Lightweight dust mask - basecamp?

[Agent_zed]

Hi,

I've decided I want a lighter dust mask. I've been using respirators up until now but finding they are heavy on my face, so want something a lot lighter. I get a lot of sinus problems so I'm trying to find something with a lot less weight around my nose.

I've looked at a few like the stealth but the replacement filters are expensive and it still looks quite large. Doing a bit of googling and youtubing and came across the basecamp masks
in particular this one -

https://bcmask.com/products/m-pro-dust-mask

I think they are American but ship to the UK etc.

It looks pretty much exactly what what I'm after.

Does anyone have any experience with using one? They appear to have all the correct certification etc but I don't know the brand to know how reputable they are.

Cost wise it would be a good deal as each filter is only a few quid to replace.

thanks

 

[Glynne]

I’m just in the process of researching a replacement dust mask (as filters for mine are no longer available) and I saw your post.
The link you provided looks an ideal fit for what I want and I wondered whether you had gone ahead and bought one and what you’re opinion was?

 

[Agent_zed]

I’m just in the process of researching a replacement dust mask (as filters for mine are no longer available) and I saw your post.
The link you provided looks an ideal fit for what I want and I wondered whether you had gone ahead and bought one and what you’re opinion was?

Hi,

haven't bought one yet as I'm terrible at getting around to doing things. I do intend to buy one and I was waiting til 'black friday' deals to see if they did a deal.

Interestingly though I'm pretty sure their 'black friday' deal that is on their homepage is actually more expensive than it was before. I'm reasonably sure that they had free shipping previously and 10% off, this has now changed to paid shipping (for less than $49.50) and 20% off, which I think works out more expensive as shipping is $11. But I might be remembering wrong.

I might wait til the sale is over and hope it goes back to free shipping as I only want a mask and some replacement filters so won't get over the threshold for free shipping at the moment.

I did contact them about the mask itself though and they did say it was certified to FFP2 although they say 99.6% filtration on their website but FFP2 is >94%. Although this is probably to do with particle size? Nothing to say that a FFP2 can't filter out 99.6% of particles as 94% is the min value, not max.

https://bcmask.com/pages/base-camp-filter-testing

If I get one soon I'll update on how I find it.

 

[Jake]

Trend Air Stealth is nice and light, and P3, and cheaper - comfortable too as such things go.

 

[Agent_zed]

Trend Air Stealth is nice and light, and P3, and cheaper - comfortable too as such things go.

It was on my list of masks I was considering.

I don't believe it is cheaper though. There are some cheap on ebay but no idea what's genuine or not etc so looking at a site that looks somewhat ok https://thefacemaskstore.co.uk/trend-air-stealth-p3-dust-mask-respirator-medium-large/ it is £16 with free postage.

Compare this to the basecamp at around £25 inc postage and at first glance it does appear cheaper.

Except the Stealth comes with 1 pair of filters, which according to the site above need replacing every 8-10 hours. A quick search for replacement filters and they come in at about £11 a pair, almost as cheap to buy an entire new mask.

The basecamp comes with 6 replacement filters (which have a bigger surface area by the look of it, so should last longer) so if we divide £25 by 6 = £4.18 per filter (inc mask cost)

Do the same for the stealth - £16 + (£11 x 5) = £71 ..... £71/6 = £11.83 per filter (inc mask cost)

Almost 3x the price in actual use.

Which is better? I have no idea. For me I want to try the basecamp as it is super lightweight and looks really easy to get on and off. The stealth is P3 though as you say, so if that's important then that is a factor. I'd opt for the stealth for anything involving toxic dust e.g asbestos. But then the Basecamp has carbon filters so would potentially be better for anything involving chemicals e.g the odd bit of painting (Although I'd buy a proper respirator for things like paint spraying).

I don't think there is one mask that will do everything or fit everyone so having both or either wouldn't be a bad thing

 

[Inspector]

Looks like you are going ahead with a purchase. Just keep in mind all the references to testing I could find on their website are medical based for bacteria which are 1 to 10 micron in size and not for dusts or other woodworking products we use in the pursuit of our hobby. The masks are not certified to any protection standard recognized for woodworking. As an example you have to realize a half or full face respirator with organic vapour filters for chemicals have a lot more carbon material than the mask you are looking at and they only have a life of 40 hours at most when sealed in a container when not in use. The amount of carbon in the multi layer filters is negligible in comparison. As my buddy, a union safety guy for the airline he worked for, would say sceptically. "They speak highly of themselves on the box." Your respiratory system is up to you to protect. Get it right and you happily get to be a burden on society (collecting you pension) for a long time. Get it wrong and you suffer and die sooner.

