wore this helmet the entire last season: good breathability- which works nice with the moisture management. not heavy or clonky which works well if you're not a huge helmet fan-- however I AM A HUGE HELMET FAN and this worked great for me as well. I just read the comment on it lacking a great system for keeping your goggles from falling off the back of the helmet--but if you just rest them half on the brim it works great... PLUS it has a "snap-clip" for the goggs which i prefer to the "slide-in" clip because then if they do slide off the back they're definitely not going anywhere. I loved the helmet-- AND GET READY FOR THE MAZE!!!! New Smith helmet coming out that's lighter than a piece of popcorn and is fully certified!!!! IT'S AWESOME --keep your eyes open---

Good all around helmet. Warm enough for cold days yet with the adjustable vents open cool enough for spring shralping. Light enough to haul all over the backcountry as well. I have yet to really "test" this helmet with an impact and hope to keep it that way but it does feel burly on my dome. Definitely a confidence booster when dropping into the gnar.

I have had this helmet for a little under a year and already the top plastic cover is beginning to come off, the brim is completely loose on one side and the ratchet fit system in the back is constantly popping out. I have heard that they have put more work into this helmet since last season which I hope is true because it is not a good feeling when your helmet is falling apart within a few months of buying it, especially when it is selling for 150.0 retail. Other than the poor construction, it does fit well and look good but that doesn't really matter when it doesn't stay together.

so comfortable. great venting when desired. they fit perfectly with the i/O goggle and i love the matte blue. the brim is just the right size for a little protection from wind, snow, and sun.

This is the best helmet out there. The ventilation settings can be changed on the fly and are easy to operate with gloves. The brim is nice for keeping snow off the top of the goggles when you eat it. The bike helmet style fit adjustment in the rear is easy to use and works well too. One drawback which is brim can make putting your goggles on top a little harder since they then can slide off the back.

I've worn many brands of ski helmets, and the Variant Brim has been my favorite thus far. The helmet fits great with Smith goggles. I've only tried Smith and Anon with it and Anon fits great as well. The ventilation is very good, and when it's closed the helmet keeps your head toasty. The brim is solid and keeps snow off your goggles. I haven't had an issue with fogging because of the brim. The adjustment in the rear holds the helmet in place. Only one small quirk I've found; When you take the ear flaps out on a hot day, there's some velcro that catches your hair, if you've got long hair. Bottom line: Fits great, works great, looks great.

Re: phUnk's review about durability issues: I noticed this on the early releases of this helmet (before I bought one - its what kept me from getting one at first), but Smith fixed it mid-season of 07-08 and the new one I picked up in the spring is holding up very well - it survived a few days of backcountry hiking and skiing where it was often strapped to my pack and banging against my skis.

The venting works very well and the micro brim is perfect. Just big enough to keep a little sun out, but not so big that you can't put your goggles up. It fits my noggin just fine and works fine with both goggles and sunglasses. The only thing I would change if I were the designer would be to add mesh to all the vent holes to keep snow from clogging in there when you do a head-plant in powder. Instead I just take it off for a moment and knock the snow out.

the best helmet out there hands down. had a giro before and am now only buying smith helmets. reason being that smith does a great job fitting their goggles with their helmets. have the new smith I/O goggles and although the goggles are huge, they fit perfectly with this helmet. super warm and bad-ass looking and the ventilation system is great. would highly recommend this product.

Positives - Great fit with bicyle helemet type click adjusttment, excellent flow thru ventilation that as a tele skier is needed to dump the heat generated.

Negatives - Appears to work best with Smith goggles Other brands may leave you with a gap due to the curve of the brim. Vent switches can ice up on occasion and not allow you to regulate the airflow.

Oveall - Good helmet with superior fit and venting

I love this helmet! It's warm, comfortable, and the ventilation rocks. Don't let people tell you the brim doesn't do anything. The top of your goggles will stay dry and no snow will be able to get into them thanks to the brim. The adjustability is another plus as well. I havent tried them all but I can't see another helmet on the market being as good as this one. You won't regret buying the Variant one bit.

