PressCamp 2016: Smith launches new Rover MTB helmet

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Smith launched its Forefront helmet a couple of years ago now and it has proven popular with many riders, though the price put it out of the reach of many other riders. Smith has worked to produce a more affordable helmet, still using the Koroyd material (you know, the stuff that looks like drinking straws all together), while also trying to increase ventilation and user-friendliness.

Smith Rover

Enter the new Smith Rover (and its road cousin, the Route). It features much bigger, emptier, vents than the Forefront, but there’s still the wonder absorption material on the sides of the head, where most helmets take a hit.

The good news is that the helmets will come in a MIPS and non MIPS version for significantly less than the Forefront (which will carry on). The UK prices, from distributor Ultrasport are set to be £120 for the MIPS version and £100 for the regular version.

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There’s still eyewear storage on the Rover
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Not all colours are bright either
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The rear also has a hollow that’s ideal for goggle strap buckles
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Or running a blinky light too

Smith Route

The Smith Route (that it pronounces ‘Rout’) is the road version. Similar at the front, though without a peak, there’s a little less rear coverage. Price is the same.

 

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To match sir’s Bianchi?
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We like this worn camo look
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Some of the Route family

Unlike many launches, the Smith Rover is already shipping to dealers so you should see it any moment now.

Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 22 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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