INTERBIKE 2013: SMITH OPTICS NEW HELMET

SMITH FOREFRONT
Smith Optics is well known for there sunglasses and goggles, but now they have entered the helmet game and they have done so in a way I have never seen before when it comes to helmet construction.
Now I know a thing or two about helmet safety and what goes into making a safe helmet seeing that I work for a well known helmet company and now I have been impressed a second time here at Interbike 2013.

The new Smith Forefront is loaded with a lot of cool features when it comes to an All Mountain Enduro style helmet. If you look at the shell you will see off the bat the flo green material on the inside that is a honeycomb. This material is called Koroyd, a material that absorbs up to 30% more energy on impact when tested to international standards, it also will aid in more cooling into and out of the shell.

The design of the helmet shell is something Smith calls AEROCORE construction. As Smith puts it in their AREOCORE philosophy, increase airflow, improve temperature regulation in fog-free vision, and impact resistance.
You will see in the photos that Smith has combined EPS and Koroyd together these two materials create a stronger helmet.

As you can see in the KOROYD test material the honeycomb does not crack like EPS.

Other cool features are a adjustable/removable visor, 21 vents, integrated skeletal and Carbon fiber reinforcements, VaporFit adjustable fit system, X-static performance lining, AirEvac goggle ventilation, Light/POV camera mount and goggle retention strap.
Smith was certainly busy in there booth and I have to believe it had to do a lot with the introduction of their new FOREFRONT helmet. With Enduro Racing becoming so popular there is always a way to improve something like safety.

We would like to thank Mallory Burda and Scott Oliver for taking the time to go over the new FOREFRONT helmet here at INTERBIKE 2013.

Interbike 2013 Coverage Proudly Sponsored by Black Tiger Jerky