I own a 3M FX full-face respirator that is invaluable for certain tasks.

The protection is excellent. However, the mask is uncomfortably hot and cumbersome, it can fog up in certain conditions, and if you want to communicate with someone while you're working, you have to take it off; no one can hear you with it on.

A Canadian company called ForgedAir has designed an alternative that addresses all of these pain points. Their eponymous product features a single large filter across the mouth that provides easy breathability, 95% filtration for particles 0.1-0.3 microns, and sound transparency around 87% (versus 58-62% from competitors, according to third-party testing).

It's also incredibly lightweight at just 170g (6 oz). My 3M model weighs over three times that much, at 570g (20.1 oz).

Another welcome aspect to ForgedAir's design is that the visor can quickly be removed. That comes in handy if, for instance, something splashes across the visor and you want to quickly wipe it off, then continue working.

The visor also won't fog, as it sits off of your face. It doesn't provide the full-face seal of the 3M, but having lived with that model for over a decade, I'd take that trade-off.

The respirator can be purchased separately for USD $55, or with the visor at USD $75. That's shockingly inexpensive. (I paid $100 for my 3M FX back in 2014, and I just checked the 2025 price, which is now $264!)

The replacement filters for the ForgedAir are also cheaper, at $10 for a 3-pack (cheaper if you buy in bulk); for my 3M, which takes pairs of filters, 3 pairs run $15. If I had to buy it all over again, I know which way I'd go.