Smith Overtake MIPS helmet review

Unlike most helmets, where the polystyrene body provides impact protection too, Smith has incorporated a layer of koroyd within the outer shell. Smith says that this provides more protection than polystyrene, as it’s more crushable.

Since it surrounds the whole head, it also provides more structure to the helmet than a standard vented design. This allows Smith to provide the Overtake with larger openings, helping with air circulation and cooling.

There are a total of 21 vents, including slot vents in the quite wide brim, to channel air over the forehead well. The grooved vents are designed to fit Smith’s sunglasses if you want to take them off during a ride. This works well and with other brands’ glasses too, although it’s a bit fiddly to get the glasses positioned properly.

On the very inside of the Overtake, there’s a MIPS liner. In the event of a crash, this slips against the outer helmet, helping to avoid energy in a glancing impact. MIPS is an increasingly popular inclusion in helmets from a wide range of brands. There are plenty of spaces in the liner, so it does not affect air circulation.

Smith makes the Overtake in a wide range of colours, including this matt green. There are also gloss finished options available and three different sizes. At 300 grams for a size large, it’s mid-weight for a MIPS helmet. The outer shell surrounds all the polystyrene parts of the helmet, so unlike in some they don’t tend to get dented over time.

There’s not a lot of padding in the Overtake, but it’s well positioned and I found the helmet comfortable with no obvious pressure points. The cradle supports well too, with a large rubber dial adjuster.

At higher speeds, ventilation is good, particularly if you adopt a more head-down riding position. The koroyd structure is very effective at channelling air to the head. Start to climb and the Overtake doesn’t feel quite as cool as some conventionally vented helmets though.

Another advantage of the koroyd structure is that it acts as a bug net. This has been useful in the summer as I found that insects bounced off it rather than settling in my hair. And I like the aggressive styling of the Overtake, which is a bit different from many competitors.