Top Gas Masks for Gamers

In July 2020, during one of the many Black Lives Matter protests that erupted nationwide, I experienced tear gas for the first time. The sensation is unbearable, as if your lungs are fighting against you, and the burning in your eyes is excruciating. Yet, after facing it multiple times, the annoyance of gasping and sobbing becomes the primary concern. That summer, I mastered the technique of exiting a tear gas cloud—moving quickly, but not too quickly, to avoid inhaling a lungful of that painful aerosol.

Fast forward five years, and I found myself reflecting on this as I watched a former attorney general express disbelief on a news segment about protesters acquiring gas masks. “How did these people go out and get gas masks?” she questioned. “Would you know how to walk out on the street and buy a gas mask, right now? Think about that.”

As someone who has used gas masks for a while, I can relate. There’s a lack of solid information on how to procure a gas mask, especially for those living under oppressive conditions. But by the end of this guide, you should feel ready to make an informed choice.

**The Best Gas Mask for Most People**
The first time I joined the protests in Portland, I stumbled into a cloud of pepper spray, which left me coughing and crying on the sidewalk. So, I invested in some goggles. The next time, I faced tear gas and upgraded to better goggles and a half-face respirator. Within a week, I had a full-face gas mask; a friend with military experience remarked that it looked more intense than the ones issued to soldiers. While technically a full-face respirator rather than a military-grade mask, I had to admit it did look pretty hardcore.

By the time I arrived, many fellow journalists were already on the scene, and as the federal response intensified, we all gradually improved our gear. My mask was decent. I practiced pulling it from my bag and securing it over my head, preparing for the unmistakable hiss of a gas canister. I learned to adjust the straps while on the move. With the mask on, I could stand in the thick clouds of tear gas favored by the feds and still take notes on my phone.

When I finally sat down to write about the Portland protests, I had a strange realization. In the chaos of tear gas and adrenaline, I viewed the feds as an occupying force. But later, in the comfort of my home office, I found myself contemplating their perspective. Instead of gaining clarity about the chaotic warzone just a mile from my apartment, I felt more confused than ever.

—

**What We’re Looking For**
**Who We Consulted**
We spoke with journalists who covered the Portland protests in 2020, where both federal and local forces frequently deployed tear gas against demonstrators over four months.

**Easy to Use**
A gas mask should be easy to put on quickly, even in chaotic situations.

**Comfortable Fit and Coverage**
You might wear a gas mask for just a few minutes or for several hours. After testing against both federal and local law enforcement, we found that while a half-face respirator and goggles are better than nothing, they don’t provide adequate protection compared to full-face coverage.

**Durability**
A quality gas mask should withstand normal wear and tear, including being jostled by police. The materials are crucial, especially if a federal agent grabs you.

**Value**
Top-tier gas masks can cost around $400, which isn’t feasible for everyone. Fortunately, there are decent options available for about $120.

—

Later, as I wrote my piece, I pondered the purpose of tear gas. It seemed to only incite anger. If it neither killed nor neutralized, merely causing pain and rage, what situation warranted its use? Why was it deployed at all?

I also struggled with terminology. I was trying to find concrete evidence to argue that the protests were protests, not riots, but I was baffled by what defined a riot. I thought a crowd engulfed in tear gas at night might resemble a mosh pit, filled with fear instead of joy—people pushing and shoving, overwhelmed by emotion. Yet, even when chaos erupted, those around me would apologize for any accidental contact. I worried about being trampled once while near a television crew that had come unprepared and panicked throughout the night. When does a gathering become a riot? Are riots even real?

I began asking friends if they had ever witnessed something they could definitively label a riot. Everyone I spoke to had only seen clashes with police that were debated as protests, riots, or uprisings. The only exception was a friend of a friend from Europe who had been caught in a soccer riot. In that instance, tear gas had been used effectively, causing the rival groups to disengage.

This realization shook me. I had spent my adult life believing riot police existed to combat protesters, and while I had long criticized police brutality, I had accepted that there were two sides to every conflict, with law enforcement being one of them. I had forgotten that there could be domestic conflicts where the police were not the aggressors.

**The Best High-End Gas Mask**
Mira produces some of the best masks available. A journalist who has reported from both Portland and Ukraine swears by Mira’s CM-6M. Another journalist, who owns multiple Mira products, claims his military-grade mask allows him to breathe in “clouds of tear gas so thick I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.” He also uses a Mira respirator. During a street clash in Portland, he was “soaked to my underpants in mace” from right-wing agitators, but thanks to the full-face respirator, he was never blinded or had his airway constricted.

—

I kept my gas mask long after submitting my draft. It still saw some use, but as the protests dwindled, I eventually placed it on my bookshelf as a reminder of a surreal time and the ever-present threat of fascism in American life.

The longer I wore the mask, the more the rubber seal pressed against my skin. A tight fit was uncomfortable, while a loose one would chafe. I disliked having to lean in close to speak with others and felt trapped inside a fishbowl. I also suspected the mask didn’t fully protect against tear gas particulates; I didn’t have a normal period for six months after the protests.

Despite its shortcomings, the mask kept me pain-free in chaotic, low-visibility situations where I had a job to do. My body still remembers the feeling of being tear gassed, and even the sight of a smoke grenade makes me tense. I never coughed, cried, or vomited while wearing it. In 2025, I took the mask off my shelf and placed it in my reporting bag. Its presence is comforting; I know I can do my work even in a chemical haze.

**Also a Great Choice**
For a while, it felt like the world had forgotten the events in Portland in 2020, a cataclysmic four-month period that left many of my peers battered both physically and emotionally. But as federal agents surged into Minnesota, orchestrating a much larger invasion, I realized the past was not buried. The legacy of 2020 was evident in photos from Minneapolis—unmarked vans, ICE agents dressed like militias, and protesters in gas masks and helmets. Even calls from other reporters asking about my gear reminded me that nothing is ever in vain.

The federal presence in Portland ended with the Department of Homeland Security withdrawing—not because protesters overpowered them, but because the protests simply wouldn’t stop.

No matter how much tear gas the feds unleashed downtown, the crowds only grew larger. When news of the van abductions spread, the protests attracted people who looked more like they belonged at a neighborhood meeting than alongside black bloc anarchists. Eventually, thousands gathered in front of the downtown federal courthouse.

This wasn’t just a case of rival sports fans getting rowdy and then calming down after a dose of tear gas. Portland donned its gas masks and stood firm.

As we’ve seen in the past year, Portland isn’t alone. Cities across America have shown resilience and courage in the face of sudden abductions, unmarked vans, and masked agents. We don’t have time to cough or cry—we pull on our gas masks and move forward into the haze.

What is tear gas for? It’s meant to incite riots. How did people get gas masks? They ordered them online because they don’t want to riot.