The Smith Men's Mission MIPS Snow Helmet is where classic styling meets everlasting value! The all-new Mission brings the proven fit and function of Smith helmets to an audience who will never again call this piece of gear "just a helmet." It has a regular adjustable climate control with 14 vents. And the adjustable dial fit system gives you a perfect fit. MIPS is used to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the case of an oblique impact. Smith helmets are created to absorb direct impacts very efficiently and when combined with MIPS, Smith helmets absorb oblique forces better by allowing a small rotation of the outer shell relative to the liner.
The Smith Men's Mission MIPS Snow Helmet is where classic styling meets everlasting value! The all-new Mission brings the proven fit and function of Smith helmets to an audience who will never again call this piece of gear "just a helmet." It has a regular adjustable climate control with 14 vents. And the adjustable dial fit system gives you a perfect fit. MIPS is used to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the case of an oblique impact. Smith helmets are created to absorb direct impacts very efficiently and when combined with MIPS, Smith helmets absorb oblique forces better by allowing a small rotation of the outer shell relative to the liner.
in 7 offers
The Smith Men's Mission MIPS Snow Helmet is where classic styling meets everlasting value! The all-new Mission brings the proven fit and function of Smith helmets to an audience who will never again call this piece of gear "just a helmet." It has a regular adjustable climate control with 14 vents. And the adjustable dial fit system gives you a perfect fit. MIPS is used to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the case of an oblique impact. Smith helmets are created to absorb direct impacts very efficiently and when combined with MIPS, Smith helmets absorb oblique forces better by allowing a small rotation of the outer shell relative to the liner.
The Smith Men's Mission MIPS Snow Helmet is where classic styling meets everlasting value! The all-new Mission brings the proven fit and function of Smith helmets to an audience who will never again call this piece of gear "just a helmet." It has a regular adjustable climate control with 14 vents. And the adjustable dial fit system gives you a perfect fit. MIPS is used to reduce the rotational forces to the brain in the case of an oblique impact. Smith helmets are created to absorb direct impacts very efficiently and when combined with MIPS, Smith helmets absorb oblique forces better by allowing a small rotation of the outer shell relative to the liner.
Last updated at 07/05/2026 18:14:22
Mission MIPS Helmet L (59-63cm) / Matte Black
Delivery $168.98
2024 Smith Mission MIPS Snow Helmet L / Matte Black
Free delivery between 14–22 May
Mission MIPS Helmet Matte Black / L
Free delivery
Mission MIPS Helmet Matte Black / L
Free delivery
Smith Mission MIPS Matte Black Matte Black / Large
Free delivery
Mission MIPS | Matte Black - Smith Optics Australia Large (59-63cm)
Free delivery
Smith Mission Mips Helmet
Delivery $119.64
originally posted on REI
I got this helmet for a ski trip to CO. Style is great, MIPS is good, and the helmet is lightweight. HOWEVER, upon picking it up from REI, the LEFT ear cover seemed out of place (flared out). I just thought it was a strap tightening issue, so i didn't think it was a big deal, Especially because i was flying out the next day.Unfortunately the flared earpiece proved to be very annoying during the trip. My SMITH goggles kept getting caught on it when I'd move them from the brim of my helmet onto my face. I would compensate for the flare by tightening the strap to the point where it was uncomfortable. Upon inspection after our first day of skiing, i couldn't find out why it was doing that, so i just assumed it was a poor fit and carried on. This persisted for the ... MoreI got this helmet for a ski trip to CO. Style is great, MIPS is good, and the helmet is lightweight. HOWEVER, upon picking it up from REI, the LEFT ear cover seemed out of place (flared out). I just thought it was a strap tightening issue, so i didn't think it was a big deal, Especially because i was flying out the next day.Unfortunately the flared earpiece proved to be very annoying during the trip. My SMITH goggles kept getting caught on it when I'd move them from the brim of my helmet onto my face. I would compensate for the flare by tightening the strap to the point where it was uncomfortable. Upon inspection after our first day of skiing, i couldn't find out why it was doing that, so i just assumed it was a poor fit and carried on. This persisted for the remainder of our trip, and once i came home, i took a deeper look because i knew something was off.I found that a very thin plastic piece lodged deep in the ear pocket at the lowest position, which appears to have snapped off from somewhere. I don't know how this happened because when I flexed and bent the opposing (R) earpiece in every-way imaginable to compare, it just would not break. The plastic is very flexible and I'm sure that's one of the reasons they chose that material. This leads me to believe it was broken upon pickup. Now this helmet is used and I don't know how to fix this.This is the only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars. For spending $130, I expected a very good helmet that will last me for years to come. This does not seem like the quality you'd expect from SMITH. I am attaching photos of both ear pieces and broken plastic piece as well as a video showing me over-flexing the R earpiece and it NOT breaking. I can imagine if this was not an issue i would LOVE this helmet. unfortunately that is not the case.
