$200 Parcel Distribution NB-100 vs $30 Clone - A Gas Mask Comparison

[MacWa77ace]

These two masks, at two totally different price points, are interesting because they look so similar. Is one a clone or a cheap knockoff of the other?

Which one is the best value?

Let's delve in.

Initial Unboxing, Pricing, and Nomenclature Comparison

• Parcel Distribution NB-100 Respirator $200 MSRP
• Zekkip Full Face Mask $30 MSRP

NB-100 (left) Zekkip (right)



Zekkip Brand name is not even on the box.
NB-100 has all the Parcel branding and says respirator instead of mask.

These are both made in China. The Parcel Distribution NB-100 is marketed as an 'American Seller'. But the mask is made in China.

They both came with (1) 40mm filter rated for CBRN. And they both came with a protective bag to keep the mask in. The Zekkip came with no instructions or papers. The NB-100 came with safety inspections for both the respirator and the filter and instructions for use.

Protective bags:
Both protective bags have drawstrings. The protective bag the Zekkip came in is made of material similar to the dust covers on the bottom of couches and sofas. It's seems a little abrasive. The NB-100's bag is made of a soft material.

The face seal and headstraps:
NB-100 (top) Zekkip (bottom)



There is a rubber 'gasket' that runs around the inside edge of full facemasks to keep contaminants out of your eyes and off your skin by creating a seal around the outside edges of your face. This is not to be confused with the 'inside' seal that goes over your nose and mouth, that you breath thru.

The NB-100's rubber on the face seal feels very slightly thicker than that of the Zekkip.

Both masks have nylon headstraps with a 'comfort' cloth in the middle. The Zekkip's cloth feels lighter in material than that of the NB-100 but the straps and the buckles seem the same. The Zekkip's cloth part is large and covers more area of your head than the NB-100's.

Both masks have an 'inside seal' that goes over your mouth and nose directly connecting your respiration to the filter on inhale and the exhale port on exhale. This keeps the lenses from fogging up and both seem similar in quality and comfort.

Lenses, filter connections, and construction:
NB-100 (left) Zekkip (right)


I really can't tell any difference between the lenses and the outer reinforcing band between these two masks. Both are marketed as impact resistant. So in this area I'd say they are the same.

The filter areas and the exhale ports seem to have the most difference between these two masks.

You can immediately see that there are 4 coated bolts holding the exhale grill to the mask on the NB-100 and only 2 uncoated bolts on the Zekkip. I hope they are stainless, some chemicals are oxidants. And if you look closely at the grills, the NB-100's seems slightly beefier.

The Zekkip only comes with one filter attachment port which is on the left hand side. There is a 'permanent' cover over a port meant for right hand side filter port. And the filter port itself came with no protective cover. I'd normally assume that you could switch these back and forth, which I tried to figure out, but with no instructions and no obvious way to do it. I'd say these are for righty's only. I'll do more research into swapping port sides and update if I find out how to do it.

The NB-100 comes with two usable filter ports, left and right, so you can attach one filter on either side or two filters at the same time. And each port comes with a protective airtight cover that can be removed with a coin by unscrewing them. As you know using two filters at the same time will allow for less restricted breathing at twice the cost, and will not double your filter life under certain chemical or nuclear use. But the option of a side mounting filter mask being able to mount on the left or right is good for left or right handed shooters so the filter won't be in the way of a shoulder braced rifle.

ETA: When I say rubber, I mean silicone, these are silicone gas masks.

[MacWa77ace]

Seals, Straps, and Breathing

SEALS:
NB-100 Has a very comfortable face seal and nose and mouth seal. Tested for vacuum seal by covering the intake with my palm and trying to breath in. Held pretty well, slight leak at the right temple. Tested for positive pressure hold by covering the exhaust grill with my palm, held well.

Additionally on the NB-100 regarding the 40mm 'covers'; They are reversable so on one side you can use a coin to tighten and loosen them and on the other you can use your fingers. You have the option of left or right, or double mounting the filters on this model, so I left the right hand cover the way it came but reversed the left hand cover because that is the side I mount the filters.



ZEKKIP is exactly the same as the NB-100 for comfort and intake seals. I couldn't get a 100% cover on the grill to test the exhale seal on this model for some reason so when I exhaled, there wasn't enough pressure to test. But other than that, they are the same.

STRAPS:
Almost exactly the same as each other. They are elastic band straps with a mesh cloth attached at the back. Neither one sizes to your head quickly, especially if you  need to make the straps smaller. But once you get them sized for your fitment, you can take the masks off and put them on without adjusting the straps at all. At this point I'm not sure about having elastic straps instead of silicon rubber or nylon straps because in my experience exposure to heat for long periods and/or certain chemicals will destroy the elasticity. If that happens to these straps then these masks will be very hard to fit your head or get on and off. Also since there is mesh and elastic [like underwear elastic] It's probably harder to decontaminate after use.



