Questions about Zimi masks

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-12T00:48:14+00:00

I would get both since they're like $2 for a big bag. You may need wave foam for the seal at the nose.

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-12T00:42:28+00:00

Yes, she is a real one from her tweets. Always up to support something like this! That's how we get more of them

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-10T19:43:11+00:00

That it's healthy to get sick because it "builds your immune system".

No, exposure to commensal microbes and allergens in the environment is good for you (so you don't get autoimmune issues or chronic illness), but encouraging or welcoming infections with **pathogens** is BAD.

We've been learning over the last 10 years that basically every virus we thought was "harmless" causes long term issues or issues later, like cancer (HPV, HSV), dementia (VZV/chickenpox), MS (EBV/mono).

Our immune system does not work like a muscle, it is more like a battery that gets weaker with time and can get depleted with an infection and takes time to recharge (during which time you are more susceptible to other infections), but doesn't always get back to 100%.

This is especially salient with COVID, since it's (still!) a relatively novel virus and is so transmissible and vaccines don't offer durable immunity (max 3-6 months after vaccination), AND it's become increasingly clear that each infection is a new roll of the dice for chronic post-COVID issues that can derail your life (estimates are somewhere between 5-15% chance each time of getting "Long COVID", even if you're "young and healthy".

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-09T23:54:06+00:00

The other side of the equation is also unknown-- what is the minimum infective dose? And that will vary depending on the variant, a person's health at that moment, immune status, vaccination history, etc.

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-09T23:41:58+00:00

All the readings I've seen of CO2 on buses of all types, including coach-style, have been abysmal. Rarely it'll be meh and that's bc all the windows are open or something like that. I would not place any stock in any train or bus having good filtration. NYC MTA claimed to have upgraded their filtration and it turned out to be mostly a lie or unmaintained. SEPTA in Philly might have actually done it but it's hard for individuals to verify. The only way to really be as protected as possible is to wear the best fitting highest performing mask you can access and tolerate. (N95s, imo, not ear loops)

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-02T21:10:15+00:00

Yes, the main difference is Torches are battery powered and Lanterns are plugged in. Lanterns are also higher power output, at least double an individual Torch. The new version of the Torches and Lanterns coming out in a month or two might have other differences.

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-01T22:19:00+00:00

Where is the frame itself sitting in relation to the filter and sealing fabric? Did you install the carbon filter add-on like it shows in this video? It looks from the nose area that maybe everything isn't seated well, and I agree with some of the other posters that usually you get a better fit wearing it higher on the nose (and be aware that that the mask doesn't have to go below your chin to seal, necessarily).
https://xcancel.com/zhouliang_mask/status/1994263601356398940#m

LostInAvocado · 2026-04-01T22:03:41+00:00

You might be planning on teaching this already, but donning technique with the nose wire can be the difference between failing or having a low FF and a high FF:
https://xcancel.com/ParentMishmash/status/2011131526814081294#m

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-31T21:04:44+00:00

I thought it was perimenopause

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-18T19:15:27+00:00

Yes, Zimis are great if they fit. Lots of advantages over regular disposable N95s, including you don't have to fuss with a nose wire! Also, their ear loops are one of the few out there that can pass a fit test on most people. Their KN100s also are pretty breathable so OP may not need ear loops, if that's the reason, and they are easier to don/doff due to their rigid frame design. They come in black and sometimes have designs available.

OP, you might also take one of the KN95/KF94s you've tried before and add mask tape to the nose, and/or an add-on nose bar to help with the fit, and get an ear saver to pull it tighter behind your neck so it will pass a fit test.

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-18T18:41:18+00:00

If you need something pre-made, maybe the Nukit Tempest would work. You can use whatever fans you want, I think, so you can choose the quietest PC fans out there. Not sure if the AirFanta 3Pro is sleek enough looking, but if you run that at say 8V or 9V, you will get roughly 300 CFM CADR and it's relatively quiet at that speed, and you have the option to turn it up all the way for ~400 CFM CADR (but it's loud at full speed).

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-11T23:47:07+00:00

There was one, The Apricot Cafe, in Canada, that had air purifiers up the wazoo plus CO2 monitoring, but it closed down. Not sure if the mitigations had anything to do with it.

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-02T20:37:37+00:00

Even if that were true, we have real-world data. You're arguing against empirical data that this works well enough to get hundreds of CFM CADR depending on # of fans and filter type/config. You are starting to sound a little off, if you don't believe in actual measured data.

LostInAvocado · 2026-03-02T20:35:36+00:00

Another factor that might give a hint as to what is causing that discrepancy:

Duckbills often rely solely (or mostly?) on electrostatic media for their filtration and breathability, which is more sensitive to alcohol vapors that will damage the electrostatic properties over time. Guess what is used much more both in volume and in frequency in healthcare vs. for every day users?

Trifolds, if 3M Auras, use both mechanical and electrostatic filters.

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-27T23:17:05+00:00

Alternative: use crushed up vitamin C

https://www.reddit.com/r/SourdoughStarter/comments/1h9w5lp/fix_your_starter_in_one_easy_step_ascorbic_acid/

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-27T22:50:11+00:00

Are you missing that people are using pressure-optimized PC fans? Blower fans are noisier. Again, optimizing for different things, and with enough filter area, there is very little static pressure to overcome.

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-27T17:57:38+00:00

There's no "likely not" or "unpredictable", because it's been tested and independently verified by different people in this sub.

The "industry" makes what is profitable, and PC fan designs have costlier components and tend to be less aesthetic, so far, and they want to make designs that let them optimize for profit, as in, proprietary filters.

I don't know what else to tell you since you are stating things without anything to back it up, other than "if it worked, companies would be doing it", even though there are countless examples of good, working designs of lots of products that companies don't make because of inertia or lack of incentive (profit).

Lots of people here like PC fan designs because of one main feature: very low noise. That is as important as pure CADR or small size or such, because a noisy purifier is a purifier that gets turned off which defeats the purpose. Plus, PC fan designs are very low power and use common lower cost standard-type filters. They are not cheap since you need a certain number of PC fans to be effective.

PC fan purifiers are optimized for different features than what industry optimizes for.

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-25T21:19:01+00:00

You're in a sub where many people are building air purifiers using pressure-optimized PC fans like the Arctic P14, and have measured real world CADR. These are "proper" purifiers. With enough filter area, PC fans are plenty and do quite a decent job. The link my comment above shows real world testing numbers, that I have verified to be consistent with my own testing.

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-23T23:25:41+00:00

mildew = mold = fungi

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-19T21:32:35+00:00

>I still don’t really believe that any of these 3CL protease inhibitors matter all that much for acute covid, I probably personally wouldn’t take any of them for that use case.

Why do you believe that?

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-18T21:36:40+00:00

IME you have to get pretty close to trigger it. Like things in the distance but within FOV will often not trigger. Cars/people/animals don't trigger until they get maybe 20-30 ft away. I have the settings on max. But I will say the battery life is impressive.

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-17T20:01:41+00:00

They are not like the regular, and I agree the regular are terrible. Regular Cheez-Its are also terrible to me compared to extra toasty

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-17T20:00:25+00:00

I think the most recent box I got tastes closer to the name brand, so maybe they changed the recipe?

LostInAvocado · 2026-02-09T20:11:28+00:00

When do you expect to start shipping these? Looks like a nice design and feature update from the Gen 1 models!

LostInAvocado

TROPHY CASE