Mask Review: Errea Italian Sportswear. Post 3 of ?

This guest review was contributed by Maggie Brasted, a club mate of Allison and Badger from Rockville Fencing Academy. Maggie found the sport of fencing and entered her first competition at age 50. Prior to that, she had never participated in competitive sports. As an oxymoron (a beginner in the “veteran” age category), she fell in love with fencing and the community of fencers . She has competed in Veteran and Senior foil and epee at local, regional, and national events. She is also a rated referee in foil and epee who, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, worked frequently at events in Capitol and Maryland Divisions.

Mask: Errea Italian Sportswear brand

Purchased from: https://aofwear.com/products/errea-sport-face-masks/ for $20 plus shipping

I found through Facebook Veteran Fencing groups post from https://www.facebook.com/artoffencingapparel/

Specs:

Filter pocket: No

Ear loops or ties: Ear loops. Edge binding on mask form loops.

Nose wire: No

Sizes: Two—Adult and Youth. Very stretchy knit fabric could fit a wide range of face sizes.

Fashionable? In black or blue. I bought the blue, really blue and white, which looks sharp with coordinating colors. The black is solidly black and would match most fencing mask mesh.

Fit: Very stretchy single layer of knit fabric fits me snugly and comfortably. When it first arrived, I thought it was too small until I stretched it out in all directions. I think it can stretch to fit a wide range of face sizes. Youth size may also fit smaller adult faces. Nose wire does not seem needed to keep in place due to snug fit of stretchy fabric.

I have worn it both with and without a “mask bracket” or “lipstick protector” frame underneath. Either way, it fits snugly and stays in place. I very much prefer with the frame as that keeps the mask from sucking into mouth and nostrils. I find it easier to breath freely during exertion and my speech is easier to understand with the frame. The mask holds the frame in place very well without much fiddling once I have it on.

How is it on the strip? I have not been back in the salle to fence since the beginning of the pandemic. My experience with this mask has been while biking, working out, and doing solo footwork practice.

Biking is the most demanding of these. I biked over the same routes with home-made 3-layer cloth masks and the Errea mask, both with and without the frame. I found I could breathe best in the Errea mask with the frame. When climbing hills in the home-made cloth masks, I struggled for breath and had to rest and take the mask off much more than with the Errea mask on the same hills.

I also tried my Leon Paul Exchange fencing mask over the Errea mask at home to see how well the Errea mask is likely to stay in place during fencing. Donning and removing my LP mask was smooth and the Errea mask stayed put.

I note that while biking in the Errea mask my sunglasses fogged up quickly. I had to abandon wearing sun glasses when exerting myself. Thus, I would expect fogging to occur when fencing with glasses.

Verdict:

Pros:

• Stays put when putting on fencing mask and taking it off.
• Comfortable snug fit.
• Does not significantly impair breathing during exertion compared to home-made cloth masks.

Cons:

• Only one layer of fabric and no option for filter may impact the mask’s ability to act as a barrier to virus particles. Perhaps a layer of some kind (i.e., a coffee filter) could simply be placed between the mask and the separately purchased frame to enhance filtration.
• Glasses fog up.