SMITH Scout Snow Helmet

Product Information

Other folks asking the “do I need a ski helmet” question wonder if they or their kid can just wear that trusty bike or skate helmet on the mountain. Short answer: not if you want to guarantee the best protection you can. SKI HELMETS VS BIKE AND SKATE HELMETS But to go from a decent fit to a great fit, we recommend popping into your local ski shop to try on a variety of helmets. Helmet shape and fit can vary across the board—both between brands and between models—and it’s possible that any given design simply won't fit your head shape. We've made sure to call out the various fit discrepancies in the write-ups above, but there's no substitute to trying on each helmet for yourself. To maximize compatibility, many of Smith’s helmets come in two different fits: a standard fit and their “Round Contour Fit” that accommodates rounder head shapes with more width at the rear and a shorter length. From our list above, these include the Vantage, Level, and Nexus. Trying on helmets before you buy helps ensure a great all-around fit As a consumer or gear tester, you can really only assess the value of MIPS by slamming your head into something solid while wearing a multi-impact enabled helmet and then doing it again in a regular helmet. That sounds a bit extreme. We place a high priority on ventilation. Throughout the course of an average resort day, we open and close our vents on multiple occasions as we hunker down on a windy lift ride or heat up on a sidecountry hike. The technology behind keeping you at a comfortable temperature isn’t as simple as putting a bunch of holes in the helmet—that winter air is rather cold and can lead to dreaded brain freeze when you are trying to let out some steam. Smith's Vantage (left) has far better ventilation than a budget option like the Anon Raider (right) Construction styles for ski helmets can be broken into three general categories: ABS for the best durability, in-mold for the lightest weight, and hybrid in-mold for a nice compromise between the two. Below we break down the pros and cons of each type and who they're best for. The helmet market includes a mix of ABS, in-mold, and hybrid construction types

Smith Scout Helmet - Fluid Lines, Colchester, Essex Smith Scout Helmet - Fluid Lines, Colchester, Essex

A MIPS-enabled helmet essentially functions dynamically, offering protection from a wider variety of impacts and multiple angles. A non-MIPS helmet still protects you, but it does so statically and against fewer types of impacts. If you are not home to sign for your delivery the driver will try your immediate neighbour or take it to your local Post Office for you to collect. If the Parcelforce Worldwide depot is closer, your parcel will go there instead. The driver will leave a card informing you of where they have left your parcel.To narrow down the list we created based on what other outdoor media had to say, we then turned to our own expertise and everyday users. The author, Matt McDonald works by day at Powder7 Ski Shop in Golden, Colorado, and skis 60-90 days per season. Recently, he’s skied in far-flung places like Hokkaido, Japan, the Yukon, Chile, and Argentina, in addition to domestic haunts like Colorado and New England.For this story, hesurveyed skiers of all skill levels (many of whom are our friends). But scientists have conducted numerous tests on MIPS helmets, dropping them from 2.2-3.1 meters on 45-edges angles onto grinding paper. Ouch. Sure, you could wear a beanie under your helmet. You’ve solved the warmth issue, but you’re still vulnerable to high-impact ski falls. Considering their design and shape alone, many bike and skate helmets don’t protect as much of your head as ski helmets do. They are also not designed for the same types of impacts as ski helmets. One more design flourish helps give the Vantage the highest marks for safety: Smith’s Hybrid Shell construction. The top of the crown is built with high-impact, rugged ABS hardshell material, a staple of many a skiing helmet on the market. The abs plastic distributes the energy from an impact across the helmet.

Smith Scout MIPS Snow Helmet | REI Co-op Smith Scout MIPS Snow Helmet | REI Co-op

Taken together, the safety features, style, warmth, comfort, ventilation, and adjustability/fit all earn the Vantage MIPS its place at the top of the snow helmet market. If you feel like geeking out over gear next time you’re on the mountain, try to count how many Smith helmets you see in the lift line. It will be a lot. The Smith Vantage MIPS ( men’s and women’s) is Smith’s time-tested flagship model and our choice for Best Overall Ski Helmet. You just won’t find a better-venting helmet anywhere. Outside wrote: “There are no fewer than 105 vents-the most on any helmet we’ve ever tested-and they were extremely effective, dumping heat during spring missions in the Siskiyou Mountains.” Multi-impact: This was an absolute must. Each model includes MIPS (or an equivalent tech such as POC’s SPIN). You can read more about MIPS in our section dedicated to explaining how the tech works. Just know that MIPS offers a wider variety of protection from impacts and multiple angles. Tasked with keeping you safe from hard impacts on the hill, the helmets on our list have a non-motorized snow sports safety certification from US-based ASTM International. Despite construction differences referenced above, these helmets all follow a basic design with a shell exterior and impact-absorbing interior, and are appropriate for both skiing and snowboarding (you can find our dedicated list of snowboarding helmets here). If you’re headed to the slopes, it’s important that you use a helmet designed for the job (i.e., don’t use a mountain bike helmet for skiing), and refrain from using it for tasks outside of its intended use (such as snowmobiling). And of course, the onus is still, as it should be, on the user to ride within your limits. The Salomon MTN Lab is certified for both snow sports and climbing Each adjustable vent has two separate sliders for maximum temperature control. The adjustable ventilation is the primary feature that set the Vantage apart from the similar Variance, which Smith discontinued.

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Unfortunately, we are unable to ship to specific zones as specified by our courier Parcelforce, due to surcharges. Please note that we are subject to our courier’s definition of the Scottish Highlands. That sleek profile is impressive considering how many vents the Vantage has: 21. That’s at least eight or nine more than just about every other leading helmet on the market.