Smith Vantage Helmet Review

Smith Vantage Helmet Review

First off, let me just come out and say it. This is simply the best snow helmet I've ever used. Smith really got it right with the Vantage. I have a huge dome, so I'm stuck with wearing XL helmets. I've always had a hard time finding a helmet that had a low profile and didn't look ridiculous...until I got the Vantage. It's very lightweight without any unnecessary bulk to it. It's the slimmest, lightest snow helmet I've seen to date. It's hardly even noticeable when it's on your head. You can easily forget it's there. I was getting in my car the other day to leave the ski resort when my friend asked me if I was going to take my helmet off. No joke.

Now that we got the important stuff out of the way (gotta look good on the mountain right?), let's move on to the technical details. Smith really pushes their goggle to helmet integration. Their helmets are designed to actually increase airflow through a goggle and decrease fogging. I was skeptical at first that a helmet could actually decrease goggle fogging, but I have to say I'm finding their claims aren't too far off. I'm not a big fan of contacts so I've been skiing with glasses underneath goggles. One of the hardest things is not getting your glasses to fog up underneath your goggles. After switching to the Vantage, I've all but eliminated my fogging issues. I use the Smith Knowledge Turbo Fan, which is a massive OTG goggle with a small fan to exhaust hot air and moisture. Many helmets I've tried blocked the goggle vents at the top, not to mention the fan. The Vantage actually pulls the exhausted air through the helmet and out the rear vents. The fan works much better with this helmet than others, and makes it much easier for me to keep my glasses and goggles fog free. The Knowledge Turbo Fan goggles (which I'll talk about in another review) have yet to fog themselves. I've only experienced my glasses fogging in very extreme situations, and the fan on high mode clears it up in not much time at all.

The Vantage features a BOA closure system for fitting the helmet to your exact noggin size. Very slick, very functional. I wish my mountain bike helmet used the same system. The goggle strap holder is also a very cool affair. No funky snaps or hard plastic tabs to worry about. Just a simple elastic cord with a leather tab at the end. Quick and easy.

The helmet also features vents front and rear that can be adjusted independently of each other. Open them all, close them all, or just close the front and keep the rear open to block the wind but still let the helmet exhaust heat out the back. Each set of vents also has an additional setting that allows you to have them half open. This, plus the easily removable ear pads, makes the Vantage one of the most versatile helmets on the market for varying weather and temperature conditions.

The version I have is the matte black. The matte finish helps to not show all the inevitable scuffs and scratches that will occur over time. It uses Smith's X-Static lining which provides anti-odor and anti-static properties. It uses pure silver bonded to the fibers to prevent growth of bacteria and fungi. In less technical terms, it prevents your helmet from getting funky. It also provides warmth without being bulky, something that I'm sure helps the Vantage keep its low profile. For those of you that must have your tunes on the mountain, or maybe just like answering phone calls without having to dig your phone out, this is compatible with most earphone systems. Smith sells several audio systems in collaboration with Skull Candy (including a wireless bluetooth model) that will work with the Vantage and almost all of their other helmets.

There are only 2 real complaints I have against the Vantage. First, you can only get an XL in matte black. They make some really cool color combinations, but if you have a large head like me, forget about any other color than black. The second is the price. This is a premium helmet with a premium pricetag. Only you can decide if the cost of this helmet is worth it to you. I'm writing this review right after the holidays, so maybe you have some extra gift card cash you're looking to spend like I did.

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