Polish MC-1 - Halloween masks for £2.50!

Don't spend a small fortune this Halloween! Get a £2.50 Polish gas mask!

Manufacturer: Faser SA, Poland

Model: MC-1 "Dzik" gas mask kit
Country: Poland
Price: £2.50 + £3.30 postage each
Source: seller Bea27storee on eBay UK
Year:  Beige mask = 1985.    Grey mask = 1989
Size:   Beige mask = 2.          Grey mask = 3
Condition: New/Unissued surplus. Filter still sealed
Shipped from: Wales, UK
Where can I find one?: Link to the ebay deal HERE.

Halloween?
Apparently wearing a gas mask on Halloween is the thing these days. I have no idea why? I mean I don't remember any ghouls or monsters ever wearing a gas mask but there it is. Perhaps people have taken to them because they might be considered scary looking? Anyway, my old friend the polish gas mask peddler on eBay has come up with a few Halloween style mask deals to cater for this new trend.
A few of his listings feature the Polish MC-1 "Dzik" gas mask and the one which caught my eye the most was the £2.50 "rusted up" kit.
Basically he is offering a complete MC-1 kit, that's the face piece, filter and Haversack for only £2.50 + £3.30 postage!
Normally you can get an MC-1 for around a tenner but I have never seen one for sale at this low price rust or no rust. I figured that I could live with a bit of rust. And having already owned a MC-1 and a Czech CM3 (which is basically the same) it's only likely to be the eye pieces that would have rusted as everything else is either plastic or bakelite. I'm not going to grumble at some oxidation at that price!


Just to familiarise ourselves with this mask, The Polish MC-1 kit was a mass produced civilian respirator produced from the 1970s - 1990s by Faser SA in Poland. These masks would have be available to every civilian if an emergency should ever have  happened.  Of course nothing ever did happen during the cold war so millions of MC-1s were kept in their storage crates until now. These masks along with the soviet GP-5s are perhaps the most numerous types of gas mask found on the surplus market today.  They are cheap and easy to find but never this cheap normally.

What you get for your £2.50

• MC-1 face piece
• New 40mm Faser made NBC filter
• Either anti-fog grease or anti-fog cloth
• Instruction leaflet
• Wz.68 Moro camo shoulder bag

What rust?
According to the ebay listing these masks have rust on them. Perhaps this was why he was flogging them off so cheaply? After ordering these masks from the seller I half expected some rotten old skanky masks which had gotten damp over the years.
After inspecting both masks thoroughly I can say that neither mask has any rust what-so-ever. The only thing i could see a little bit of tarnishing to the grey mask eye pieces. Nothing that dramatic though.

The Filters

Brand new sealed filters

The filters that came with both kits are in brand new condition. There doesn't seem to be any dents, dings or rust on the outside of the filter cans indicating that they have been stored correctly and plucked straight from the original crate. Neither seals on the top or the bottom of the filters have been broken which is always nice especially if you plan on collecting the mask.

⚠⚠Do these filters contain Asbestos?⚠⚠

I would say no on this occasion as they are much newer than the filters I would normally be dealing with.
I think that Faser would be using fiber glass in place of asbestos by 1985. It wouldn't stop me using them anyway unless the filters rattled when I gave them a shake. (which could indicate a break down of the internal elements)
Using old expired filters will always carry a risk however small so its down to the individual user to decide.
Alternative 40mm modern ABEK filters can be obtained relatively cheaply from ebay if people don't want to risk it.


Instruction Sheet/s

Polish and English instructions

Its always nice to find an original instruction manual in with your mask and these two bargain MC-1s are no exception.
Buried deep inside the pockets of the shoulder bags are these two sided instruction sheets explaining the basics on how to don the mask and how to look after it.
One interesting thing I noticed was that the grey mask from 1989 has the instructions written in English?!  Every other MC-1 I have owned came with the text written in Polish as you would expect. This is a little strange - I wonder if it is a coincidence that the english instructions were made in 1989 at the same time as the fall of communism in Poland? Were Faser once restricted from selling outside the soviet block and were now free to look further afield for their sales? who really cares?
Im not sure if this little slip of paper makes the 1989 kit more collectable or not? I will certainly make a point of mentioning it when I come to sell it! ha ha.

Overall then this mask kit represents great value for money even if its isn't bought for halloween purposes. The average prepper will find this deal tempting I'm sure.

