Under Armour’s pioneering face covering for exercise will cool your face as you work out

UPDATE: We now have this Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK review

Gyms have been reopened but thankfully, face coverings are not mandatory for gym workouts. That said, if you are cautious, you can get a UA SPORTSMASK, a performance face mask designed for athletes by Under Armour. 

• Buy the UA SPORTSMASK for £26, directly from Under Armour

• ...or buy Adidas Face Covers at Adidas for £12.95 (3-pack)

• ...or you can get the Nike Squad Football Snood for £16.95

• In the US? Check out these sports face masks from Shock Doctor

The UA SPORTSMASK is a reusable, water-resistant performance face mask designed for "maximum breathability", as the manufacturer claims. The new face mask functions to reduce the spread of respiratory droplets by the wearer, so just like other masks, it is there to prevent your respiratory droplets reaching other people, admittedly a good thing in closed environments such as gyms.

• ASICS Runners Face Cover review: an excellent running face mask that you can drink through

• Where to buy a face mask: your guide to the best places to order now
• ASICS Runners Face Cover is a running face mask you can drink through

Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK: price and availability

The UA SPORTSMASK is available for £26 at Under Armour. The UA SPORTSMASK comes in one colour (black) and four sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large.

UA SPORTSMASK: how it works

The top of the mask features a mouldable nose-bridge to help secure it in place and mitigate airflow to the eyes, helping to prevent glasses from fogging. The UA SPORTSMASK features a three-layer model, designer specially for athletes:

• LAYER 1: SPACER FABRIC - It is light but has air pockets for structure, so it stays off the mouth and nose for better airflow
• LAYER 2: OPEN-CELL FOAM - The breathable middle layer lets air through but makes it hard for moisture and sweat to pass
• LAYER 3: UA ISO-CHILL - This fabric feels cool against the skin, stretches, and is treated with PROTX2™, a non-metal anti-microbial technology which inhibits growth of bacteria on the mask

According to the manufacturer, the PROTX2 "has been shown in laboratory tests to destroy COVID-19, and is being reviewed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to confirm the efficacy of the substance as it is applied to the UA SPORTSMASK." Under Armour hasn't disclosed any more information about the actual tests and as they say, the efficacy of the mask is being reviewed so we try not to get too excited about this claim just yet.

• Buy Adidas Face Covers at Adidas for £12.95 (3-pack)

• ...or you can get the Nike Squad Football Snood for £16.95

• In the US? Check out these sports face masks from Shock Doctor

Under Armour also has a patent pending on its design and construction of the mask.

• Best running shoes
• Best running watch
• Best running headphones