We are teaming up with MIRA Safety to provide you with the very best in personal protective equipment. Many have purchased surplus gas masks they are betting their lives on in an emergency. If it's surplus, the risk may be too high.
MIRA provides the following guide on obsolete masks many have purchased. Why take the chance? We provide the best in new masks at great prices.
Obsolete Gas Masks
Israeli Civilian Mask – These masks are easy to find in surplus stores, and they are cheap, which means they are most likely outdated and won’t protect you when you need it. This is despite the fact that the general populace in Israel uses this mask in emergencies as theirs are certified serviceable. On top of this, the mask offers poor visibility, making it a no-go when it comes to tactical operations.
Israeli Military M15 Mask – Similar to the 4A1 Israeli Civilian mask, but this mask has better visibility and will protect against select warfare agents. However, it is generally only sold as surplus, particularly in the U.S., which means it is likely outdated and useless.
Cheap Chinese gas masks – These masks are easy to identify because the instructions for use are either in broken English or Chinese. They are made from cheap materials and are generally rated only by Chinese oversight institutions. In addition, replacement filters are very hard to find. These masks are typically found on AliExpress, Alibaba, or white labeled by various sellers on Amazon.
M17 Gas Mask – An outdated gas mask that was once used by the U.S. Armed Forces, notably in the Vietnam War, but was later replaced by updated models. While overall a useful mask that provided CBRN protection, the mask had to be removed to change the filters.
Czech M-10-M Protective Mask – This is an outdated mask that is not at all useful for CBRN protection. The design was inspired by the M17.
GP-5 Gas Mask – This is a Russian gas mask that is completely outdated. Production ended in 1990, so if you find one, you can be sure it’s of no use.
Canadian C-3 Protective Mask – This mask was made from 1960-1982, and is the predecessor to the Canadian C-4 mask. Although it’s been out of production for over 30 years, it is still available on military surplus websites and eBay. This mask uses 60mm threaded filters which are very difficult to find in new condition.
Canadian C-4 Protective Mask – This gas mask is currently used by the Canadian Armed Forces. There were adhesive issues with the original black masks, so if used, you should only use the green or tan masks. The filter can be mounted on the right or left, which is a tactical advantage, but with two separate eyepieces, rather than a single face plate, the field of vision could be better.
Serbian M1 Gas Mask – This was inspired by the old M9 American gas mask, and it was used by the Iraq army in the Gulf War. If you find this in the U.S, it is surplus and can’t be trusted. In addition, there may be chromium in the filter.
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