I have yet to see anyone making masks like that get them certified to recognized standards. Could it be because they can't pass?
Pete

 

[Agent_zed]

Looks like you are going ahead with a purchase. Just keep in mind all the references to testing I could find on their website are medical based for bacteria which are 1 to 10 micron in size and not for dusts or other woodworking products we use in the pursuit of our hobby. The masks are not certified to any protection standard recognized for woodworking. As an example you have to realize a half or full face respirator with organic vapour filters for chemicals have a lot more carbon material than the mask you are looking at and they only have a life of 40 hours at most when sealed in a container when not in use. The amount of carbon in the multi layer filters is negligible in comparison. As my buddy, a union safety guy for the airline he worked for, would say sceptically. "They speak highly of themselves on the box." Your respiratory system is up to you to protect. Get it right and you happily get to be a burden on society (collecting you pension) for a long time. Get it wrong and you suffer and die sooner.

I have yet to see anyone making masks like that get them certified to recognized standards. Could it be because they can't pass?
Pete

I may well be wrong (in which case I want to know) but the basecamp masks are rated at FFP2 and meet EN149 which I believe would be the required standard needed for woodworking with fine dusts. It's the equivalent of N95 from everything I've read.

Its at the bottom of this page https://bcmask.com/pages/base-camp-filter-testing. As mentioned though they did do a lot of baterial type protection, I guess for the Covid period so they could sell them for that too.

It's exactly the same protection level as one of these https://www.toolstation.com/ffp2-fold-flat-disposable-face-mask/p88579

I certainly don't want to get something that gives me a false sense of security as that would likely be worse than no mask.

Am I missing something?

 

[Inspector]

SWMBO is a nurse. They all have to be fit tested annually for the masks they use. The hospital only have two masks that fit her properly and if they are not available she can't work in any room where there are patients with any kind of airborne precautions or respiratory illnesses. A mask like the Toolstation must fit perfectly and only a fit test can prove that. If there are any leaks the filter media it is certified to makes no difference. A recent inquiry to a safety company quoted a fit test would cost $95Cad and that was only for respirators. If you feel like the bcmask will fit you face properly, as in absolutely no leaks, without a fit test, then buy them. Like I said I have never seen any of those masks certified to P95, N95, P100 or N100 like I have for 3M masks so I won't touch them. All the claims they are equivalent aren't worth taking a chance on to me. Your milage may vary.

Pete

 

[Agent_zed]

SWMBO is a nurse. They all have to be fit tested annually for the masks they use. The hospital only have two masks that fit her properly and if they are not available she can't work in any room where there are patients with any kind of airborne precautions or respiratory illnesses. A mask like the Toolstation must fit perfectly and only a fit test can prove that. If there are any leaks the filter media it is certified to makes no difference. A recent inquiry to a safety company quoted a fit test would cost $95Cad and that was only for respirators. If you feel like the bcmask will fit you face properly, as in absolutely no leaks, without a fit test, then buy them. Like I said I have never seen any of those masks certified to P95, N95, P100 or N100 like I have for 3M masks so I won't touch them. All the claims they are equivalent aren't worth taking a chance on to me. Your milage may vary.

Pete

That is certainly true but how many DIY'ers get a test to check their masks fit? Even if I bought the most expensive one I still wouldn't know if it's the correct fit. It's crude I know but on my respirators I hold my hand over the filters and check it sucks to my face when I breath in. If I'm doing anything remotely dangerous e.g cutting a load of mahogany, I'll shave also to be sure it is as close a fit as possible.

If it's a disposible mask like the one on toolstation I normally micropore tape it to my face.

Hopefully others can clarify but I think there might be some translation issues with the certification between what you are used to in Canada (and the US) and what we have in the UK (Europe).

It's not an 'equivalent' as we don't use N95 etc we use FFP. An N95 is roughly = FFP2 from my understanding. Assuming they aren't lying they are certified to EN149 FFP2 which is the standard we use in the UK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_respirator_standards

I certainly don't want to get it wrong so happy to be corrected/challenged on any of my thinking.