I am no stranger to Mountain Equipment Company’s winter gear. I remember my parents flipping through MEC catalogues in the 90s carefully picking out hats, gloves, and winter suits for my siblings and I to wear. I grew up in Prince George, British Columbia where winters can be long, cold and snowy and good. The well made MEC winter gear kept us warm and cozy for hours of outdoor winter play. A few winter pieces even lasted decades only to be passed down to my own children.
When I started having kids of my own, back in 2008, I knew that I wanted to invest in good winter gear for them, so I turned to trusty MEC. For the last sixteen years I’ve been purchasing MEC snowsuits and snow gear for my five kids (yes, you read that right, five!). I still have a few MEC Toaster Suits that I bought a decade ago, although most I passed along after my first three children outgrew them. Now that I’ve jumped back into adventures with little wildlings, my two youngest children are one and three at the time of this review, I knew it was time to upgrade our MEC snow suits. MEC agreed to send some my way in exchange for an honest review.
In this product review I’ll be sharing my thoughts on both the MEC Toaster Suit (Children) and the MEC Toaster Bunting Suit (Infants).
The 2018 Upgrades
Since I’m no newbie to the MEC Toaster Suit (Children) and MEC Toaster Bunting Suit (Infants) the first thing I noticed with our new suits were the upgrades. The snow suits went through major upgrades in 2018 after incorporating consumer feedback. Both suits have improved outer shell fabric making them more water resistant and rip resistant. The older MEC Toaster and Toaster Bunting Suits were warm but not very water resistant. This wasn’t a big issue in the north where winter temperatures stayed below zero much of the time. After moving to the Okanagan Valley, however, I found that winter was wetter with snow falling and melting then falling again. This resulted in wet snowsuits and wet children – not fun! The new MEC Toaster and Toaster Bunting Suits, however, can handle wet. My kids have played in wet snow and spilled hot chocolate on themselves and stayed dry underneath. That’s a huge win!
There are more great upgrades too that are specific to each suit. I’ll share these below as I go through the pros, cons and specs of both the MEC Toaster Suit (Children) and the MEC Toaster Bunting Suit (Infants).
Please note: This product review is sponsored by Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, this post contains affiliate links for Mountain Equipment Company (MEC), Reima and Amazon. As an associate of these companies I earn from qualifying purchases made through these links. Thank you for your support.
MEC Toaster Suit (Children): Pros, Cons and Specs
Honestly, the MEC Toaster Suit has come a long way over the last decade. I love that the outer shell is much more rugged and water resistant. That’s a huge win! I also appreciate the reinforced knees, rear, inner ankles and cuffs. These changes alone makes the MEC Toaster Suit a great winter snowsuit that will last not just one winter but many. The added “grow-with-me” pant hem is perfect for getting in a couple seasons with one suit, but even once your child outgrows this suit it will still be great shape to pass to younger siblings, cousins, friends or to resell at a great price.
My only wish for this snowsuit is that MEC would have added foot stirrups to prevent the ankles from riding up along with adjustable Velcro straps to the wrists. While the ankles do have a nice sticky inner band which is great for ski boots they ride up when my three-year-old romps through deep snow in regular snow boots. There’s nothing worse than getting snow in your boots! The other thing that MEC might want to consider is making them in bigger sizes as they only go up to a size 7.
Available in sizes 3 to 7. In the past I’ve found that the MEC Toaster Suits fit on the large size. I got a MEC Toaster Suit size 3 for my three-year-old and it fits perfectly. Some parents still find that these suits run large so it probably depends on where your child falls on the growth curve.
PROS
- Water and rip resistant outer shell – SO GOOD!
- Reinforced knees, rear, inner ankles and cuffs – AWESOME!
- Synthetic insulation is lightweight and stays warm when wet
- Fold over chin guard to prevent chafing – I LIKE THIS!
- Attached hood and full-coverage storm flaps to keep snow out
- Double front zippers make it easy to put on and take off
- Cargo pocket with ski pass loop inside
- Reflective piping on hood and wrists.
- Grow-with-me hem adds length to the legs
- Hand-me-down ID label inside
- Fun colours and patterns
- Great value
CONS
- Pants ride up: no adjustable Velcro straps around ankles or foot stirrups – BIGGEST FLAW!
