Respro Mask - Initial impressions - Bangalore Bikers Club

Message from discussion Respro Mask - Initial impressions
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Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 06:30:21 -0800 (PST)
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Subject: Re: Respro Mask - Initial impressions
From: totobobo <totobobom...@gmail.com>
To: Bangalore Bikers Club <Bangalore-bikers@googlegroups.com>
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Wow, this is great stuff, Nagaraj. Your review is one of the best in
terms of objectivity and practical consideration. Cyclist review for
cyclist.

Rajat point out a good point: breathing pattern. In the case of
TOTOBOBO, the preferred pattern is 2 (Mouth in-Nose out). The TOTOBOBO
filter is much more efficient to filter out fine particulates than our
nose :-) Breathe in with the mouth is less resistance and opening the
mouth further improve the face seal- it gives a bigger margin for the
strap tolerance to achieve the one-way-valve effect as you describe
here:

> > > "if you wear the mask tight enough (but not too tight) so that the pr=
essure built
> > > up in the mask from your exhaust pushes the mask out just enough from
> > > the skin so that the exhaust escapes out and hence water vapour (and
> > > hence condensation) does not build up inside the mask.

This is a patented feature, it is not obvious until you use it several
time to adjust the strap to the right tension. I am glad that you
discover this feature by yourself.

Regarding your question:
- TOTOBOBO filter currently don't have an active carbon version. Is it
worth to develop one?
- "turning dark" is a signal to change filter- the filter won't change
color by itself, turning dark is a pretty solid indication that it has
done it's job. (refer to this comparison between a coach and a plane)
http://totobobo.com/blog/?p=3D164

Now if I may make a summary of your observation, the important
considerations are:

FILTER
  - does it cut-out CO?
  - effectiveness
FACE SEAL
COMFORT
  - ease of breathing
  - does it gets condensation?
  - light weight
EASE OF USE
  - velco easier than strap
  - ease of cleaning (for reuse)
COST
  - cost of mask (one time cost)
  - cost of filter (consumable cost)
AVAILABILITY

I don't know if you can list these consideration according to their
priority ? Anyone want to give it a go?

