Neck gaiters are not something you would normally see the preeminent bespoke tailor in Dallas commenting on. But, as we all know only too well, these are not normal times.
In fact, here at Edward Baumann Clothiers, your first destination for custom-made men’s suits in Dallas, we have received quite a number of inquiries reading gaiters. You could say that we are up to our necks in questions about neck gaiters. There is one question that really does need attention, however.
Is it ok to wear a neck gaiter as opposed to a cloth facial covering or disposable face mask?
In reporting on a study done at Duke University, the Washington Post said, “In a recently published study, the researchers unveiled a simple method to evaluate the effectiveness of various types of masks.” The study evaluated quite a wide variety of face coverings, including N95 respirators and bandanas. “Of the 14 masks and other coverings tested, the study found that some easily accessible cotton cloth masks are about as effective as standard surgical masks, while popular alternatives such as neck gaiters made of thin, stretchy material may be worse than not wearing a mask at all.”
As you can imagine, there has been more than a little blowback – not just from folks who love to wear gaiters but also from other scientists, as NPR reported.
Among those saying more research needs to be done is Dr. Vicente Diaz, who specializes in ocular inflammatory and infectious diseases at Yale Medical School. “He says while Duke’s study provides a good starting point, there are many other factors to consider in assessing gaiters — such as testing circumstances and the specific gaiter used.”
“What they found was that when the subjects were talking for 10 minutes, [gaiters] seemed to allow particles [spewed by the wearer] to break up and even spread faster,” Dr. Diaz told NPR. “But that may be a function of the material used as well as the design of the face covering.”
As we so often say, the fabric and the fit make all the difference. That’s as true with custom jeans as it is with bespoke custom suit – and now, apparently, face masks and neck gaiters.
