MIRA Safety was kind enough to send us one of their gas masks to review. As with all our reviews, we try to test products thoroughly and write our unbiased opinions of the products. So, let’s jump into it!
Before being sent the Mira Safety CM-7M military gas mask for review the thought of writing a gas mask review had never really entered my mind. So, when I had a chance to get some hands on time with one I jumped at the opportunity.
While in the Marine Corps I was issued a M40 gas mask which I did the standard entry level and annual training on. In addition to that, one of my collateral duties was as a NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) survey and decontamination team leader. So I received extra training in order to lead a small team that would determine the boundary of a contaminated area and then establish decontamination stations for personnel and equipment leaving those areas.
About MIRA Safety
MIRA Safety is an American company based in our site’s own hometown of Austin, Texas! They produce a number of different safety products including gas masks (for adults & children), hazmat suits, & more. Their focus is on providing consumers and first responders with reliable safety equipment.
You can tell the quality of the products by looking at their client list – multiple governments around the world including the United States, Czech Republic, Portugal, Turkey, & more.
MIRA CM-7M Gas Mask
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The MIRA Safety CM-7M sports a variety of features that make it a solid piece of protective equipment. A few of these are highlighted below:
- A high level of user comfort for all day protection.
- Low breath resistance
- Accepts up to two NATO standard 40mm filters
- Comes with hydration system and canteen (also compatible with camel back bladders)
- High quality speech diaphragm enables easy communication with those around you
- The profile of the CM-7M is also made to allow for the use of helmets, night vision googles and weapon optics.
The box that the CM-7M shipped in contained the mask and a plethora of information about it printed all around the outside of it, plus the included canteen.
For this review the NBC-77 SOF 40mm filter was provided by Mira Safety. This review is mainly going to talk about the features of the CM-7M, but it is important to note that when it comes to protection from various contaminants the filter is just as important as the mask. The notable features of the NBC-77 SOF filter are that it has a 20 year shelf life and filters all known CBRN agents, including radioactive iodine. Of course it also uses the 40mm standard NATO threads so it will work with a large amount of surplus gas masks on the markets.
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Performance
How do I review the performance of a gas mask? This is a question I have asked myself, and been asked by everyone who heard that I am writing this review. For better or worse (probably better) I don’t have access to any nuclear, biological or chemical agents that I can use to really test the limits of the MIRA Safety CM-7M and NBC-77 SOF filter. Which begs the question, what is the next best thing?
The first thing I did was to take the CM-7M out on one of my range sessions. I donned the CM-7M then started shooting and didn’t take it off until I was done, which ended up being about forty five minutes. During this session I worked a number of pistol drills. I found that sight acquisition was a piece of cake and required no adjustments to my stance or shooting form because of the mask.
One thing to keep in mind though, is that you will have limited ability to look down because of the filter. I was also wearing a plate carrier, which could have also exacerbated this as well. Over the course of the session I noted some very slight fogging in the right eye, but this never obstructed my vision and cleared itself out eventually.
During my time in the Marines with the standard issued M40 mask, I experienced significant issues with fogging. So I started thinking of ways I could stress the ability of the MIRA Safety CM-7M to stay clear. I quickly ruled out running up and down my street in full kit with the mask on as it might alarm the neighbors (in addition to garnering odd looks from my wife).
But I do have a stationary bike, so I threw the MIRA Safety CM-7M on and went for a 12.5 mile ride. In very short order I discovered that the slight fogging I had experienced in my previous drill was the maximum extent that I could get the mask to fog. As with all gas masks the CM-7M does restrict the amount of air that you can get because of having to suck it through the filter. Which can cause a slight claustrophobic feeling if you’re not used to it. The CM-7M was also very efficient at clearing the accumulated moisture within the mask, I could routinely feel drops of water coming from the vent on the bottom of the mask.
The MIRA Safety CM-7M is a well laid out mask but like all gas masks they add bulk to your face. Depending on how the mask is designed this can either play nice with your rifle or not. In order to give the CM-7M a run for it’s money in this area I took out my AR with a 1-6 LPVO. I have guns with red dots but they are much more forgiving when it comes to sight acquisition so I went with the scope for this test. I had to slightly change my head position while shooting but was quickly having no trouble using my optic. The profile around the right hand filter attachment point required that I use a higher cheek weld than normal, so not bad.
When it came to testing the ability of the CM-7M and NBC-77 SOF filter to actually filter things my best option for testing was smoke. So I built up a big fire and pretty much just stood right in the smoke path for about 25 minutes. During this time I was able to breath normally and did not notice even the slightest smell of the fire. Upon taking the mask off I immediately noticed a heavy smell of smoke throughout the whole area.
During my time wearing the CM-7M I talked off and on to other people. While there is some loss of volume associated with wearing any mask the CM-7M voice diaphragm did a good job of minimizing this to the largest extent possible.
Fit and Comfort
Fit and comfort are important in any piece of equipment but this goes doubly so for something that you may be wearing for an extended period of time. I found the MIRA Safety CM-7M to be very comfortable. Wearing a gas mask long term is never going to be a fun experience, but this model made the best of it. I think a lot of this is due to the multi point strap system which holds the CM-7M in place. This evenly distributes the pressure of the mask so that it sits comfortably.
Obviously fit is important because if the thing doesn’t fit, it wont seal and then you’re in real trouble. I have an average size face (at least I feel like I do) and the CM-7M sealed well. This also includes the fact that I have a goatee which is slightly longer than ¼ inch. That extent of facial hair didn’t affect the ability of the mask to seal; I was able to block the air ports and suck the mask to my face, which confirmed everything was good.
The hydration system works well and I was able to get as much water as I wanted. Be aware though that you are going to have to use a good bit of force to get the straw from the mask to lock into the canteen. Also, the water isn’t exactly free flowing and it’s going to take some effort to suck it through the straw.
Ease of Use
Another important topic when dealing with emergency equipment is ease of use. Having a high speed piece of gear is great but if it takes 12 steps to use it and you can only remember 10 you’re probably going to have a bad time.
Overall the MIRA Safety CM-7M is very easy to use, put it on, tighten it down and assuming you have a filter on your ready to go. My one gripe is that the CM-7M I received didn’t come with a instruction manual. There is a lot of information printed on the side of the box but a simple manual that explains how to put the mask on, clear it and check the seal would go a long ways for people who don’t have prior experience with this kind of equipment. It does say on the side of the box that you should read the included instructions, so I’m guessing that there was supposed to be one that just didn’t get packed.
Pros/Cons:
Pros:
- Comfort for long term wear.
- Ease of use
- Effective against a wide range of threats
Cons:
- If you don’t have prior training with gas masks there may or may not be instructions that come with it.
Verdict
If you are ever worried about anything harmful entering your respiratory system, the MIRA Safety CM-7M gas mask gives you broad range protection in a package that is very functional and for a pretty good price. Whether you’re a professional operator, survivalist, or just someone wanting to protect yourself & your lungs, this gas mask provides excellent utility and comfort.
If it sounds like this mask would fit your needs I would definitely recommend picking it up.
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From a young age Jesse has been an avid shooter and outdoorsman. He is a Marine Corps veteran, and has worked for the last decade as a commissioned, full-time, municipal Police Officer in Washington State. He is a state certified law enforcement firearms instructor, teaching courses in pistol, rifle, shotgun, and handgun optics, as well as other specialized fields. In his free time, Jesse continues to enjoy the outdoors hiking with his family, hunting, and shooting competitively in the Pacific Northwest.