Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike – What’s New

Review by Erin Trail

Smith recently updated their top-of-the-line mountain bike helmet, the Smith Forefront 3.  I’ve been using my Smith Forefront 2 for approximately 4.5 years and was due for a new helmet.  Instead of a normal review, I thought it might be informative to Engearment reviewers to see what’s been updated.  Some things remain the same (or similar) and other things have been upgraded for the (much) better.

Forefront 3 versus Forefront 2

Overall Appearance Outer Shell Construction

The Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet, from the outside, appears to be pretty similar to the previous version.  The helmet has generally kept with the same overall styling and vent design, keeping the number of vents at 20. The main difference in vent design is that the Forefront 3’s vents are generally larger, allowing for better overall ventilation. Both versions of the Forefront have an adjustable visor and the helmet front design integrates seamlessly with Smith performance eyewear and  goggles. The Forefront 3 is slightly heavier than its predecessor, coming in 10 grams heavier at 370 grams for a size small, and 30 grams heavier at 410 grams for a size medium. Both versions also offer sunglass storage on both the front and back sides of the helmet.  Finally, both helmets have the same chinstrap clasp closure.

Inner Shell Construction

The inner shell construction of the Forefront 3 appears similar to the Forefront 2.  Both helmets feature KOROYD® impact protection, which I personally like because it allows airflow but prevents flying insects from going inside the helmet. (My personal nightmare is getting a bee or wasp trapped inside my helmet as I ride).  There is also an integrated skeletal structure that creates a roll cage in both versions, helping to distribute impact forces and protect your noggin’ when you crash.

Inner Helmet Features

The exterior and helmet skeleton of both Forefront versions are fairly similar.  The big differences are when you flip the helmet over and look at the inside.  The Forefront 3 has been completely redesigned – for the better. I like to have the Mips® Brain Protection System inside my cycling helmets, as I want the added rotational protection that it provides.  What I always hated with the Forefront 2 design was that the Mips® system was integrated into the helmet liner by way of round plastic connectors.  The connectors allowed the thin plastic Mips® membrane to move around freely, but it also snagged and pulled hair out of my head every time I wore it. The inner workings of the Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet are vastly improved.  The inner plastic liner is gone, as are the annoying hair-pulling plastic dots. The Mips® system is now integrated into the helmet’s padding, held into place with hook-and-loop closures.

The inner padding is fully removable for cleaning.  The padding semi-resembles a web when it’s removed and is a little tricky to get back into place (I suspect this will become easier with practice). The padding is better distributed across the inside of the helmet than it’s predecessor, allowing for better moisture management and fit.

The other big difference in the upgraded Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet is the Smith Flexible Fit System featuring BOA®.  The Forefront 2 used a VaporFit dial adjustment system, which tightened a thin plastic strip that went around the circumference of the helmet’s opening. The Forefront 3 uses a BOA® Fit System to tighten or loosen the helmet’s circumference. The BOA® Fit System uses a thin, flexible fabric cable that is exposed in the back half of the helmet and then integrates into the inner structure in the front half of the helmet.  The BOA Fit System cable is fairly floppy, and the harness at the rear of the helmet is also fairly floppy.  This lends itself to a better, more comfortable fit than the Forefront 2’s VaporFit system, but it also means that you need to take care when you are putting the helmet on to ensure that the rear harness aligns against the back of your head.

But How Does the Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet Feel?

I took the Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet on multiple gravel and mountain bike rides, usually around 2-3 hours long. Most of my rides were in colder temperatures (March in Colorado).

The Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet was generally unnoticeable, which is exactly what I like in a helmet.  It fits very well and is super comfortable, with no hot spots or weird pressure points.  The chinstraps, where they affix to the helmet at the rider’s ears were also comfortable.  Sometimes I get an odd crimped ear from the strap orientation, but I didn’t have that issue with the Forefront 3. I wasn’t able to test out ventilation and cooling, but with the larger vent ports in the top of the helmet, I don’t anticipate getting hot while wearing this helmet.

