Under Armour’s pioneering face covering for exercise will cool your face as you work out

High-performance SPORTSMASK for cautious athletes is one of a wave of masks for running and exercise

Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK face mask
(Image credit: Under Armour)

UPDATE: We now have this Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK review

Gyms have been reopened but thankfully, face coverings are not mandatory for gym workouts. That said, if you are cautious, you can get a UA SPORTSMASK, a performance face mask designed for athletes by Under Armour. 

• Buy the UA SPORTSMASK for £26, directly from Under Armour

• ...or buy Adidas Face Covers at Adidas for £12.95 (3-pack)

• ...or you can get the Nike Squad Football Snood for £16.95

• In the US? Check out these sports face masks from Shock Doctor

The UA SPORTSMASK is a reusable, water-resistant performance face mask designed for "maximum breathability", as the manufacturer claims. The new face mask functions to reduce the spread of respiratory droplets by the wearer, so just like other masks, it is there to prevent your respiratory droplets reaching other people, admittedly a good thing in closed environments such as gyms.

ASICS Runners Face Cover review: an excellent running face mask that you can drink through

Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK face mask

(Image credit: Under Armour)

Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK: price and availability

The UA SPORTSMASK is available for £26 at Under Armour. The UA SPORTSMASK comes in one colour (black) and four sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large.

Under Armour UA SPORTSMASK face mask

(Image credit: Under Armour)

UA SPORTSMASK: how it works

The top of the mask features a mouldable nose-bridge to help secure it in place and mitigate airflow to the eyes, helping to prevent glasses from fogging. The UA SPORTSMASK features a three-layer model, designer specially for athletes:

  • LAYER 1: SPACER FABRIC - It is light but has air pockets for structure, so it stays off the mouth and nose for better airflow
  • LAYER 2: OPEN-CELL FOAM - The breathable middle layer lets air through but makes it hard for moisture and sweat to pass
  • LAYER 3: UA ISO-CHILL - This fabric feels cool against the skin, stretches, and is treated with PROTX2™, a non-metal anti-microbial technology which inhibits growth of bacteria on the mask

According to the manufacturer, the PROTX2 "has been shown in laboratory tests to destroy COVID-19, and is being reviewed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to confirm the efficacy of the substance as it is applied to the UA SPORTSMASK." Under Armour hasn't disclosed any more information about the actual tests and as they say, the efficacy of the mask is being reviewed so we try not to get too excited about this claim just yet.

• Buy Adidas Face Covers at Adidas for £12.95 (3-pack)

• ...or you can get the Nike Squad Football Snood for £16.95

• In the US? Check out these sports face masks from Shock Doctor

Under Armour also has a patent pending on its design and construction of the mask.

Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.