On Jan 31, 8:29*pm, John Forrest Tomlinson
wrote:
On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:19:00 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

I've seen both World Cup and a few national level athletes use them.
They come in the form of a mask or something that looks like a scuba
regulator. I'm not sure exactly what they are calledI've been told
that they humidify cold, dry air to make cold weather skiing on the
lungs. I've always thought that the athletes that use them were a
little bit too careful but after training the past week in absolutely
dry and cold weather and feeling my lungs burn I'm not very
interested. Does anybody have any details about these devices and
where they can be bought?

Are you sure you aren't seeing a mask being used to protect the lungs
from fumes while waxing? For example,http://www.skiwax.ca/tools/tools.php#tl_resp

I think a buff or neck warmer pulled up over the mouth would help
humidify the air you breath.

http://www.2007canadagames.ca/en/gal...album=Biathlon
If you go to this webpage and select the photo on the bottom left you
can see a biathlete skiing in very cold weather at the Canada Winter
Games with one of these breathers.