Welding helmet choices

[Deadsquiggles]

So I’m need of a new welding helmet. I currently use an Instapark GX990T but it has started flashing me and staying dark Asher I’ve stopped welding during use even after changing batteries multiple times, and I bought this in April of last year, and even then it hasn’t seen much use since I was out of town for 4 months after I bought it. So I’m at the Buy Once, Cry Once point of wanting a nicer welding helmet from a reputable manufacturer.

I’ve read numerous online articles, reviews and comparisons of the obvious choices such as the Miller Digital Elite and Digital Infinity, Lincoln Viking 3350, and Esab Sentinel. But most of what I read is just marketing and carbon copies of each other. So I figured I’d ask everyone here their opinions on welding helmets. There’s not many options around me as far as putting hands on the items for an in person comparison so I’m hoping for some help here.

My criteria are auto darkening, large field of view, user friendly controls, good clarity, no green tint and a price limit of around $300. It doesn’t have to be one of the ones I listed as I’m sure there’s some other good choices with those features at that price point so is there’s other good options, please post them too.

 

[bdbecker]

Lincoln Viking 3350 would be my pick out of that list. I got Dad one for Christmas a few years ago after I demoed one at work. I've been impressed by it the few times I've used it and (more importantly) he loves it.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I just got the Vulcan helmet from HFT a couple weeks ago and it is amazing compared to their budget models... I was welding some 1/4" steel with my flux core welder (Titanium MIG 170) cranked up a ways, shade set at around 11 and I could see everything clear as day with sunglasses on. I could see the puddle, where the flux was pooling behind the wire, where I was going, where I'd been, around the corner of the square tube I was welding... the large field of view was great, it was fast enough I had no flash whatsoever. The headgear is very comfortable... I used it for plasma cutting too, tried it on the lowest setting and it was a touch dark for the conditions I was in (outside in the evening with little/no light) so I just put it on grind which is still supposed to be about a #3 I think. The switches are kinda backwards in that you move the rocker away from the setting but it reveals an "ON" next to the setting, the switches are far enough apart to move the weld/grind switch without flipping the helmet up or taking it off

From the sounds of it they copied the Miller helmet to some extent for half the price...

 

[Daves69]

I have the Lincoln and really like it.

Let a couple of friends demo it, and they both purchased one.

 

[Htscheg]

Miller for me... absolutely love it!

 

[seanb02]

Look into the 3M Speedglas ones. I think I gave about $400 for mine since I wanted one with the side windows, but they offer a lot of different options at different price points. After using the Lincoln one in the shop for years, it was a huge difference in clarity and improved my welding significantly just by being able to see the puddle much better.

 

[trashmanssd]

I have a Lincoln 3350 at work and a ESAB Sentinel at home and they are both very good helmets but I think the ESAB is a little clearer and has less color bias. If you don't use it any of them often plan to replace the battery way more often.

 

[homebuilt burner]

Miller Digital Elite works great for me. I will admit, I used a friend’s for a couple of projects that took about three month of pretty regular welding 4+ hours a day three years ago. I bought my own and have moved away from that work, so mine is not used much anymore.

 

[old_smokey]

I bought a digital infinity a month back and have had a good amount of time with it since. I LOVE the huge viewing area and clarity. I wish it had an external grind button. Head gear is super comfortable. I’m very happy with it.


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[Deadsquiggles]

For the Millers, is it worth the extra money for the Infinity over the Elite?

 

[Stefan S]

I have the 3350 and love it

 

[Mr.Smoke]

If I was in the market for a new hood I'd be looking at 3M, Miller, Lincoln and Hobart.

I'm currently using a cheap Firepower helmet I got for free from my old employer. If I welded every day or considerably more than I do I would be looking for a better one as it gets uncomfortable during long periods of use.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have the Hobart equivalent (Pro series) of a Miller Elite I think. It has a large viewing area the head gear is great. My last old helmet would either flash me occasionally or pull my hair out when I took the helmet off. I gave around $200 for it a few years ago.

Edit: it appears Hobart no longer makes this helmet. That's unfortunate.

 

[TTMotorsports]

I have a Jakson truesight II helmet and it works awesome and I've had it for 6 years and use it almost everyday welding for a living. I bought a older setup off ebay for much cheaper than this but search around and you can find a deal.

https://bakersgas.com/products/jack...11DCqsFia-SZ20u57pw_sr88Sn_fxODRoCBPYQAvD_BwE

 

[jocww]

I also have a jackson 3n1 about 13 yrs old. Had it for class, use it occasionally

 

[ive]

Lifelong welder here.

Speedglass or optrel. Take care of your eyes.

 

[Deadsquiggles]

Lifelong welder here.

Speedglass or optrel. Take care of your eyes.

