Smith Vantage Helmet

4) Padding / Comfort / Fit / Sizing

The padding is well placed, and the fit is comfortable (for me, at least).

My head circumference is 56cm, and the size Medium is basically perfect. I can very comfortably wear the Vantage with a balaclava, or a very thin skull cap, or nothing at all. And the BOA Fit System lets me dial in the fit in all of those scenarios.

If, however, you are closer to the end range of the sizing (59cm) and you often wear a hat (especially a thick one) under your helmet, you will likely want to size up.

Also, as a point of reference: I found these other Smith helmets (and sizes) to fit quite comfortably: the Smith Variant Brim (Medium), Smith Maze (Medium), an older-model Smith Holt (nice, inexpensive helmet that I actually downsized to a Small). On a different note, I recently tried on the Smith Gage in a size Medium, and the padding felt off to me. All of the other helmets named felt far more comfortable. Your experience may vary.

5) Bonus: Plays Well With Others

I have found the Vantage to sync very well with a number of different goggles from Smith (Phenom, I/O, I/OX) and other companies too (Anon M2, Scott LCG).

6) Weight

We weighed the previous Vantage in a size Medium at 493 grams. We weighed the new Vantage at 479 grams. Smith apparently managed to improve the protection of the Vantage and reduce weight. This isn’t the lightest helmet on the market, but it’s light enough that I don’t care if there is something even lighter, if it doesn’t have the features of the Vantage.

In short, there is not a single thing I dislike about the fit and features of the Vantage. Perfect score.

Safety / Protective Features

I am certainly intrigued and impressed with some of the claims coming from MIPS (check out our reviews of the POC Fornix Backcountry MIPS and POC Receptor Backcountry MIPS helmets for more information). But to date, I have not been so impressed that I have been willing to forgo the Vantage’s fit, its best-in-class venting features, its convenient and effective BOA closure system, or its track record of accommodating a wide variety of goggles.

And then there’s the question: “Is MIPS actually safer than Koroyd?” The Smith Vantage comes with the standard ASTM 2040 recreational snowsports helmet safety certification, which is the same certification as the POC Fornix we tested.

And Smith has made some impressive claims when it comes to the Koroyd they are now using in the Vantage:

“With up to a 30% improvement over standard EPS impact properties, the patented tubular core structure of the Koroyd material combines with EPS to create a system of materials known as Aerocore designed to surpass current standards at low and high speeds. Aerocore construction allows for ventilated protection, reduced weight, and reduced volume.”

According to the Koroyd website, Koroyd consistently and efficiently absorbs energy. When you crash, the material’s cores crush in a “completely controlled manner, decelerating the energy from the impact and reducing the final trauma levels.”

While I haven’t yet crashed hard in the new Vantage, I did suffer a pretty hellacious crash in the old model last year. I tomahawked down a big line in the Las Leñas backcountry, and cartwheeled through a rock band. I thought I had broken my back or neck, and the crash left me with some pretty severe nerve pain down my neck and arm, as well as some deep lacerations on my shoulder and back. (Thankfully, I know a very good physical therapist, so now all I have are some pretty sweet scars to commemorate the event.) I was very fortunate to ski away.

What I didn’t have was any head trauma. The Vantage stayed on and in place for the long ride through the rocks. It did its job.

And so if Smith’s and Koroyd’s claims are accurate, and the Vantage’s impact protection has been improved, then great. I was a big fan of the Vantage before these enhancements.

Bottom Line

Smith deserves very high praise for the Vantage. I know of no helmet on the market that has a better set of features. If it fits you, it ought to be on your short list.