Smith Forefront 3 Review

Hands-on Review of the Original Smith Forefront

The Smith Forefront 3 brings an attractive aesthetic to its trail helmet with Koroyd construction and the features we seek in modern-day protection. A polycarbonate shell wraps the EPS and honeycomb layer for impact and puncture protection, while a lightweight MIPS Air Node liner provides a layer of defense that offsets rotational impacts.

Impact Test

Each of the helmets we selected for this review meets a national safety standard and should be considered safe and effective for mountain biking, but they're not all created equal. The aim of our impact testing is to unveil which helmet and helmet technology can most effectively distribute the forces of an impact. The Forefront 3 has an overall impact score of 6.5, placing it in the middle of the pack among the helmets we tested.

Slow Impact Test Results

ACT Labs performed a slow-impact test on the helmet, and sensor data from the entire event was compiled to give the helmet a slow-impact score of 6.3. Again, this puts the Forefront at the center of the pack for slow-speed impact performance.

Fast Impact Test Results

In our high-speed impact tests, the Forefront 3's sensor data earned it a score of 7.1, tying it for 9th place among our test group. The Specialized Ambush 2 and Laser Coyote Kineticore were the high-scoring helmets in this test.

These results are very similar to those we got when testing the Forefront 3's predecessor, the Forefront 2. Since we can't predict the impact a helmet may incur in a crash, we consider data from both fast and slow impacts in our overall scoring. Many real-world crashes involve a combination of these impact types, so choosing a helmet based on just one variable isn't recommended.

Comfort

Testers found the Forefront 3 offered average comfort, an agreeable shape, and adjustable retention. The MIPS Air Node liner gives minimal padding, but a relatively high level of comfort. The BOA system doesn't completely wrap your head like some of the popular 360 systems. Instead, it pulls from just above the temporal lobe and tightens at the rear, giving the helmet less of a hat feel and more of a hard hat feel. Just below the Air Node liner, your forehead rests against a static plastic bar mounted to the helmet, so if that piece isn't form-fitting, there isn't much you can do to improve the helmet's fit.

Like past models, the Koroyd protection layer sits very close to your head, separated only by an Air Node liner. In a typical EPS helmet, contact with the helmet's internals is barely noticeable, but when the Koroyd touches your head, especially if you have very short hair or a shaved head, it can be uncomfortable with lots of little plastic storage sticks poking your scalp.

The Forefront 3 uses a BOA harness and a very pliable rear retention cage. The cage, which holds the BOA, is far more maleable than most and feels soft against the occipital area of your head. That cage connects to the front of the helmet via a thin filament that is less comfortable than some of the wider retention systems, but with the helmet properly fitted, you don't feel it much.

Adjustments

The Forefront 3 uses what Smith calls a Flexible Fit System. This system consists of the parts listed above and is adjusted using the rear mount BOA. In theory, this system works like others from Giro or Bell, but it feels like it tightens around most of your head instead of your entire skull. The BOA retention system can be placed at three different heights for a deeper fit. The visor adjusts to three different positions and comes down low enough to block the sun when you're out chasing the last bit of daylight. Notably, the visor material is thin enough (or translucent enough) that the sun still seems to illuminate the material when it's between you and the rising sun.

Ventilation

While the Koroyd internals undoubtedly have some merit, they don't excel at letting air pass through. The main vent that runs from just above the visor to the top of the head is open and offers ventilation, but there's only a single open exhaust vent in the rear that lets the helmet disipate heat. What looks like a thousand coffee stir sticks glued together doesn't vent as well as some of the EPS lined lids with more venting holes.

We didn't mind the lack of ventilation on cooler days, where the helmet felt like an extra layer of thermal protection, but on warmer days, we felt the noticeably warmer cap contributing to more perspiration on the brow and behind our glasses. One unintended issue with the Koroyd inner is that when you have an itch on your head, it's unlikely you'll be able to stick a finger in to scratch, so you end up removing the helmet when the itch strikes. On the flip side, we've been riding exceptionally sticky tires, and the amount of debris kicked up by the rear tire that ends up in your helmet was troubling. This doesn't happen with the Forefront 3, but it's also much harder to clean after a muddy ride.

Usability

The Forefront 3 wasn't a top choice among our testers, but it still has a number of redeeming and interesting features. The three-position visor and standard buckle didn't call for bold print in our review, but the optional camera mount has a slick interface that we wish were present on more helmets. To mount a GoPro or similar camera, Smith sells a mount that clips to the central bridge across the helmet's largest vent. Sunglass storage isn't limited to just one spot on the helmet, with Smith providing front a back stowing spots for your shades.

Weight

At 440 grams (Size Large), the Forefront isn't exceptionally lightweight, but it's lighter than many other helmets on the market. If your motivation for finding a new helmet is to get something lighter, the Forefront 3 isn't likely the answer. While we've tested some lighter Koroyd helmets, this model leans more toward protection and coverage than others. The Mips Air Node system is exceptionally lightweight, and the way it sits in this helmet is a tad frustrating. The BOA adjustment is heavy enough to pull the floppy retention system inward, so you need to hold it toward the back of the helmet when putting it on.

The lightest helmet in our test is the 355-gram Smith Convoy. If a lightweight lid is what you're after, the Convoy is the helmet to beat. Those wanting to skip the Koroyd construction might opt for the 360-gram Giro Radix Mips.

Value

At $300, the Forefront 3 is the most expensive of the trail helmets we tested. That asking price sets our expectations pretty high, and we can't say it is delivered on them. We'd hope for better impact protection scores at this price point, or better ventilation, or more comfort, so it doesn't feel like the helmet warrants the higher price tag. The best-performing helmet in our test is the Laser Coyote Kineticore, which sells for a third of the Forefront's asking price, and the most comfortable helmet we tested, which also scored well in impact testing, was the Poc Cularis, which sells for $260.

Conclusion

We've always felt that the Koroyd construction process had potential, but it needs to be utilized in a way that doesn't interfere with airflow. To its detriment, the Forefront 3 relies almost entirely on the material, and with only one open main vent, the helmet suffers from the heat and humidity build-up that we try to escape on the trail. If this helmet earned top scores in impact testing, we could discuss the tradeoffs, but it fared only average. Since it's also the most expensive helmet in our test, it's hard to justify a recommendation.