MIPS Tech and Vision Vent System ~ PRET Helmet and Goggles Review

Millie Black checks in on how Sharlene found PRET goggles / helmet in New Zealand this season

Pret snow gear has advanced to a whole new level of safety and comfort on the mountain. Pret is founded from a team of pro athletes, engineers and seasonal riders that understand the unpredictability of riding in the snow. Based in Utah, Pret sponsors a range of professional athletes such as World champion olympian Jaelin Kauf, freeskier Giray Dadali, and Evin Schmev, ensuring the safety of riders is prioritised on all levels. Their new high tech goggles and helmets have been launched in Australia for the first time this season, opening a space for the snow lovers to ride comfortably through to the last lifts. 

For many, making the jump to a new ski brand can be a risk that could change your entire experience on the mountain. Experienced skier Sharlene Moras has been loyal to Smith snow gear for more than a decade and said she found the transition quite scary. 

“I wasn’t sure how the gear would go up the mountain, bringing my old gear up as well just in case. And then I thought just trust in the process and trust in the brand, so I did and it did not disappoint. I’m a full converter!”  

Reliability of gear plays a massive role in how long you can spend riding on the mountain, how much you need to carry or wear all day, and how soon you can see a tree ahead of you before quickly swerving or ending in flat down in a pile of snow. 

When safety overrides loyalty 

Pret’s new Photochromic LUCENT lens have been manufactured as the ‘most advanced high-altitude tech lens in the world,’ instantly adapting to the change in conditions that appear quickly on the mountain. The ease in visibility is not just the difference between making it down a memorable run, but getting to the bottom safely, injury-free. 

“I put them on for the first time and thought wow this is like looking through the IMAX screen,” 

“And even better I didn’t even need to think about taking another pair up, it just eliminated half of the fussing about in my day.”

Helmets 

Even if riders have the best quality vision, no gear can protect to the degree of a trusting helmet.  A study conducted by JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) found that wearing a helmet was associated with a 60% reduction in the risk of head injury.

“You don’t realise how important it is until you get really good gear and realise how much of a difference it makes,” Sharlene said.

“That safety on the mountain is more important than important.” 

A Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) is a technology introduced in 2010 that has been enforced in Pret’s entire collection, set with the highest standard in helmet protection and safety. It uses a low-friction slip plane designed to rotate inside the helmet, absorbing rotational energy and reducing the tearing effect on the brain. 

After a long heated day, the importance of a helmet can sometimes be contemplated when temperature starts to get too high. Pret’s helmets are built in with a ‘VisionVent’ system that works to create a continuous, optimized airflow which pulls heat and moisture away from your head. 

 “I really loved having a choice. I could get a helmet that was comfortable, stylish and fit the conditions I was skiing in.” 

Pret has provided a wide range of gear from grommies, to olympians, to legends that all share the love of the sport. It creates that stability which works with the mountain’s uncertainty, to keep the sport a safe and long lasting experience for everyone.

Words: Millie Black
Images: Future Sports