BREATHING:
Once fitted, the valves work they way they should on inhale and exhale with little effort when no filter is attached. Short term they seem exactly the same.

SIDE NOTE STRAPS:
As a comparison I have an Israeli gas mask that has silicon rubber straps, they have quick tighten and loosen buckles so to remove the mask you hit a couple buckles to loosen and remove and then leave the straps in the loose configuration so when you don the mask you just pull two straps at a time to get the mask sealed on your face. It takes only seconds to do this each time on and off. The face seals are not as comfortable as the PARCEL or ZEKKIP.  But with this type of strap it is really easy to clean and decon after use.

[MacWa77ace]

Filters that came with the masks

As reference there is a standard color coding system in place to tell you what type of filter you have and what it protects against.

IMO some of these color codes are redundant or overlapping. Making them a little confusing without being a total gas mask filter nerd.



NB-100 came with a proprietary branded Parcel filter. Its type is N-B-1 and is color coded. BROWN/GREY/YELLOW/GREEN/WHITE


You can buy these filters separately from Parcel directly or from amazon and they are in the $59 price range, and they will fit any standard 40mm mask.

If you look at the photos of it, it is taller and heavier than some filters. Usually that means larger capacity but not necessarily longer protection in minutes of use by contaminate. The label does indicate the types of contaminates it protects against. And etched into the top is the expiration date. Which on this filter is listed as 5 years. Reading the label I've decided that it was composed by someone who speaks English as a second language very well, but I can tell.

The filter came with its own safety inspection done in China with a Chinese inspection certificate included.

Zekkip's filter is a standard 40mm color coded. BROWN / OLIVE* / GREY / WHITE. At the time I ordered the mask that came with the filter I also ordered a second filter that is exactly the same but from a different seller for ~$15. That makes me think that this filter is widely available. It is not branded but is labeled with a industry standard protection rating. It is marketed as long life and has a 10 year expiration date which is clearly marked on the label along with the mfr date. Mine were already a couple years old when I got them brand new.

The label on this filter has a lot of information as far as protections on it and the way it was written, I'd say it was written by an English as their first language writer. Also states that it made to meet US military standards. 

* or Green?

Labeled GB2890-2021 is an industry standard protection rating.

The only real difference then between these filters is the listed expiration dates and the N-B-1 filter has the extra YELLOW color band. That color is specifically for Sulfur Dioxide and Hydrogen Chloride gases.  This is where the coding IMO gets redundant or overlapping and confusing. Because BROWN and GREY colors protect against organic and inorganic vapors gases et. al. and YELLOW is for Sulfur Dioxide and Hydrogen Chloride gases which are either organic or inorganic gases.  And then wouldn't GREEN which is ammonia also be covered by BROWN and GREY?

Other than that, they both seem to be new and capable of protection.

[MacWa77ace]

Conclusion - Clone or Knockoff or What??

Disclaimer: I bought these masks myself and have no affiliation with these companies.

The main difference I see between these two masks, the $200 Parcel Safety NB-100 respirator and the $30 Zekkip face mask [MSRP] are a couple physical features, warranty, and accompanying instructions and certificates, and branding / packaging. I don't really see a physical quality difference.

[To be clear, without much work you can find the NB-100 discounted to $159 most of the time, either on the Parcel Safety website using a coupon code, or on sale on Amazon. I got mine when it went on sale for $119 on Amazon. But the MSRP is $199.99 for it.]

Both masks take standard 40mm filters which are widely available from multiple sellers in price points from $8 for Mil Surp to as high as $78 for a single filter. [But that would be another TOPIC in itself that I won't be covering without outside funding  ] The Parcel branded filter that came with the NB-100 can be purchased separately for $59, and the exact filter that came with the Zekkip can also be purchased separately from multiple distributors for around $15.

The filters they came with are similar in protection, but different in price. If we do the math for the cost of the filters then the Zekkip filter being ~$15 subtract that from the cost of the $30 package deal with mask and filter, and the mask is valued at ~$15 also. Subtract the $59 from the cost of the NB-100 package deal with mask and filter and you have a 'respirator' valued at $60, $99, or $141 depending on what sale price you bought it for. So in this case we are comparing a $15 mask to a $60 mask based on my purchase prices and excluding the filter costs. With that wide range of pricing on the NB-100 it's also obvious that Parcel is working with a high  profit margin that they can play around with.

Both masks have silicone rubber seals and gaskets and are comfortable to wear. Have elastic head straps that are not easy to adjust for fit the first time you put them on, but then because of the stretchy elastic, and once they are adjusted to fit your head, you don't have to loosen them to take the masks off an on which is nice. Also comfortable. But being made of the type of material for the elastic and the mesh section, they may be equally difficult to decontaminate or clean compared to silicone straps.

