A few years ago, there was a product called the Evac-U8, with a respirator and a clear plastic (bag) hood that would cleanse inhaled air for about 20 minutes to let you escape from a smokey or dust-filled situation. Then it was recalled because it was found to be less effective than advertised.

Has this been replaced with anything useful?

Sue

I was trying to remember earlier what the name of that product was, Sue. Thanks for reminding me. I think I saw it offered by Brigade Quartermasters back in the 90s but I haven't seen anything to date that looks similar. Although not as compact as the original evac-u8 (which IIRC was about the size of a can of soda), a surplas gas mask with extra filters might be a viable alternative if possible chemical disasters are a serious consideration. Depending on the chemical types there may be other viable solutions as well.

Yes, it was a sad day when I tossed my EVACU8 (after I tried it out first--quite uncomfortable to wear for the full 20 minutes, actually. I don't know if I'll ever buy another product that uses that SCUBA-regulator-like mouthpiece unless I had no other choice).

The most reasonably priced replacement for a smoke hood that can deal with carbon monoxide that I have found since then is probably the Safescape. It's been years since the EVACU8 recall but the Safescape still seems to be the best choice. Everthing else comparable is generally hundreds of dollars more. I'd love to hear about any new options in the sub-$100 range if anyone knows.

A less expensive alternative that I've also mentioned before is the Xcaper Smoke Mask. It's not a full hood but it does handle carbon monoxide, too, which I think is absolutely critical for any product that is supposed to help you escape a fire. And as far as I can tell, it's made here in Southern California.

Some may be interested in something that protects against chemical/bio contamination, but I've never been particularly interested in those so I don't have any recommendations. Although better than nothing, I wouldn't depend on either of these products for that purpose since they weren't designed for those kinds of environments.

And for dust, keeping a dust mask handy would be far cheaper than using one of these products. An N95 with an exhalation valve (actually, keep several) in your earthquake kit would be a good choice for after-earthquake poking around dusty, concrete rubble.

Have you thought about getting a full blown Respirator? You can get a 3m Silicone half mask with two carts for 20-30$ at homedepot/lowes these days. The carts they come with i believe are N95/Organicfumes/Acid gas's. You can also get some pinkies for it too on the cheap on the web. The p100's go for 12$ on amazon.com for 4packs. P100 btw is better then n95 as it filters more and handles Oil's.

Do NOT Open Your Organic Vapor Or acid gas Carts! They are chemical based and will degrade rapidly in open air. Make sure you keep check on the expiration dates aswell.

I personally have a 3m Half mask with p100 pinkies on it in a heavy ziplock bag ready to go in my dresser drawer. I have another that I use often during different around the house jobs and they work fantastic with one exception, They collect moister inside like crazy from exhaling. Im sure this isnt avoidable with any mask or half mask so its no biggie to me.

to tack on to what Frisket said about the 3M mask... I purchased a new surplus Israeli mask and filter about a year ago... new old stock but had an 82 manufacture date...almost 30 years old... be careful about buying surplus...the rubber was in excellent condition, and if I can find a current filter would probably be ok... I think the 3M mask would be the better idea.. possibly use with a SCUBA face plate and mil surplus Nomex balaclava, or one for use as part of a flame suit for race cars... I'm not sure if the hood with the military chemical suits is fireproof or not... after my time

I have to say I personally would never purchase a surplus mask. As old as the mask is the cans you purchase for them are often the same age. They are ineffective expired and not rated for many of the things we have these days. Im positive Surplus masks are no longer supported and cans are not being currently made for them tho I can be wrong.

I was thinking of getting a pair of underwater based goggles to use along with my Half mask as well BUT you cannot use anything with a nose piece included in the design. This leaves out most scuba based goggles and leaves you with more common pool goggles. They may not be made for the purpose but Im sure for the price difference between a full face mask and a half mask + goggles I would be happier with the Swimming goggles instead of just the half mask.

I was thinking somthign around the lines of these

http://www.speedousa.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3385053&cp=3124326.3128423.3132044.3132054

40ish$ for goggles and half mask vs 150-200$ for Full face mask? Ill save the money thanks <3

Just a gentle reminder, none of these devices will support life in an oxygen deficient atmosphere.

Pete

The OP is looking for something to protect against CO, not just particulates & vapors.

Saw this in the Sporty's Pilot catalog:
http://www.plus15filter.com/
~$100+
Appears similar to the Evac-U8.

More options from the same manufacturer:
http://www.smokehoods.com/products/

I like that Plus15 smoke hood, thseng. It's great to finally see another option that is similar in price point to the Safescape.

But my goodness! I downloaded the 8 page PDF file on instructions, and it seemed like 90% of those 8 pages were warnings about what NOT to do. Anyway, that's irrelevant to the question at hand.

One weakness compared to the Safescape, I think, is that the hood is less heat/flame resistant, at least based on these warnings. There are repeated warnings for the Plus15 about not letting embers get on the hood, but I believe that the hood on the Safescape is more heat resistant. I'd hate to have my smoke hood fill up with eye-tearing smoke because an ember melted a quarter or half dollar-sized hole in the plastic as I was trying to escape. I'm hoping that the hood is actually more heat resistant material, similar to Kapton, and that it is just a warning.

The Plus15 also "only" protects for 15 minutes but the Safescapes can go up to 60 minutes. Of course, most fires don't require 60 minutes to escape but it's nice to have that buffer. Events like 9/11 or the tunnel fire deep under Mont Blanc or some of those Las Vegas hotel fires remind me that some situations may require a bit more time to get away, especially if you are forced to hunker down and wait for rescue rather than escaping yourself.

One big plus of the Plus15 in my mind is that the entire unit is sealed in a vacuum pouch. Granted, you can't practice donning it, but one thing that always bothered me about the Safescape is that you have to remember to remove a couple little tabs that seal the canister before donning it. In a stressful enviroment, it seems very easy to forget that step. So you don it and then realize at some point that air is not flowing, but maybe you're already in a Very Bad Place to be trying to remove and fiddle with it. If you seal the whole unit in a vacuum pouch, then you can't have that same kind of error.

Great thread Sue. Very timely for me personally, since I'm in the markey for something. Thanks!