This is by far the best fitting helmet I have ever owned. I don't know if my head is perfectly shaped for this helmet or it is really that adjustable. But it fits perfectly. The fit is top notch, and the micro adjust dial in the back really optimizes the fit. The venting system is grade A. Open or closed the helmet breathes great. Super stylee looking too. The brim is awesome, but it is a pain when you have your goggles up, they often slip off the back. That is the only drawback. This helmet is perfect otherwise. Fits seamlessly with smith goggles.

I've been using it for about 2 months now and am completely satisfied with my purchase. The fit is better than my old Giro and the brim keeps the snow from creeping into the space between the goggles and the helmet...definitely a plus. I have had a few complements from my buddies on the look of the helmet too, kind of random but..hey...its sharp.
Only con is the vent closing/opening tabs are independent on either side, meaning have to open both individually which is made more difficult with gloves on because the tabs are small and near impossible to feel. I usually have to take it off or have a buddy point it out for me?

I've always had trouble finding a helmet that fits my head well; this helmet was the solution. Not only does it have a great fit, but it's fully adjustable too. It has vents to let air in on those warm days or keep it out on the cold ones. Goggles fit nicely and the brim keeps the sun out of your eyes, allowing you to send it even harder. It's comfortable, warm, and they'll save your head when you make a poor decision.

We bought the Smith Variant Brim for our teenage son. His friends all have one- He skis the Steamboat Springs powder nearly every day and loves the helmet and look. As a parent, knowing your teenager is picky about what they wear, it is reassuring that he actually is wearing this one!

I love this helmet. Light weight and very comfortable. Great looking too. Best helmet I've ever owned. The ear muffs are easily removed/re-installed, ventilation works good and vents can be closed, which is a plus. The visor is not only great on sunny days, but on powder days it keeps snow from clogging your goggle vents. My only gripe is that I have to wear a thin Marino Wool scull cap when it's exceptionally cold or windy out, but this wouldn't be possible if it weren't highly adjustable. It's a little pricey, but the features you get for the money make you want to wear it, which is the idea.

Very Nice Helmet. most confortable helmet i have ever owned

Great buy

This is my first ski helmet and I am very happy with the purchase. I tried on many helmets before I decided on a Smith. The Variant fits great, is warm, and has good ventilation. I am used to having a brim on my helmets (kayaking and MTBing) so I was happy to find a ski helmet with one. The helmet looks great and fits great, can't ask for much more than that.

I like everything about the helmet...never really thought about wearing a helmet until an ER physican talked to my OEC class and made the point that a helmet can make all the difference in the severity of the injury..this hemet is light and the fit is good, with an 'adjustment' band around the back of the head...visor#1...does keep snow off goggles and blocks some low angle glare...some asked if it would break off...if you break this sucker off you would need to face plant a tree...

Light weight..no neck fatigue.

Goggles DO stick above the visor and on mine and they do not slip back [never put them up while skiing]. My helmet has the flat grey finish so it have more grip.

Chin strap buckle is a little funky...but no bigee.

fits well not to heavy & the brim works....whats not to like.

I've used this helmet 1/2 dozen times and I'm pleased. Mostly, I don't know I have it on. I was afraid it would cause goggle fog; it doesn't. My mail order size was at the top end of the size medium, but when I received the helmet it felt small as it pressed into my head. I switched to a size large and am grateful that I did. I've not skied with a helmet before this one. I don't notice the visor. I'm very happy with it.

Very comfortable, better than other helmet. It lacks, though, a good way to keep your googles from falling back on the helmet.

This is the first year I'm going to use a helmet boarding. I ordered a Giro because that's what I use for mountain biking, it didn't fit at all. I tried on every make/model of helmet and the Smith brand is the only one that doesn't push my goggles--I have 4 different pairs-- down onto my nose. This helmet is super light and I think I will wear it all season.

