Respirators for Covid and protest gas protection

Hong Kong dissenters wrote extensively about appropriate gear.  Here is what I have been able to save that they wrote before dissent there was crushed..includes info on helmets and such

Full Face 6800 Respirators

The industry standard full face respirator mask is the 3M 6800.  Over here it's $200-$300.  You used to be able to buy it through Aliexpress from China for $40-60 (it would take a month to come), but given China crackdown on dissent they may no longer be available

And now on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/9in1-Suit-Painting-Spray-Same-For-6800-Gas-Mask-Full-Face-Facepiece-Respirator/253198478813?var=554290874518

For those who wear glasses, a (quite expensive, haven't found it on  aliexpress) spectacles kit is available, 3M #6878

                                  

I wear one for Covid protection...a bit over the top, but I'm 75 with numerous contributing cofactors...  Why a full face mask?  Because you can get infected through the eyes (either through the air or rubbing your eyes with infected hands).  Note that it also has a resonator, making speech more intelligible and less muffled.

This is good gear.  They are relatively comfortable, easy to put on, seal well and easily, don't fog up (the incoming air washes the visor), good peripheral vision and aren't too hot.  Made with extremely flexible silicon rubber.  I have the mask on the right,
A comment about Aliexpress: the search facility is lousy because the listing key words are often weird or in fractured English.  Keep trying

Filters:

The 6800 masks accept a wide range of standard 6000 series filters.  The 3M catalog
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/565214O/3m-cartridge-filter-guide-and-brochure.pdf

For covid, all you're interested in is particulates.

You've probably heard of N95.  Here's the standardized particulate filter rating nomenclature



The N95 are the most practical and inexpensive.  You need a back plate, a N95 particulate pad (like the 5N11) and retaining cover that snaps over the pad to hold it in place.

   OR  

Left is a simple 603 backplate  with a 5N11 particulate filter, on the right is an organic vapor cartridge (for paint fumes and the like, 6001) also with a 5N11.
https://www.aliexpress.com/af/5n11-filter.html

For the more expensive 100% filters.  They are round, need no backplate and are a dayglo orange
https://www.aliexpress.com/af/p100-filter.html

A college classmate that's a biology professor at MIT has told me that 160 degrees for 30 minutes should kill covid.  When I come home from shopping I put the mask in a carefully controlled toaster oven for 40 minutes at between 155 and 170 degrees.  I spray the 5N11 filters with alcohol.  Write me for more details....

For protest gases, you need to filter both organic vapor and particulates.

For the organics, you'd want a 6000 series filter cartridge, either 6001 or 6006, available for around $10-$17 per pair
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001229089316.html

Again, they may not be available from China, sp then try Ebay or Google

These filter out the organic vapors.....but to keep it from clooging fast, you want stop the particulates first, for which you need:


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001013816038.html
https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-2-Pack-Disposable-Sanding-Cartridge-Filter/3125515