originally posted on als.com
Sleek and functional helmet. It's beautiful and the variable vents really help with airflow on warm days. The two tone color scheme also adds a little bit of flashiness. Sizing is true and the earpads are really warm and work with my audio inserts. I'd definitely recommend the Variance, as it's a tried a proven helmet. I think this older generation Variance is better than new helmet Smith has to replace it (called Level) because the older one uses the BOA tightening system while the new one uses Vaporfit, which I find inferior. In older generations, Vaporfit was used exclusively on the mid-tier helmets. Starting in 2020, Smith is only using BOA on their highest end helmets (Quantum and Vantage). Thus, if you can snag one of these older gen Variance helmets, do it!
originally posted on evogear.com
This is a decent entry level helmet. I bought it for the MIPS technology and its low-profile design. It has adjustable air vents, but the slider is stiff and hard to manipulate. The ear pads are large and cover your ears, but the perforated internal design - to accommodate speakers - are rough and chaff your ears. In addition, the helmet doesn't cover your ears in side impacts. The helmet comes way down over your brow, so if you rock bigger goggles - think Oakley's - then you may have some issues. The internal "boa" adjustment is not high quality and I'd only give it two years before it breaks or fails. For the price (I got it on Black Friday sale), it's not bad, but I wouldn't buy it again.
Mission MIPS Helmet L (59-63cm) / Matte Black
Delivery $168.98
2024 Smith Mission MIPS Snow Helmet L / Matte Black
Free delivery between 14–22 May
Mission MIPS Helmet Matte Black / L
Free delivery
Mission MIPS Helmet Matte Black / L
Free delivery
Smith Mission MIPS Matte Black Matte Black / Large
Free delivery
I got this helmet for a ski trip to CO. Style is great, MIPS is good, and the helmet is lightweight. HOWEVER, upon picking it up from REI, the LEFT ear cover seemed out of place (flared out). I just thought it was a strap tightening issue, so i didn't think it was a big deal, Especially because i was flying out the next day.Unfortunately the flared earpiece proved to be very annoying during the trip. My SMITH goggles kept getting caught on it when I'd move them from the brim of my helmet onto my face. I would compensate for the flare by tightening the strap to the point where it was uncomfortable. Upon inspection after our first day of skiing, i couldn't find out why it was doing that, so i just assumed it was a poor fit and carried on. This persisted for the ... MoreI got this helmet for a ski trip to CO. Style is great, MIPS is good, and the helmet is lightweight. HOWEVER, upon picking it up from REI, the LEFT ear cover seemed out of place (flared out). I just thought it was a strap tightening issue, so i didn't think it was a big deal, Especially because i was flying out the next day.Unfortunately the flared earpiece proved to be very annoying during the trip. My SMITH goggles kept getting caught on it when I'd move them from the brim of my helmet onto my face. I would compensate for the flare by tightening the strap to the point where it was uncomfortable. Upon inspection after our first day of skiing, i couldn't find out why it was doing that, so i just assumed it was a poor fit and carried on. This persisted for the remainder of our trip, and once i came home, i took a deeper look because i knew something was off.I found that a very thin plastic piece lodged deep in the ear pocket at the lowest position, which appears to have snapped off from somewhere. I don't know how this happened because when I flexed and bent the opposing (R) earpiece in every-way imaginable to compare, it just would not break. The plastic is very flexible and I'm sure that's one of the reasons they chose that material. This leads me to believe it was broken upon pickup. Now this helmet is used and I don't know how to fix this.This is the only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars. For spending $130, I expected a very good helmet that will last me for years to come. This does not seem like the quality you'd expect from SMITH. I am attaching photos of both ear pieces and broken plastic piece as well as a video showing me over-flexing the R earpiece and it NOT breaking. I can imagine if this was not an issue i would LOVE this helmet. unfortunately that is not the case.