Rating:    ✅✅✅✅✅5 out of 5
Of course this bargain was going to get full marks! There is no better gas mask deal than this online at the moment. The price is simply too good to miss. The quality of the masks is excellent despite the 'Rust' nonsense in the description. Everything is new and unissued and well worth the tiny £2.50 price tag. Im tempted to a buy a few more whilst the offer is still on!

Link to the ebay deal HERE.

Soviet IP-4M Rebreather review

Soviet Union

Soviet IP-4M Rebreather

Manufacturer: NPO
Model: IP-4M Rebreather kit
Country: Soviet union / Russia
Year: 1988
Production run: 1980s - still in use
Replaced: IP-4
Condition: New / Unissued surplus
Size: 2 (medium)
Price: £50 + £12 postage
Availability:  Extremely rare
Source: private collector
Shipped from: UK

What's in the package?

• Rubber face piece
• Protected fixed hose
• 2 X oxygen generating canisters
• Aluminium storage case with air bladder
• Ballistic outsert eye pieces
• 1 X set of anti-fog stickers
• 1 X spare voice diaphragm 
• 1 X spanner

Well what a stroke of luck! What were the chances of coming across an IP-4M?
The name won't mean much to a lot of people but for the gas mask collector it has to be one of the most elusive to find, especially in its complete form.
The face piece can be bought on its own from certain places online but it's often the haversack and oxygen generating canisters which are hardest to source.
The reason why this IP-4M came up for sale was because a serious collector was selling all of his stock. He cited a change of interest in his hobbies and thought he might sell up and do something else. His collection was impressive with many gas masks I hadn't seen before including this one.
The seller had priced this kit at £65 + £12 postage which seemed OK but after negotiating I managed to buy it for £50 + the postage. It's probably the most I have ever spent on a gas mask/rebreather but it is very rare and it does come complete with an extra canister. It seems a good investment.

What do we know about the IP-4
The IP-4 is a closed circuit rebreather system capable of operating in zero oxygen situations. It has the ability to generate its own oxygen whilst scrubbing unwanted CO2 at the same time.
The Soviet union were pioneers of the self contained chemical reaction rebreathers. The IP-4, IP-4M and the IP-5 are perhaps the best known models. - all of which are hard to find on the surplus market.
The exact details concerning the identity of the manufacturer and years of production are vague.
Some have suggested that the IP-5 rebreather was a direct replacement to the IP-4M but this is not the case.
Both models work on the same principal but differ in their application.
The IP-4M was designed for general emergency work whilst the IP-5 was designed as an underwater escape mask for tank crews and a stealth divers mask.

Click HERE to see my original IP-5 rebreather review.

Although the IP-4M was an innovative design it was not adopted by any of the other warsaw pact countries. Quite surprising.
Other than a handful of facts the IP-4Ms true story is an enigma.

The face piece

The IP-4M face piece is made from a single piece of thick rubber and has a rubber head harness. A mask that is very reminicent of the soviet GP-7 and PMK masks which were appearing towards the end of the 1980s.
It features two triangular eye pieces which look to be made from a coated steel or zinc alloy.
At the front of the mask is a round rubber voice diaphragm which sits behind a plastic cage.
Underneath this diaphragm is the all important hose input which carries inhaled and exhaled air in and out of the mask.
This rebreather system was not designed to be used as an underwater rescue aid as was the IP-5. One main reason for this was the design of the face piece.

Was this design robbed from the americans?

United States M4 lightweight service gas mask

It's easy to notice the similarities between the IP-4M and the ancient US M4 from 1942. The face piece section is almost a straight copy if you ignore the larger nose piece. It has the same triangular eye pieces often found on old American masks and it has a similarly identical-ish voice diaphragm piece around the mouth.

There was plenty of cloning going on back then as there is these days and the russians were masters at it.

Compared to the original IP-4 

When the Soviets replaced the original IP-4 with the IP-4M they only really changed the design of the face piece while the oxygen canister and bladder haversack seems to have been left unchanged.
The main differences between the face pieces is blatantly obvious. A complete switch from a GP-5 round eyed hood design to something like an american M4 (as previously mentioned).
This could be considered an upgrade by some and a hindrance by others. Opinion is sometimes devided on which Soviet mask style is the best.
Many prefer the GP-5 all over hood style as it offers the best air tight seal whereas some say the strap system has its other benefits.

