Respirators! Anyone wearing one?
 

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So, between a recent run-in with forest fire smoke while touring in California, noticing before that, that I have developed a spitting habit only when cycling, and planning on doing the High Pass Challenge here in Washington, but now the entire state is covered in forest fire smoke, I'm actually considering trying a respirator.

Anyone using or have tried one? What can you pass on?

Some of you are probably familiar with the Respro's, as cool as they look, I'm concerned about actually being able to bring in enough air to cycle with one of those. A little poking around on the web led me to these two:


Totobobo: Totobobo advanced respiratory protection made easy.


ecbreathe: Home


Probably a long shot, but has anyone tried either of these?



Anyone else getting to the point that they are considering getting a respirator?




(90+% of my riding is commuting, if I get one, that's where it'll get used most, and I expect urban riders to be most interested in such a thing.)

From a health and safety point of view, keep in mind that persons using a respirator in the workplace are required to have an initial medical exam and periodic medical surveillance, as it's possible a respirator can do more harm than good in some persons with underlying medical conditions/constraints, and use of a respirator may induce respiratory distress. This is for masks that actually seal to your face and pass the air through a particle or vapor filter. If the masks do not seal, like the common dust mask sold in the big box stores, then no real worries but probably not filtering out a lot either.

I wouldn't use a filtering facepiece mask/respirator while cycling or exercising, unless it was the powered, supplied air, variety. expensive and heavy. Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) - Respiratory - Grainger Industrial Supply

Cycling is an exercise. I think that wearing a respirator during exercise is unsafe because it makes breathing a lot more difficult and cuts off too much air supply. Your body need as much air as possible during exercise.
I work as a painter and I wear a respirator for most of the day at my job, I hate it and can't wait to take it off. Riding my bike and getting some fresh air in my lungs feels great.

I've commuted when we've had some local wildfires. When it was really bad, I drove. Missed a few days here and there. I tried a cheap face mask, but that was uncomfortable.

Skies on the Coast are hazy , the on shore breezes have weakened .

Cyclists in the London Metro area were a large customer base for filter masks due to the Diesel Particulates from the busses.



Famous Victorian era , the Pea Soup fogs were moisture forming around Coal stack particles from everyones heating fireplaces.

Been wearing one for what 4-5 years now. Should have been dead by now :lol:

I commuted with a Respro mask for four years when I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia (lots of vehicles, lots of air pollution). My notes
1. I felt much better wearing the mask than not. I felt like I had inhaled a huge cigar by the time I got home without the mask.
2. I had no problem getting enough air through the filters when the mask was dry.
3. Jakarta is hot and I sweat a lot anyway. As the mask soaked it became hard to breathe through. I could usually make it to work or home before it became a problem but very occasionally I would have to take the mask off due to a delay. For me the limit was 30 minutes. There are too many factors such as temperature, humidity, exertion level, etcetera, for that number to be repeatable.
4. Soaking issue aside I did not find the mask to be unpleasant. I’d say give it a shot.