

Badger Seal

Badger Seal was designed by some of the same people at the University of Wisconsin Engineering lab who published the study I reviewed in the previous post.  The do not sell the gadget, and in fact offer instructions for making it yourself.  However, their page also links to two retailers where you can just buy one if you prefer.  

I ordered mine from the first link (TabSynth) and the online shopping experience was smooth. I ordered on a Sunday and received it on Friday.  

The page linked above contains a video explaining how to properly don and adjust the Badger Seal. I recommend watching it. Until I did, particularly the part about bending the nose bridge to the proper shape, I couldn't get it to fit properly.

On my first test, I had problems with the chin strap slipping up, just like with Fix the Mask. I contacted one of the professors at the lab, who suggested a modification involving adding a second strap to the bottom of the clear plastic tubing on either side. 

I ordered some elastic cord and cord locks from Amazon (about $7) and made the modification. This solved the chin strap problem, but not when I positioned the lower cord around my neck.  Wearing both cords high on the back of my head (like with Fix the Mask) resulted in the best fit for me.  Even with the modifications though, I still had some problems with the device not sealing properly around my nose.

I wore the Badger Seal for about two hours.  I had the same nose sensitivity as with Fix the Mask, but nothing major

Comparison

One caveat: I have an XXL head. It's not Mr. Mackie-level or anything, but I have trouble finding hats that will fit. Some baseball caps won't fit, even at the largest adjustment. This may have been a factor in my initial problems with both appliances.  

That said, I conclude that both Fix the Mask and Badger Seal work as intended and are reasonably comfortable, at least when worn for a couple hours at a time. I did have to modify the Badger Seal, which involved some additional expense and effort. On the other hand, if I didn't have a freakishly large head this might not have been necessary.  

Even with the modifications I found it hard to get a good nose seal with the Badger Seal. The flexible fins on Fix the Mask seem better at automatically conforming to different shaped noses and faces, so I would give that product a slight edge.

Finally, if you're worried that you might get stares in public when wearing such unusual head gear, fear not. I wore both of these things to the store. Not a single person seemed to notice, and nobody asked me what I was wearing.  This surprised me, but goes to show the devices are not ugly or obtrusive.

So my advice is this: Get one of these fitters and turn your 16-cent procedure mask into an aerosol-filtering powerhouse almost as good as an N95!  Also throw away your cotton masks.  Even with a fitter the best they do is 26% efficiency.