Stealth Clarity Review by April Armstrong

This week’s announcement that mask mandates will be dropped for public transportation has many people are rejoicing and others gravely concerned, especially immune-compromised individuals, people with underlying medical conditions that place them at greater risk of serious or long-term consequences from COVID-19 and the people who love them. It’s easy to wonder if the pandemic is over – but it most certainly is not. As vaccine makers look to catch up with the currently circulating variants, protective masks will remain an indispensable and complementary tool for protecting individual and community health going forward.

The good news for people who choose to continue to guard against COVID-19 and other airborne diseases and illnesses is that properly-worn protective masks such as Stealth masks offer excellent protection to wearers - even when others around you are not wearing masks.

As a former pandemic researcher, I’ve long been a fan of Stealth’s respirator masks. Most of Stealth masks carry the coveted NIOSH-certification (the gold standard for respiratory protection) and nearly all have been available to everyday people since early in the pandemic. Protective masks, such as those offered by Stealth, provide excellent respiratory protection from a wide range of pesky particulate matter that can create havoc including pathogenic viruses and bacteria, air pollution, and even pollen.

• The Stealth N95 disposable respirator mask is far and away the most comfortable of any I’ve tested - it feels like you’re wearing a cotton ball on your face.

• The powerhouse reusable N-100 respirator is not only durable, it is my go-to favorite mask for even the most intense workout in close proximity with a trainer as it is the most breathable mask on the market (check out my video review of the Stealth N100 respirator here).

• The Stealth Lite Pro N99 mask is another superb choice for athletic activities due to its breathability

Recently, I gave the new Stealth Clarity FFP3 transparent mask a whirl (see image below). The latest in the Stealth mask line to earn NIOSH certification, the Clarity offers something few masks do – the ability to read lips and see facial expressions, improving communication and inclusivity. The “freedom of expression” window, as Stealth calls it, offers a new option for the “COVID-cautious” who aren’t yet ready to go maskless in that close-up meeting or high-density indoors space, but want to close the communication gap they may feel with a more traditional mask.

The Clarity mask is an excellent choice especially for people who work or interact with hearing-impaired and deaf communities in a range of settings where PPE is still desired or even essential. The pandemic has been especially hard on deaf and hearing-impaired individuals who rely in any way on lip reading (blocked entirely by traditional masks) and/or hearing aids that are worn behind the ear. The Stealth Clarity mask eliminates both of these issues with its translucent pane and the over-the-head strap single strap design which allows ample room for hearing aids.

No truly protective mask will win any beauty awards and Stealth masks are no exception (in fact, I hypothesize that there may be an inverse relationship between level of protection and aesthetic appeal – i.e., the uglier the better). But if like me, you believe that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, get ready to swoon. Stealth masks offer superior protection to what’s inside – and in a pandemic world, protecting what’s inside is all that counts.

Photo: April Armstrong wears the new NIOSH-certified Stealth N95 Clarity respirator mask

April Armstrong is former pandemic researcher and trusted advisor to executives. She is the creator of www.LiveCOVIDSafe.com, a website offering free resources to help keep immune-compromised individuals safe while also empowering them to live fully. She also created the free www.COVIDSafeVisits.com self-screening app to help people with health concerns make risk-informed decisions about how to visit with each other in the pandemic (e.g., whether it is safe to go maskless).