Bike helmet is a must when you are riding the vehicle because this is a safety gear that will help protect the skull, just in case there is an incident and we fall off the bike. There are lots of options based on the riding discipline and which seems to fit your preference better, such as the Smith Engage Vs Session that are made for those who are riding on the more extreme terrains. If you are also interested, let’s see below about what they can offer.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Consider in an MTB Helmet
- What are Smith Engage and Session
- How are the Design of Smith Engage and Session
- How are the Build Quality of Smith Engage and Session
- How are the Fitting System of Smith Engage and Session
- Are Smith Engage and Session Comfortable
- Smith Engage Vs Session
MTB Bike Helmets
Safety comes first because rather than sustaining the damage or impact later, it is just best to prevent it from happening in the first place. Besides how it may harm your body, we may have to bear the pain and even permanent injury for our whole life. For those who are riding the bike, while this activity is fairly safe to do, they are also not free from the related injuries and this is why we always have to wear the helmet.
Depending on what type of terrain you are riding on, our choice for bike helmet will vary and if you are here then we assume that trail or MTB is what you prefer. For mountain biking, a helmet is even more crucial because the terrain we are tackling is uneven and there are lots of obstacles which increase the risk by a lot. Going away with just scratches may not be a problem for most of us but the impact to the head will be dangerous.
When it comes to bike helmets, we are not wearing them to look cool but for the main function to protect the head. Make sure that your helmet is made according to a standard that is used in your country such as CPSC or CE because a good helmet has to be able to at least sustain the impact. In general, bike helmets are made of polycarbonate shell while the internal part is made of EPS foam, sometimes there is gel padded inside for comfort with straps to secure the unit.
Many of them today are also featured with MIPS which is short for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and this design is meant to provide the helmet with a low-friction slip cage in order to help reduce the rotational forces that happens through the impact. You may have to consider the vents on the helmet as well because this lid needs to be comfortable enough to wear and when exercising we are losing a lot of heat through the head so it is important for the helmet to be cooling too.
Additionally, they need to fit correctly. A good helmet will have to fit around the head and they will have an adjustable cage around the head circumference as well to hug around the head. Some of them may have padding or gel padding to evenly distribute the weight and pressure while the strap must be durable, adjustable, as well as click easily as it loops around the ear.
| Smith Engage | Smith Session | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 11.81 x 9.84 x 11.81 inches | 13 x 11 x 8 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.1 Pounds | 1.96 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Smith Engage and Session
There are more than plenty to choose from when you come to look for a new helmet. Most companies can make both road and MTB helmets as well as some performance-oriented options so we are sure you can find them easily on your favorite brand of helmets. Some of us may like the styling of certain brands better and if they have one too, we do recommend checking their collection. High chances they will have the option that will fit your preference.
Bike helmets can be very affordable and some are quite expensive too so we can match them with how much we want to spend for the gear. Brands like Giro are a great option with their huge collection but their styling is probably on the more common side. Smith on the other hand is known to offer attractive bike helmets and this optic brand also makes sure that your favorite eyewear will also snug easily while wearing the safety gear.
For those who like the styling of Smith helmets and riding the bike on the more extreme terrains, they also have some of the most attractive and comfy bike helmets available such as Smith Engage and Session. These bike helmets are similar but are not the same and if you see closely, the Session is also featured with a feature that is not present on the Engage and this makes the other helmet more affordable if you are concerned about the budget.
We do think both are good helmets not only based on the design or outer look but also how they are properly covering the head and stay comfortable during the activity. Just like most bike helmets however they are not identical and if you are the type who sweat a lot or living in a place where the summer can get quite hot, the Engage is a more promising option. Read also: Smith Trace Vs Ignite.
Smith Engage and Session Design
Before checking what these helmets can offer, let’s see the unit first and when it comes to styling, the Smith Engage and Session are indeed very similar. The shape and sizing seems to be the same from the small and extra-large options to provide the best fit for a wide range of users and head sizes. They are very sporty and this is our first impression upon seeing these helmets but when you see closely, Session equipped less but larger vents as opposed to Engage.
Unfortunately, just like most MTB helmets out there, these two are not as light as typical road bike helmets because the medium size of Engage is already 350 grams while the Session is almost 30 grams heavier for the same size. The sample here is their matte black variant but you can find them on many other shades, and some of them are also dual-tone such as the white and grey combo or even triple shade such as the iris-indigo-jade variant from the Session’s collection.
Smith Engage and Session Build Quality
Moving further, let’s see the build quality of Smith Engage and Session because this is an important part both for safety and longevity. To make sure that these helmets are made to pass the safety standard, they are both CPS and CE EN 1078 certified which mean they fulfill or exceed the minimum requirement for bike helmets. The helmets are made using an in-mold method to make sure that separation is not an issue anymore and to optimize the weight as well.
On the additional feature, they are designed with MIPS inside to provide protection against rotational impact. Our favorite is that the rim of these helmets are also covered using the hard shell which may not affect the safety but is great for the longevity and durability of the unit. Exposed foam may reduce the weight of the helmets but it also makes the soft material prone to get damaged.
Smith Engage and Session Fitting
Next is for the fitting function and here both of them are very much the same, similar to most helmets out there. You will find a retention system on the back of Smith Engage and Session, in the form of small knobs that can be adjusted. They call this VaporFit and we do think they are sitting rather in the middle, not as deep as some POC or Giro helmets but also not floating too shallow. The adjustment is hugging almost the whole head’s circumference.
You can adjust the height, to be up or down in four positions. There are some paddings too on both helmets but they are not the plush type yet, the way they arrange the placement makes the entire fitting system work really well. Overall we do think many cyclists can wear any of the helmets as they can provide fit for a wide range of head shapes and sizes.
Smith Engage and Session Comfort
Lastly is about comfort and we are very surprised to see that the Session is very cool. Because this helmet has Koroyd at the front vents, we thought they would prevent the vent from working properly but it is not. The huge vents are very effective at capturing much wind and cooling the head properly, in fact it is one of the best in the category. The Engage is amazing as well but we already guess it will be very cooling and since there are 21 vents here, they are undoubtedly comfy to wear even when the weather is warm.
Smith Engage vs Session
There are so many good helmets out there based on which seems to work best for you and these two are not only cool on the appearance but also cool to wear. The comfort level is the same but you may notice that the Session is slightly heavier. The Engage doesn’t have Koroyd which made Smith helmets distinguishable from the rest but this is why it is lighter and also much cheaper.
Conclusion
There is no bad option here so we can shop based on what seems to attract you the most but we will recommend the Smith Engage because it is more affordable, very comfortable, and similarly well-built while looks cool too.
