Fresh Produce | Smith Rhythm Goggles

Overview

It’s amazing how often us mountain bikers overlook the importance of eyewear considering sight is the primary sense engaged when riding. Protection is key, but so is comfort and visual clarity. We’ve been testing the Smith Rhythm goggles to see how well they address all these factors.

Smith has been in the performance eyewear game for a long time now, creating their first ski goggle over 50 years ago. They made the logical transition into the worlds of mountain bike and moto, it’s evident in the amount of tech they pack into their products. It’s not just the clarity of the optics but also the ability to stop them from fogging too.

We’ve been impressed with the Rhythm goggles and they are quickly becoming our go to set when glasses don’t quite fit the brief.

Smith Rhythm (Iago Garay model) with the Chromapop Rose Flash lens.

Key Features

Ventilation

The first thing we noticed was the airflow on the Rhythm goggles. There are air vents around the entirety of the frame. The top of the goggles are completely open to allow for maximum anti fog capabilities. If you don’t particularly ride in weather that is prone to goggle- fogging, you can buy an additional micro-screen that covers the top vents to prevent dirt getting in. That being said, the goggles didn’t fog nor did we get any dirt in through the top, so we’d personally run it without the screen.

Smith Rhythm goggles top anitfog vents — Plenty of vents to help stop fogging. There is the option to run a dirt screen here if you’re faced with muddy conditions.

Lenses

Along with the optimised airflow design of the frame, the Rhythms also feature Cylindrical Carbonic-x anti-fog lenses for clarity and impact resistance. The Iago Garay model we tested came with both a clear lens (for dark conditions) and a versatile ChromaPop Contrast Rose Flash lens (for bright to moderately dark conditions). We found this rose lens to perform really well in dense forest as well as out in direct sunlight. The ChromaPop technology enhances contrast and natural color to make the details pop.

The Chromapop Contrast Rose Flash lens performed well in all conditions. Also take note of the vents under the eyes, which keeps the air flowing.

Comfort

The nose bridge on the Rhythms is comfortable and at no point dug in, even with the strap tight. The opening is quite wide and the foam is shaped so that it doesn’t squeeze on the nose. Our tester found that there was significantly less pressure compared to the Smith’s Squad goggles that have a tighter fit around the nose.

The indented nose bridge fits seamlessly. It’s firm but doesn’t dig in or squeeze the nose.

Field of View

Another notable point is the field of view. At no point did we feel as if the frame was obstructing our vision. To be honest, a few seconds after putting them on we usually forgot they were there. This says a lot about the high quality, comfort and performance of these goggs.

Flow’s Verdict

A nice thick strap to keep these bad boys secure.

The Iago Garay model, we’re digging it. There are plenty of other options too, if you aren’t.

We’ve spent a lot of time recently in bike parks over summer so the Rhythm goggles got a good hit out with us. We were thoroughly impressed with both comfort, performance and compatibility with different helmets. We used these on Smith’s Mainline helmet as well as a Troy Lee Design’s D4; both with no issues and seamless integration. Although, Smith does claim that pairing their goggles and helmets best optimises the anti fog AirEvac™ ventilation system.

The Iago Garay model looks great, in our humble opinion. Additionally, there are at least 8 different colourways and designs to choose from.

A final bit of advice from us, protect your sight kids. Invest in good eyewear!