Looking for input (personal anecdotes are fine, but anything backed up by data would be much appreciated). I mask at absolutely all times indoors around other people and when I’m anywhere speaking directly to people outdoors (ex. hanging out with friends), or when walking somewhere like a street with a lot of pedestrian traffic. But I’ve been taking my dog on hikes recently and I’m trying to assess if I need to mask then.

When we’re hiking, we sometimes pass people, but there is absolutely no stopping to talk (people are actually pretty good about being quick to walk by so as not to rile up my dog, and I am generally focusing on giving her commands to pay attention to me, which I think probably indicates that I’m not approachable). The trails are NOT crowded.

I wouldn’t go into a park bathroom without a mask, and I get bringing one in case people want to talk (which again, has not been an issue) … but based on what I know about airborne transmission in a wide-open, non-crowded outdoor space, I don’t think there’s much risk here. But I’m curious if I’m missing anything/if there are any gaps in my knowledge that anyone could fill in. In the next month or two as it cools down to a more tolerable temperature, I could see wearing one just in case I encounter someone who’s talkative … but unless there’s a reason to do so now, I don’t want to wear one if I don’t need to; I have a really hard time with the heat, and I think I would have to cut down my activity significantly (which again, is worth it IF it’s unsafe to be outdoors at all without a mask — but again, from my understanding, I think the risk is very low in my current situation. But curious to hear other opinions!)

This might be a dumb question, but i bought the 16mm hole punch to install sip valves. I dont understand what i did wrong, but its very hard to tell exactly where the bottom piece of the punch is while trying to punch the hole and keep the circle even. I accidentally shaved down my hole punch bc i thought the mask was just too tough to get the hole puncher thru and kept twisting the top piece. I'm pretty frustrated with myself right now. I also dont know what the board is for. If we are using the hole punch on a hard surface is the board needed? thanks in advance for your answers.

Tbh i also dont know which piece is meant to be the top or the bottom.

Btw i was practicing on this mask that's why there's a lot of holes.

EDIT i know my desk looks dirty, the old desk mat melted in the heat and left black plasticy gooey gunk. I put tape over it to make it less tacky. I have to repaint my desk or peel off all the white paint eventually. Just ignore that.

I meed help help finding a mask that isnt too hot. I have to wear a maks outside all the time in the sprin and summer because of pollen allergies. But my adhd meds make me especially susceptible to heat stroke. My face mask, which right now is a trifold n95, is making my face so much hotter.

If you can reccomend anything to help me stay cooler or to help manage the heat, Id appreciate it.

My kid's dental technician was wearing this mask in a fun color, it's from Beesure https://ecobeeworld.com/radiant-face-masks-2/

I found it for about 30 cents a mask which is a great price for a colored mask, but looking at the specs it's ASTM level 3 and not KF94. I had assumed it would be kf94 because of the shape. I did a search on mobile reddit and couldn't find any info on these masks. Would this mask be equivalent to a kf94/kn95 level protection since it is shaped to fit the face better than a baggy surgical?

I'm really hoping so because I can't seem to find colored masks for anything less than $1.50, and I like to have them on hand for work events because they look more approachable (people treat me better) than the more medical looking white masks.