Hardwear
Product 2019
Woman, Man
This Smith Ignite helmet is member to a very tight circle of helmets that you put on your head ….and you adopt instantly. It is brilliantly designed, having all the qualities of a high-class product. The Test4outside.com team didn’t take long to give it the FIRST Award.
The list of its qualities is long. It’s an “aero” style helmet but it is very versatile. Unlike the standard “aero” models the Ignite is ventilated, so it is not a pressure cooker. Its lines are fluid, pure and efficient because it limits catching the wind and doesn’t create any whistling, which we were worried about when we saw the honeycomb material called Koryod® (designed to absorb more energy on impact).
The other major quality is its weight, at 277g you place it on your head and forget about it entirely on long distances. As much as for its comfort too, as it seems basic with limited foam padding, yet extremely comfortable. There are no pressure points around the head. When we adjusted the helmet with the dial we didn’t experience any headaches. No direct contact with any plastic or cable. It is astonishing as the rear of the helmet has no foam padding at all.
We particularly liked the fact that the adjustment system is low down at the rear. This enables the helmet to stay put laterally in any situation.
Long hair doesn’t get caught in the mechanism inside the helmet and there are no irritating squeaky noises, either in hot or cold conditions.
Ventiilation is higly performant, the ventilation entries are well-proportioned and the Koryod® prevents insects from penetrating the helmet. We tested a white one (we considered it the best against the heat and security, yellow is also a good choice in this respect).
The chin strap is wide, thin and flexible. No signs of rubbing at all. It has a classic buckle. First adjustments of the chin strap takes a little time but nothing extraordinary.
Our only complaint would be the dial has a “cheap” sound to it in comparison with the helmet’s high-quality.
Last but not least, sunglasses slip neatly under the helmet, even oversize models.
This Smith Ignite helmet is an excellent product that is light, comfortable, kitted out with MIPS technology. A must for cyclists and triathletes who want a high-quality product. It deserves the FIRST Award.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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