The Best Welding Helmets
The modern welding helmet does more than protect your eyes from bright sparks. Think of today's welding helmet as a "Smart Helmet," one that can measure the amount of light hitting the face screen and adjust the brightness to your liking. Additionally, the new wave of welding helmets is designed to protect more than just your face. Many of them wrap around your neck as well as the back of your head. If you are a welder, your helmet is one of the most important tools you will invest in. Knowing this, we researched all the new welding helmet tech to bring you a list of the highest-quality, feature-rich, and most dependable welding helmets available.
Yeswelder True Color Welding Helmet
Your true colors
Yeswelder just made a good view even better with their newly-upgraded welding helmet. Utilizing True Color technology, this helmet preserves the existing 1/1/1/2 optical clarity rating, but improves visibility and reduces eye strain by minimizing the traditional, lime green coloring in the view screen. A solar cell powers an internal battery, which keeps the two premium color sensors working optimally. Even the headgear has been updated to provide an oversized comfort cushion and wider adjustability settings for improved support and better fit. In fact, the whole helmet weighs less than two pounds, so it’s easy to wear all day.
Pros:
- Comes with two replacement lenses
- Fully-adjustable sensitivity
- Performs ADF self-check
Cons:
- The clear plastic shield might get ticked badly from stick welding sparks
- The clip that holds the view screen can touch the end of bigger noses
Tooliom Flip-Up Welding Helmet
Solder now or solder later
The Tooliom Flip-Up Helmet provides a level of versatility that other welding helmets don’t. With a screen that moves away from the eyes, you can perform other welding tasks that don’t require the screen without removing your entire helmet. With two arc filters and a True Color sensor that can be adjusted by shade, density, and delay, Tooliom provides excellent clarity and while delivering state-of-the-art sight protection. It’s comfortable, too, with butterfly-style, sweat-absorbing headgear that’s truly breathable. And though the viewing area is standard for welding helmets, the dark shade rating of 13 is best in class.
Pros:
- Includes both inner and outer replacement lenses
- Solar charging
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery included
Cons:
- Lens scratches easily
- No cushion near the top of the helmet
Antra Wide Shade Welding Shield
Shield yourself
Welding can produce lots of debris, particles, and spatters, as well as harmful radiation from the visible light spectrum. Antra’s AH6-260 helmet protects from all these elements. The helmet itself provides full neck, head, and face protection, while ultraviolet and infrared light is blocked completely by the shield. A blue light suppression lens provides clear vision during the welding process, while a super-fast, auto-darkening feature keeps your eyes from being quickly inundated from arc light. The extended light shade offers great flexibility when it comes to low amperage welding, making this the perfect helmet for plasma cutting.
Pros:
- “Cheater lens” (sold separately) fits for vision correction
- Fits over hard hats
- Ratchet gear with fastening spring for easy operation with gloves on
Cons:
- Can’t be used for overhead welding
- Sparks can enter when working from an angle
Lincoln Electric Viking 3350
Like a comfy hat
The Lincoln Electric Viking 3350 is a 4th-generation, auto-darkening welding helmet that blends comfort, productivity, and optics. The X6 headgear contours to your head to create six contact points that distribute weight, eliminate pressure, and provide a personalized fit. The low-profile, external grind button allows you to quickly switch from weld to grind mode, which significantly reduces downtime. Additionally, the exclusive 4C lens technology creates a crystal clear, true-color view while reducing eye strain. Best of all, all Viking welding helmets have a 1/1/1/1 optical clarity rating, minimizing blurriness and distortion while also providing consistent brightness and performance at an angle.
Pros:
- Extra-large 12.5 square-inch viewing area
- 15 different styles to choose from
- Helmet bag included
Cons:
- The lens can generate a lot of backlight
- The ratchet mechanism needs frequent tightening
ESAB Sentinel A50
The space age helmet
The Sentinel A50 is a high-tech helmet designed for comfort and protection. The revolutionary shell design, constructed from impact-resistant nylon, features an infinitely-adjustable, 5-point head harness. The central pivot point allows for maximum head clearance while the helmet is in the up position. We especially like the color-touch screen control panel with eight separate memory settings and externally activated shade 4 Grind Button. This makes the ESAB a lot more versatile than many of its competitors.
Pros:
- Hard hat adapter option available for use with ESAB hard hat
- Super lightweight at less than 1.5 pounds
- Cover lens protects touch screen panel
Cons:
- Lens scratches easily
- No “off” switch
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a “shade number” and how does it work in a welding helmet?
The shade number indicates how intense the light radiation is that’s allowed to pass through the lens to your eyes. Shade numbers for welding helmets range from 4-13, with shades 4 through 8 typically used for grinding and cutting and 9 through 13 used for welding.
What is the “ARC Sensor” in my welding helmet? Is it the same as an “ADF?”
ADF is the auto-darkening filter. It’s a liquid-crystal display that features light sensors mounted near the lens to detect the welding arc. Since it detects the welding arc, it’s also referred to as an arc sensor, though it’s not an acronym. When the lens is not activated, the LCD filter will typically have a 3 or 4 shade. This is similar to a pair of sunglasses, so it’s easy to see with the helmet in place.
I’ve heard it said that welders are supposed to drink milk. Is that an urban legend?
According to the American Welding Society, the milk theory states that when a welder is exposed to zinc fumes as a result of welding galvanized steel, the calcium in milk helps prevent the body’s absorption of the zinc. Though there may be some evidence to support this theory, it shouldn’t be treated as a cure for extreme exposure to zinc fumes. Instead, stick to the proper safety protocols.
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