Hey everyone, the past few years we have been flooded with new ToTs Myers masks in the community and have been quite popular since their initial release. I know alot of people really love these masks and I mostly hear " for the price "…yes the ToTs masks go for $60 , a steal obviously compared to all the indie masks on the market. …but are they REALLY WORTH the price? Are TOTs masks really a good caliber mask? Or for the cost can they still be alot better than what’s being sold on the market ?Curious to hear your thoughts…
No, they are not worth the price. ToTs masks have very “factory” paint jobs, and use so much latex paint that is robs the sculpt of any detail it may have had. The hair is either a ridiculously thick gorilla shag or a very thin camel / mo hair. More often than not the latex paint is bonded to the mask and not removable. A rehaul will just add more layers of paint,losing more detail.
If you want a screen accurate mask / costume piece buying a ToTs just puts you in a position where you’ve spent $60 on a mask that will cost at least that again for BooBob Bagalgy to rehaul it, and that will take however long.
You’re far better off to spend $100-$150 on a good independent sculpt if possible and save all the hassle.
I think so, yes. Of course a mass produced mask will never be quite as good as a high end indie mask, but if you’re on a budget, it’s the best you’re going to get, especially after a rehaul. You also have to consider where we came from…there was a time when the only mass produced Myers masks you could get looked absolutely NOTHING like him, but now, we have TOTS Myers masks, which are actually pretty decently film accurate, and so it must again be said, therefore, that for the price of $60 for a mass produced Myers mask you can buy off a rack in a store, you just can’t beat that. Look at it this way…before TOTS, you either had to settle for the cheap junk masks, or you could dish out hundreds of dollars for a high end indie mask, meaning that if you were on a budget, but wanted an accurate Myers mask, you were pretty much out of luck. Now, thanks to TOTS, that’s no longer the case.
I know TOTS isn’t perfect…they have poor customer service, and Chris Zephro isn’t the best guy in the world…but TOTS has to be one of the greatest things to ever have happened to the Myers mask community, in my honest opinion. Take your pick…would you rather have the cheap mass produced knock offs from years ago, or a TOTS mask?
They’re a good starter mask no doubt, but nothing special. I remember when the “Elrod” was the big deal and allegedly just like the creep and was the best mass produced H1 Hero, then I got one (My first ever/only mass produced mask) and it was a huge disappointment… (Picture attached)
Very interesting points on both sides of the fence posted so far I have to say…and ofc this is not a thread meant to bash ToTs but to voice your approval or disappointment of the masks …
Of course, I don’t think they’re a bad company. They’re just mass produced masks, and that’s it. One thing I was not fond of is how the mask looks advertised versus how it looks in your hand. I’ll attach a picture of the elrod before I rehauled it.
If you spend $60 on one, essentially you have a blank to be rehauled. There’s independent blanks that are next level accurate for $60…
Verrrry very true!
If you get a Boogeyman or Elrod then you’ve basically got Kirk descendant for for $60, and if you look around on eBay and make an offer, you can almost always get one for less than that. I don’t mind the paint jobs on them. Usually a little bit of light weathering, especially around the eyes can make a world of difference. Adding some details to a mask isn’t a big deal to me. My dad and his friends had original Don Post masks back in the day, and they all added their own details like blood, scars, etc. The real problem with TOTS masks is the hair. Not a huge deal once you style it a bit, but they do look so much better with different hair. Night and day difference sometimes. So yeah, I’d say they’re worth the money.
Ok brother interesting points…how many ToTs mask do you own? Do u own any high end indie masks?
I think you said it perfectly when you said the ToTs masks are a good STARTER mask…
I have owned H2 Econ (the smallest one, and the one that fits me the best, purchased in 2013), the H40, Boogeyman, and the Shape (aka the 78). Still have everyone except the Shape which I sold because it was way too big. I don’t own any indie masks, however I’ve seen quite a few of them in person and TBH I wasn’t that impressed with most of them. Not that they were bad, I just expected more when the owners told me they paid $200+ for them. I remember a couple in particular looked really good when I saw online photos of them. However when I actually went to look at them in person they were kind of a letdown. Taught me a lesson on the importance of lighting and the general work that goes into setting up the perfect photo.
But yeah, I’d say the bottom line is that TOTS mask are worth the $40-60 if you don’t want to spend the big bucks on an indie. This is all just my opinion of course.
Edit: I also own all three TOTS H3 masks
I’m having a castle mask made at the moment, the best castle stretch I have seen period. And it’s only double the price of a ToTs, if you can have a ToTs rehauled for $120 including the cost of the mask, then I say go for it. But it’s not likely, save your money.
I pretty much agree with this. The only thing I would change is that you’re not going to buy a nice Indy mask for any less than like $200 to $300. But I would highly recommend putting that $60 in a jar and keep adding to it until you have enough to buy a good Indy. Like the old saying goes. If you’re going to do it… do it right. Otherwise, don’t do it at all.
What do you mean when you say “Castle Mask”?
Very interesting . I enjoy reading your opinion on this subject. You don’t always have to agree with someone else’s opinion to still be able to appreciate it 
… how are the H3 masks by the way? THESE are the masks I would actually be really interested in buying …I would love to know how they compare to the Don Post H3 masks …
The new H1 castle stretch by LDS. To me the new sculpt is one of the most accurate I have seen, personally.
Edit: Not a NAG (forgot he has one called the “Castle Mask”)
I agree Slasher …I also believe once you have that first really good indie mask you can’t go back to the mass produced masks .
Do you have any pics of it?
Right on the money. 