Smith Vantage Ski & Snowboard Helmet Reviewed in 2025

Smith Vantage Snow Helmet – Safety & Performance

In designing the Vantage helmet Smith clearly placed safety features at the top of their priority list. The helmet is built using multiple layers, and therein is what makes this one of the safest helmets on the slopes.

The outer layer offers a durable ‎polycarbonate half-shell. One layer deeper is where the Vantage excels with its aerocore Koroyd coverage, a lightweight, breathable layer consisting of thousands of tubes that are designed to crush and absorb energy, greatly decelerating impact velocity. The Koroyd layer is extremely innovative in its ability to protect without weighing the helmet down.

The Vantage also features a MIPS protection system, which greatly reduces the severity of angled impact, providing key brain protection in the event of a crash. Certain colorways of the helmet are available without the MIPS system, but again, when it comes to protecting your head. The added safety is worth the price tag.

Smith Vantage Helmet Fit, Adjustability, and Warmth

In testing the Smith Vantage, I was a little skeptical of other reviews praising the fit and comfort. I have to admit, I was surprised at how much I liked the fit and feel of the Vantage.

I’m a 7 ¼ hat size, and the medium fits my head nicely, and the BOA tightening system is a little more advanced than other helmets offering an even more precise fit. The BOA system also offers a bit of sizing versatility if you need to add or drop a layer underneath your helmet.

It may be nitpicking a little, but I found that the BOA wheel was tucked a little too tightly underneath the bottom back edge of the outer shell of the helmet, which made it a little tough to adjust on the fly, especially while wearing gloves.

Overall the helmet is quite comfortable. It was a little tight, especially around the ear pads on the first couple of times out, but after a little use, it started to form to my head.

Smith does offer the Vantage Ski & Snowboard Helmet in a Round Contour fi. It keeps the Koroyd protection layer and the BOA micro-adjustment system but doesn’t include the MIPS protection. It is a bit cheaper than the Vantage MIPS but loses some safety features.

As far as warmth and ventilation, the Vantage is a 10 out of 10.

The plush ear pads, in tandem with the removable XT2 antimicrobial lining, offer a warm snug fit, even in windy conditions. I really put this helmet to the test, opting to climb Highlands Bowl with it, which usually results in a sweaty ascent and a wet, cold descent with fogged lenses.

I am happy to share that the dual ventilation adjustability and whopping 21 vents kept me dry on the way up, and with a quick close of the vents, I was warm shredding down on a chilly January morning.

Smith Helmet Technology and Integration

One of the best features of the Smith Vantage helmet is its seamless integration with your goggles and its proprietary AirEvac ventilation to fight off fogged-up lenses.

This is a true game-changer for snowy conditions and helps to avoid the dreaded “gaper gap” between your helmet and goggles. Of course, the integration works best with newer-model Smith goggles but does work fairly well with other brands.

My Anon M4 goggles paired up well with the Vantage helmet, but I’m sure some older goggles would leave a little bit to be desired.

Along the back bottom of the liner, there is a small zipper that accesses the inner foam of the ear pads. This is designed to perfectly fit Smith’s Bluetooth Aleck audio system headphones. Again, using audio pads designed for Smith, like Aleck, Outdoor Tech, and Skullcandy works well but other brands especially AirPods weren’t ideal.

A quick note here on the ear pads. They are removable via Snapfit SL2 slots, but that does essentially require removing the BOA system as well. Those looking to sport a more freestyle fit, wearing their goggles underneath the helmet, really won’t be able to.

The Vantage also uses a Bungee cord-type strap on the back of the helmet to hold your goggles in place. I like this over the plastic snap goggle holder like on the Anon Merak Wavecel, as I’ve broken a few of those on previous helmets in the past.

Smith Vantage Helmet Weight and Style

For all of the tech and protection features it includes, the Vantage helmet is fairly lightweight at 500g (17.7oz). It never felt overly bulky, but still feels sturdy enough to offer ample protection. The Korody layer adds a bit of weight to the helmet, but it isn’t noticeable while using it, and it’s well worth it to add a little extra protection.

The design and engineering of the helmet is sleek with a modern, stylish shape. I personally like the look of the small visor. I’m not sure it really adds anything functional, but it does look cool!

My only gripe about the shape would be that the earpieces are a little too thick. They’re a little tight on your ears and add a little extra bulk to the look of the helmet. This is exacerbated if you’re adding an audio system in as well.

Why You’ll Love This Helmet

Overall, the Smith Vantage MIPS is easily one of the best helmets in the marketplace. It offers innovative safety, a warm and snug fit, ample ventilation, and clever tech and integration features.

If you’re hung up a little on the price, keep in mind this helmet has extra features for performance. If you are going between activity that makes you hot and cooling down a lot on the mountain, this helmet is worth the extra money and will last.

If you need a helmet for more casual use, you could consider the Smith Method or the Anon Windham Ski or Snowboard Helmet.

The Smith Vantage does an excellent job of engineering warmth, safety, and tech features into a lightweight, sleek-looking helmet. This includes the combination of the MIPS liner and Korody impact protection system.

For full transparency, since doing this review, my Giro helmet has been getting a little dusty and my Vantage Helmet is now my new go-to for all conditions and will probably be yours too.