That’s even more problematic when it comes to wearing protective masks while working out, forcing people to choose between health and safety.

Newcomer to the game, as with any brand that has ceased the opportunity, AirPop, which boasts of being the world’s first “Air Wearables” company, is aiming to fix that problem with a new line of reusable and washable masks that not only filter out harmful substances in the air, they also promise breathability even during intense physical activities.

We have been living with AirPop’s Light SE washable face masks for the past two months. During our time with it, what we noticed is that face masks are designed to keep dust, pollution, some bacteria, and harmful gases out of your mouth and nose but not all of them are designed to facilitate proper breathing like AirPop.

AirPop has a patented 3D Air Dome design that solves those breathing problems by creating an almost literal canopy of air that is not only clean but also well-circulated. As you’re about to wear the mask, you’ll notice there’s an Adaptive Soft Touch Seal on the top layer of the mask, its there to create a perfect fit that can still be adjusted to accommodate unique face sizes and shapes. Something you won’t read about is that this Soft Touch Seal also assists by keeping your glasses free from fogging up.

The AirPop Light SE are reusable and machine wash friendly for up to 5 – 10 wash cycles.

In addition to the AirPop Light SE, their product line comes in two additional flavours, with the Pocket, Original and Light SE intended for everyday city life. The AirPop Active, on the other hand, is a bit more interesting because of its advertised use even while running or cycling. The secret is the “performance pores” that better channel airflow compared to typical masks. We’re yet to test this variant out.

Pictured above, you might think that those pores pretty much negate the masks’ efficacy but that’s where the snap-in filters come in. These replaceable filters, good for 40 hours of use, are promised to be able to block 99.97% of PM0.3 particulate matter, including dust, bacteria, and even viral matter.

The AirPop Light SE reusable and washable mask is now available in Mzansi for R199 (1 pack) and R599 (4 pack), the AirPop Kids face mask will set you back R299 (2 pack) and R549 (4 pack), the AirPop Original is set at R1 199, while the AirPop Active goes for R1 599.

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As you might expect, though, the fact that this is a smart mask hikes the price of it rather significantly, so if you want to own one yourself, get ready to pay far more than you would for a traditional mask.

The Active+ was revealed as part of their CES 2021 show, and while it looks more or less like a regular fabric mask that we reviewed here, that little knob on the front is where the Halo sensor is stored.

AirPop says that the Halo sensor is powered by a coin-cell battery that can last for up to six months before it needs to be replaced. The Halo sensor connects to Android or iOS devices through Bluetooth, and the health data it collects can be shared with Apple HealthKit.

The sensor is capable of tracking fitness metrics like breaths per minute and breaths per pace, but it can also track which pollutants have been filtered out. That data is surfaced in the AirPop app, and the app can also tell users when it’s time to change the filter, which snaps in behind the mask’s fabric.

AirPop says that each filter blocks “>99% PM0.3, including dust, allergens, particulate matter and microbial particles.” Each filter also comes with a QR code that users scan using the app to ensure that the filter is indeed a genuine one. In that way, these QR codes could potentially serve as a form of DRM too, ensuring that users are prompted to only use filters made by AirPop in their masks.

In any case, it’s certainly interesting to see a smart mask pop up, but as we alluded to at the beginning of this article, such fancy tech is going to set you back a significant amount – more than R2000 if our rand/dollar exchange figures serves us correct.

Core Group, the official distributors of Airpop products in South Africa says that the Active+ should be available in Mzansi towards the end of the quarter.