The inside of the face piece is well made and well designed. Although it doesn't incorporate a Tissot anti-fogging system it does has an inner nasal cup to help channel the warm air away from the eye pieces.
The IP-4M also has an inner mask or overlapping section which helps to make a better air tight seal.
When it comes to securing the mask to the head a series of rubber straps are moulded into the rear of the face piece. Much like the GP-7 and PMK these have numbers on them so the wearer can taylor an exact fit time and again. no need to readjust every time.
Overall it's a good quality face piece. No complaints here.

The oxygen canisters

Not to be confused with regular gas mask filters, these oxygen generating canisters  provide the essential air required for work in low or zero percent oxygen levels situations.
regular gas mask filters require a minimum level of oxygen to operate despite what nasties it can protect the user from. No oxygen means suffication so gas mask filters have some limitations.

 Spin the plunger to active the canister

The IP-4m canister is cylindrical in shape and has a hose port at each end.
As well as a hose port on the canister top it also has an activation plunger which is wired tied until it is needed for use. The canister weighs around 2Kg and is noticeably heavier than the haversack frame it is mounted to.
Although this canister doesn't contain any cancer causing Asbestos it isn't exactly risk free either.
Like the IP-5 canister it's likely to explode or produce some nasty toxic alkaline solution if the contents come into contact with water. Not something you want to think about if you plan on using it.
The best advice for the user is treat it with respect or don't use it at all.
  
How it works

 Canister is mounted on the top of the haversack

A rebreather canister has the ability to sustain the user with fresh oxygen within a closed system regardless of whats going on outside.
other rebreather systems use an oxygen tank worn on the users back to provide the fresh air but the IP-4M and IP-5 system work by way of a chemical reaction.

The IP-4 canisters works by first connecting the bladder hose on the right hand side. Then the hose from the face piece is attached to the left side canister port.
The big black screw plunger is then turned counter clockwise and depressed to start the process. 
A small amount of air is then required in the system to kick start the process.
Carbon dioxide expelled by the user is then scrubbed essentially by a chemical reaction involving sulphuric acid and potassium superoxide. The result is fresh oxygen recirculated into the face piece and so on until the canister is depleted (you can tell I'm not a chemist can't you!)
The IP-5 system is almost identical to the IP-4 in the way it works it's just a different shape.

Bladder and overflow valve in the bottom of the bag

These russian rebreathers can withstand a 0% oxygen situation for quite a long time. arguably longer than an average scuba diving tank.
According to the paperwork this canister will last:

• 30 mins under a heavy stressed load 
• 60 mins under normal energetic work load
• 180 mins when the user is resting - essentially sat on their arse.  

Quite impressive! I believe the IP-5 canisters have a similar run time to these despite them appearing to be larger in size.

Accessories

 Outserts for placing over the eye pieces

For a little bit more eye protection the IP-4 kit comes with a pair of ballistic outserts. Basically a couple of toughened plastic lens that fit over the existing glass ones. They are a pain to get on due to the tight fitting of the rim rubber. I must admit they do look good when properly fitted.
And no, this mask is not suitable for air soft activities despite the double glazing and tough look.

Anti-fog stickers, spare voice diaphragm and a spanner

A nice surprise at the bottom of the kit bag were these little extras.  The usual round anti-fog sticker tin, a round tin containing a spare diaphragm membrane and a proprietry adjustment tool presumably for tightening the hose connections?


Instruction leaflet/Service record

 It's all in Cyrillic text but nevermind - it's a historic document

This page features the inspection signing 

You know when you get a complete kit when they leave the paperwork inside.
This service booklet is very similar to the IP-5 in terms of layout and content.
Granted I can't make much sense out of it being solely written in cyrillic text but It's essential for collecting purposes none the less.

Overall this is a most unusual looking kit. I think perhaps its the fact that the box haversack thing has to be worn on the front of the users chest. It reminds me of something from a 1950s science fiction movie.
It's a really well made piece of equipment which I am happy to have gotten my hands on.


Rating: 5 out of 5 ✅✅✅✅✅
The price may be off putting compared to other Soviet Rebreathers but is justified when the availability of this kit is considered. You just don't see these things for sale.
These russian masks were well made and unique in design.
An absolute must for any gas mask collector in my opinion. A fascinating historical piece. I won't be parting with this any time soon.

Polish ML gas mask review

Poland

Polish ML gas mask kit

Manufacturer: Faser SA, Poland
Model: ML
Country: Poland
Year: 1969
Size: 2 (medium)
Production run: 1954 until at least 1969
Issued to: Civilians
Issued by: Ministry of National Defense/Inspectorate of Universal Self-defense
Price: 11.75 free shipping
Condition: Good - unissued - slight rusting around the eye pieces.
Availability: Rare
Source:
Shipped from: UK

Look what came through the post today! An unissued Polish ML gas mask kit no less. 

