Gaskets in N95s. Great or Gimmick? PortaCount Tester Gives Surprising Results

Some masks have a foam gasket inside the mask to make them fit better, but do the gaskets really work? Or do they just cost you extra money and make the mask bulkier for no reason? I used a PortaCount Mask Fit tester to find out.
Fit is very individual, so your results may be very different than mine.
Thanks to Arachnomancer for the FFP masks to test. And to Protectly for the N95.
00:39 3M 8212 N95 welding respirator
02:01 F&F 2060 FFP2
03:52 F&F 2060 FFP2 w/ Fix the Mask
04:37 3M Aura 9205+ N95
05:12 HJR CN100-07 FFP3
06:52 HJR CN100-07 FFP3 Held to Face
3M 8212 N95 welding respirator
www.3m.com/3M/...
F&F 2060 FFP2
ff-gruppe.de/p...
HJR-CN100-07 FFP3 (I couldn't find a manufacturer's listing, so this is the first listing I found on Google)
novamed-pl.tra...
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In the video I'm using a PortaCount mask fit testing machine that gives scores in "Fit Factor".
Fit factor is the the concentration of ambient particles outside the mask divided by the concentration inside the mask. So if there were 1000 particles outside and 10 inside, 1000 divided by 10 is 100, so the air inside the mask is 100 times cleaner and the fit factor is 100.
The Portacount counts particles from .02 to 1 micron in size.
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I bought 2 3M 8212s along with a bunch of other samples from Protectly, which, as of this posting, Sept 22, 2022, is offering individual samples from their inventory of KN95s, KF94s and N95s for $2.50 each. This is a great way to get single samples to test for a fair price instead of having to buy a whole box. Protectly gave me additional masks for free when they heard the projects I'm using them for.
www.protectly....

[@jakeblake1725]

Same thing happened to me. I got a 3m 8233 N100 and it had a gasket and buckle straps and I couldn’t get a fit and high leakage. On the other hand the msa advantage 200 that I’ve been wearing for years has a really tight seal without even cranking down on the straps and having P95 flexi filters on there. It has an Apf of 10 but honestly I think I could achieve an apf of 50 or greater with it.

[@vasilis5989]

It seems that 3M's quality control sucks worldwide.Seeing that asymmetric nose wire reminded me the three orders i returned from three different 3M stores back in July. I thought i was unlucky in the first order and proceed in a different store next time. Then,there was a different defect on the other order and another on my last one! 3M admitted to the stores that the masks were defected.Although their respirators are the 'necessary evil' ,providing excellent protection, i've had enough from them.Their treatment from their part was also awful.Their headquarters in my country never called me back any time they promised to give me any updates.Fortunately,after 2-3 months i got a refund and a store credit.
Excellent video btw,apologies for the long comment.

[@jiong-tyx]

Oh, that is interesting, I used too kind of gasket masks, and I think they are third masks rather than half masks. And a possible good point is those masks are comfortable for people with a sensitive chin 😂