Fit Test Battle of the N95 Tri-folds: 3M Aura 9205+ vs. Black BNX F95B
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- A particle counter mask fit test comparison of the 3M Aura 9205+ vs. Black BNX F95B.
Includes bonus tests of the LG Airwasher KF94, and a hacked version of the BNX with the nose wire from a 3M.
I wanted to find out if the fit of the BNX F95B would be good enough to justify ditching the Auras for the cool look of the black BNX. So, I put them to the test on my face using a TSI particle counting mask fit tester - sort of like if if you accidentally ordered Aaron Collins on Wish dot com.
(Yup, I’m totally copying some of Aaron Collins’ testing methods, but without any of his specialized knowledge or expertise - just letting you know in advance :-) I really wanted to know how well these masks would work on my face so I had to do some tests myself. YMMV.)
2:15 - LG Airwasher
2:34 - LG Airwasher Fit Test
3:32 - LG Airwasher w/ Fix the Mask Fit Test
4:08 - BNX F95B
5:09 - BNX F95B Fit Test
5:55 - BNX F95B w/ Fix the Mask Fit Test
6:39 - 3M Aura 9205+
6:57 - 3M Aura 9205+ Fit Test
9:46 - BNX F95B Hacked by Replacing with a Solid Metal 3M Nose Wire.
9:55 - BNX F95B with Nose Wire Hack Fit Tested
*Measurements*
(Measured by opening the tri-fold mask fully, then folding in half so it looks like a bi-fold.)
3M Aura
Nose bridge to bottom of chin - 17mm
Interior Depth - 9.5mm (Working part of the mask, not counting tabs.)
BNX F95B
Nose bridge to bottom of chin - 16mm
Interior Depth - 8.5mm (Working part of the mask, not counting tabs.)
The measurements seem similar, but the BNX F95B really is, as advertised, a small/medium mask. It is not as big as the 3M, in spite of the front panels being essentially identical in size. The top panel is shorter, and the nose wire pocket slightly lower. The interior depth of the working portion of the mask is also a bit shorter.
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Note that I'm using an N100 style fit test of all ambient particles not the officially designated OSHA N95 protocol that counts only non-penetrating particles so that only leakage around the mask is measured - some filter penetration of ambient particles is expected. Because of that fit factor can be below 100 and still be within minimum expectations for a perfectly fitted N95 mask using the N100 test. I'm also not doing the official 4 stage OHSA fit test.
The actual NIOSH tested filtration efficiency test results will be different than my results because I’m not doing calibrated testing using just a specific penetrating particle size at a high flow rate, nor am I using lab grade equipment. Also, not an expert.
This is an awesome video, and thank you for creating it! This is the kind of demonstration that the supposed good governments should have been doing for the last four years. Further, we have known for 104 years that masks offer protection and are direly needed in some cases, and that some are better than others, yet no such demonstrations existed by the CDC, et. al. You have given me answers which I have search for from my government and found utterly missing.
To wit, for my face, all KN95 masks I've ever donned are worse than useless; they pop down below my nose the second I open my mouth to speak. Late in 2020, I was happy to get some cone-shaped 3M respirators, but these sorely dug into the bridge of my nose, and dug so badly, that there was a sizable gap just below my eyes. So, how were either of these two types of ANY use to me? Both were far inferior to a tightly fitting surgical mask. A KF94 mask works fairly well, but there is still a gap sometimes.
After a lot of looking and trial and error, I found the Aura and loved it. A video like yours would have saved me a lot of time. My one wish is that when I need to wear a mask (I work in an indoor, highly infectious environment), I wish I could get this in some other color than white. Why 3M is the only maker of the Aura model (or why they don't even issue it in teal) is beyond me.
Thank you again for this. Very informative, very intelligent.
I really hope someday 3M will listen to the chorus of voices asking for a black 3M aura :-) They are aware of the interest. It remains to be seen whether or not they will actually do anything about it. They already make a denim blue aura for the Brazilian market for some reason. So it's not a technological reason, it's strictly whether or not they want to spend the money making and marketing them. I think they would sell well. I would buy a bunch, and I would give them away to friends and family as well as promote them.
Thank you SO MUCH!