Not a model designation I was familiar with and not a model often seen on ebay. For the measly sum of £11.75 I was now in possesion of a rare polish gas mask and a potential collectors piece in the making. 

I had bought this mask from my usual trusted ebay dealer who occasionally uncovers a warehouse of rarities when he is back home in his native Poland. He never ceases to amaze when it comes to obscure polish militaria, unearthing crates of surplus which is often much better quality and more scarce than their soviet counterparts. 

As for his discovery of these MLs he gets a huge thumbs up from me. There is no way I could obtain one of these kits if it wasn't for his store, i'm sure of that. 

I probably wouldn't have even heard about the ML!

It looks a little familiar?

Those with a sharp eye will notice the resemblance between the ML and the popular Soviet GP-4 and GP-4U. This is no coincidence of course as the poles were under communist administration for decades and would adopt a few designs for themselves.

The ML is more closely related to the original GP-4 but has a slightly longer rubber hose. With this exception the polish ML is a 100% 1:1 clone.

What do we know about the Polish ML?

Surprisingly very little! The ML was primarily issued civilians by way of the Inspectorate of Universal self-defense, an agency within the Polish ministry of national defense. It was manufactured by Faser in Poland and that's about all I know!

The history of the soviet GP-4 is more widely known and the general concensus is that the GP-4 was first designed in russia in 1949 and was issued to civilians and army reservists. Production of the soviet GP-4 ended in the early 1960s when it was replaced by the ubiquitous GP-5. 

Thats all very nice but it doesn't explain the history of the Polish version. As this mask was produced in 1969 its safe to say that the poles continued to produce this mask long after the soviets had finished with it. The Poles never took the GP-5 design from the russians  (as they already had the OM-14) so the need to replace the mask in the early 1960s was not required.  This is all guess work you understand. Information will be added here if and when I get any!

The Face piece

The ML and GP-4 feature a fixed hose inhale/exhale system.
A 40mm standard hose is taped up permanently on the inhale valve whilst a larger metal chamber sits below and acts as the exhale system.
The air hose is standard fare with nothing really of interest to mention but the exhale piece stands out a little more. It's the usual Soviet double exhale valve system except that this one is much larger than the one on the GP-5 for instance.
I doubt if there is any advantage to the size of the valve except that the amount of air that can be exhaled is greater?!

The inside of the face piece is as basic as they come.
There are no fog eliminating Tissot tubes or an inner nasal cup meaning there is a strong possibility the mask will fog up when worn.
Thankfully a set of anti-fog stickers should do the trick if that happens. Unfortunately this kit does not come with any but any standard soviet round eye stickers will do. Really easy to find on eBay.

The ML is made from a single piece of green rubber with an elasticated rear harness. 

The rubber is actually quite thick and doesn't show any signs of perishing or ageing considering its getting on for 50 years old.

The ML features the same kind of round eye pieces as many other Soviet masks since the second world war. These were standardised presumably to keep the costs down. The eye pieces on the ML are made from glass with a stainless steel rim and are prone to rust. The polish OM-14 and MUA masks would use Zinc alloy instead making them more resilient.

The rear harness system is basically a collection of elasticated straps mounted on a rubber strip and then at various fixing points on the mask. Adjustment is made via metal buckles on each point. It's basic and crude but it seems to work.

The Filter

What is there to say about the filter other than it's a standard polish made E0-14 large can.  Together with the mask it was made under licence by Faser SA in Poland.
This E0-14 is in very good condition with no signs of rust or dents.  It's a good piece for display purposes.

Like other green coloured E0-14s it was designed to protect the user from NBC level nasties like chemicals and nuclear fall out dust etc. This particular filter has long since expired so its debatable if would still work properly today.   

⚠⚠Does this filter contain Asbestos?!⚠⚠

Did the polish still use Asbestos in the late 1960s? I wouldn't like to speculate.  

Based on what is known about the regular Soviet E0-14s it almost certainly does. Best not to use it. Display only.