Francis



On Nov 4, 2:56=A0pm, Nagaraj <Nagaraj_Puduko...@satyam.com> wrote:
> My breathing pattern is 1. Nose in -Nose out.
>
> On Nov 4, 11:36=A0am, "Rajat Agrawal" <rajatagra...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > What is your breathing pattern?
> > 1. Nose in - Nose out
> > 2. Mouth in - Nose out
> > 3. Nose in - Mouth out
> > 4. Mouth in - Mouth out
>
> > To me it seems that the amount of moisture released will increase from
> > pattern 1 to pattern 4...
>
> > -Rajat
>
> > On Tue, Nov 4, 2008 at 11:22 AM, Nagaraj <Nagaraj_Puduko...@satyam.com>=
wrote:
>
> > > Totobobo Mask - what I like:
> > > ---------------------------------------
> > > 1. Simple and largely effective design. What I mean by that is, the
> > > mask is not complicated but at the same time forms an very good seal
> > > on your face and nose thereby cuttting out a lot of crap (essentially
> > > sub micron particulate matter) which otherwise you would breathe.
> > > There is no other mask made in India (A.F.A.I.K) which does this. =A0=
The
> > > important thing is a mask should form a very tight seal for it to
> > > start being useful. The filters on the totobobo mask do a very good
> > > job. Claire mask in this regard is a piece of crap, essentially for m=
e
> > > it has no design at all. Probably it is the best known mask of Indian
> > > make.
> > > 2. totobobo is light weight so almost don't feel its weight on your
> > > face.
> > > 3. The breathing resistance you experience (versus say Respro) is ver=
y
> > > little. Which means your efficiency of riding/breathing is largely no=
t
> > > affected by it.
> > > 4. It is cheap (versus Respro), the filters are very cheap (versus
> > > Respro). This is with a caveat, see more of my review to understand
> > > what I mean by this.
> > > 5. Last but not the least, Rohan (BOTS) will sell the filters when I
> > > run out of my stock.
>
> > > Totobobo mask - what I DON'T like
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > 1. It does not cut out the CO and other harmful exhaust gases because
> > > it does not have a Dynamically Activiated Charcoal filter like Respro=
.
> > > Francis correct me if I am wrong on this one.
> > > 2. It takes a little bit of time (you need to ride with it a few
> > > times) to get the fit right from the perspective of avoiding
> > > condensation (big time) inside the mask. What I mean by this is, the
> > > only way what you breathe out gets out of the mask is through the
> > > boundary of the mask with your facial skin. This happens if you wear
> > > the mask tight enough (but not too tight) so that the pressure built
> > > up in the mask from your exhaust pushes the mask out just enough from
> > > the skin so that the exhaust escapes out and hence water vapour (and
> > > hence condesation) does not build up inside the mask. If you wear it =
a
> > > little too loose, then you defeat the very purpose of wearing it.
> > > 3. The filters get dirty (they turn black) with about 3 to 4 hours of
> > > usage in Bangalore. This means =A0I am not sure if this can be used a=
s a
> > > signal to change the filters, so Francis your comments are welcome
> > > here. Assuming it is a signal enough, then the filters need to be
> > > changed probably once or even twice a week for regular commuters like
> > > me.
> > > 4. The ties on the mask which hold them onto your face are a little
> > > flimsy and not very convenient to adjust to your face. A strap and a
> > > velcro mechanism (like Respro) would have been far more effective. Th=
e
> > > current ties as they are DO WORK, please don't get me wrong.
>
> > > Respro mask - what I like and what I don't like.
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > 1. It does cut out the CO and other harmful exhaust gases (through a
> > > DAC filter) in addition to the sub micron particulate matter.
> > > 2. The design is very effective, it forms a tight seal as effectively
> > > as the totobobo mask. This too is light weight but a tad heavier than
> > > totobobo but not to the extent of being a bother. It has got a velcro
> > > strap to keep it in place on your face which works VERY effectively
> > > and also helps in forming the tight seal (which is so important).
> > > 3. There are one way exhaust valves on the mask which let out the air
> > > you breathe out (but don't allow air in when you breathe in); this
> > > feature greatly helps in avoiding the condensation issue inside the
> > > mask.
> > > 4. The filters seem to last much longer, it has been around 15 riding
> > > days i.e. 15 riding hours for me until now with my first set of Respr=
o
> > > filter and the filter hasn't turned black yet. So from a cost
> > > perspective i need to do more to compare the cost of Respro filters
> > > and totoboto filters to conclusively say which is cheaper.
> > > 5. There is significant breathing resistance with Respro, if you want
> > > to see the good side of this, then it is that you can increase the
> > > training effectiveness (if you are training for a race or something
> > > similar) with this:-), otherwise this is a pain.
