Smith Optics Smith Overtake MIPS Helmet Matte Olive S

With its futuristic Koroyd layer and innovative MIPS lining, the Smith Overtake MIPS Helmet might make your older relatives think that you're dressing up for some kind of space-themed party when they first see it, muttering "that's the style nowadays" when you correct them that you're just going out for a ride. Protecting your head on a ride is serious business, and the tech Smith uses for the Overtake represents some significant steps forward for mankind. Take the Overtake MIPS out on your next ride knowing that in the event of a crash, you'll have some of the best protection available on your side, with the added comfort of a light, airy design that's a far cry from the cumbersome helmets of decades past.

To start, MIPS, or Multi Directional Impact Protection System, refers to the technology added to the helmet in the form of a thin inner lining that rotates slightly upon impact to absorb the brain-damaging rotational energy generated by side-angle crashes. The lining is barely perceptible, but it represents a big change in angled-impact protection. Smith then uses a combination of lightweight EPS foam and honeycomb-like Koroyd to construct the inner layers of the helmet, with Koroyd adding ventilation and allowing for more vents to keep you cool as you ride. An aerodynamically-shaped plastic shell wraps across the top of the helmet, guarding against more straightforward impacts, and even with so many pieces working together, the Overtake MIPS manages to weigh in at a pro-approved 250g.