A key thing to think about when upgrading your goggles and/or helmet is how well the two work together. All snow helmets have a built in ventilation system, when this seamlessly interacts with your goggles, the helmet ventilation will also actively ventilate your goggles, helping keep fresh air circulating through the goggle and venting moist, fog causing air out through the helmet.
If the products fit your particular face and head shape, the best call you can make while buying new kit, is to buy within the same brand for helmets and goggles. Circa 1965, Smith have been going above and beyond the norm of today’s international helmet regulations by developing multiple solutions that improve energy absorption, aerodynamics, ventilation and overall protection.
They design helmets and goggles to work together as a fully integrated system. Their design team have been sitting at the same table since the beginning, designing Smith helmets to fit perfectly with Smith goggles and Smith goggles to sit flush against Smith helmets.
For the helmet line, the most important factor in integration is the AirEvac ventilation system. This is the bridge that allows goggles and helmets to function as one system, venting warm moist air away from the goggles, through the helmet climate control system and ultimately away from the head.
Integration Begins with a Precise Fit
Ultimate integration starts with the precise fit of the Smith goggle and helmet. Their helmets are designed to match the curvature of the goggle frame, eliminating “gaper gap” and allowing precise alignment between the helmet AirEvac and the goggle venting systems.
AirEvac: Maximum Airflow is Crucial
Goggles fog when standard helmets trap warm, moist air in the goggle chamber. Smith’s AirEvac ventilation systems generate maximum airflow that pulls warm, fog-causing air out of the goggle. The warm air is allowed to exhaust out of the top of the goggle and begin its path through the helmet’s AirEvac system.
AirEvac 2: Constant Airflow
AirEvac 2 continues to drive the warm air away from the goggle through external vents and internal channels in the EPS liner. Internal airflow can be adjusted through the helmet’s Regulator climate control system.
Rear Exhaust Ventilation
The warm air that originally built up in the goggle has been forced out via the AirEvac ventilation system, has travelled through the AirEvac 2 EPS vent channels, and is now being exhausted at the furthest distance possible from the goggle. Ultimate integration between goggle and helmet from start to finish.
Smith Top Tips
When purchasing a new pair of goggles, always make sure to take your current helmet in to your local snow shop, this way you can try on a range of different goggle models and choose the option that fits your face well and integrates seamlessly with your lid. Purchasing within the same brand is generally the best way to guarantee Ultimate Integration.
If you are upgrading your goggles, take a minute to think about the punishment your helmet has taken over the last few seasons. A helmet is only good for one decent crash. If you have hit your head in a fall where you were travelling faster than you can run, or if you fell from over 3 metres, your helmet has probably done all it can to protect you head. You might as well take the opportunity to grab a new, safe helmet and improve your helmet, goggle integration while you’re at it.
Ultimate Integration from smith optics on Vimeo.
