First Look: Smith's All-New Forefront Helmet - This Thing is Wild! 10

Aside from fresh colors and the occasional added feature or two, it's pretty rare that we see a massive departure from traditional helmet design and materials. Well, the new Smith Forefront all-mountain helmet is here to stir things up a bit. The Aerocore construction of the Forefront allows riders ventilated protection as never before seen in a bicycle helmet.

With up to a 30% improvement over standard EPS impact properties, the patented tubular core structure of the Koroyd material combines with EPS to create a system of materials known as Aerocore designed to surpass current standards at low and high speeds. Aerocore construction is said to allow for ventilated protection, reduced weight, and reduced volume.

Targeting a full production weight of 285 grams, the Forefront helmet features Smith’s new VaporFit adjustable fit system, integrated camera and light mounting area, and an additional helmet goggle retention strap. Based off of Smith’s proven head form and dedicated investment of three unique sets of tooling, three adult helmet sizes are available to accommodate a variety of fits while 10 progressive color options offer a range of style choices.

The Forefront will sell for $220 and is expected to be available in Spring 2014. The company isn't content with just an all-mountain helmet, and plans to introduce other helmets within a year. For more details, visit www.smithoptics.com.