When you are concerned about your health and running or biking are part of your heath fitness routine you may be concerned about the air pollution and particles along your path. We all know that air pollution and particles can be health-adverse, and during extensive exercise we take deeper breaths. Therefore, it seems like chasing the devil with the Satan. When you exercise to improve your health, you will be lucky to hear that there is a solution to your problem. This CYCL face guard scarf review covers what is an anti pollution scarf, and how the tube scarf effectively protects the user from dust. Read why the scarf is perfect for bicycler and runners to avoid breezing harmful particles when they get passed by cars. Learn whether it is affordable, whether you have to exchange filters, and whether the CYCL face guard anti pollution scarf is worth the money.
- Exploring the World by Bicycle Can Be Dusty
- Why You Should Be Concerned about Your Exposure to Particles and Smog When Biking
- What Is an Anti Pollution Scarf?
- Protection From Wildfire Smoke and Airborne Particles
- What Are the Technical Details of the Anti-Pollution Tube Scarf
- Price-Performance Ratio of the CYCL Face Guard Anti Pollution Scarf
- Who Will Like the Anti-Pollution Scarf?
- CYCL Face Guard Scarf Review in Summary
- References
Disclosure: Ad. The CYCL face guard scarf is a sample from CYCL. The post is not endorsed by them. I wrote it entirely myself and it represents my own 100% honest opinion.
Disclaimer: I am not a chemical technician with respective instruments to detect gases. Therefore, I can’t judge whether the effectiveness of the filtering of gases.
Exploring the World by Bicycle Can Be Dusty
Since the 1980s, more and more bicycle fans have explored remote places far off the typical tourists attraction. My late Dad toured scenic places by bike for several summers when he was a member of a local bicycle club.
A friend from the local weather service office here in Fairbanks cycled the Alcan down to the Lower 48s. When hubby and I drove the Dalton Highway and the Denali Highway a couple of years ago, we saw many single and groups of bicycle riders. I always felt pity when we passed them. Both highways are unpaved roads. Therefore, these sports(wo)men were in a huge cloud of dust and smog whenever a vehicle passed or they had oncoming traffic. While they still could see-they wore these cool bicycle sunglasses-the airborne dust and vehicle exhausts remained at their breathing height for quite a while.
Therefore, when I heard about the CYCL anti-pollution scarf, I asked for a review sample.
Why You Should Be Concerned about Your Exposure to Particles and Smog when Biking?
Particulate matter of 2.5 micrometer (μm) or smaller in diameter is known as PM2.5. The diameter of a human hair, for instance, is 50 to 70 μm (see diagram below). Some of the many sources for PM2.5 are dust-uptake from unpaved roads, river beds, bare field, traffic emissions, biomass burning, heating, flaring and various industrial production processes.
PM2.5 is small enough to travel deep into your lungs where it sticks. Scientific studies found increases in the risk of respiratory, allergic and oncological diseases in people exposed to PM2.5. Non-occupational exposure to wildfire smoke, for instance, increases the risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as mortality.
To protect the health of the population, national environmental protection agencies have set so-called National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Currently, the annual mean PM2.5 concentration must not exceed 25 and 12 micrograms per cubic meter (μg∙m−3) in the EU and US, respectively. In the US, the 24-hour mean must not exceed 35 μg∙m−3. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PM2.5 should not exceed 10 μg∙m−3 on annual mean, or 25 μg∙m−3 on 24-hour mean.
What Is an Anti Pollution Scarf?
An anti-pollution scarf is a scarf and anti-pollution filter made of nanofiber in one. The nanofiber membrane filters particles and gaseous pollutants. According to the brand, the anti-pollution scarf filters 99.5% of PM0.1 (particular matter of 0.1 μm in diameter or less) airborne particulates such as pollen, smog, and other allergens.
Do You Have to Exchange Filters in a CYCL Anti Pollution Scarf?
No. This face guard is hand-washable. This means it requires no replacement filters. An important aspect when you baggage is very limited like it’s on a bicycle vacation trip. The mask also has an elastic closure and adjustable nose strip for best fit on all face shapes (see portrait photo later in this post).
While the packaging isn’t value added to the product, it is recyclable.
Protection from Wildfire Smoke and Airborne Particles
While my bicycle tours only take me on an unpaved road when I visit friends in the outskirts of Fairbanks, smoke from wildfires is an annual summer annoyance. Murphy’s Law, of course, applied. There was no smoke in town to test the performance of the mask. Thus, I switched off the AirFree indoor air purifier for a day, which we use in our home. My eyes and nose got irritated. Then I put the scarf on. My nose felt better after a while.
Another test I made, was going onto an unpaved parking lot on the West Ridge when it was windy. Without the mask I would have had to breath in a lot of dusty air. But with the scarf, I felt fine during the gusty winds.
