Testing Out Face Coverings for Your Vacation (Part 1)
When Walt Disney World re-opens in July, all guest Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members will be required to wear face coverings. Disney is asking guests to bring their own masks.
From Disney’s Website:
All face coverings should:
– Fully cover an individual’s nose and mouth and allow the Guest to remain hands-free
– Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
– Be secured with ties or ear loops
– Be made of breathable material, either disposable or reusable
We plan to vigorous test many different options for face coverings. We will have multiple people testing multiple masks on multiple days. Each person will wear a different mask each hour, and every mask will be tested at different times of the day. After each mask, the testers will answer these questions:
- Would you want to wear the mask all-day?
- How easy is breathing & talking?
- How is the overall comfort?
The masks that we will be testing are masks suggested by TouringPlans users and masks that are advertised as being good for exercising in the heat. These face coverings are not medical grade and are not guaranteed to protect wearers from COVID-19. CDC information on face coverings can be found here.
It is not possible to test every mask on the market. We started ordering masks on June 11. Below are listed the masks we ordered. The list includes the price and amount of time it took to receive them. We plan to include the Disney masks, but they were not in stock when we tried to order them online. The masks are listed in random order.
1. VTER Cotton Breathing Mask
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VTER masks are made with a blend of 35% cotton and 65% polyester that blocks dust, dirt, and pollen while also absorbing excess moisture. Available at amazon.com, 5 for $20 Arrived in 5 days. |
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2. Mission Neck Gaiter
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Mission neck gaiters are constructed of thin, soft, lightweight, stretchy fabric. When activated with water it cools to 30 degrees below average body temperature. Buy 3 get 1 free. $59.97 + free shipping Available here. Arrived in 5 days. |
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3. Athleta Athletic Face Masks (5-Pack)
| Five masks for $30. With free shipping, the masks arrived in 7 days. Available here. |  |
4. Onzie Mindful Mask
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Activewear brand Onzie repurposed its performance fabric into a form-fitting face mask that allows airflow and wicks away moisture to keep the environment under your mask comfortable. 2 for $24 -15% WELCOME +$8.50 shipping. Arrived in 3 days. |
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5. Jiyye Neck Gaiter
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This half balaclava neck gaiter is made from a light and breathable silk. This light moisture-wicking fabric will transfer heat, sweat, and humidity away from your body. Openings for your ear will help keep this face-covering in place. Available at Amazon for $11.99 Arrived in 5 days |
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6. Tough Outfitters 12-in-1 Cooling Scarf
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A lightweight blend of spandex and polyester that’s sweat-wicking and breathable. It can be soaked in water for a stronger cooling effect. Available at amazon.com, $15 Arrived in 7 days. |
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7. StringKing 3-Layer Face Mask
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This single-use mask offers a lightweight mask with 3 layers of protection. Box of 50 for $38 + $12 Shipping. Arrived in 6 days. |
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8. Purple Face Mask
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The sleep company Purple created a soft mask with moisture-wicking Breeze mesh. Comes in two sizes. 2 for $20 with free shipping. Arrived in 8 days. |
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9. Eliel Face Masks
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Five Pack of fun face masks. Designs that are sent are random. $50 with free shipping. Arrived in 4 days. |
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10. Thompson Tee
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Thompson Tee uses premium breathable, soft cotton for their masks. Masks come in adult and kids sizes in white or black. Made in the U.S.A. Two for $5.99 + Free Shipping Arrived in 4 days. |
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11. Kini Bands
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Soft stretch face masks. Wicking and breathable. Made in the U.S.A. $14.99 -1.49 (KINI-10 10% off) + $ 3.18 shipping. Arrived in 13 days.
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The scarf/gaiter style masks do not follow Disney’s guidelines, but have been seen worn at Disney Springs. Since it is not clear, we will include them in our testing.
Stay tuned for the next blog post where we test airflow for these masks.
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I am an ER nurse and well versed in wearing masks. I highly recommend wearing either earsavers (a strap attached to the ear loops and goes behind your head) or a headband with buttons. I buy mine on Etsy but they can be DIY’d if you are crafty.
Masks are easier to wear if they are comfortable and I am eagerly looking forward to the results of this post!
I have a double layer, 100% cotton, contour with a wire across the nose and elastics. I wear it all the time at work and outside. Definitely my preference. Also, I read that 100% cotton has a much higher filtering capability than a poly cotton blend. Really curious to see what you find out.
I was so excited to see this blog entry! I am not planning on visiting WDW until September. At home I am testing various masks by doing outdoor tasks, and developing my own list of results and requirements. Thank you so much for sharing! This will help me narrow my preferences more efficiently!
So to do what I can to contribute, so far, I have found that I prefer pleated vs. contour masks, and I need a nose wire thing if I am wearing sunglasses. i have always known that I mostly sweat on my face. 🙁 So, I am going to give some of your moisture wicking options a try. Of the options I have experimented with so far, I would use a disposable mask and change it every one or two hours when in a hot and humid environment. Yesterday, I wore a purchased cotton contour mask with a PM 2.5 filter. The mask was soaked with perspiration after about an hour traipsing around a garden center at 91ºF, in full sun at noon. All I could think of was mad dogs and Englishmen, out in the noon day sun. My favorite washable/reusable mask, is one I constructed myself, and then altered. It is made of two layers of thick 100% cotton, sewn with three pleats, an insert slot for a filter, and worn with an elastic shoe lace that fits around my head. Keeping strings away from my eczema prone ears is a good idea. I am going to keep on iterating!
Stay well everyone! Let’s beat this thing!
Thanks for doing this ! Will you be testing any masks with the PM 2.5 filters ?
I’ve been wanting to see more of these comprehensive mask reviews from theme park blogs. Thank you for leading the way!
I love this idea and I look forward to hearing the results! I have struggled to find a mask I want to wear.