TOBE Ventus Heated Helmet—Versatile
The TOBE Ventus helmet appears to be similar to other snowmobile helmet choices but that conclusion would be inaccurate. The TOBE Ventus is un-ordinarily versatile. It is possibly even an excellent choice as a four-season helmet.
When unpacking the helmet, it comes equipped with all the goodies and standard fare for cold winter riding. Most noticeable is the heated shield with a plug for RCA power.
The other “accessories” in the box were confusing to me at first. Why would TOBE send a single pane shield to be fitted if one removed the heated shield? Why would TOBE also equip this helmet with an optional smaller chin guard and wind deflector? Do they know where we ride?
Who is TOBE?
TOBE was begun and is headquartered in northern Sweden. The idea for TOBE apparel was shaped by the founder’s proximity to and original interest in a ski hill in its small village. Thomas is the founder and now has a passion for snowmobiling that is more than two decades in the making. Outdoor winter apparel should be functional, but also attractive.
Thomas’ highest priority when designing gear for snowmobiling is staying dry. Thus waterproofing is an essential element in all designs and elements of the TOBE product line.
Sledmagazine.com works with Mountain Sports Distribution (MSD) to be able to test, display, and comment on the TOBE products for your riding experiences. See shopmsd.com.
First Ride—Impressions
We will test this helmet throughout the remainder of the 2024 season. However I did have an opportunity to ride approximately 100 km after our first sufficient snowfall in mid January. This short ride is not enough time to reach conclusions about the performance of the TOBE Ventus. However, there are some first impressions after a one-day ride.
Sizing
This helmet is a size large. It feels and appears to run smaller than comparable snowmobile helmets. It did not hurt my head anywhere in specific and that is a good thing. With a balaclava on for the ride, it just felt too tight at the end of this first day. Time will tell if this is just because it was brand new. Most new helmets feel tight on first impressions so let us hope this is the case.
Weight
The TOBE Ventus is not too heavy. Specifications say this helmet weighs 1680 g (+/- 50 g). For riders my age, that is just over 3.5 lb. It had been 73 days—November 4th—since I had last worn a helmet for my last motorcycle ride of 2023. My neck was not sore after my first snowmobile ride of 2024. A good sign.
Chin Guard
The first 100 km ride was in temperatures at about -10 ºC. The chin guard was adequate at keeping the cold off my chin, but just barely. My thoughts are that as the temperatures drop, this initial guard may not be enough. We will explore if the TOBE Ventus helmet has other options for this component of the helmet.
Visibility
The sight lines from behind the heated visor are good, but remain average. The industry has helmet choices with much larger visors. These versions not only have wider sight lines, but they provide deeper visibility. It must be remembered though that the TOBE Ventus is also built to be a versatile helmet. That means the visor can be removed and worn with a set of goggles. Furthermore, it does not cost as much as the competitors units with the larger visors.
I rode with the helmet plugged into the RCA outlet and, as expected, there was no fogging or icing issues on the shield. I also like to ride without a power cord when possible. Personally, I just find any power cord cumbersome and that includes all of them, not the TOBE Ventus particularly.
So, I rode the TOBE Ventus for the last 20 km, of my initial 100 km test ride, without the power cord. Interestingly, I can report that, at the -10 ºC temperatures, I was able to completely close the visor and experienced no fogging or icing. This is a very positive attribute of this helmet. It will be interesting to see at what temperatures it can maintain a clear visor without having to rely on the RCA power for the heated shield. We will test that.
Nicest Features
All snowmobile helmets should come with two of the features that the TOBE Ventus do. In fact, all helmets for all seasons and activities should come with these two features.
The Fidlock helmet buckle is in the design of the TOBE Ventus helmet. Once you make the original fitment with the straps for your chin, these buckles are the best design on the market. The magnetic clip is so easy to clip every time. It is secure and makes easy work of fastening your helmet when fighting with neck warmers, balaclavas and jacket zippers. Not all (more expensive) helmets are the same.
The retractable sun visor provided in the design is also a must. It should be our expectation that all snowmobile helmets in this price range comes with the ability to tame the sun from your vision. The visor provided is a darker version. I will explore if other visor colour choices, for low light and the brightest days, are available from TOBE as accessories. I will also test the sun visor at colder temperatures to report if there are any icing issues. There were none during my first ride.
First Impression—Versatility Explained
This helmet was chosen by Sledmagazine.com to be tested as snowmobile apparel. Conversely, at sister publication, Magazinemoto.com, our colleague and columnist Hugo Lorquet tested this helmet in a June 2023 article.
Hugo also noted the ultimate versatility of this helmet in the world of adventure bike riding. It was applicable for off-pavement riding and DOT certified for highway riding as well. Hugo stated, “A pro of TOBE’s Ventus Helmet is that it can be used year-round.” Now I understand the extra accessories provided in the box.