The Haversack

Standard canvas bag

The haversack included with this kit is made from a standard cotton/canvas material and designed to carry the larger filter canisters.
This style of carrier is found elsewhere within the warsaw pact but this one is different because it is brown in colour.
It has the the typical button fastening on the top flap and has the standard two pocket configuration inside.
One pocket holds the mask and hose and the other pocket holds the filter. As this mask is designed to the used with the haversack, two small pieces of wood are sewn into the bottom of the filter pocket to help keep it raised off the bottom of the bag when being used. This prevents the filter air intake from getting blocked by the bag material.

Wooden lifter blocks on the filter side

The Haversack/carrier features a shoulder strap and waist tie to secure it firmly to the body. The last thing you want is your bag flying around everywhere when your running away from a dangerous situation!

The Instruction Booklet

An instruction manual is always a welcome addition to any gas mask kit.
Often lost to to the mists of time (more likely chucked away) these booklets demonstrate the workings of the mask as they should be. If the manual is missing and you want to learn more then you are at the mercy of the internet and all its speculations.
Fortunately this ML kit came with the original paperwork and in good condition too.
These days we have Google translate to help with the polish wording so it wasn't long before I understood what this mask was all about.
To a collector I think the instruction manual is handy to have.

All written in polish of course

yep,  more polish stuff - get me google translate

Donning and Doffing

The polish ML gas mask is really easy to put on.  Just put your face into the chin part first and pull the rest over your head. Its really simple.
Fine tuning the fit is also easy, just pull each strap until its feels tight against the face. what could go wrong? Once the face piece is comfortable on the face its just a case of throwing the haversack over your shoulder, throwing the filter into the pocket and hook up the hose.
In an emergency situation I cant image it taking any longer than 30 secs to get the whole apparatus on. A bonus in the nuclear age!
Taking the mask off again is a simple affair. Just unhook the filter inside the haversack and pull the mask from back to front over the head or in other words the reverse of the donning process.


Overall I quite like this mask. Its looks, its 1950's cold war style, its price and its potential as a collectors piece in the future.



Rating: 4 out of 5 ✅✅✅✅
The original GP-4 style of mask wasn't very good from a technical standpoint but as a creepy looking costume or reenactment prop its brilliant.
This Polish ML clone is quite rare on the collectors market whereas the Soviet versions are ten a penny at the moment with the market being saturated so grabbing an ML at the earliest opportunity is a must! I won't be selling this mask any time soon.

The Vaping Lounge #4 - The great Muji cotton racket

DIY coils and wicks -- Muji cotton rip off

This post will only be of interest to those who choose to rebuild their eliquid tanks. Those folks who worked out that it was much cheaper to make their own coils and wicks than buy pre-made coils from the store.

Ok, it seems building your own coils and wicks is cost effective but can these materials be obtained any cheaper still? and is there a wee bit of over pricing going on behind the scenes?

When it comes to buying cotton pads for wicking there really is only a few recommended choices.
Muji cotton and Koh gen do cotton are by far the most popular types found on ebay in my experience and the pricing seems quite fair on the face of it or is it?

In this post I'm refering to the Muji brand of cotton pads and what I have discovered tonight.

Fact: Buying muji pads from ebay is a rip off! 

Here is a classic example
135 x cotton pads size: 90mm x 70mm     
Average price on ebay UK with postage is £13.99
Price from Muji.eu online store is £5.95 + £2.95 postage
Price from the Muji store in the local shopping mall is £5.95 straight.

No matter which size or quantity is required the online eBay sellers are selling this cotton at up to double the retail price which seems outrageous!.

I get the feeling that people buying online are getting stitched up a bit.
I thought Ebay was where you got things cheap right?
And surely the cotton bought from the bricks and mortar store (inside a posh shopping mall) would be more expensive than £5.95?  Store overheads etc.
No, its the same price as the web site minus the postage charge. Interesting!

I know it sounds like I'm moaning but it just annoys me a little.
I only found this out tonight because I had taken a trip over to the local mall and stumbled across the Muji store quite by accident situated inside Selfridges. Handy!

So there you go, dont be ripped off with your Muji pads on ebay. Buy them from Muji directly - details below

Click HERE for the Muji online store
Click HERE for UK bricks and mortar stores

Happy vaping!

Czech CM3 gas mask review

Czechoslovakia

Czech CM3 Gas Mask

Manufacturer: ? unknown
Model: CM3
Country of origin: Czechoslovakia (under soviet warsaw pact)
Year: 1973
Production run: 1960s-1970s
Issue: Military
Fitting: 40mm GOST
Price: £12 + £3.40 postage
Availability: quite rare - more so if shipped with the blue haversack
Condition: New/Unissued
Source: Private seller on ebay UK

Over 40 years old and still fresh in the bag! 

