Smith Forefront Helmet

(discontinued)

I've had the Smith Forefront Helmet for a week (after a lot time of waiting), and after four rides in hot weather here are my impressions.

You can really feel the air coming in and out of the helmet shell and you hardly feel the helmet on top of your head. I was previously riding the Specialized S-works MTB helmet for 2 years and was looking for a new lid to give me the same ventilation capabilities but with more protection. I bought the Troy Lee A1 helmet, which was comfy as hell but had poor ventilation, so for me in hot weather the sweat was oozing out on my eyes and sunglass and that was disturbing while riding.

After the first ride in the Forefront in 28 C (83F) weather I barely had sweat drop from the helmet and my headremained cool and comfy.The X-Static padding is doing a good job stopping the sweat getting in the way and absorbs everything for a long time.

The fit is superb!!!With a wide range of retention from the back dial and more adjustments from the back and the side of the helmet, there are 3-4 points of adjustably.The strap also has a wide range of adjustably from the Y-shape side clips and from the back hook and chin strap.

Another great thing is the add-on kit for goggles that secure that goggle strap with the helmet. If you are also looking for a new sunglasses, the Smith Optics PivLoc Overdrive was designed to work side by side with this helmet, and there is a special place to put the sunglasses while not using them on the trail or while climbing. The helmet also has special vents that helps with fog clearing from the goggles and sunglass.

The visor has 2 positions for on the fly adjustment and no need to screw any bolts in and out. The helmet comes with a threaded insert on top for an integrated GoPro or a flash light holder (sold separately  and soon to be released).

All in all, if you’re not on a budget or are just looking for a great new age helmet that will last for a few years ahead, I recommend the Smith Optics Forefront.