2023 Best 40mm Gas Mask Guide by Parcil Safety

What's the best gas mask for you?

Whether you’re working in emergency response, disaster cleanup, or just preparing for the worse, there’s a gas mask option out there for you. Deciding which one to go with can get tricky. A gas mask, sometimes referred to as an “air purifying respirator”, offer’s the wearer protection from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. Things like what gas you’re trying to filter out, duration of use, concentration levels of the gas, and how ventilated the area you are working in are all factors in determining the right gas mask for you. Some elements you want to look at in your mask include how many filter ports the mask has, what type of material the seals are made out of, level of impact resistance on the face shield, communication needs, and head harness style preference.

Watch the below video to see what the differences are between Parcil Safety's top 40mm gas mask option

Common Applications and Situations for Gas Mask Use

There’s a variety of situations where a gas mask may be applicable. Most people believe it’s just needed during chemical or biological warfare situation or where nuclear materials are present. However, there are a lot of times where you may need access to a gas mask and it may not have anything to do with a warfare or nuclear situation. Below are some common environments where you may need a gas mask, but for a more in depth look, check out our blog post on why everyone should have a gas mask (https://parcilsafety.com/blogs/parcil-distribution/why-everyone-should-have-a-gas-mask).

• Natural Disasters
• Dangerous Environments
• Pandemics & Contagious Diseases
• Nuclear Warfare
• Chemical Attacks
• Nuclear Power Plants
• Unruly Protests and tear gas

Common Features of a Gas Mask

A lot of different gas masks look very similar. But there are multiple features to a gas mask and these features ultimately make the difference on determining which one is right for you and if you are getting a quality mask or not.

Seal Materials

Gas Masks typically have internal and external seals to help keep good air in and bad air out. There are two materials that most seals are made out of: silicone or butyl rubber

1. Silicone – silicone is the most common used material in gas mask seals – an excellent, affordable option for ozone gas protection and organic vapor and particulate protection such as tear gas or pepper spray, however, it doesn’t withstand highly acidic gases very well.
2. Butyl Rubber – butyl rubber is known for it’s excellent sealing properties (commonly used in manufacturing vehicle tires) and its resistance against highly acidic gases. Typically, if you are using a gas mask for protection against chemical or biological warfare agents or a nuclear fallout situation, you will want Butyl Rubber seals on your gas mask. (A great article on how gas masks are made and why certain materials are used can be found at http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Gas-Mask.html).

Face Shield Impact Rating 

One thing a lot of people don’t think about when selecting a gas mask is whether or not the face shields are impact resistant. Will you be in a situation where you made need to protect your eyes and face from flying debris or blunt force? Then you may want to make sure that the gas mask you select is rated for impact resistance. The most common impact resistant standard is ANSI standard Z87.1, however some more expensive gas mask face shields can also have ballistics-grade resistance.

Filter Port Options and Location

Another factor you may want to consider is how many ports come on the gas mask and where the ports are located.

1. Central, single 40mm port – great when you only need to don one filter at a time and are needing access to both the left and right side of your body.
2. Single 40mm port, left or right side – typically used when you are needing to cant a rifle or need to operate something with one side of your body. Another great read on operating a firearm with a gas mask - https://www.swatmag.com/article/good-guys-wear-masks-operating-with-a-gas-mask/.
3. Dual 40mm port, left AND right side – If you are wanting lower breathing resistance or needing a mask for longer term use, then you may need 2 40mm gas filter canisters attached to your mask. Dual 40mm ports were designed with this in mind.

Head Harness Material and Type

Often times this one get’s overlooked, however if you plan on wearing a ballistics helmet or hard hat, or have a sensitive head, you will want to consider the head hardness strap material and points of contact. For material, typically we see silicone or mesh cloth head harnesses:

1. Silicone – more affordable, flexible option typically used in more industrial or short term environments.
2. Mesh Cloth – more comfortable to wear for longer amounts of time, and fits better under a helmet.

Next, is the connection points to the mask. You typically see gas masks with 4-point, 5-point or 6-point head harnesses

• 4-point – least comfortable to wear, doesn’t always provide a comfortable fit
• 5-point – most common, provides good comfort and stays tight in short term use
• 6-point – spreads out pressure points, decreases cranial pressure and is recommended if you plan on wearing a hard hat or ballistics helmet.

