Smith Optics is known for its goggles, sunglasses, and snowsports helmets. Today, the Sun Valley, Idaho, company revealed a helmet made for mountain biking.
The FOREFRONT is not just another hard hat. Built to be light and better protective, the company uses a “patented tubular core structure” material called Koroyd.
The green Koroyd material is said to absorb 30% more energy on impact compared to industry standard EPS foam. The open pattern material also lets air through, making the helmet ostensibly cooler than a solid foam competitor.
Smith gave just a sneak peek this week. The helmet does not ship to stores until early 2014. It will cost $220.
As a bonus, the FOREFRONT has mounts on top for a camera and a bike light. There’s a goggle retention clip on back. It’s lightweight, too, spec’d at 285 grams — that’s comparable to a road-bike helmet you might wear.
Looks like a solid new entry. We’re excited to demo the FOREFRONT before wide release on our test trails this fall.
—Stephen Regenold
