Aegle N95 Mask USA, NIOSH-approved, 50 Pack in anti-counterfeit packaging, Particulate Respirator, STS-F100

I’m in the medical profession and recently went to my first medical convention in person. Although full vaccination was required to attend ,masking was also required at the meeting. I can no longer comfortably wear KN 95 or N95 masks behind my ears for all day. After almost 2 yrs of masking everywhere except at home the cartilage in my ears can’t take the pressure . I’ve worn almost every medical mask I could get my hands on and am happy to see them now available for all at a decent price. These fold flat for travel, the nose bridge is an exceptional conforming metal insert with exterior foam for comfort. They would fit most faces in terms of depth. They lay flat without gaps on the face . The yellow elastic bands are however tight which is for a secure fit but making it a little hard to remove. No bands have broken however. I wish they had an adjustable toggle at the ends mainly for ease of removal. I have some with a toggle at the end from another company. I have no contact facial dermatitis , no smells and because of the security tab I trust the authenticity NIOSH approved with 95+ filtration. I also wear another blue 3 ply mask over top of this with looser bands that my ears can take. Patients still get scarred when they see you in these N95 types especially when they are wearing home made types with questionable fits. I’m trying to set the example and and will readily tell any patient how to purchase . Frankly I think everyone should be wearing these even those who are or not vaccinated. I wore this on a 3 hour flight, walked quickly daily through a convention building the length of a football field, in an Uber, a the hotel and on a convention transport bus with other vaccinated medical people. I recently got my third Phizer Booster prior to the meeting as I was 8 months out from full vaccination recognizing the break trough cases we are seeing in our area. I work in a high risk profession but I think we should all be wearing these.

As a physician, I've used many N95 masks over the years. Though they provide the best protection from virus particles, the sacrifice is that they're not very comfortable. However, a friend suggested I try the Aegle mask, and now that I have, I understand why it was recommended to me. It truly is the most comfortable N95 I've ever used. The secret to make it maximally comfortable is to carefully mold the nose bridge around your finger to change it from a "V" shape to a "U" shape. It then fits tightly but comfortably on the nose, and can be worn for hours without any discomfort. In situations where you don't need maximum protection but still want a better mask than a typical surgical mask, you can also cut the head straps in the middle, then tie both straps on each side of the mask together, making an ear loop mask. You then get protection that is almost as good as N95 level protection, but with even more comfort. In any case, these masks are now the only masks that I use when, for example, I'm going to be in a crowded room or on a flight and it's so nice to be comfortable and at the same time know that I'm well protected.

UPDATED!!!LATEST UPDATE: All right . . .adding a star to these. After wearing them for a week now, I've gotten more used to them and actually kind of like them. Yes, they're a little tight, but they keep a good seal around my nose and, most importantly, they don't seem to rub away the skin on my nose. No straps have broken and nothing's torn . . . I'm starting to like them more. I like the roominess of the Harley L-188 masks a little more but these are a strong second now.PREVIOUS UPDATE: Just a few days later . . . the straps are still really tight, and I can't imagine leaving them on for long periods, but I will say that these masks don't seem to rub away the spot on the bridge of my nose. Both my spouse and I were able to get a good seal around the edges of the mask . . . if you have a smaller head, these might be fine.OLD: I was able to get a good seal around my nose - my spouse wasn't -- but overall these masks are a little thinner than our previous N95 masks and MUCH tighter. I don't have a particularly large head but these straps are really pulling the mask into my face . . not sure they'd be great for long periods. The other thing, perhaps more importantly, is that there is no padding on the inside of the mask, where the mask forms to the nose. This means that the mask -- remember, it's tight -- is just going to rub at the skin and, after a while, you're going to want to take it off . . .which defeats the purpose. I think these will be fine for shorter lengths of time but we're going to find others for anything more than an hour.

American made PPE available en masse to the general public without fear of counterfeit PPE? Honestly in March of 2020 that seemed like a pipe dream. Well, Aegle solved that problem...but better yet, they solved the problem because that was their goal. I've given these to my dad (he thought it was impossible that they were so comfy yet NIOSH-approved real N95s), and to friends because reusable masks were a stop-gap measure we adopted so real masks all went to hospitals. Everyone loves these I was afraid to leave a review because I wanted to immediately buy several more boxes before Amazon customers discovered how FANTASTIC these are and the price skyrockets. (The price has since decreased!)These are not shipped by Amazon, but their customer service is very quick and very easy--these are good people. They also are 100% trackable, as they ship from from where they're made.Just fantastic.**Update: I've tried their foldable F100 N95s, their N95 cup, which I find less comfortable and feel a tad odd walking around in. I now use their F110 N95s with Acteev material--best nose pieces in my opinion. Eager to try their take on the KN95 mask, the "Ease" (ie they go around the ears not the head). I love these masks so much.NOTE: you must follow their instructions, do not bend the nosepiece unless you can bend it with both hands. Yes, it really makes a difference!