Voice Amplifier - Included or Not Included

The final factor when determining which gas mask to go with is whether or not it comes with a voice diaphragm or voice amplifier. The two most common are mechanical and digital:

• Mechanical voice amplifier – typically made out of a metal or plastic – it reverberates your voice and amplifies it slightly so you can communicate with people in close proximity.
• Digital voice amplifier – digital or electronic voice diaphragms typically work like a speaker phone. They amplify your voice through a mic and a lot of time includes a built in radio so you can communicate with people from a distance.

BONUS FEATURE!

If you are shopping on a budget or just don’t want the hassle of buying a gas mask AND a filter separately, consider purchasing a gas mask bundled stock with a filter canister. This can save time and money.  Both Parcil Safety’s ST-100X and NB-100 come bundled with a 40mm gas canister.

2023 Best 40mm Gas Mask Options from Parcil Safety

Now that you know what to look for when searching for a gas mask, let’s check out some of Parcil Safety’s best 40mm gas masks in 2023.

Best Overall 40mm Gas Mask

Our NB-100 Tactical Gas Mask is Parcil Safety’s best overall 40mm gas mask.  It comes stock with our DefensePro N-B-1 filter canister, which has ABEK2P3 R filtration rating, meaning the NB-100 is ready to filter out organic vapors, inorganic vapors, acidic gases, ammonia derivatives, and 99.9% of airborne particulates straight out of the box.  Each NB-100 also features an impact resistant face shield to protect against flying debris and a 6-point mesh head-harness for decreased cranial pressure and increased comfort while wearing a hard hat or ballistics helmet.  The NB-100 also has upgraded features including an electronic voice amplifier and built in radio as well as a drinking straw attachment.  Finally, the NB-100 features two 40mm filter ports – one on the left and one on the right, allowing for dual or single use. 

Best 40mm Gas Mask on a Budget

Other Color Options Available!

The ST-100X Survival Gas Mask is Parcil Safety’s introductory level gas mask. In addition to being the most affordable gas mask, it also comes packed with a ton of features including an ANSI impact resistant face shield, 5 point adjustable head strap, one single central 40mm port and extra wide face seals to fit multiple size faces. It features our ant-fog and cooling airflow technology, making it great for mid to long term use. The ST-100X also comes in 6 color face shield options. The stock filter is our Organic Vapor and Particulate Dual Combination P-D-1 40mm filter pod, great for low level riot control agents such as tear (CS) gas, smoke grenades, or pepper spray.

Best 40mm Gas Mask for use with a firearm

The SGE 150 Ballistics Grade 40mm Gas Mask is our recommendation for use with firearms. The face shield features a ballistic impact resistant rating, as well as a slight inset to properly look down a firearm’s sights. This mask also comes stock with a 6-point adjustable head harness in silicone, and can come with or without a voice amplifier installed. It has a single central 40mm filter port and does not include a filter bundled with it, but pairs great with the MS-203 A2B2E2K2P3 R Filter (check out our list for best 40mm gas mask filters to see other great options to pair with this mask! https://parcilsafety.com/pages/best-40mm-gas-mask-filters-guide-by-parcil-safety).

Best 40mm Gas Mask for chemical, biological or nuclear warfare

The SGE 400/3 BB Gas Mask is Parcil’s most customizable gas mask. The SGE 400/3 BB can include a voice amplifier, drinking device, drinking straw for a canteen, universal drinking straw for water bottles, multiple size options, PVC-Hood attachment, and features the same ballistics grade resistant face shield as the 150 and 6-point adjustable silicone head strap. It is also the only gas mask that features a butyl rubber face seal, meaning when you pair this gas mask with the appropriate filter, say the MS-203, you can get CBRN protection. It has three 40mm filter ports, indicating you can use one in the front, one on the left, or one on the right.

Best 40mm Gas Mask for land and sea

The Aria19 Dual Purpose Respirator Mask is actually a snorkel mask that comes with an adapter to allow it to take 40mm filters. This mask comes stock with the ParticulatePro P3 R 40mm filter pod, good for filtering out smoke particles, asbestos, dirt and other airborne particulates. Because it’s traditionally a snorkeling kit, you can use it under water to protect your lungs from the sea or switch to the 40mm filter adapter and use it for lung protection on land. The Aria19 comes in 4 sizes, Youth, Small, Medium and Large.

What's Next?

Hopefully now you have a little better insights into the differences between 40mm gas masks, however if you still have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to us at service@parcilsafety.com.  Our support team will be more than happy to provide further explanation, give common application examples or provide information on maintaining your gas mask and how to use it properly.