TEST: TOBE MONO SUITS

Most of us have spent their alpine childhood in more or less well isolated onesies which most of the time were poorly isolated and far away from waterproof. Especially the late 80s and 90s had a wide range of models from hip to horrible to offer. But all of a sudden they disappeared.
In the past few years outdoor clothing brands are reproaching the concept of the monosuit. Seemingly a mayor problem was the rather plump, monotonous style of the onesie which didn’t at all fit the expectations of the modern skier or boarder.  But the advantages of the monosuit are obvious, especially for snowboarders and nowadays brands are working with the latest membrane and layer techniques to keep the riders dry and warm while the designers contribute modern design and color concepts.
Luckily the guys at TOBE OUTERWEAR were happy to hook us up with two of their best suits: The VIVID and the LUDO monosuit.  TOBE especially caught my eye as the suits give an impression of high quality workmanship paired with a cool, freeride friendly cut.

Looking closer to the details of the VIVID  gear nerds’ excitement will rise:
2 layer Sympatex shell,  45,000mm membrane, waterproof zippers, supreme ventilation and my favorite: Kevlar on knees, inner calf and leg cuffs that doesn’t fear anything! All this is paired with a bunch of clever gimmicks like a see through cell phone pocket, internal ergonomic and adjustable shoulder braces, a removable hood and useful pockets.

With the brand new LUDO model TOBE is responding specifically to the needs of freeriders. Not everyone likes the feeling of wearing an armor (I personally do) and some riders really love lightweight outerwear. That’s where the LUDO comes into the game:
Thanks to an ultra-light 3 layer shell with a 20,000 waterproof membrane and consciously leaving out the internal shoulder braces the LUDO is a lighter but by no means less effective suit!

Both models went through intensive testing in various conditions. From fluffy balls deep powder to a mild and sunny day cruising through slushy spring snow. One notices easily that these modern onesies were created in a snowmobile environment where they have to brave weather and challenges even harsher than a day of freeriding. The natural habitat of the LUDO and the VIVID is definitely what all our powder dreams are made of: deeper, fresher, fluffier! Wear one of these and you can go all “Forrest Gump” when it comes to snow: “We been through every kind of snow there is. Little bitty stingin’ snow … and big ol’ fat snow. Snow that flew in sideways. And sometimes snow even seemed to come straight up from underneath.”!

A very positive surprise was the high breathability and excellent ventilation of the suits. Once you figured out your personal preferences of base or mid-layers you’ll feel very comfortable.
An important aspect is the sized! TOBE mono suits are designed to accommodate protectors (back, chest & knees). If you do not wear internal protection under your outerwear, order one size smaller than you’d usually wear.
 
BOTTOM LINE:
NO MORE CUTS! No snow where you don’t want snow. Excellent ventilation and waterproof material. We are absolutely in love with the suits. 

LINKS
TOBE Website: www.tobeouterwear.com
TOBE Monosuits: http://de.tobeouterwear.com/mono-suits
Vivid: http://de.tobeouterwear.com/900117-002-vivid-mono-suit-hawaiian-ocean
Ludo: http://de.tobeouterwear.com/900718-005-ludo-mono-suit-freesia