This goes double for people who just want a gas mask with an expired filter to do with workouts. If you’re looking for a gas mask just to look like an operator on Instagram, and you’re not actively expecting to encounter CBRNE threats, the Avon M50 is a bit expensive, ranging in the mid-$300s. Finally, and most importantly, because this is the current NATO standard, filters are easy to find, so you’ll have no issue finding filters for your intended use at a fair price. If you’re like me, and commonly use a radio headset for communications, trying to use the microphone of a headset with a respirator on is completely useless, which is why many headset manufacturers make adapters for respirator voice boxes. Finding things like CBRNE hoods, replacement lenses, prescription glasses mounts, and other accessories is super easy, since it’s the current standard for U.S. The Avon M50 is a full-featured respirator for the most hazardous of environments, designed to be flexible enough to support everything from gas chamber qualifications to full-on Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs). In addition to my meager experience, this is the gas mask that CBRNE experts all recommended as the current cream of the crop, since it’s widely supported with an ecosystem of accessories and reliable enough to be considered the centerpiece for military CBRNE operations. It’s also standard-issue in the Marine Corps, meaning that it’s the gas mask that I have the most personal experience with on this list. It’s well-designed, and is specifically engineered to be more user-friendly and handy in a tactical environment. The Avon M50 is the standard-issue gas mask for the United States, Norway, Belgium, and Finland, and is seeing adoption in the militaries of other NATO partner allies, offering a wide variety of sizes, features, and aftermarket accessories. If any of you were hoping that we’d taken one of our employees and shoved him into a room with Sarin gas to see if the gas mask worked, I’m sorry to disappoint. This, combined with research and statistics to back up what they said, led to the recommendations today.

How we testedįor this article, I drew upon my own experience wearing and selling gas masks, which helped make the practical application parts of this article easier, but acknowledged my own lack of expertise on the matter, and instead turned to CBRNE experts in the military and DoD civilian communities who have, in some cases, relied upon their respirators to save their lives while they work with hazardous chemicals and substances. Remember, when buying used, and at least once a year, check the seals of your gas mask to prevent contaminant infiltration. The advantage here is that there are ways that you can actually own the same gas masks trusted by military CBRNE specialists, and we’re here to show you these ways, and offer some important tips on how to make sure that the next time there’s some sort of airborne contaminant, you’re set. These hazards are nothing new, and people have taken to purchasing subpar (but heavily advertised) gas masks as a way to remediate this. The western United States experiences wildfires and high levels of airborne smoke, which can aggravate respiratory illnesses, and during the BLM protests in 2020, many people realized that the clouds of CS gas used by the police affected everyone, even if they weren’t physically at the protest. service members have realized that gas masks aren’t just for suffering through yearly gas mask qualifications, but are useful tools for any sort of situation where airborne chemicals or particulates are present. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

M50 gas mask glasses insert