Kristin Gornstein is a mezzo-soprano singer who lives in Boulder, CO, and performs all over the world in storied venues like Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and Carnegie Hall. She is also the vocalist of the modern classical duo Vertex, whose debut LP “joy, too” is now available.
Being an opera singer is kind of like being an Olympic gymnast, except instead of relying on all of my muscles to perform acrobatic feats, it all comes down to the two tiny vocal cords in my throat. Like any muscle, the voice depends on proper hydration to maintain optimal performance. Unlike other muscles, vocal cords are constantly being exposed to the surrounding environment by the air I breathe. It’s hard to imagine that anyone feels amazing after breathing airplane air for several hours, but as a professional vocalist, the resulting scratchy throat and sniffly nose isn’t just an annoyance. It can render me unable to perform my job.
That’s why for much of my career, I avoided flying and singing on the same day if at all possible. Then, in 2017, I noticed on Facebook that a few of my classical singer colleagues had posted selfies from their airplane seats while wearing these funny-looking blue masks. These Humidiflyer masks purported to keep their voices moist and performance-ready in even the driest airplane cabins. If this thing worked as they said it did, it would pay for itself if it saved me from spending even one superfluous night in a hotel room. So by the time I came across a third selfie, I decided to check it out for myself.
To my surprise, the thing made an instant, perceivable difference. Mental fatigue aside, I found that I was able to fly and audition on the same day without issues. And I haven’t boarded a single flight with an unmasked mouth since then.
Back in 2017, my biggest issue with the Humidiflyer was the amount of unwanted attention mask-wearing attracted in a pre-pandemic society. Wearing it on Southwest Airlines flights meant I was often the last person anyone wanted to sit next to, which was a relief. But on fuller flights, my seatmate would inevitably take the device as an invitation to start a conversation I didn’t want to have.
Between the normalization of mask-wearing on planes and the fact that the latest version of the Humidiflyer is a lot sleeker and more compact than the older version I’d originally purchased, this would likely be less of a problem today. As N95s have become the norm, I’ve learned they do a good enough job of keeping my throat moistened. However, the Humidiflyer allows me to breathe more naturally and doesn’t get nearly as clammy. That’s because, as Humidiflyer inventor Paul Aberhart explained via email, N95s humidify incidentally by trapping exhaled air the same as any other mouth covering, whereas his design retains only the moisture while allowing the rest of your breath to escape. While the extra-cautious (including myself) might use a disposable N95 through the end of flu season, I’ll return to my Humidiflyer when the snow thaws and the germs subside.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
