January 30, 2026
Mask wars: comments go feral
Best Gas Masks
From protest streets to shopping carts — commenters clap, debate, and roast
TLDR: A protest-shaped gas mask guide lit up the comments, splitting readers between cheering bold journalism and nitpicking the storytelling while gear nerds argued. It turned safety gear into a culture clash over how tech sites handle civic crises—and why clear, human coverage matters.
Sarah Jeong’s guide to gas masks lands like a molotov cocktail in the comments—minus the fire, plus the feels. Framed by her raw account of getting tear gassed at BLM protests and a Fox News moment asking how protesters even buy masks, readers came out swinging. The loudest chorus? “Gadget site turned watchdog.” dmazin says The Verge now hosts the last journalists with “actual gusto,” and Aboutplants crowns it “one of the most respected” on the web.
But there’s drama: format purists vs story lovers. hahahacorn adored the piece but begged for fewer anecdotes, calling the guide nearly “top 3 all time” if it stuck to straight talk. Then the thread split into two camps: activism energy vs gear-head energy. Some commenters dove into nerdy gear debates and beard jokes (beards vs face seals became an instant meme), while others rolled eyes at the “lab cosplay” vibe.
Humor flew: readers joked about “MaskTok,” “Mad Max starter kits,” and Fox’s incredulity turning into aisle-six shopping tips, riffing on this clip. Under the jokes, real stakes: people want clear, humane guidance when the state uses tear gas, and they want tech sites to show up. The verdict? Passionate, messy, necessary—and very online.
Key Points
- •The article is a Verge guide by Sarah Jeong on buying gas masks amid government use of tear gas on civilians.
- •It recounts the author’s experience with tear gas during July 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S.
- •The piece references Pam Bondi’s Fox News comments following a CBP-involved killing in Minneapolis as context.
- •The recommended product for most people is the Parcil Distribution PT-100 full-face respirator, sold on Amazon.
- •Pros include full-face coverage, included filters, adjustable straps, and affordability; cons include hair-tugging straps and a note labeled “Plastic cinc.”