Face masks have become a part of our daily lives, and while we may not be required to wear them everywhere we go, they’re likely to still be part of traveling for some time to come.
As travelers, we’re required to wear masks on all flights, at airports and on public transport in most countries. And this isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
The question now is, what are the best masks to wear while traveling?
You obviously want proper protection, but you also want it to be comfortable to wear for extended periods on long flights.
We were recently sent a few masks from LCP Medical to trial and were really impressed with the masks.
See also Travelling in a Pandemic: Crucial Safe Travel Tips
LCP Medical masks
Using their PathoGenâ„¢ technology and filtration mechanisms, LCP Medical created custom-fit washable FrontLineâ„¢ and EasyBreatheâ„¢ cloth face masks.
Features of the FrontLine masks:
- High Quality fabric with elegant construction that is reusable and easy to sanitize
- 3 Filter Types: N95 Compliant Base Filter, PathoGen Filter, and Sport Filter
- Patent Pending Air Chamber holds the fabric away from the face, preventing skin irritation and keeping fabric from being sucked in when breathing
- All-Day Comfort with excellent fit and seal to prevent leakage around the edges and fogging of glasses
Their masks are available in five adjustable sizes, including youth sizes (ages 5-12). You can also get multiple replaceable filter styles.
The FrontLine protective face mask kit costs $45.99 and includes:
- One cloth facemask
- 5 x N95 compliant base filters
The EasyBreathe face mask costs $24.99 and includes:
- One cloth washable facemask with Embedded Air Chamber with excellent high flow fabric filtration
- No replaceable filters needed
How do LCP Medical masks increase your air flow?
There is a balancing act between air flow for easy breathing and fresh air exchange vs. filtration which restricts air flow and exchange.
One of the benefits of the air chamber on the LCP Medical masks is the filter is held away from the face allowing for some pressure equalization as air flows through the filter. With that being said, there will always be some rebreathing with any mask that has any level of effective filtration.
Simply put: The bigger chamber in the LCP Medical masks allows more airflow than masks sitting close against your mouth.
How to wash your mask
Both the FrontLine and EasyBreathe masks from LCP Medical are reusable and can be hand washed with soap and water.
Before washing your FrontLine mask, make sure to remove the filter.
How long can you use the filter for?
It is recommended that filters are replaced after 6-8 hours of continuous use, or if evidence of saturation or contamination occurs. Most people would be able to wear the mask for a few weeks before switching out the filters based on how often they wear a mask.
LCP Medical offers a variety of Frontline filters for refills:
- The N95 Compliant Base Filter is the standard base filter made for our masks
- The Anti-PathoGen Filter is made from multiple layers of pure elemental copper, reported by the EPA to eliminate 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
- The Sport Filter is specifically made for exercise, sports, outdoor activities, and other situations where high-flow filtration is desired.
Their other EasyBreathe mask has a built-in filter that can be hand-washed. This mask offers all of the design/comfort features (including no glass fogging) but not the same level of protection.
Our review of the LCP Medical masks for traveling
I’m not a big fan of wearing masks. Who is, right?
I use every chance to take the mask off and wear it only when needed and when safety rules demand it or when I decide myself that it’s necessary.
So I’m not testing the mask for 8 hours straight, but I’m critical when wearing it.
My first impression was that it felt of higher quality compared to all the other cheap masks I’ve worn so far. It’s happened a few times that I’ve taken out a cheap mask from my pocket and the ribbon breaks. My wife doesn’t mind, as she usually has a second and third mask in her handbag. Well… I don’t have a handbag and I rush out of the house with only one mask, which needs to hold.
So that’s the first plus point. The LCP mask is going to last far longer.
The first time I wore the mask, it felt loose, though it wasn’t. This was because of the big air chamber and that the mask does not lie flat on your mouth. So it’s actually far more comfortable.
I also like that you can decide if you want to use the filter or not. Obviously the filter is necessary most times. It’s nice that you can change it quickly and easily, and then keep reusing the mask. How many masks have you seen on the paths? And we have all seen the photos of masks being washed onto the beach. It’s definitely a plus point if you can reuse your mask as much as possible.
It’s also the first black mask I’ve used, which matches with my hoodie and other clothes. 🙂 Another plus point. Not that I was jealous, but there were people with better looking masks in the past. This changed now. 😉
And no matter what, I’m looking forward to the day when we can get rid of all the masks again. Let’s hope this day comes sooner than later. I still expect that it will take another 1-2 years of us having to wear masks when traveling. And I’m glad that I have a mask for those trips now – one that is reliable and comfortable to wear.
