As gyms reopen and more people come together to break a sweat, you will most likely be required to wear face coverings indoors [1] and if you're exercising outside near other people [2]. On June 11, Under Armour released a performance face mask for just that. The Sportsmask is a reusable, water-resistant covering with a three-layer fabric that feels cool, is breathable, and has been treated with PROTX2, which, according to a news release, is a "non-metal anti-microbial technology [3]" shown in lab tests to destroy 99.9 percent of COVID-19 within 10 minutes [4]. (Note: the US Environmental Protection Agency is reportedly reviewing the effectiveness of PROTX2 on the Under Armour mask specifically.)
"Athletes may find it challenging to work out in general-purpose or homemade masks for a number of reasons. They can slip off your face, sometimes the fabric isn't breathable or designed to wick sweat properly," Cara McDonough, vice president of accessories and licensing at Under Armour, told POPSUGAR through an Under Armour representative. "We engineered the UA Sportsmask to solve these common issues." She pointed to the flexible nose bridge that secures the mask in place, the cooling effect of the fabric, and its breathability as key factors that set the Sportsmask apart from other face coverings.
Under Armour's athletes in the US, including the NBA's Steph Curry [5] and NFL's Deonte Harris, received the first batch of samples to test them out, according to Forbes. "Whenever you have something covering your mouth and nose, it's going to feel a little restrictive at first," Harris said. "Other masks don't give you as much airflow as this mask does, so it's one of the best options for protection during performance. It's not designed for contact sports, so I won't be using it on the field, but it's perfect for that extra level of protection when I'm working out with others and social distancing [6] is encouraged."
You should wash the Sportsmask the same way you would any other piece of athletic apparel, the Under Armour representative told POPSUGAR. Hand-wash or machine-wash the mask after you wear it, and lay it flat to dry or use a blow dryer. Under Armour instructs you to place the mask in the carrying pouch that it comes with after use and to make sure you also wash that pouch inside out.
The masks sold out in the first hour on 11 June, but you can preorder more on UA.com [7] right now, and they'll ship out on or before 17 Aug., according to a notice that is currently on the website. Each costs £26 and comes in sizes SM/MD, MD/LG, LG/XL, and XL/XXL. New colours will be added later in the summer and autumn. Take a closer look at these masks ahead.
