Cleanliness: The inside of the mask is actually quite small, which is great for some things, but not so good for cleanliness. While working out, it can often become hot and humid inside the mask, which may result in a lot of moisture from sweat and saliva. Without going into too much detail, the Elevation Training Mask 2.0 is not as clean as some people might hope it to be. So all you ‘Germaphobes’ out there, it might be something worth noting.
Fidgety: As mentioned before, the Elevation Training Mask 2.0 comes with seven small caps, and three valves. The caps are made from plastic and could break easily if you don’t take care of them. In addition, these pieces are also very small and can be lost or misplaced quite easily. I found all these pieces annoying to carry and often had to scrounge through my gym bag after misplacing some of them.
Conclusion
Personally, I had some really good experiences with the Elevation Training Mask 2.0. I found it gave me an extra element to my training and made my workouts a lot harder. I also found myself focusing more on my breathing and using my abdominal muscles more while wearing the mask.
For MMA fighters or jiu-jitsu enthusiasts, the mask is a great product and it will teach you to control your breathing and to cope better in situations where your oxygen intake might be reduced. For example, the training mask might help you feel more comfortable while being ‘choked–out’. Likewise, if you are used to running at high altitudes it might help too.
All up, I think the Elevation Training Mask 2.0 has a number of positives. However, does it really increase your red blood cell count? Does it really improve your overall cardiovascular ability? And does it really improve lung function? Without being put under a clinical trial and having my blood tested, I don’t think it does.