The purchase of personal protective equipment is an extremely important event. The choice of a low-quality gas mask can lead to disastrous consequences for its owner. Therefore, this article contains all the most important information about the GP-21 gas mask. Familiarization with it is guaranteed to save you from mistakes when choosing.
Device
The first thing you need to start getting to know the GP-21 gas mask is its appearance. In general, a gas mask is a full-sized face mask, attached to a person’s head with six rubber straps. The total weight of the mask without filters is less than 800 grams. Its frontal part is conditionally divided into two.
At the top is a panoramic viewing window made of “flexible glass” - a polymer that is resistant to deformation and abrasion. After mechanical impact, the glass itself takes its original shape without any damage. Glass is thermally mounted in the mask, which allows for maximum tightness, but this eliminates the possibility of replacing damaged glass.
The lower part of the gas mask, as well as the entire contour of the mask, is made of rather rigid, but elastic plastic, which helps to protect it from breakage during use. The lower part of the gas mask also has a number of holes:
- Two symmetrically located threaded holes for installing filters. Since each of them is protected by a sealed valve, the GP-21 gas mask can be used with both one and two filters at the same time.
- Capsule-type intercom opening. The device allows a person in a gas mask to talk with others. At the same time, there is no threat of ingress of harmful substances during operation of the device. The intercom, unlike glass, is not integral with the mask; it is quietly dismantled by twisting.
- A little below the intercom is an exhalation valve, allowing a person wearing a gas mask to freely exhale carbon dioxide into the environment.
In the inner part of the mask is a rubber mask, providing a tight fit to the respiratory organs of the wearer. In addition, a rubber shutter is located along the contour of the entire mask, ensuring complete mask tightness.
Variations
Gas mask GP-21 is available in 4 versions:
- GP-21 - standard equipment.
- GP-21U - practically does not differ from its predecessor, with the exception of the modified filter mounting system.
- GP-21V - standard equipment, supplemented by a drinking system. This model has an additional valve in the chin area, through which the tube is drawn, along it the liquid from the container of the drinking system can flow into the gas mask.
- GP-21VU - a variation of GP-21U with a drinking system.
Equipment
The GP-21 filter gas mask reaches its user in the following configuration:
- Gas mask of the specified model.
- Filter.
- Cover for the filter.
- Shoulder bag for gas mask.
- Technical passport of the product.
- User manual.
Minuses
Despite the prevalence, GP-21 gas masks have a number of disadvantages that significantly affect the sensations when worn:
- The first one I want to highlight is that the gas mask has only two sizes of the face mask, and the rest of the adjustment is carried out only by pulling the fixing straps. This often leads to situations where tightness requires quite tightening the straps on the head, which leads to increasing discomfort.
- The panoramic sight glass slightly distorts the objects visible through it, which in an extreme situation can play a cruel joke.
- The suction cup inside the mask is extremely unreliably attached, which can lead to an early breakdown and, as a result, to disabling the gas mask.
Be careful when choosing your remedy, because your life and health may depend on its quality.