I so yearn for black or colors, but safety first 🙂
Here for the bnx mask review. Was revealing. The wires are important!
I had the same situation, just got the Bnx black trifolds to see if I could go back to wearing a black mask after months of just the aura. I have to agree, the nose wire in the Bnx just doesn’t live up to my expectation after wearing auras. If I do continue to use the Bnx I’ll have to add one of those stick on aluminum wires. I’ve tried adding aura wire to other masks but I always make a mess of it. How did you go about adding it to the Bnx without destroying it? Did you use some sort of tape to keep the nose wire in?
Most masks I've modified in the past seem to have had the nose wire closer to the top layer, so I've just made a slit at one end to slide the twin wires out and slide in a carefully cut 1mm x 5mm x 80-90mm strip of aluminum - if the edges are too sharp it can rip the mask's nose wire pocket. The aluminum strips have helped with some of my KF94s before I finally gave up on trying to get them to fit me securely - the Bluna Face Fit was the best, but it may have changed a bit since I last tried.
The BNX seemed to have the nose wire closer to the inside, so I cut a slit there, from the inside - I usually use an X-ACTO blade and use the very end of the old nose wire as a cutting board so I don't cut through other layers of the mask. For outside cuts I usually put tape over the slit when I'm done changing the wire out - and sometimes a piece on the other side just because the lack of symmetry bugs me :-) I didn't bother with tape for the one off test of the BNX, though. And I did scratch a layer of mask inside the nose wire pocket, so doing it as an everyday hack would take more care than I used.
For me, one of the things I noticed is that the original nose wire hurt, I could feel the twin wires digging in to my nose bridge - probably because I was trying to stuff my big face into a mask not designed for it, but I also think the nose wire needs more layers between it and my nose. The mask would hurt on my face if used as is for more than a short while.
@@gerardhughes Thanks for the details. And yeah, I had that pain from the wire too. My wife didn’t seem to have any problems though so maybe it is just the size issue and my face is too big. But I think it may also be that I’ve just gotten too used to the aura foam and now it feels weird to have any wire directly against my nose.
I use those stick on aluminum nose wires to reinforce the built in nose wires on my kf94s and it definitely helps with air leakage around the nose. The 3m Aura and 3m VFlex are still my favorite masks though. If the kf94 makers would put a solid nose wire and even a bit of foam like the aura then they would really up their game.
The wellbefore mask might be one to try for you then, as it has a better than average nose wire and also foam ... They also have a headband version which seem to fit even better.
100% try the iMask FFP2 / FFP3 and/or FFP3 with Valve ... My new fav's.
Thanks :-)
I've tried the iMask2, and it does fit me okay. But it's noticeably harder to breathe through than my 3M aura. I have not had a chance to try the iMask3 yet.
I may be willing to give up some breathability as long as the fit is still good. But that 40 euro shipping shipping charge to the US makes it kind of hard to pull the trigger on getting a supply of these.
I fit test at 155 on the valved FFP3 and 132 on the plain ... And the valved one is amazingly breathable feeling. Definitely try both. I fail on an Aura (probably am about an 85) and about the same overall on the FFP2 iMask as the Aura.
Haha I came to exactly the same conclusion an hour ago. "So close but the nosewire is holding it back".
3M Aura 9205+ and 1870+ are the best N95 respiratory masks for the best protection against the covid 19.
... if they fit :-)
@elliotrauchwerger8556 Yeah that Aura foam, large, soft, all the way across! Feels like it could even seal out some air. What do you think, @gerardhuges?
Hi Gerard,
Thanks for the great and informative video.
I think my nose shape and size is similar to yours, so thanks for confirming the Aura fit vs BNX trifold (which I WAS considering).
Regarding KF94s, have you tried the Medi-Mask or the Good Manner? Using cord locks, they both seem to fit me best (Even better than the Bluna FF). The upper panel dimension is fairly deep on both of these, like the Aura. And, both have a long and relatively strong nose wires. I like the Medi-Mask the most except it is a soft shell design and begins to exhibit mask collapse after a few hours of cumulative use. Though I've only tried the white. Perhaps the black is more rigid? I glue in two q-tip swabs "stiffeners" to prevent collapse on these.
Keep up the great work.
em