Airpop Light SE Mask 4pcs

The Airpop Light SE Mask is a lightweight, low-key, anti-fog filtration option that seems to work and is comfortable – if a little warm – to wear, though I did have some issues with fogging of glasses.

The mask certainly lives up to its 'light' moniker, weighing just 7g per mask according to the road.cc scales. It's also one of the more comfortable masks I've tried, sitting securely, not too high up near the eyes but still covering a good portion of the face, as required.

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Though it only comes in one size, the lightweight material contours nicely to the shape of the face and the securing straps are easy to use and adjust. It's as close to a 'barely there'-feeling mask as you're likely to get.

With a helmet, it doesn't cause any issues at all in terms of fit or interaction with helmet straps, and slips nicely over the ears.

According to Airpop, the mask is made from a two-layer synthetic material – 'spun-bond' and 'non-woven' – with a single-layer 'meltblown electrostatic nonwoven filter'. The outer is also water resistant.

The mask is designed to sit just a little away from the face, with a cushioned TPU nose seal at the top keeping it secure, allowing for comfortable breathing and also helping to clear fogging.

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Worn when not cycling, the mask did cause my glasses to steam up with every exhale, but it also cleared with every inhale, leaving it largely clear. When working hard on the bike this was more pronounced, and depending on airflow – uphill it was more prone to fogging, on the flat it cleared pretty quickly. How much it fogs and how quickly it clears will also be determined by the shape of your face, nose and glasses.

By the end of a ride my face was a touch damp around the area of the mask, but not horrendously so.

Filtering

Airpop claims particle filtration of 99.3% and bacterial filtration of 99.9%, and it exceeds the CWA 17553:2020 Community Face Covering guidelines.

The filtration effect is certainly noticeable. It reduces the smell from exhaust fumes and pollen; as a sufferer from hayfever I can usually smell pollen on high count days, and that was much less discernible when wearing the mask, and meant less irritation.

Although the mask is designed to filter optimally for up to 40 consecutive hours, or a week of cumulative hours of wear, it can be machine washed on a gentle cycle at 40 (and air dried) up to 10 times, and it'll retain more than 70% of its filtering abilities. I popped it in the wash and it came out fine, drying really quickly and retaining its structure nicely, which I was moderately surprised by given the lightweight nature of the materials. This is a nice feature if you're looking for something for occasional use, and is much more environmentally friendly than simply binning it after the initial wear period.

In terms of value for money, it's significantly less expensive than the more activity-focused Airpop Active Mask at £69.99, which comes with four filters (replacement filters cost £24.99 for four), and is also cheaper than the Respro Ultralight Mask at £46.99 (recommended replacement filters are £22.99 for two).

Personally, I'm impressed with how this mask straddles cost/comfort and efficacy while being light and small enough to pop into a jersey pocket, and useful for a supermarket run too. At about the same price as many non-cycling-specific reusable masks, it does a decent job on the bike too.

Verdict

Superlight, comfortable to wear and seems effective, but still some issues with fogging and sweat build-up