RZ Exhalation Valve Caps vs regular valve caps

[Clarence Martinn]

Anyone know how much harder it is to breath through these new exhalation valve caps from RZ verses using the regular valve caps ?

[Jim Becker]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the available new caps were to seal off the exhalation for folks who want to use the masks for non-shop purposes, such as as a comfortable mask for daily wearing in public. I only use my RZ in the shop and have other solutions for daily wear.

[Paul F Franklin]

Jim's correct about the valve "caps"; they completely seal off the exhalation ports. RZ does now make a version 2 valve that has a couple of minor improvements over the original valve, mostly to make it easier to change the filter without losing the little valve flapper, but those changes don't seem to change the ease of exhalation in any way I've noticed. The actual flapper mechanism seems the same.

[Charles P. Wright]

Anyone know how much harder it is to breath through these new exhalation valve caps from RZ verses using the regular valve caps ?

I wear my RZ out and about with the caps. I don't notice it being harder to breathe. There is probably a bit more glasses fogging with them, but not too bad.

[Gail Ludwig]

The primary reason I LOVE RZ masks is because I wear hearing aids and the RZ strap goes behind my neck. When I wear the “behind the ear” loop type of mask, my hearing aids get caught and when taking the mask off, those expensive aids typically go flying across the parking lot....room....lawn...etc. I got tired of crawling around looking for the hearing aids. I have two masks—one with exhalation valves and one with solid valves. They are great!

[Jim Becker]

Gail, I appreciate my RZ in the shop for the same reason. Outside the shop, I'm using over-the-head masks which also avoid interfering with my HAs. I almost lost one one day when I took off an around-the-ear type. Those I'm using currently are joshu brand (USA made)