That’s why N95 masks don’t permit ear loops, as far as I understand. The KN95 masks (similar certification from China) fill this purpose for people that really want ear loops, but I also find that they’re decidedly trickier to fit on my face than headbands.
I think a lot of this comes down to personal fit. For example, I have three sets of masks:
- NIOSH certified N-95s with a head band. These are just about impossible to keep from fogging my glasses. The long elastic seems to "fatigue" after an hour or so and I can't keep a seal.
- Good KN-95s sourced from an allegedly trustworthy source. These seal much better around the nose, but they tend to leak under the chin.
- KF-94s (chosen after trying on multiple brands). These use ear loops, but they seal very tightly around the nose, and they seal tighter than the KN-95s at the bottom. They do occasionally leak a small amount of air at the bottom.
I suspect that as long as you're using certified, authentic "94+" masks with good filtration ratings, the biggest remaining factor is how well a specific mask seals for a specific person.
