Smith Engage 2 Mountain Bike Helmet – Test and Review

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Updated April 9th, 2024

Manufacturer and Model: Smith Optics Engage 2 Mountain Bike Helmet
List Price: $130

Summary

The Smith Engage 2 mountain bike helmet offers advanced features such as Koroyd honeycomb energy absorber, moveable visor, and MIPS at a value price just over $100. It is comfortable to wear with lots of ventilation. It has coverage that extends around the back of your head. The Smith Engage is feature for feature the best $100 mountain bike helmet out there.

Smith Engage 2 Review and Test

The Smith Engage 2 is an upgrade from their popular Engage design. The main difference is the addition of Koroyd honeycomb on the side of the helmet. This gives the helmet more ventilation and better head protection. I have been wearing Giro mountain bike helmets for about a decade now. I have been wearing Smith ski goggles and ski helmets for a lot longer. When it came time to get a new mountain bike helmet I decided to give Smith a try.

1 – Construction (9.0/10)

The Engage 2 uses in-mold construction with a polycarbonate shell. Construction looks very tight with no signs of sloppy manufacturing or poor quality. The shell appears to be split with an upper and lower molding similar to a hybrid construction ski helmet.

2 – Safety Features (9.0/10)

The Engage 2 is CPSC and CE EN 1078 certified. It also has MIPS technology to help with off center hits. The Koroyd honeycomb absorbs more energy without rebounding improving the safety of the helmet. The Engage wraps around the sides and back of your head giving you more coverage than a road bike helmet.

3 – Comfort (9.5/10)

The helmet has padding in the front and top regions. The padding is a bit thicker than what I normally see in most MTB helmets. It has a size adjuster along the back that gives it a good snug feel when tightened. I was able to fit my head into a size medium. The large just feels like it envelopes and cradles my head better. So I went with a large. I’ve done a few long several hour rides wearing this helmet now and it one of the most comfortable mountain bike helmets I have tried.

4 – Ventilation (9.0/10)

I counted 21 vents on the helmet. The Koroyd allows more venting because the helmet can vent through the honeycomb structure which would otherwise be solid EPS foam. This gives the helmet much better ventilation than the original Engage helmet design.

The Engage 2 is also designed with AirEvac vents that help to defog goggles and sunglasses. The movable visor makes it easy to lift goggles up onto the helmet.

5 – Weight (9.0/10)

My test helmet which is a size large weighed in right around 12.5 ounces. This puts it right around the same weight as a Giro Source or slightly lighter than a Giro Montaro.

Recommendation – Buy or No Buy?

The Smith Engage 2 is the best mountain bike helmet out there for around $100. No other helmet gives you advance safety features such as Koroyd and MIPS. It also has other nice to haves such as a moveable visor and increased back of head coverage. I trust my brain to the Engage 2 while trail riding.

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