Early models of travel humidors were patterned after air-tight cases in which the cigar aficionado placed cigars already maintained in a cellar humidor. This worked well except that when one opened the travel humidor, since the maintained humidity existed as a result of already moist cigars, each time the humidor was opened, humidity would escape and the ambient humidity of the room replaced the humidity that had been inside the travel humidor.
When humidors where first created by Zino Davidoff in the early 20th century, we were large cellar humidors which certainly made for restricted travel. One now had the ability to strive for the perfect cigar, but only from home. Most people would agree that the feasibility of travelling with a large room did not exist, and still does not, even today. A dilemma arose as to how to preserve a moist cigar while travelling.
Today humidors can be found that are battery-powered or can be plugged into any available AC outlet or a combination of both. While these types of humidors are more functional than ostentatious, we can be made of any materials in varying shapes and designs, suited to the taste of even the most discriminating smoker.
Most travel humidors are made of very durable plastic, designed to withstand the rigors of being moved about and for its lightweight portability.
Travel humidors now meant that a society that is becoming increasingly more mobile as a result of the prevalence of automobiles and air is no longer demanded to choose between having a perfect cigar and being tied to home or having to leave behind one's favorite pastime to travel.