It has been a rough year and a half for most of us coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, physical distancing, and the overall turbulence to our routine that the pandemic has brought with it. With the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are beginning to regain a sense of normalcy starting with the simple pleasures in life and building up to special moments and occasions.

One of the things we used to look forward to and was pretty much abolished from our lives has been domestic and international travel. But now, based on people getting vaccinated and continuing to maintain the current standard safe practices of physical distancing, frequent hand-washing and mask-wearing, flights are starting to be reintroduced into our lives once again.

To help reinstate airplane travel with as few glitches along the way as possible, current COVID-19 safe practices are very much in place. As per the CDC’s guidelines, masks are required while using all public transportation modes including airplanes as well as public transportation hubs such as stations and airports.

But while we are ok with tolerating certain types of masks for short excursions outside of our homes, selecting a mask for a long-haul flight comes with its own set of priorities and considerations.

So, what should we look for in a mask for flights and what are the makings of the best face mask for air travel? We’ve put together the 4 main points to watch for and consider to help you with finding the best travel mask for you.

1. Why are protection levels so important in an air travel face mask?

Planes are a confined indoor space with a high number of passengers sharing it. Cabin air quality varies depending on whether air filters are used, but even on airplanes with advanced air filters systems, air filters are not operating at maximal capacity during takeoffs and landings. Add to that the fact that some people are still not wearing their mask properly to fully cover their nose and mouth with no gaps or leaks, and that others may not be wearing masks consistently throughout the flight or not choosing a mask with good filtration performance, and you have a closed space with potential risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Finding a mask which offers you a high protection level is crucial to filtering out any particles in the closed airplane space you are sharing with others for a good number of hours. A mask like the NanosMask Pro™ has been tested and proven to offer over 97% filtration of 3-micron particles. But the NanosMask™ doesn’t stop there. Standard disposable masks offer passive filtration, meaning they trap particles in the mask like flies in a spider web. However, after a few hours, the mask becomes contaminated by these particles and needs to be replaced with a new mask. What makes NanosTech NanosMask™ stand out is that in addition to passive filtration, it also gives you active protection.

NanosTech’s innovative ultrasonic technology blasts fabrics with zinc at high velocity. The zinc becomes embedded in the fabric and is so well incorporated into the fabric that its power is maintained for over one year of use and over 50 washes. Zinc is a known antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agent. The zinc inside the NanosMask™’s fabric actively eliminates and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 with over 99.97% efficacy! And because the mask doesn’t become contaminated, you actually only need to wash it as needed if it becomes dirty or stained. With the NanosMask™ you get high-protection and low-maintenance!

2. How do breathability & fit influence your choice of air travel face mask?

The first rule of a mask offering you any kind of protection is that it needs to fit well. The mask also needs to be comfortable and allow you to breathe easily for you to be able to keep it on for as many hours as needed. This is especially true inside the plane where you can’t step outside to take a breath. According to the CDC, you should look for cloth masks that have multiple layers of breathable fabric that is tightly woven, include a nose wire, do not have gaps around the nose or sides of the face and that should block out the light if you hold the mask up to a bright light source. If the mask has gaps, air can leak out and infect other people if you are sick.

The NanosMask Pro™ is made up of 3 layers of tightly knit, soft, breathable fabric. It has a robust nose wire so you can adjust the mask to the contours of you face and prevent air escaping from around your nose. It comes with your choice of either head straps or ear straps, both adjustable. It also offers 4 sizes ranging from kids to adults to ensure everyone stays protected. Oh, and it comes in a variety of prints and colors so that you continue to look sharp even after the longest long-haul flight.

3. How to prevent maskne during air travel?
You may have heard of maskne by now – the pimples, skin breakouts and other skin irritations caused by long hours of mask-wearing. The friction of the mask against your skin combined with the humidity trapped in the mask has been causing all kinds of skin issues not just among people who have dealt with acne before, but among people who have never met a zit in their lives prior to the pandemic. Sitting on an airplane for many hours with your mask constantly on can get you to your destination with less-than-ideal skin. But acne caused by masks, or maskne, doesn’t have to be a given. In fact, the zinc in the NanosMask™’s fabric has been tested and proven to eliminate acne-causing bacteria with 99.999999% efficacy.

4. Preventing bad odors inside your mask during flights?

During long hours of wear, food and dirt may remain on the inside of our mask. All the hours spent on the airplane with less-than-ideal conditions for proper human hygiene are wonderful news for bacteria that thrive on food particles and muck left behind on the inside of our mask. This growth opportunity for bacteria could not just be dangerous but could also cause bad odor inside our mask which we would pretty much be stuck with for the full duration of our trip. But our trip doesn’t need to stink. The zinc in our NanosMask™ is antibacterial and kills off the odor-causing bacteria leaving your mask smelling fresh and your trip filled with good memories, not bad odors.

Bottom Line
Air travel is picking up again and travelling for business and vacation will soon be a part of our lives once more. As we continue to exercise precautions to keep ourselves and others safe from COVID-19, we want to find the best face mask to keep us protected while up in the air. With its high filtration rate, active protection, adjustable snug fit and high breathability, the NanosMask™ goes the extra mile to keep you continuously safe in the air and safe after landing for a fun and memorable travel experience.