[7_Zero]

My guess is the Breathe-Cool is becoming more popular because of the price. For example, the Hobbyair base system with half mask runs $429 while the Breathe-Cool equivalent is $360. The Hobbyair however does come with a longer hose that contributes to the higher price. While perusing both sites, it seems that Breathe-Cool has a few more options as far as accessories, larger selection of hoods and masks, more options for hose lengths etc. Hoses are also a little cheaper as well.

The Breathe-Cool also has a built in rheostat so you can adjust the amount of airflow, which is nice if you want to add longer hoses or run an air supplied hood. They also sell a flow meter which is good for setting up the proper airflow to make sure you get enough air.

I was going to go with a Breathe-Cool for the above mentioned reasons, but ended up getting a Hobbyair Buddy after finding a steal of a deal on a used system. I have had no regrets with it and am glad I got one. In the end I figure it will pay for itself vs buying the cartridge respirators, plus I do not have to worry about expiration dates anymore. I also figure that when I am done with the system, I can probably sell it for about as much as I bought it for.

One last thing, as mentioned before, is that the Hobbyair comes with 40’ of hose. For most use I have found this to be enough, but there have been a couple of times that I could have used a longer hose. The Breathe-Cool only comes with 25’ of hose, I would recommend getting at least 50’. You need enough hose to put the unit in a non contaminated environment, and also have enough to allow you to move around the project you are painting.