The warranty is a major difference between these two masks.

Parcel claims a 30 day no questions return policy as long as the mask returned is in resalable condition. And a 1 year limited defect policy covering a replacement.  I called their customer service number and got 'Neil' or rather a recording of 'Neil' who is not an AI and is probably from the middle of the US, the recording said I would be forwarded to someone in sales, but then the recording of 'Neil' came back on and said to leave a message or send an email.

Zekkip really has no warranty or customer service and as of this writing. If you have an issue the warranty says to contact the seller which I can't find any contact info for them. Also Amazon says 'non returnable for safety reasons'. [Zekkip does have an even better deal on a $19 mask right now that takes 40mm filters and 60926 Cartridges with three locations to mount them, front and both sides. Sold by YuPingUS. And apparently comes with the same  40mm filter mine came with plus two 60926 filter cartridges. Essentially the mask is free]


Is this a clone or a cheap knockoff?  Its a clone. I'm pretty sure the lens and the outer section are sourced from the same supplier. Possibly the face and nose seals also. The only reason to buy the more expensive NB-100 over the Zekkip would be for their warranty. But you are actually paying for 4 Zekkip masks to get that Parcel warranty in the off chance you need it. Otherwise the Zekkips and any other mask that comes with a 'real' filter I would consider 'disposable' PPE at the prices they are selling for.

[Moab]

Anxiously waiting your final review. Nice write up!

[MacWa77ace]

Anxiously waiting your final review.

Me too, actually.

[MacWa77ace]

Updated the seals and straps above. I think I'm going to call Parcel's customer care and see if I can get any parts and how they are. That could be another big difference between these two.

[Moab]

What's your conclusion?

[MacWa77ace]

What's your conclusion?

I'm gonna evaluate the filters and test Parcel's CC first. Stay tuned.

[majorhavoc]

Wow. This is already an excellent comparison review and you're not even done yet. Like Moab, I anxiously await your conclusions, but take your time so you're not tempted to skimp on the very high quality standard you've set for yourself with the first installments.

This is the kind of work that helps make UFOZS the valuable resource that it is. I salute you, sir.

[Moab]

Wow. This is already an excellent comparison review and you're not even done yet. Like Moab, I anxiously await your conclusions, but take your time so you're not tempted to skimp on the very high quality standard you've set for yourself with the first installments.

This is the kind of work that helps make UFOZS the valuable resource that it is. I salute you, sir.

I agree completely. There are so many clones now of so many products. That are almost direct knock offs for so much cheaper. Ive mentioned before I purchase maybe 200 products like this every year. And I am very seldom let down. Usually it's my failure to read descriptions fully. Like the size is wrong or something. 

My name brand knife clones are a great example. Only difference. And I mean the ONLY difference is D2 steel vs whatever steel is the new favorite this season. And many you can get with better than D2 steel. But for everyday use I honestly do not notice any limitations. They are EXCELLENT knives and cost $20 vs $300. Gives you an idea of how much you're paying for marketing. I would never buy another knife from anywhere else ever again. The value is astonishing. 

So I hope these masks turn out even 90% as good as original. Short of any catastrophic limitations that might not make them work. I would certainly buy them. $100+ gas masks are simply not in my budget. Not because I couldn't afford to spend $400 on a set of gas masks. But because I have other more important things to spend prepping money on.

If your not buying clones direct from China. Your spending about 90% more on products than you need too. This is currently by far the most savings you can achieve outfitting your prepping needs. By far. Like there is no greater savings that even comes close. 

[MacWa77ace]

Updated the Filters section. https://ufozs.com/smf/index.php?topic=2780.msg51622#msg51622

Still have to call Parcel's customer service and then write up my summary evaluation.

[MacWa77ace]

The results are in. https://ufozs.com/smf/index.php?topic=2780.msg51623#msg51623

[Moab]

Awesome! Thank you for all the time and effort! Seriously great write up. And your gonna save me a ton of money.

[MacWa77ace]

*UPDATE Parcel Safety Customer Care.

Got an email response from Parcel regarding my parts request. I told them I needed a new headstrap and exhaust grill as a non warranty replacement. And asked if they offer parts for sale.

I received this response about an hour later.

Hello MACWA77ACE,

Thank you for the email, and I hope you are doing well. Unfortunately, we don't have any replacement parts available at this time. However, if you're still within your one-year warranty, I'd be happy to replace your NB-100 for you. Please let me know how you would like to proceed. Have a great day and stay safe.

Thanks,

So as long as you're withing the one year warranty period, its like an insurance policy that costs what, $45 per year.

