How we choose Totobobo mask and became a reseller?

Sometimes our new users received a practical gift which is based on their answer to our questions.
Levi, a new users from Phillipines, told me that he learn about the Totobobo mask from his girl friend but she decided to try another brand first and let Levi try the Totobobo mask instead.

I intend to use it as both an everyday mask to protect myself from Covid, and as a mask to protect myself from pollution as I use my bicycle.

I learned about the Totobobo mask from my girlfriend Trixee, who is also an avid cyclist. She was researching on what mask to buy, and concluded that Cambridge and Totobobo were the best options. Since Cambridge was more accessible and cheaper, she decided to go for it first. Its disposable nature didn’t sit well with me, so I went with Totobobo instead. This also lets her see how I fare before she invests in one herself.

– Levi from Phillipines

Hearing about Levi’s story, I’m curious to find out how Trixee will compare the Totobobo mask with the Cambridge mask she got. I offered her a free mask and included in the parcel.

Two months later, I received an email from Levi and he included the feedback from Trixee. Her feedback blown my mind because she really understand the detail advantages and what sets the Totobobo mask apart from the rest. So much so that we decided that Levi and Trixee can try to help reselling the Totobobo mask to their local community! Their website is here: https://totoboboph.com/

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Dear Francis:
First of all, thank you very much for sending a Totobobo mask over for me! I really appreciate it. Let me give you a spoiler now: receiving it was a game-changer, and I never looked back.

How I research for the best mask

Levi might have already shared with you how I found out about these masks, but let me quickly recount how I narrowed down my list to the Totobobo Mask and Cambridge Mask. Sometime late last year, Levi and I purchased ponchos from https://www.thepeoples.co/ . One of the items that Levi got was their cycling masks. https://www.thepeoples.co/products/everdaygear. At the time, I was thinking of getting one myself, but the mask looked huge on his face. Given that, I searched for online lists of the best cycling/bike commuting masks available. Then that I came across this list: https://www.cyclist.co.uk/buying-guides/best-bike-masks-to-protect-urban-cyclists-from-pollutionIt featured the five masks below:
1. Respro Ultralight
2. Cambridge Mask Company Anti-Pollution Mask
3. Craft Cadence Nano Fiber
4. Totobobo
5. Vogmask N99 CVI
I narrowed down the five masks to the Respro Ultralight, Cambridge Mask Co., and Totobobo since the other two options looked like regular masks without many additional features. To explain briefly, if I were to get either of the Vogmask or Craft Cadence mask, I might as well use my Meo Face Mask (https://www.meoair.com/), which is a reusable mask with replaceable KN95 filters. The prints/design were nicer, so “style” wasn’t an edge for these two masks. The list of three was further narrowed down to two, with the elimination of the Respro Ultralight from the running, due to its similarity with The People’s Cycling Mask – I was afraid the mask would be too large for my face. So, I ended up with Cambridge Mask Co and Totobobo to choose from. They were the top two choices because of their unique features: Totobobo’s mask’s filters can be replaced, the whole mask itself is plastic and can be washed, and it looked highly adjustable. The mask, however, looked intimidating, and I had to purchase it from the Singapore store. The filter and other add-on options also led me to “think too hard” about which items or set of items I want (Which filter should I get? Which set/bundle is better? Should I get a mask first or stock up on filters already?) Meanwhile, Cambridge Mask Co’s mask was a simple, familiar-looking mask. Despite the basic look, it offered a lot of features – adjustable loops to adjust the body of the mask itself, a nose clip, and the ability to be washed. There was a local distributor, so I was sure to get it quickly, and the price was just halfTotobobo’s price. The downside is that it had to be replaced every few months of use. While Singapore was near enough to the Philippines to have items shipped, I opted to try the Cambridge Mask first due to its availability from a reputable local medical supplies shop. It was also cheap enough that I wouldn’t mind not using the item if it didn’t work for me.I purchased one small and one medium size. Eventually, though, you learned about us and sent over a Totobobo mask for comparison.(At this point, let me apologize in advance for the number of Cambridge Mask Co. pics over your mask! I figured you already know what your mask looks like, so I just took pics of the other mask so you could see it.)

Comparison, Material, Comfort, Fit

A. Cambridge Mask Co

The Cambridge mask fits just like how other fabric masks fit on me. Both the S and M sizes covered my face well, the size was apt, and there was sufficient space for my nose and mouth not to feel too restricted. The elastics with toggles in the front of the mask helped improve the fit since pulling on tight made the edges of the mask tighter around the face. Like with all other fabric masks, though, it’s questionable if the edges of the mask were sealed. It looked sealed to me. But unlike with the Totobobo mask, given that the material of this mask was fabric, I would always question whether the mask was as sealed as it should be. I was raving about the mask’s elastics with toggles/tightening toggles, but I have to note that for the small mask, the elastics on both sides snapped within a week of purchase. Haha. Also, like other fabric masks, the elastic loops tend to be thick. I have small ears, so the tendency is for the ear loops to sometimes slip off my ears. I appreciated that the masks came with a nose clip integrated into the mask’s interior. I needed only to pinch it to shape.I also appreciate the attachable head strap that came with it. It was much more comfortable for me to use this instead of the earloops. The only downside was that the lock of the head strap was loose and tended to slip to a looser fit over time. As with other things that I purchase, I like that there are fewer moving and detachable parts in this mask. Though in this case, I’m not sure if the lack of moving parts is good (comparing it to the Totobobo mask). There was a light smell to this mask. And the mask, of course, got smellier due to sweat. It had to be washed after use! But then…The masks are supposedly washable and must be replaced every few months, but I honestly don’t feel comfortable washing it (with water and washing soda, according to online resources) – since the filter of the mask is integrated, I feel like the filter will degrade if I wash it. I purchased two sizes – one small and one medium. It seemed like the medium size was the proper size for me. However, the small mask seemed to fit better around my face, even if I adjusted the medium mask tightly. Like other fabric masks, I could grab the Cambridge mask and go. I don’t fear that it would be deformed or destroyed in my bag since it’s fabric and it doesn’t have detachable parts. Purchased from a local distributor, the Cambridge masks are priced at around USD 19.00-28.00 each (depending on the seller). Other reusable fabric masks are within the same price range, though probably more cost-efficient if they are the type that can be reused and filter replaced.For packaging, I almost would’ve appreciated that the mask came with a manual and other information. The information provided by the manual wasn’t very useful, though – they were stuff I could check online, and the warranty QR code, which asked me to input my email, was just a sign-up for their newsletter. Save for four pages; the other pages were just information in different languages. If you ever considered adding a nicer-looking packaging for the Totobobo mask… hmmm, maybe don’t do this. Maybe you don’t need it. All in all, the mask performed better than my other fabric masks. The Cambridge mask was able to improve the fit of this type of mask.

