Smith Forefront 3 review: quality construction and fit make this one of the best MTB helmets I've ever tested  

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The Forefront 3 is Smith’s top-end trail helmet, offering plenty of coverage, loads of features and a seriously comfortable fit.    

At £250, it’s one of the pricier MTB helmets on the market, but Smith’s attention to detail and the excellent construction quality more than justify the asking price.   

As well as the honeycomb-like Koroyd protection that’s visible through some of the vents, it features the MIPS Air Node Safety System, which is designed to reduce rotational forces in the event of a crash.      

On the trail, it might not be the breeziest lid, and it's not the lightest, but you'll forget about that as soon as you start riding, thanks to the Forefront 3’s fantastic fit and feel.   

Fit and forget   

Aside from the Forefront’s unique looks – which have grown on me since seeing the first-generation helmet many years ago – the first thing I noticed was the floppy retention cradle.    

We’re used to retention cradles being made of sturdy plastic and holding their pre-curved shape, but this cradle is malleable and flops into the helmet. While this might sound unusual, it means it conforms easily to the shape of your head.

While I generally don’t have an issue with regular helmet fitment systems, there are some that dig in right where you don’t want them to. The Forefront 3’s, though, is the most comfortable I’ve used. It really does mould to the back of your head.    

Adjustment is via a BOA dial, with the fibre cord (rather than a plastic wire), wrapping the entire circumference of your head.    

In some helmets that use a BOA dial, I’ve experienced the fibre cord digging into the sides of my head when tensioned. But this isn’t the case here, thanks to some well-positioned anchor loops that help the cord pull more evenly.     

It’s also easy enough to ratchet the dial up to provide a solid fit without it squeezing your head uncomfortably. Even when clattering through rough, rocky sections of trail, the Forefront 3 stayed securely in place without buffeting around or banging against the top of my glasses.     

When it comes to the shape of the Forefront 3, I have found that this latest, more oblong, iteration suits me better than the two previous versions. With the Forefront 2, I straddled the small and medium sizes, partly due to how round the lid was. Now, though, the medium Forefront 3 fits me almost perfectly, with a closer fit either side of my head.   

As a result of its great fit and level of comfort, I’ve found myself wearing the Forefront 3 almost constantly.

Protective but warm  

In a bid to boost protection, Smith has integrated the MIPS Air Node Safety System into the helmet padding to reduce the effect of angular impacts. Other safety features include a built-in roll cage, plus increased coverage around the back and sides of the head.   

The honeycomb-like structure of the Koroyd is designed to absorb and dissipate forces from an impact as effectively as possible.    

While all this protection bolsters the Forefront 3’s safety credentials, it means ventilation isn’t quite as good as some other helmet designs.

At slower speeds, air is channelled through the brow ports and the long vent that runs down the centre of the helmet, moving across the top of the head and making a noticeable difference. But the Koroyd that spans the large vents on either side of the lid limits how breezy it feels compared to rival helmets. Work hard on a climb and the Forefront 3 will get quite sweaty.   

Once you’ve stopped, though, heat escapes easily, cooling your head fast enough for the ventilation to never feel like a problem. There’s also enough squish in the pads to soak up a decent amount of sweat, which helps on warmer days.    

So, even though it might not feel quite as airy as something such as the Fox Speedframe RS, its venting and comfort are still good enough that I consistently chose the Forefront 3 for nearly every ride, even throughout a scorching summer.   

Extra extra  

On top of its exemplary protection and comfort, the Forefront 3’s peak can be set in three positions, and it doesn’t impact on your field of vision while riding.  It’ll work with goggles, too, with just enough room to stow them under the peak.   

There’s also storage for MTB sunglasses at the front and back of the lid. Under the peak, you’ll find two channels with rubber grippers at either side, where you can stow your specs easily and securely, as long as the arms of the glasses are straight.    

Alternatively, the arms can be sat in the vent channel that wraps around the rear of the helmet, perching them on the back of the lid. This works pretty well, but isn’t as quite as secure.    

The chin straps sit flush with your face, and are highly adjustable and comfy. However, despite the high asking price, there’s no fancy magnetic buckle. Instead, a standard clip does the job well enough.   

When it comes to weight, the Forefront 3 might not be the lightest trail helmet at 403g (medium), but it carries that weight well thanks to the generous level of comfort on offer.   

How we tested   

I’ve been wearing the Forefront 3 for around six months, meaning it’s been subjected to everything from cold, wintry weather through to the sweltering heatwave we had to contend with throughout the summer. That range of conditions helped me get a gauge on comfort and ventilation.   

When it comes to fit and stability, riding a multitude of trails has ensured it’s been rattled around sufficiently to test how secure it is once cinched up. I’ve blatted down steep, rocky tracks and hammered through some heavy landings to check that it stays exactly where it needs to be.   

Smith Forefront 3 helmet bottom line  

Smith’s Forefront 3 helmet might stretch your bank balance, but the comfort, stability, fit and feel of this top-tier trail lid make it well worth the price.   

I’ve been impressed by its performance since day one and have continually reached for this helmet since first trying it on.   

While it might not be the best-vented lid out there, it’s still cool enough and, besides, any niggles about venting are soon forgotten thanks to how well the Forefront 3 fits.   

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