Smith Summit MIPS Helmet Review

The Smith Summit MIPS accomplishes the rare feat of delivering comfort and protection in one package. It's particularly notable for passing rigorous testing standards for rock climbing, mountaineering, and alpine skiing.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The Smith Summit MIPS stands out for its excellent comfort, regardless of venue. It feels perfectly shaped for the human head, and our testers loved how there wasn't much dead space inside the helmet. Thin cushioning pads line the inside, preventing pressure points on the scalp. A thin chin guard prevents scraping and chafing below the jaw. The helmet is heavier than other climbing helmets we tested, but we didn't notice the weight difference on most climbs.

The real genius behind the comfort of this helmet is the BOA click-wheel tightening system that wraps the back of the head in a soft fabric tab. This creates a fit that feels perfectly tailored to the user's head. The MIPS cage increases comfort by allowing the helmet shell to slide without increasing friction on one's scalp. This is one of the most comfortable helmets on the market for any alpine sport.

Adjustability

The Smith Summit MIPS doesn't have much adjustable length in each size, as the BOA click-wheel tightening system simply can't compete with the massive amounts of length adjustments offered by fabric straps or plastic ratchet-tab systems. Each size of this helmet has a narrow range of adjustments, so pick your size wisely. Furthermore, the ear V-yokes aren't adjustable, either.

The upside is that the BOA system is incredibly comfortable and easy to adjust. The mounting harness is made of wide, soft fabric, and the system ratchets tighter and loosens easier than the traditional ratchet-tab systems on other helmets.

Weight

The Summit MIPS is among the heaviest climbing helmets we've tested. This is largely due to the thick ABS shell, MIPS insert, and thick EPS foam. This helmet is extremely protective; it just isn't lightweight.

While climbing – especially rock climbing – we spend a lot of time looking up. A heavier helmet will put more strain on our neck over the course of the day, so this helmet is not well-suited to sport climbing and belaying. However, we didn't notice the weight on all-day climbs up snow-filled couloirs with our skis on our backs or while ice climbing. This helmet is also well-suited for moderate multi-pitch climbing thanks to its increased protection rating against rockfall.

Ventilation

This helmet doesn't offer much in the way of big ventilation holes. This is largely due to international ski helmet certification standards. Those standards don't allow large holes that could allow sharp objects like ski poles and tree branches to penetrate the shell. This alone is a good reason to reconsider downhill skiing in a climbing helmet if you currently do so.

Compared to other top ski helmets, this helmet provides excellent ventilation and allows the user to wear a helmet while climbing couloirs or skinning across glaciers. Thin but spacious vents around the entire circumference of the helmet allow better-than-expected ventilation. But compared to most climbing helmets, the Summit MIPS is ultimately less ventilated, based on rating alone, although it does offer more than the full-ABS shell helmets we tested.

Features

The Smith Summit MIPS offers some quality features but also has some glaring omissions. The chin strap is great; it has plenty of length adjustment, an elastic band to prevent flopping, and a thin, cushioned sleeve to prevent chafing. The BOA tightening system is also great – as we mentioned above – and the BOA flap folds flat so that the helmet can be packed into smaller spaces in climbing and skiing packs. Of course, the inclusion of MIPS technology takes the protection offered by this helmet to another level.

The headlamp attachment feature is minimalist, with two small tabs on the front of the helmet, allowing only part of a strap to be held underneath. There is no attachment system on the rear of the helmet, which is notable because most skiers want some sort of clip to keep their goggles fastened to their helmets. Furthermore, there is no V-yoke on the ear straps, preventing the user from adjusting the chin strap around the ears.

Durability

The Smith Summit MIPS is a highly durable helmet thanks to its high-quality construction that utilizes durable materials. The shell is made from thick ABS plastic that withstands abuse to the extreme. Our lead tester took this helmet on an extended climbing and skiing trip to the Alps, throwing it around luggage and wearing it daily in the mountains. Even after six weeks, this helmet showed very little trace of wear. Without a doubt, this helmet is built to last.

The helmet's interior is lined with cushions that can pack out and will likely get grimy over time. But even in our extended test period, this hasn't happened yet. The thin BOA strings that tighten around the sides of the head are susceptible to damage because of their thin gauge, but we didn't experience any problems with those yet, either.

Should You Buy the Smith Summit MIPS?

If you are looking for a single helmet that will satisfy the safety and comfort requirements for climbing and skiing, this helmet is the best choice currently available. While it isn't cheap, you can consider this equivalent to buying two helmets for the price of one. Its durable construction ensures a long life span, while its excellent, dual-sport performance ultimately saves you money in the long run.

What Other Climbing Helmets Should You Consider?

If you are looking for a lightweight climbing helmet that is also dual-certified specifically as a ski-touring helmet, check out the superlight Petzl Sirocco, or the slightly more affordable but notably more durable Petzl Meteor. Both helmets are certified to European Union standards (CE) for ski touring, mountaineering, and rock climbing. If you are looking for a great climbing-specific helmet that offers the same MIPS protection as the Smith Summit MIPS, the Black Diamond Vision MIPS is our overall favorite.