> > > 6. The discomfort or lack of comfort rather is a bit more with Respro
> > > versus totobobo.
> > > 7. As I mentioned earlier the initial cost of Respro is almost 4 time=
s
> > > that of totobobo. Mind you I am not talking about the repetitive
> > > expenses of filters here, but just the initial cost of acquiring the
> > > mask itself with a set of filters or a filter as the case may be.
>
> > > So what is my final conculsion; I think both have a place, I intend t=
o
> > > use both. Having said that, totobobo is VALUE for MONEY undoudtedly.
> > > Respro is a sophisticated design albeit expensive one. So take your
> > > pick.
>
> > > Cheers
> > > Nagaraj
>
> > > On Nov 3, 2:21 pm, totobobo <totobobom...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi Nagaraj,
>
> > > > Thanks for the useful review. I think it is long overdue for a fair
> > > > and factual benchmark between different made of mask.
>
> > > > Do you have further comment after using the mask for a month now?
>
> > > > Best regards,
>
> > > > Francis
>
> > > > On Oct 2, 5:26 pm, Nagaraj <Nagaraj_Puduko...@satyam.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > I finally received myrespromask yesterday. I ordered it a few day=
s
> > > > > ago from their website (www.respro.com). =A0It was shipped to me =
from
> > > > > the UK. =A0The whole thing including shipping burnt a hole worth =
33 UK
> > > > > pound sterling on my credit card. There was no customs duty levie=
d on
> > > > > it by the Indian authorities. It was shipped to me via. Royal Mai=
l.
> > > > > The packaging was excellent. I ordered the techno model (blue col=
our,
> > > > > large size). I got to try it out this morning cycling for about 5=
 to 6
> > > > > km. =A0Here is my initial impression of it:-
>
> > > > > 1. Just like the totobobo mask it forms a tight fit over the nose=
 and
> > > > > mouth. It is very easy to put on and take off. Very convenient. O=
n
> > > > > this front it does have a slight edge over the totobobo mask.
> > > > > 2. It seems to be as effective as the totobobo mask in filtering =
out
> > > > > the sub micron particulate matter in pollution. And in addition i=
t has
> > > > > two one way valves on it which ensure that as you breathe out, th=
e
> > > > > water vapour in the breath goes out without condensing inside or
> > > > > without leaving a temporary cloudy layer on my spectacles. Becaus=
e
> > > > > these are one way valves, when you breathe in, they lock up and t=
he
> > > > > air passes only through the filter inside the mask.
> > > > > 3. The filter has a Dynamically Activated Charcoal Cloth (DACC) i=
n it
> > > > > which adsorbs (note this is not absorption but adsorption) which =
is
> > > > > supposed to protect you from gases like CO and other gases in typ=
ical
> > > > > vehicle exhausts. I was very keen on testing this aspect of the m=
ask
> > > > > as the totobobo mask does not have this feature. With the totobob=
o
> > > > > mask I can smell the exhaust quite clearly and they anyway do not
> > > > > claim that it protects you against gases in the exhaust. =A0Totob=
obo
> > > > > does claim that the mask filters out particulate matter (upto 94%=
 i.e.
> > > > > 1% less than the N95 NIOSH standard) upto 0.3 micron size (i.e.
> > > > > anything greater than 0.3 micron size). =A0As I mentioned in my e=
arlier
> > > > > review of the totobobo mask, the filters turned black for me with=
 2
> > > > > hours of usage. BTW I got totobobo on their website and it was sh=
ipped
> > > > > to me from Singapore. Back toRespromask now. The acid test for it
> > > > > was going behind a bus which just accelerated from a bus stop.
> > > > > Obviously the bus spewed out a ton of exhaust at that point. I co=
uld
> > > > > not smell the exhaust a bit. I just could not believe it. The dam=
n
> > > > > thing is very effective andrespro'sclaim, at least for me, seems
> > > > > vindicated. I can't say the same about totobobo. Hats off and tha=
nk
> > > > > yourespro.
> > > > > 4. According torespro, the filter is expected to last for 30 hour=
s at
> > > > > a breathing rate of 30 liters per minute assuming WHO guidelines =
for
> > > > > ambient levels of pollution. I don't know how many times is the
> > > > > pollution in Bangalore compared to WHO standards. Surely that fac=
tor
> > > > > must be more than 1. I intend to use myresproand keep a record of=
 my
> > > > > usage to see how long a filter lasts in the pollution levels we h=
ave
> > > > > in Bangalore. BTW the replacement techno filter pack (2 filters i=
n the
> > > > > pack) will cost you 16.5 UK pound sterling including shipping to
> > > > > India.
> > > > > 5. I was of course sweaty inside the mask but surely a lot less t=
han
> > > > > the totobobo mask because of the one way exhaust valves.
>
> > > > > I agreeresprois very expensive (4 times almost) compared to the
> > > > > totobobo mask. I will post more about my feedback onresproafter I
> > > > > use it for a few weeks.
>
> > > > > Cheers
> > > > > Nagaraj- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>