SMITH Scout Snow Helmet

Product Information

PA20, PA21, PA22, PA23, PA24, PA25, PA26, PA27, PA28, PA29, PA30, PA31, PA32, PA33, PA34, PA35, PA36, PA37, PA38, PA41, PA42, PA43, PA44, PA45, PA46, PA47, PA48, PA49, PA60, PA61, PA62, PA63, PA64, PA65, PA66, PA67, PA68, PA69, PA70, PA71, PA72, PA73, PA74, PA75, PA76, PA77, PA78, PA80

Smith Scout Helmet - Outdoor and Country

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.” One obvious issue with using a bike helmet or a skate helmet while doing a snow sport is warmth. Road bike, mountain bike, and skate helmets are designed for warmer weather than ski helmets. In real winter weather, you will likely freeze your dome and suffer if you ski in a bike or skate helmet. Additionally, everyday reviewers tend to prioritize midwinter performance over airflow. As Outdoor Gear Lab writes, “The Cynic X2 is incredibly warm due to the ability of the blended wool fabric, and eco-smart polyester fleece to retain heat. With a limited number of vents, this helmet works best on those frigid days on the mountain. A few degrees of added warmth can really make or break the enjoyment of your ski day, and the Cynic X2 should keep your head toasty and happy all day.” 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. Giros are well-known to fit best on oval-shaped heads. This may be part of the reason some testers prefer similarly-priced options (although non-MIPS) from Smith, which is known to fit other shaped heads better.One look at our comparison chart for these five excellent helmets, and you’ll notice an instant attention grabber. The Ascender features no fewer than 105 vents! Now, the vast majority of them are very small and positioned on the crown of the helmet.

Smith Scout Snowboard/Ski Helmet | Absolute-Snow

Oh, and you can assure your kiddo that the earpads are removable, helping them keep up with the other members of ski club. We’ll explain the advantages of MIPS later in our section about MIPS (hint: there’s a reason every helmet on our list features that or similar technology), but in addition to multi-impact safety, the Vantage MIPS also features Smith helmet's Aerocore construction. That’s the honeycomb design you’ll see through the vents. Aerocore blends EPS foam with Koroyd, tiny tubes that are welded together and positioned to collapse in an impact. Added bonus? Aerocore also improves airflow and helps keep your goggles from fogging. 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 The accolades don’t stop there, though. Why? Because the Vantage MIPS features top-shelf adjustability, thanks to a Boa dial fit system, and protection.

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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. Removable Ear Pads: These are a style choice. Some skiers just don’t like wearing them. Others find they impact the comfort and softness of a helmet a lot.