What Are the Technical Details of the Anti-Pollution Tube Scarf?
According to the brand’s technical information page, the nanofiber filter in the CYCL face guard has been tested according to ASTM F2100 and EN 14683, at Nelson Labs USA. It uses a Respilon® 57 filter that consists of a four-layered textile laminate composed of polyprophylene spunbond, polypropylene meltblown, nanofibers layer, and polyprophylene spunbond.
Price-Performance Ratio of the CYCL Face Guard Anti Pollution Scarf
The face guard is affordable at $49.99. Furthermore, it has no follow-up costs for filters. Not breathing in PM2.5 is an investment in one’s own health. On the long-term, it may mean lower costs for co-pay on medical bills related to pollution caused diseases. Therefore, the effective price-performance ratio is hard to quantify.
The fabric and craftsmanship are high. When just looking at the cost-per-wear, the scarf can easily go below one dollar. This is my criterion to give a thumbs up.
Who Will Like the Anti-Pollution Scarf?
This face guard is great for all bikers, cyclist and runners who want to explore unpaved roads and trails. It’s also great when you have to bike into work every day in the urban jungle. Even when the exposure to gaseous pollution and particulate matter seem to be short, on the long-term, the harms may accumulate. Just think about it! In normal times, a person goes to work about 22 days per month. When the ride is 5 minutes from home to work, the commute from and to work amounts to 44 hours of bicycling in a year. You see what I mean? You are exposed to poor air much longer than you may think.
If you are concerned about the air you breath and want to protect yourself from health-adverse gases and particles, you may like the CYCL anti-pollution scarf. It comes ready-to-use with its integrated and washable nanofiber filter. I can definitely recommend this face guard to my family and friends. You can buy this mask online at CYCL.bike. It is available in several colors. I am wearing the gray one in this post.
CYCL Face Guard Scarf Review in Summary
This affordable face guard is an anti-pollution tube scarf with an integrated nanofiber filter that filters out gaseous pollution and 99.5% of particles of 2.5 micrometer and smaller in diameter. It is easy to use because it is washable, and needs no filter replacement. Buy your anti-pollution scarf now.
Reduce your exposure to smog and particles when riding your bike. Use an anti-pollution scarf with nanofiber membrane.
References
Liu, J.C., Pereira, G., Uhl, S.A., Bravo, M.A. and Bell, M.L., 2015. A Systematic Review of the Physical Health Impacts from Non-Occupational Exposure to Wildfire Smoke. Environmental Research, 136, 120-132. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.015
Mölders, N. and Kramm, G., 2018. Climatology of Air Quality in Arctic Cities—Inventory and Assessment. Open Journal of Air Pollution, 7, 48-93. doi: 10.4236/ojap.2018.71004.
Quarato, M., De Maria, L., Gatti, M., Caputi, A., Mansi, F., Lorusso, P., et al., 2017. Air Pollution and Public Health: A Prisma-Compliant Systematic Review. Atmosphere, 8, 183. doi: 10.3390/atmos8100183
World Health Organization, 2006. WHO Air Quality Guidelines for Particulate Matter, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide. In: WHO, Ed., Summary of Risk Assessment, World Health Organization, Geneva, 22 p.
Photos of me: G. Kramm
Photos of face guard: N. Mölders
Other photos: As indicated
© 2013-2024 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved
Your report was impeccable! The summation of pollution particles and the efficiency of the mask was well stated and thorough in explanation. Am thinking that the particles may also vary due to seasonal weather, proximity to cities of large populations, proximity to highways/areas of mass transit (‘Black Lung Lofts’, L.A. Weekly), and temperature of your location. This mask seems about right for the bike rider who commutes, as their exposure to carbon emission from traffic would probably be the primary source of respiratory irritation. Thank you for sharing your data and review! BTW, we would NEVER underestimate your brilliance, charm, or style (and you are NOT old, either! You’re only as young as you feel!).
I love how this one protects you against air pollution!
Carrie
🙂 I don’t ride a bike much, hence I haven’t been wearing masks in general before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these days I wear a fabric mask, which I can wash and iron, once it has been used. I think we should all wear a lot more masks these days, in order to flatten the curve and to help protect ourselves and others!
Have a HAPPY Friday!
Claudia 🙂
You raise an important point about protecting against air pollution, knowing how much it can affect our health. Thanks, Nicole!
xx Darlene
So interesting! I can’t believe this is where we are at…masks becoming a part of our life, so surreal, but necessary…what can we do! And it makes so much sense to make it anti-pollution. Always great posts- thanks! xx
This scarf is such a good idea for long bike rides! Thank you so much for the feature! What a nice surprise!
Jill – Doused in Pink