Far and away the best fitting helmet-goggle system I've ever used. I bought the Variant Brim along with a couple pairs of Phenoms, and it's just incredible how light and comfortable the fit is, not to mention how much better I'm seeing vs my old Oakleys.

Development of helmets have come a long way, I find it's very adjustalbe & fits me very well. I could comment on all the goodies about it, but the best part for me is the way it feels when where tearing it up down the slopes with head protection thats the kind.

Outstanding, period. Have never worn a helmet before this season. Skied Beaver Creek in 3 days of highly variable conditions and this helmet rocks. Wore the Smith Phenom's with it, too, and they fit like a glove. Brim was perfect as it kept any snow blow from effecting me. Can't say enough about.

Resistance is futile...just hit "add to cart" and get it over with it

I grew up not using a helmet - not a big deal and definitely not cool in the 80s. Now my kids are learning to ski, helmets are required for them, so I bought one for myself too. Do as I do, and as I say! The Smith Variant Brim is extremely comfortable - in cold temperatures or warmer weather, as the vents allow you to cool down when necessary. Goggles fit without a gap, and I am impressed with the lightness of the helmet.
I feel comfortable with the helmet and don't have to worry about my safety. As for looks - this helmet is nice looking - a lot better than some of the lids that others are wearing!

I wore my new Smith Variant helmet for the first time on a ski vacation to Bend. I really like the low profile of the helmet and the venting system. The only thing I was not thrilled with is when I have it sitting comfortably on my head it seemed to push my Smith goggles down further then my old helmet...I would have thought the two would have integrated better.

This helmet is great. Smiths girl helmet did not fit my head and looked goofy on me. I put this helmet on and was so happy. It fits great and my head doesn't look huge. I was afraid it wouldn't be warm but it keeps my head really warm when its freezing outside but then when its sunny and nice out it keeps my head cool with the vents open. I also have the skullcandy audio kit for the helmet and it works great! I highly recommend this helmet.

I'm gonna go with the latter. This is easily the best helmet I've ever owned. The fit on it is great and adjustable given the size range for each size. The ventilation on this helmet is great as well. I've never gotten cold or overheated with the helmet. The adjustable vents are very easy to use with gloves on. The chin strap is extremely comfortable and adjustable and has the padding that won't allow it to cut into you. All in all I would say this is easily the best helmet on the market. I WILL buy another when/if my current one dies.

I have owned several Giro helmets over the years. The fit was always a little bit off. This helmet definitely fits well enough I do not even think about whether or not I should wear it or a hat. I have added the SkullCandy bluetooth audio to make this a great accessory for those solo ski days. When used in combination with the new Smith I/O goggle you get a truly seamless integration. I like the rear adjustment which helps snug the helmet up against the back of your neck. Vents work well - although the lever is a little small and takes a few seconds to find.

This helmets fits perfectly with Smith goggles and is very comfortable. I have a fairly large dome (7.5ish) and the large fits comfortably with a thin hat on under. Cant get over how well the Smith goggles fit with the brim, I always used to fight my Smith goggles and my Giro and could never get em perfect.

Great buy, Smith did a good job fixing the small problems with delicate parts. Don't even think about it if you are loyal to any brand of goggles other than Smiths. Obviously, not a good fit around the face.

If this thing fit any better, I'd wear it to work. In fact, it fits so well and I look so good with it on my head, I'm goig to wear it with a tux at my friend's wedding in Park City. I bought it with the I/O goggles, and the combo rocks.

Fantastic adjustment and an all around great fit. The ventilation control is also a great addition.

The Smith Variant and Smith Variant Brim Helmets are high quality. They work excellent with their goggles to provide superior venting for both your head and your goggles. There were some durability issues to start but those have been fixed. You won't find a better helmet in my opinion. This is a particularly nice if you find yourself hiking quite a bit at the resort.

Less bulbous than the Smith Holt I wore last year - slim lines and a solid fit. TBD concerning the durability issues mentioned by phunk. Haven't eaten it this season, yet.