Sleek and functional helmet. It's beautiful and the variable vents really help with airflow on warm days. The two tone color scheme also adds a little bit of flashiness. Sizing is true and the earpads are really warm and work with my audio inserts. I'd definitely recommend the Variance, as it's a tried a proven helmet. I think this older generation Variance is better than new helmet Smith has to replace it (called Level) because the older one uses the BOA tightening system while the new one uses Vaporfit, which I find inferior. In older generations, Vaporfit was used exclusively on the mid-tier helmets. Starting in 2020, Smith is only using BOA on their highest end helmets (Quantum and Vantage). Thus, if you can snag one of these older gen Variance helmets, do it!
This is a decent entry level helmet. I bought it for the MIPS technology and its low-profile design. It has adjustable air vents, but the slider is stiff and hard to manipulate. The ear pads are large and cover your ears, but the perforated internal design - to accommodate speakers - are rough and chaff your ears. In addition, the helmet doesn't cover your ears in side impacts. The helmet comes way down over your brow, so if you rock bigger goggles - think Oakley's - then you may have some issues. The internal "boa" adjustment is not high quality and I'd only give it two years before it breaks or fails. For the price (I got it on Black Friday sale), it's not bad, but I wouldn't buy it again.
REVIEW: Great helmet, especially for the price. I have used it in the backcountry as well as all-day on-piste. The lightweight is good for backcountry stuff. I love the MIPS helmet technology, again the price coupled with the technology that has gone in it is great! Dial fit system works great...I don't typically change the dial after I have it on and so I don't have gloves on when I do this...I have seen complaints about not easily gripped with gloves on - and I find that an odd complaint. The vents in the front do a great job at preventing your goggles from fogging. Earpads are comfortable and don't hurt when having earbuds in. The vent works smoothly and provides good ventilation. Overall a comfortable helmet at a comfortable price.Skier Type/Background - ... MoreREVIEW: Great helmet, especially for the price. I have used it in the backcountry as well as all-day on-piste. The lightweight is good for backcountry stuff. I love the MIPS helmet technology, again the price coupled with the technology that has gone in it is great! Dial fit system works great...I don't typically change the dial after I have it on and so I don't have gloves on when I do this...I have seen complaints about not easily gripped with gloves on - and I find that an odd complaint. The vents in the front do a great job at preventing your goggles from fogging. Earpads are comfortable and don't hurt when having earbuds in. The vent works smoothly and provides good ventilation. Overall a comfortable helmet at a comfortable price.Skier Type/Background - Advanced/Expert (is anyone an expert where they can't improve on something)...ski all kinds of conditions and terrain - skiing 30+ years - since 7 years old - race team
I purchased this helmet because of the excellent comfort, vent control, and great reviews. Yet, I have done just 2 runs with this helmet and suffered severe brain freeze. There is no way to cover the forhead or temple vents making for a very chilly experience. I don't know where this helmet is used where it would be comfortable in cold temperatures. I returned mine.