The main difference in the Forefront 3, from the previous version, is the BOA® Fit System and how it integrates into the helmet, as well as way that the Mips® system is designed.  The BOA® Fit System tightens more comfortably than the VaporFit system.  While the BOA® Fit System uses basically a single, thin fabric cable to tighten or loosen the fit of the helmet, the pressure from that cable is distributed well across the inner workings of the helmet. I do find that, due to the rear harness being constructed from softer, more flexible material, that the BOA® Fit System and rear harness is a bit floppy when you’re not wearing it.  The harness flops to the inside of the helmet (versus holding it’s shape in the Forefront 2) and you need to hold the helmet by the BOA® Fit System dial when you put the helmet on, to ensure that the harness goes on properly. This really isn’t a big deal, it’s just different and it will take time to re-train my brain on how to put a helmet on.

My favorite part about the Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet? I love love LOVE the fact that my hair longer gets pulled when I take off the helmet.  My braids stay intact, hair stays on my head.  Amazing.

Choosing between the Forefront 2 and the Forefront 3?

Smith currently has both the Forefront 2 (on clearance for $150) and the Forefront 3 ($270) for sale on their website.  I think the upgrade is worth it, especially as someone with long hair.  I do think the Forefront 3 is overall more comfortable than the Forefront 2, mainly due to the redesign of the Mips® system, the helmet pads, and because of the BOA® Fit System. The Forefront 3 is the Smith top-of-the line mountain biking  helmet option and many of the features of the Forefront 3 (updated Mips® system, BOA® Fit System, a higher number of vents) are not available in the lower models.  Smith does recommend replacing any helmet after 5 years of use.

I found the Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet to be really comfortable to wear.  The updates from the Forefront 2 to the Forefront 3 are noticeable because they offer a better and more comfortable fit. Upgrading to the Smith Forefront 3 Mountain Bike Helmet is definitely recommended if your helmet is nearing the 5 year mark, if you like a Mips® system that doesn’t also involve hair loss, and if you want a more comfortable, but high performing helmet for longer rides.

Erin Trail

Erin Trail’s hobby is collecting hobbies. She’s a 5th Generation Coloradan and grew up exploring the outdoors on family camping trips and hikes.  Her first backpacking trip was at eight years old to Grizzly Reservoir – she proudly carried all of her own gear those 3 miles from the main parking lot to the Reservoir.

Erin is an adult-onset athlete who started as a Masters Swimmer and then developed into a triathlete.  She completed 5 Ironman races and nearly 20 x 70.3 distance Ironman races, including the World Championship in Lahti, Finland, in 2023.  Somewhere along her triathlon journey, she picked up a deep love of cycling.

Cycling encouraged her to see landscapes in a new way, learn new skills and to develop self reliance; now she often goes and does Type 2 rides just to see if she can do it.  She’s got all the bikes: gravel, mountain, fat bike, time trial and road.

She is even known to combine her love of camping and cycling and go off on solo 24 hour overnight bikepacking trips in the mountains of Colorado. In addition to bikes, she teaches yoga, lifts weights, skis, SUPs and has recently purchased a campervan.

Erin is a former Montana park ranger with a degree in environmental engineering.  She loves getting into technical details while putting her gear (and herself) through the paces. She shares her home in Colorado with her husband, Will, and her 3 cats (Zipper, Brewtus, and Simcoe).

2025 brings some exciting things.  Erin has qualified to be on Team USA for USA Triathlon and will be competing in a World Championship off-road triathlon in Pontevedra, Spain in June. To prepare for this event, she’s got several mountain bike races and training weekends planned in the months leading up to the big day.  Additionally, she’s racing Ironman Boise 70.3 in July.  Once her race schedule closes out in July, she’ll be moving to more adventure based activities (bikepacking, vanlife, and mountain bike festivals).

When not adventuring, she can be found on a sunny patio somewhere, drinking beers with her husband.