Founded in 1965, Smith was known for its athletic eyewear and is now one of the largest outdoor brands in North America. In terms of aesthetics, contrary to the normal pursuit of "speed" by traditional sports brands, Smith adheres to the minimalist design credo of "less is more", and has launched many highly recognizable ski helmets.
 
The safety performance of a helmet mainly depends on the shell and cushion layer, and limited by weight and material, the shell can not do much article, and many manufacturers naturally focus on the cushion layer. The most common approach is to use a double-layer EPS buffer layer, which has the advantage of achieving a significant improvement in safety performance at a very low price and cost, but the disadvantage is also obvious, EPS has a strong thermal insulation ability, and double-layer EPS will greatly reduce the heat dissipation capacity of the helmet.
 
Faced with this problem, Smith gave a relatively perfect answer, that is, on top of the single-layer EPS cushion, an additional layer of honeycomb structure tubular is similar to EPS, on the one hand, it can absorb the impact force by crushing, and on the other hand, the negative impact on ventilation performance is much lower than that of the double-layer EPS cushion. Smith patented the solution and named it Koroyd, which is widely used in the brand's ski and cycling helmets.
 
There are many layers of Smith's snow helmet product line, and the most recommended by major outdoor product review sites is its second-tier product, Vantage, which integrates all the safety technologies that all current ski helmets can have, whether it is the brand's unique Koroyd cushioning layer, or the standard technology MIPS of the brand's high-end series. Ventilation is also at the forefront of the game, with the Aerocore structure virtually eliminating fogging of the goggles, as well as 21 adjustable vents, controlled by two sliders at the top and on the sides, to allow the wearer to control the internal temperature more precisely.
 
The Vantage weighs at 500g, which is an acceptable weight for a helmet with a hybrid material shell and a host of safety technologies. And, like most high-end products, the Vantage helmet is equipped with the Boa FS 360 adjustment system, which makes it easy to adjust the internal shape and size of the helmet until it fits perfectly on the wearer's head. In addition, Asians' skulls are rounder and thicker than Europeans, and Smith has also launched an Asian version of the Vantage.
 
Compared to Vantage, Smith's first-tier product, Quantum, doesn't have any technical advantages, but it is much more thoughtful in terms of details. Quantum, for example, offers a magnetic buckle that allows users to easily put on and take off the helmet even when wearing gloves. At the same time, the design of the chin strap is more reasonable and can be adjusted with one hand.
 
In addition, both the Quantum and Vantage's housings have a hybrid structure, with a large area of impact-prone head made of strong but more massive ABS, while the relatively impact-less back of the head and sides are made of less puncture-resistant PC, making them lighter. But the difference is that Quantum offers an additional ABS strap that attaches to the temple and back of the head area, further improving the helmet's puncture resistance.
 
In terms of price, the Quantum with its magnetic buckle, one-hand adjustable strap and ABS strap costs $300, while the Vantage with its robust core features costs $40 less at $260 per unit.
 
For those who are more cost-effective, the Maze will be a very good choice, even at the $140 price point, it is still equipped with MIPS padding, and because there are fewer vents, the helmet is more integrated in design, and the aesthetics are not at all inferior to those of any price range.