Here we have a Czech CM3, a gask mask which I have been looking to add to the collection for a while now.
The CM3 gas mask is quite rare on the UK market compared to its twin brother the Polish MC1 which by comparision can be sourced very easily on ebay.

My original Polish MC1 review can be found HERE . Its an early review so allowances must be made.

Both the Czech CM3 and Polish MC1 masks were produced during the cold war whilst the two countries were under soviet administration which may explain why they both share a similar design.

Bakelite? really? 

Rather than copying a soviet mask the Czechs (and Poles) took various elements of other masks and made their own designs.
The CM3 has the look of a soviet GP5 style mask but without the long snout and all over head hood.  Instead it has a thick rubber face piece and elasticated strap with a curious looking inhale and exhale valve system.

A much better made mask than the MC1

The face piece
As mentioned previously the Czechs decided not to use the soviet GP5 type mask for their military however they did incorporate the same round eye pieces and tissot anti-fog system as the original soviet iconic mask. But rather than having the whole hood they went for a half face piece with elasticated straps.  Arguably not as good as the full head covering but it still fits quite well and make a good air tight seal.

The CM3 features a neck strap for carrying it about

The Inhale/Exhale snout valve on this gas mask is rather interesting. What would normally be made from plastic is this time made from Bakelite. Yes Bakelite!. One of the earliest forms of plastic, of radios made during WW2, of antique clocks on your nans sideboard. Most amusing.
Who the hell was using bakelite as a material in the early 1970s! the Czechs that's who!.
It's very unusual to see bakelite in gas masks and for good reason. Bakelite is known for being incredibly brittle and so was abandoned as a construction material when more robust plastics were invented over the course of time.
I think the use of bakelite on this mask adds a nice look and texture although extra care will be needed in handling it.

Is this a gas mask or a pic from a gynecologists scrap book?

The inside of the mask is quite basic by modern standards and closely resembles the GP-5 design.
A pair of tissot tubes keeps the condensation at bay whilst the simple nasal cup directs the hot exhaled air away from the eye pieces. There is no voice diaphram as such to help with communication but the exhale port does its best to try and be one.

The filter

The filter is your typical small soviet style offering. Drab green in colour and not very interesting.
Like the face piece, this filter is unused and came wrapped in paper and cardboard.

It looks very much like the common 40mm E-08 filter found with the GP-5 kit but has a few cosmetic differences. The quality of construction is better and it looks a tad more modern than its soviet counterpart.
The age of this filter is 1973 if the stamp is to be believed which would tie up with the age of the face piece.
For its age the filter is in very good condition. Of course it is well expired now but it still looks brand new.

A GP-5 filter in disguise?

⚠⚠Does this filter contain Asbestos?⚠⚠

Were the Czechs still using Asbestos in 1973? probably not but no one can give a definitive answer on that.  As with all these unknown filters its best not to use them at all just in case.

The haversack

Contrary to these crappy photos, the haversack which accompanies this gas mask is in fact a shade of blue.
According to some gas mask gurus blue CM3 haversacks are very rare. Why?
Presumably these blue kits were limited in their production? I have no idea what the real reason is but they are certainly hard to find. that's for sure.

To be honest the haversack isn't really that interesting other than the fact that its rare and blue.
It doesn't have any fancy pockets or straps. It just has a single pocket where everything is kept all fastened together with a couple of press stud at the top.
Space is at a premium with this haversack so the filter has to go at the bottom followed by the face piece on top. There is no room for anything else.
A shoulder strap and abdomen string are provided to secure the haversack to the body when in use.



Donning and Doffing
Getting the CM3 on and off is very quick and easy indeed. Its simply a case of slipping the mask over your head and screwing in the filter.
No tricky buckle fumbling and no hair ripped out by elasticated rubber.
The rear adjustment straps are well designed and ensure a comfortable secure fit.
One small downside to wearing this mask is the feeling of it being front heavy when the filter is fitted. Unless the straps are properly tightened the mask can fall down your face due to the sheer weight of the filter. Its something to get used to if planning on wearing it. Most collectors wont be wearing them though.

Rating: 5 out of 5 ✅✅✅✅✅
For those looking for a good quality, low cost gas mask kit then the CM3 is a good option. It's every bit as practical as its more common twin the polish MC-1 but has better build quality overall.
The availability of the CM3 is sporadic and finding a blue haversack version is considered rare (allegedly) which will be a bonus to the collector.