B. Totobobo Mask

Before getting into the review on comfort, it’s worth mentioning that the Totobobo Mask had to be adjusted many times before I could wear it. The process of adjusting the fit seemed easy enough on paper but was a little bit frustrating in practice. Once done, however, the ordeal was worth it, and the mask proved to be lightyears away in comfort! It was so much easier to breathe in this mask than in the Cambridge mask.One thing I appreciated is that sweat seemed to also help in sealing the mask. I had doubts about the seal when I first wore the mask to a ride. It seemed sealed, but the mask also seemed like it was just resting on top of my skin. After I got sweaty, however, the mask seemed to have lightly stuck to my skin. This isn’t uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, it increased my confidence that the mask was sealed and working. There’s really very little to point out in this mask because it worked so well. It was comfortable on my face, the cup provided ample space. The plastic material was not only more comfortable than the fabric mask, but it also felt cleaner. Breathing was easier (so much so that I got a little suspicious of the effectiveness of the mask, yet the dirty filters reaffirm the effectiveness). I’ve also already replaced filters. The straps can be a bit uncomfortable at first while putting on the mask, due to the lack of elasticity and thickness, but once worn, it was a non-issue. It might even be preferable (for some), since they don’t tend to fall off when looped around the ears. In any case, I opted to attach the strings such that they go around my head, which makes the mask more snug, secure, and comfortable, in my opinion. The Totobobo mask that I used didn’t come with a nose clip. I felt like that could have improved the fit or make the process of adjusting the curves of the mask to my face faster. Then again, it should be pointed out that I have been using the mask without the nose clip adjusted to my face and it remains sealed even without the nose clip. (One of the masks with noseclips that you sent us recently is mine, so I’ll be trying the mask with nose clips soon!)

More on durability: I’m also wondering how long the original elastics holding the filters would last. So far, after two months, they haven’t snapped or loosened much.Like the other mask, I also noticed that there was a light smell to the mask when I first started wearing it. It bothered me at first, but it went away after several uses. Unlike the Cambridge Mask, I loved washing the Totobobo Mask! I love that I could wash it with soap and water after use and that the head straps aren’t thick and absorbent, such that they have to be washed separately. I could also use alcohol if soap and water weren’t available or if I dropped my mask and had to clean it immediately. I appreciate that I can immediately clean the mask if I sneeze while wearing it. As a pet owner, too, the totobobo mask is preferable since dog fur doesn’t get stuck to it as much, unlike fabric masks, provided I keep the mask in a pouch/can when not in use. (Dog can wear the Cambridge mask because I don’t use it anymore, lol)

One thing about storage – I tend to throw my stuff in my bag whenever I go out. Given this, I sometimes felt anxious about just throwing the Totobobo mask in my bag in a hurry. It would get deformed if it weren’t kept in a hard case. I haven’t noticed any deformities that affect the fit when I wear the mask, but I haven’t put it under significant stress yet (like seeing if heavy items in a bag would deform the mask). In the end, I expected the mask to feel more comfortable than the Cambridge Mask Co.’s mask, which it was, but I didn’t expect it to be so much more comfortable! I ended up ditching the Cambridge Mask (two masks!) altogether after receiving the mask that you sent. In conclusion, the edge of the Cambridge Mask is that it is more accessible to me (given the lower price and its availability for purchase at the usual/popular online shopping platforms here in the Philippines) and the addition of an attachable, adjustable head strap. However, accessibility can’t make up for the comfort the Totobobo mask offers. I’d rather wait for the Totobobo mask to get shipped to me since it offered much more comfort, cost-effectiveness (reusability and filters!), and hygiene. I just hope that the small parts (elastics, string, filter holder/frames) will be available if they need replacing.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Regards, Trixee

Summary

Looking for a good mask that provides protection against Covid-19 and pollution? Levi from the Philippines recommends the Totobobo mask, which he uses while cycling. He discovered the Totobobo mask through his girlfriend Trixee, who researched the best masks and concluded that Totobobo and Cambridge were the best options. Although Cambridge was more accessible and cheaper, Levi chose Totobobo due to its washable and replaceable filters. After using the Totobobo mask for some time, Trixee compared it with the Cambridge mask and provided detailed feedback. If you want to learn more about their experience and purchase the Totobobo mask, you can visit their website at https://totoboboph.com/.