[Moab]

Just stumbled across this. 20% off code for Parcils website. Not sure what that gets you vs retail outlets. 

PREPPINGDEALS20

https://parcilsafety.com/

[MacWa77ace]

@Moab yeah the MSRP is 199.99 but like I mentioned earlier, they have a lot of those coupon sales, that also reflect onto Amazon prices. 199-20%=159.20.

But i've seen the NB-100 onsale twice now on Amazon for 119. Their other models go onsale more often on Amazon.

[Moab]

@Moab yeah the MSRP is 199.99 but like I mentioned earlier, they have a lot of those coupon sales, that also reflect onto Amazon prices. 199-20%=159.20.

But i've seen the NB-100 onsale twice now on Amazon for 119. Their other models go onsale more often on Amazon.

I'm not buying that one. I'm buying the clone. Lol.

[majorhavoc]

Need to weigh in here to say thanks again Mac for this outstanding comparative review.  I've learned so much. 

I had been thinking about launching into a long post about the value of industry standard certifications, how they're your assurance that the protective equipment will function as advertised, and how paying for independent testing costs good money and justifiably drives up the costs for established, reputatable manufacturers.  But then I went to the Parcel website and clicked on their Product Certification & Tests
Product Certification & Tests section for evidence for why you should pay so much more for Parcel.  Suffice it to say I came away profoundly unimpressed - they talk a lot about COVID-19, CDC recommendations and NIOSH standards, but they never get around to saying anything about how their own products perform. 

I'm willing to believe that the OEM filter canister that comes with Parcel is likely better quality than that of the Zekkip.  But if you're serious about buying one of these full-face respirator/gas masks for prepping purposes, you'll need to invest in a supply of replacement filter canisters anyway.  So that distinction between the two is almost a wash.

Even with the Parcel discounts (which I've seen as well, @MacWa77ace ), I have to agree with @Moab, I can't see the justification of spending 3-4x as much for the Parcel over the Zekkip.  I can't tell you how disappointed I am to say that about an American-based company, and I hope someone can point out why I'm wrong.

[Moab]

Need to weigh in here to say thanks again Mac for this outstanding comparative review.  I've learned so much. 

I had been thinking about launching into a long post about the value of industry standard certifications, how they're your assurance that the protective equipment will function as advertised, and how paying for independent testing costs good money and justifiably drives up the costs for established, reputatable manufacturers.  But then I went to the Parcel website and clicked on their Product Certification & Tests
Product Certification & Tests section for evidence for why you should pay so much more for Parcel.  Suffice it to say I came away profoundly unimpressed - they talk a lot about COVID-19, CDC recommendations and NIOSH standards, but they never get around to saying anything about how their own products perform. 

I'm willing to believe that the OEM filter canister that comes with Parcel is likely better quality than that of the Zekkip.  But if you're serious about buying one of these full-face respirator/gas masks for prepping purposes, you'll need to invest in a supply of replacement filter canisters anyway.  So that distinction between the two is almost a wash.

Even with the Parcel discounts (which I've seen as well, @MacWa77ace ), I have to agree with @Moab, I can't see the justification of spending 3-4x as much for the Parcel over the Zekkip.  I can't tell you how disappointed I am to say that about an American-based company, and I hope someone can point out why I'm wrong.

I think one thing that has come out of manufacturing moving to China. And our access to wholesale (clone) goods. Is just how cheap it is to actually produce something. Yes they stole all the r&d, marketing etc. But mark up is like at least 10x. 

Couple that with it taking a research degree from Yale to figure out if specs are even real - only to find out most likely not - it seems like buying 4 of the clones vs 1 of the real is usually far more worth it.

I've put my money where my mouth is over the last 2 or 3 years. Buying "hundreds" of products from AliExpress and Alibaba. (Ignore the others. You're far more likely to get a better product and better deal from these two). And I am rarely disappointed in what I have purchased. I do stay away from clothes unless it specifically says oversized or extra large or I buy 4 or 5x instead of 2x. Or stay away from anything high end or highly technical that you can't find good reviews for. Like I wouldn't buy a ham radio or a computer. 

But man. I have purchased so many prepping and home goods. At anywhere from a 10th to a 20th of the price in sale at Amazon or elsewhere. And I'm a deep digging low price finder. 

There is no way I could have outfitted myself as well as I have without AliExpress. We're talking $200 for at least $2000 worth of goods. If not closer to $5000+. It's literally crazy. And it takes 2 weeks or less for delivery. And you can return to UPS or USPS most of the time if you filter searches by items you can return. But honestly I never spend more than about $20. And the disappointment is so low and infrequent I rarely return anything. I always request a return. And about 1 out of 5 times they just give my money back without returning anything. I've also gotten money refunded for a few items that got lost.