Featured Technical Welding helmet

It's beyond me why anyone would gamble their eyesight on a cheap welding helmet.

"Yeah, I always bought cheap welding helmets. Can't see well enough to drive any more, but I saved a bunch of money..."

 

bought my son a yes welder true color helmet he really likes it

 

I bought a Miller auto helmet 20 years ago it was about $300.00 then , Mine has the battery charging feature while not in use if left in the sunlight but I keep mine covered. Only had to replace the batteries twice. Mine also has a timer , when you push the button to turn on the helmet it automatically turns off in 3 minutes if no strike has been detected..
It has been the best helmet i have ever owned. Also for us old guys there is a provision for a magnifying lense to be used , which I use now.
Vic

 

I have a freind who bought a cheap helmet and he burned his retna a few times using that thing.
Vic

 

Viking. One of my most favorite tools.
Make welding fun again!

 

I have a couple of the YesWelder brand helmets. Very happy with them.

 

What some fail to note is that the IR/UV protection is built into the lenses not in the auto-darkening feature....

If it meets welding codes it should protect your eyes at all times.....


...

 

I bought my Miller Digital Elite about 17 years ago - liked it so much I bought a second one a couple years later for visitors/helpers to use.
I’ve had two retinal surgeries not related to welding or injury - just genetics. You don’t want to go through that if you can prevent it.
Buy the best hood you can afford!

 

I got a cheapo on Amazon, works great

 

I bought this auto darkening lid over 20 years ago and other than flying in a magnifying lens, it has been perfect. I paid over $250 for it back then and allot of that was likely Harley Davison licensing. Buy hood stuff and it will last and not going blind is just a perk.

 

Because it works and is in stock instead of one five times as much that could take several weeks to come in? And having used similar ones for years at work and still see well enough at night I often forget to turn on headlights....

 

This one is the cheapest i could find on the market but seriously I use Esab Warrior. Not very expensive but also not the cheapest. I'm happy about it. I mostly TIG welding. The only issue is that there is no easy excess to battery. I have it 5years and still good.

 

After using several of the old Jackson fiberglass helmets for 30 years both at work and home I bought one of the cheaper HF self-darkening helmets and used it a lot stick and Mig welding for 7 or 8 years. I had no issues with it not darkening fast enough and only retired it when I bought a TIG welder. Spent a few dollars more for a Miller Digital Elite which I use for everything now.

 

I can't see to weld anymore but its not because of the helmet

 

I'm partial to Jackson welding helmets and that is currently what I use. Previously, I had a Hobart that worked well. If you can see, you can't weld. Do whatever it takes, i.e. new lens, magnifying lens, etc. If you can't see, you can't weld.....at least not consistently.

 

I still have my ancient Speedglas helmet and still works well. Bought a HF one as a backup. Total junk. My eyes got compromised when I was working in a stainless steel drybox years ago. Got secondary bounce from polished sides of the box looking thru a shaded shield that was set up for our work. Yes save you eyes!!

 

A friend of mine turned me on to a Furick true color helmit and it blows away my speed glass half the price too. I will use it to tig and the speed glass to mig.

 

This is what I have heard also

 

They say that they will, but dang, that light is bright!

when my battery is low, I drag out my dads old flipper helmet and hope for the best.

 

Thanks to all for the input. I replaced the battery like a lot of you said and it now works! I don't know why I did not just do the first, just did not think of it.

 

It's called a "senior moment"...............we all do it now and then.

 

Lincoln helmet gold shade 11 lens, I have to use an auto darkening at work and I hate it!

 

Can you explain why you feel that way? I really don't see a downside to them when they work properly, so I'm curious as to why you feel that way. Never tried a "gold" shade or even heard of one before now. How does it work?

 

I prefer to say No to the entire “Yes Welder“ lineup of products. Why ? Because they import everything they sell from China and they don’t even attempt to sell American made products.

 

I wore a fiberglass Jackson for years . Heavy built SOB . Four fused in my neck probably from the years of flippin it down . Now it’s the light weight Jackson with the large non auto darkening . It’s kinda like women once she’s broken in you own it and can’t swap it out

 

Gold Tint # 11 Lens. 'been using it for at least 20 years. Makes the "puddle" easier to see as it is clearer than "Green" tints....

 

Swapping it out is possible, even though it’s expensive.
In the case of your neck a lighter auto dark helmet that you didn’t have to flip down would help.

As far as swapping out women even that is possible although it could be even more expensive and hazardous to your neck along with other things

 

Have you bothered to look at the labels of stuff you already own? Check the origins of your medications.
Yup, lots-o-stuff coming from china all due to corporate greed and governmental incompetence.
The bottom line is what you and I can afford. Perhaps you have more disposable income than some of the rest of us. At this point in my life I will buy the best product I can for the money I have available.

 

That my friends is the current world. Like it or not.

Over the years, I have had several welding helmets. Some are OK, some are a little better. I'm a bit clumsy, the helmets get into some bad positions, batteries die, the non-replaceable battery helmets suck when the battery dies, nothing lasts forever. Welding helmets tend to deteriorate over the years of use, often we don't realize how bad they are until we replace them. Unless its an old school fixed shade that you clean the lenses on daily, and replace the clear cover on a regular basses, your 5 year old auto darkening helmet isn't working as good as it did when it was new. And I don't care what brand it is! I have had 2 Speedglas helmets, they too deteriorate over time, don't believe it? Test it against a new version of the same helmet. Been there, done that, that is why I can make the statement!

Welding helmets are about like everything else in this world, as you can see by this post, they really are a matter of personal choice. Seek the advice of others to find one that you believe may meet your needs and invest in it. If you like it great, if not buy something else (unless you have the opportunity to try someone else's helmet, buy don't rely on a one or two time test).

There is no such thing as a single "best" welding helmet, there is only the "one you like the best".

Its sort of like most things, if you have only used or tried one thing, you have nothing to compare it to.