New-School Bike Safety
Smith Optics is best known for creating the goggles that revolutionized the ski industry. Dr. Bob Smith, a dentist and avid skier, later expanded his offerings into other industries such as motocross and mountain biking. Smith currently offers a full line of goggles, sunglasses and helmets. The Forefront helmet, launched a few years back, was highly praised in the mountain bike industry, but its price was hard to swallow, unless you had a very fat wallet. To remedy this, Smith recently released the Rover, a helmet that retains the desired safety features of the Forefront but is priced to appeal to the everyday rider.
Tech Features: What sets the Rover and the Forefront apart from other helmets is the technology Smith borrowed from an advanced engineering company called Koroyd. The honeycomb-shaped material inside Smith’s helmets was not chosen by throwing darts at a wall full of possible design ideas. According to Koroyd, the honeycomb shape is the strongest configuration in nature. Koroyd claims this material can efficiently absorb impacts much better than the traditional EPS foam used in almost every other helmet. The downside, however, is the cost. In an effort to keep the price down, the Rover only uses the Koroyd wonder material in areas of the helmet that are most likely to be impacted, such as the upper sides of the helmet. The Rover also comes with the option of a MIPS liner to help minimize the impact of rotational forces in the event of a crash. This helmet is available in many colorways, has 18 vents, a VaporFit adjustable-fit system and an X-Static liner to help combat odors. The Rover weighs 368 grams with a MIPS liner and sells for $150. The helmet can also be purchased without the MIPS liner for $120.
Field Test Results: It’s hard to deny that the Rover is a protective helmet; however, that is only one piece of the puzzle. For a rider to truly get the most out of a helmet, it also has to be comfortable. The Rover fit most of our test riders well thanks to the VaporFit system. Test riders appreciated the amount of coverage the helmet provided, but one thing that stood out, quite literally, was the visor. Many of our test riders felt the upper portion of their field of view was blocked. When they went to adjust the visor, they realized it was non-adjustable. Some of our testers got used to it, while others removed the visor completely. The Rover provided great ventilation, and the many colorways provided a stylish look. For $150, the Rover is a great helmet. We were a little bummed with the fixed visor, but the Rover is still a great choice for riders seeking optimal protection at a fair price.
Hits
• Comfortable fit
• Great protection
• Fair price
Misses
• Visor can obstruct a rider’s view