What is your greatest mask complaint? You do not seem to breathe well after an extended period of time? Your glasses keep fogging up as you breathe through the mask? Or maybe you are just worried that the cloth masks do not offer you as much protection as you would like.
Thankfully, these complaints have been addressed as we have had to adjust to a new normal. People who wear glasses have the option of buying masks with a breathing valve; those worried about the (in)effectiveness of cloth masks have the options of other types that promise safety and that can be worn for extended periods without much discomfort.
However, there is a group that seems to have been left out, people who also need to mask up, but who, due to the nature of their jobs or activities, cannot do so. They are athletes, fitness enthusiasts or just about anyone who has to go out for an early morning run or be involved in some form of exercise. For months now, it had appeared as though there would be no appropriate mask for energy-expending tasks and activities.
Not anymore. Under Armour, the American sportswear and casual apparel company has released the UA SPORTSMASK, a reusable, water-resistant performance face mask designed for maximum breathability. The top of the mask features a moldable nose-bridge to help secure it in place and mitigate airflow to the eyes, helping to prevent glasses from fogging. It can also be washed and dried, making it more eco-friendly than many single-use, disposable options.
The UA SPORTSMASK has three layers. The first layer is the spacer fabric, a light material with air pockets for structure that enables it stay off the nose and mouth for better airflow. The second layer is the open-cell foam, a breathable middle layer that lets air through but makes it difficult for moisture and sweat to do the same, while the third layer is the UA Iso-Chill, a fabric that feels cool against the skin, stretches, and is treated with PROTX2™, a non-metal anti-microbial technology which inhibits the growth of bacteria on the mask to make it fresh.
“As soon as we finalized the design of our face mask for PPE, we dove straight into the innovation process of optimizing a mask for performance,” said Kyle Blakely, VP of Materials Innovation at Under Armour. “We knew our athletes would need us to come through quickly with a solution to aid their return to training, one that would put health and safety first and adhere to current CDC guidelines.”
“Experience told us that fabric and performance had to be our first focus, so we set out to find a fabric combination that created structure to ensure the mask would stand off the face and offer maximum breathability,” added Blakely. “We applied learnings in fit, feel, and ease, as well as speed of manufacturing from the face mask we created for PPE purposes. Throughout it all, the speed of the design process and a meticulous eye to quality and details were paramount.” With input and testing from teammates across product development, Under Armour found success in the 13th iteration of the mask.
The UA SPORTSMASK is available for $30 USD at UA.com. Stretchy ear loops and side panels offer a more comfortable and custom-like fit across four size offerings: SM/MD, MD/LG, LG/XL, XL/XXL. Additional colours of the mask will release this summer and fall, alongside Under Armour retail releases in countries worldwide. As Under Armour receives customer feedback on the UA SPORTSMASK, it will be incorporated into future iterations of the mask.
Under Armour is not the only one thinking of sportsmen or fitness enthusiasts though. ASICS has also announced its Runners Face Cover, which it said is specially designed to enhance breathability, comfort and performance for runners. At $40, it is priced slightly higher than the UA SPORTSMASK and would become available to the public at a date to be announced by the company.
Source: Under Armour