What MTB gear do I need to ride safely?
A full mountain biking safety kit typically includes a helmet, eye protection, gloves, and body protection like knee and elbow pads, especially for more aggressive terrain.
At minimum, you'll want a Mips®-equipped helmet and a pair of sunglasses or goggles built for trail riding. The helmet protects against impact, including rotational forces in a crash, while ChromaPop™ technology eyewear helps you read changing trail conditions like roots, ruts, and shifting light. Choose sunglasses for open trail riding or goggles for more aggressive downhill and enduro riding where extra coverage matters.
What is a Mips® helmet?
A Mips® helmet includes the Mips® safety system: a low-friction layer inside the helmet lets your head move slightly relative to the shell during certain impacts. That movement helps reduce rotational forces that might otherwise transfer to your head in a crash.
What is ChromaPop™ technology?
ChromaPop™ is Smith Optics’ proprietary lens. Certain light wavelengths overlap, causing colors, especially cooler tones like green and blue, to look flat or hard to tell apart. ChromaPop™ filters out that overlap and sharpens contrast where it counts most: in dappled light under tree cover or coming out of shadow, where flat color can hide a root or rut until you're right on top of it.