I purchased my Variance helmet 5 years ago. The helmet has been great, it has lots of ventilation which can be adjusted over a large range of airflow. I don't have a problem with goggles fogging. This year I decided to upgrade my skiing experience and bought a set of Outdoor Tech bluetooth speakers. Unfortunately when I went to install them in the helmet, the zipper on the earpad piece broke (it was the 1st time it had been unzipped in 5 years). I called Smith to see if the broken zipper was covered under their lifetime warranty. The only question they asked was where I would like the replacement ear pads shipped. That kind of customer service is rare! A purchase of a Smith helmet gives you a high quality helmet with exceptional customer support. You can't go wrong ... MoreI purchased my Variance helmet 5 years ago. The helmet has been great, it has lots of ventilation which can be adjusted over a large range of airflow. I don't have a problem with goggles fogging. This year I decided to upgrade my skiing experience and bought a set of Outdoor Tech bluetooth speakers. Unfortunately when I went to install them in the helmet, the zipper on the earpad piece broke (it was the 1st time it had been unzipped in 5 years). I called Smith to see if the broken zipper was covered under their lifetime warranty. The only question they asked was where I would like the replacement ear pads shipped. That kind of customer service is rare! A purchase of a Smith helmet gives you a high quality helmet with exceptional customer support. You can't go wrong with that combination!
I work at a ski resort and last winter season I was looking at peoples helmets as they came and went. The Smith Variance really caught my eye.The sun visor serves as a shelf when you put your googles up when inside. On my old helmet the googles would slip back down so I would need to take them totally off or let them hang off the back. Speaking of which, the strap on the back of the Variance works great. It is full attached and the google strap will never come off. My old helmet google "strap" wasn't completely attached, so if I let my googles hang off the back they sometimes would fall off completely.I also like the vents on the Variance. They can be fully open, partially open, or fully closed giving you 3 options depending on the weather.The only thing I don't ... MoreI work at a ski resort and last winter season I was looking at peoples helmets as they came and went. The Smith Variance really caught my eye.The sun visor serves as a shelf when you put your googles up when inside. On my old helmet the googles would slip back down so I would need to take them totally off or let them hang off the back. Speaking of which, the strap on the back of the Variance works great. It is full attached and the google strap will never come off. My old helmet google "strap" wasn't completely attached, so if I let my googles hang off the back they sometimes would fall off completely.I also like the vents on the Variance. They can be fully open, partially open, or fully closed giving you 3 options depending on the weather.The only thing I don't like is the fact that a size sticker was on the front of the helmet. After making sure it fit properly I took the sticker off but of course there was residue left behind. I took some Goo Gone to get the residue off and that part of the helmet became discolored. It really ticked me off! Why did they put the sticker right on the front, or why a sticker at all? There's a size tag inside the helmet, and a paper tag hanging off.
This helmet replaced my Lime matte Regular Smith Vantage Helmet because of the newer MIPS technology. I used and loved my previous helmet for years. This year I purchase 3 other smith helmets besides this one. So now I have them in White, Yellow, Purple, and my favorite Lime green reviewed here. I only recommend this helmet if you're a good skier, because you will definitely be noticed in this one..........
mips. comfort. price. value. quality. win win win win win. you wont get this kind of technology in any other helmet at this price point. removable cheek pads. audio compatible. mips. kolroyd. what else could you really want?
I have been a skier for 49 years and this year finally decided to buy a helmet. I was very hesitant as I have never had one or thought of using one. After a couple hard hits of the head on icy snow I decided to make to move to a helmet. I was told it might take a three times of use to get used to it. This helmet fit so good I was used to it the first time skiing. The fit is very comfortable and does a good job keeping the head warm without a head cover. Goggles work well with this helmet and with the holder on the rear keep them attached to the helmet. I haven't had any hits of the head to hard snow yet and hope to keep it that way, so haven't tested the strike protection of the helmet but feel the design of this helmet will have it work well. I would recommend ... MoreI have been a skier for 49 years and this year finally decided to buy a helmet. I was very hesitant as I have never had one or thought of using one. After a couple hard hits of the head on icy snow I decided to make to move to a helmet. I was told it might take a three times of use to get used to it. This helmet fit so good I was used to it the first time skiing. The fit is very comfortable and does a good job keeping the head warm without a head cover. Goggles work well with this helmet and with the holder on the rear keep them attached to the helmet. I haven't had any hits of the head to hard snow yet and hope to keep it that way, so haven't tested the strike protection of the helmet but feel the design of this helmet will have it work well. I would recommend those who haven't yet switched to a helmet to go and do so and this helmet is a good choice.