- Lack adjustable Velcro straps on wrists
- No thumb hole to keep the inner wrist cuffs down
- Only goes up to size 7
Care instructions: Turn the garment inside out while washing and drying. Wash in a front loading machine with cold water and on a delicate cycle. Do not use fabric softeners or bleach. Tumble dry low. Do not iron or dry clean
MEC Toaster Suit (Children) Specifications
| Ideal for | Downhill skiing Snowboarding Casual wear |
| Type | Insulated synthetic |
| Technology | MEC Hyperloft Microporous PU laminate |
| Construction | Baffles |
| Face fabric | Polyester Polyurethane |
| Lining/backer | Recycled polyester |
| Insulation | 300g/sq. m polyester (body)240g/sq. m polyester (arms) |
| Fabric waterproof rating | 20,000mm |
| Waterproofness | Waterproof without taped seams |
| Pockets | 1 thigh |
| Windproofness | Wind-resistant |
| Fabric active breathability | 20,000g/m2/24h |
| Hood | Fitted Insulated |
| Durable water repellency | Yes |
| Additional feature(s) | Internal gaiters Reflective details Kick patches |
| Product sustainability | Bluesign® Approved Material |
| Made in | Viet Nam |
MEC Toaster Bunting Suit (Infants): Pros, Cons and Specs
Overall, I love the MEC Toaster Bunting Suit. Like the MEC Toaster Suit the upgraded outer shell fabric is much more rugged and water resistant. The double zippers along make the MEC Toaster Bunting Suit easy to put on. It’s the first snowsuit I reach for when we head out on wintery adventures. When the weather is cold and my little guy isn’t moving much, like when he’s in my Deuter hiking carrier or in Thule Chariot while I cross-country ski, I make sure he’s got some good base layers and fleece mid-layers under the MEC Toaster Bunting Suit. For base layers I like the Reima Taitoa Base Layer Set and for mid-layers I pair the MEC Polaralls and North Face Glacier Full Zip Hoodie.
Warm outfits start with a great foundation. Shop Reima.com’s selection of thermal base-layers to keep your children warm and dry all-year long!The few improvements I would add to this suit are reinforced knee and rear for crawlers, adjustable Velcro straps around the wrists, a higher neck line and foot stirrups to keep the legs from riding up.
Available in sizes 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months: In the past I’ve found that the MEC Toaster Bunting Suits fit on the large size. I got a MEC Toaster Bunting Suit for size 12 months for my one-year-old and it fits perfectly. Some parents still find that these suits run large so it probably depends on where your child falls on the growth curve.
PROS
- Water and rip resistant outer shell – so good!
- Synthetic insulation is lightweight and stays warm when wet
- Dual zippers make diaper changes easier
- Wrist and ankle cuffs are elasticized and fleeced
- Integrate mitt cuffs for a quick no-mitt solution
- Attached hood and full-coverage storm flaps to keep snow out
- Details added to arms, legs and crotch to make it easier to move in
- Hand-me-down ID label inside
- Fits true to size
- Fun colours and patterns
- Great value
CONS
- No foot stirrups to keep pants from lifting up
- Lack of adjustable Velcro straps on wrists
- Neck line could be higher
- No reinforced knees or rear which would be great for crawling babies (sizes 9 months and older)
Care instructions: Turn the garment inside out while washing and drying. Wash in a front loading machine with cold water and on a delicate cycle. Do not use fabric softeners or bleach. Tumble dry low. Do not iron or dry clean.
MEC Toaster Bunting Suit (Infants) Specifications
| Ideal for | Casual wear |
| Type | Insulated synthetic Waterproof-breathable |
| Technology | Microporous PU laminate MEC Hyperloft |
| Construction | 2-layerQuilted |
| Face fabric | 150-denier polyester |
| Lining/backer | Recycled polyester |
| Insulation | 240g/sq. m polyester |
| Fabric waterproof rating | 20,000mm |
| Waterproofness | Waterproof without taped seams |
| Windproofness | Windproof |
| Fabric active breathability | 20,000g/m2/24h |
| Hood | Insulated |
| Durable water repellency | Yes |
| Product sustainability | Bluesign® Approved Material |
| Made in | Viet Nam |
Product Review Summary
Both the MEC Toaster Suits (Children) and MEC Toaster Bunting Suits (Infants) are rugged, water resistant and cozy warm. These snow suits are great value and will last many seasons making them great to pass down from one child to the next or to resell. Both snow suits tend to run on the larger size which is something to consider when picking a size. Adjustable Velcro straps at the wrists and ankles and/or foot stirrups would improve the design and prevent the pant legs from riding up especially in deep snow. Overall these are great snow suits.
