£109.99 Safety-packed, mid-priced road helmet
TO THE NAKED EYE, THE NEW SMITH Persist helmet looks largely unchanged from the 2022 model. Both feature 21 vents, Smith’s AirVac and VaporFit systems – the former a ventilation system designed to fit with Smith sunglasses for fog-free riding, the latter an adjustment dial for it - and MIPS, the industry-leading tech that reduces rotational forces to the head from angled impacts.
Dig a little deeper, though, and there’s an additional nod to safety in the shape of the Zonal Koroyd. This is a firm, lightweight material with a honeycomb structure, which sit under the vents on either flank of the helmet and is designed to absorb energy during an impact more effectively than EPS foam, used in the construction of the rest of this helmet. Endura is another brand to use the material in its helmets and its construction is tailored for different products’ requirements, such as motorcycle back protectors.
I didn’t have the
The Good
Added nods to safety with Koroyd; bright rather than hi-vis
The Bad
The fit adjuster mechanism makes its presence felt
misfortune of finding out the effectiveness of the technology during testing, mercifully keeping my bike rubber-side down, but it certainly doesn’t affect ventilation, as the intricate but tough structure of Koroyd is barely visible when viewed from above. The 330g weight for this Large model makes it competitive in this price bracket, while this new Poppy-Terra colour is perhaps the most visible of the five available in the updated Persist model.
The VaporFit adjustment dial at the rear is easy to work on the fly and the straps under the chin are a comfortable and snug fit. The VaporFit system can be adjusted for fit refinement in the vertical plane in three different positions, although I could feel the presence of this uncushioned bit of plastic poking at my scalp when it was in the position that best suited me, which too