I’d love an Optrel Panaramaxxx because of the way they increased the field of view by bringing the filter in over the bridge of your nose but at over $400, it’s hard to justify. What do you think about the Optrel Vegaview 2.5?

 

[BlackLS2]

Jackson Safety Insight 46138 is $125 at Cyberweld...meets all your criteria except green. They have a bunch of Optrels for $150 off ($500-$600) with free bags thru March

 

[Deadsquiggles]

Jackson Safety Insight 46138 is $125 at Cyberweld...meets all your criteria except green. They have a bunch of Optrels for $150 off ($500-$600) with free bags thru March

That’s tempting. It takes the VegaView down to that same price as an Infinity, and it brings the Panoramaxxx to under $400, very tempting. Anyone used them Optrels?

 

[Ign]

The Miller headgear ***** balls, don't do it.

Lincoln 3350 nice but still heavy (no matter what the specs tell you)

My favorite is a sub-$200 Speedglas 100, it's light, simple, great clarity for my eyes:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TM0SDU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[whateg01]

I have used miller and I had an optrel. I loved the optrel but it went through 3 lenses in the 8 or 9 years I had it with light to moderate use. They took care of it each time it failed but it always failed when I needed it. The Lincoln viking has been great for me for the past couple years I've had it.

 

[bob15]

I bought a 3M Speedglas 9100xx last year on e-bay. Well worth the money!!!!

 

[Deadsquiggles]

So I’m honestly leaning towards the Miller Infinity. I know people say the headgear *****, but I’m really digging the ClearLight lens plus they’re readily available for $270 or less.. I love the field of view for the Panoramaxx but it’s over $400 to not have a green tint, plus you can replace the batteries in it, apparently once it stops taking a charge, it’s time for a new helmet. I managed to put my hands on a Lincoln 3350 this morning but I wasn’t a fan of the way it fit my head.

 

[bluesboy]

Lincoln Viking 3350

 

[Deadsquiggles]

So I ended up ordering a Miller Digital Infinity from Cyberweld. It just seemed to be the best combo of clarity, no green tint, features, and the price point was in my budget.

 

[Jland]

Cant you just replace the glass?? Unless the hood is trashed too

 

[Deadsquiggles]

Cant you just replace the glass?? Unless the hood is trashed too

Probably could have but it’s a $70 helmet, so it didn’t really seem worth it to replace much more than the battery. Besides, it seemed like a good excuse to upgrade to a helmet I wanted in the first place.

 

[Bradc1989]

For the Millers, is it worth the extra money for the Infinity over the Elite?

I went back and forth on this for a while before I settled on the elite. The infinity has a slightly larger lense but that’s what a lot of it’s negative reviews were for as its heavy enough to not stay in the up position. That might not be a big deal for you but I tend to spend a lot of my time with my helmet up. The elite lense also seems to be borderline too heavy. I bought one to replace my digital pro at work but wound up keeping the elite in the home shop and the pro at work. The larger lense will be more beneficial at home. I do like the looks of the i infinity, such a sleek helmet. FYI, the pro is a fine helmet too, especially for the more budget minded

 

[Bradc1989]

So I ended up ordering a Miller Digital Infinity from Cyberweld. It just seemed to be the best combo of clarity, no green tint, features, and the price point was in my budget.

Guess I should of read the whole thread first. You’re going to be disappointed with the lense. It is definitely still plenty green imo. Probably should of went Jackson or Lincoln for the more blue lense

 

[Rinspeed]

Lifelong welder here.

Speedglass or optrel. Take care of your eyes.

I agree with this.

 

[DIY_Guy79]

I highly recommend Radnor auto darkening lenses. I had one in a Jackson helmet for years worked great. Was solar charged. After years of use I knocked my helmet off of a manlift from about 25 feet and cracked the lense, it still worked. Kept using it for a few years after that til I accidentally dropped a 3lb hammer directly into the lense itself and shattered it. I originally bought the helmet/lense used from a pawn shop, and altogether I bought the helmet around 2008 and used it professionally and for my home use all the way up til around 2017 or 2018 when I dropped the hammer on it. Needless to say, the lense was very dependable and took one hell of a beating. As I dropped the helmet, tossed it around, and god knows what else between the two major incidents with it. And they're not near as pricey as more "premium" brands. Of course you can always buy nice head gear to install in whatever plastic hood you purchase too. Probably end up much happier with a one of a kind hood customized to your liking for for a lot less money.

 

[jbfab]

I just purchased a Jackson Balder BH3. I had a Jackson NexGen for many years, and it was great. I was going to go with a Miller (love their welders), but I tried my buddies, and I just could not live with the head gear. I tried the Balder just yesterday and was shocked with the clarity. No batteries, I think I made a good choice - time will tell.

 

[strength_and_power]

Optrel Crystal is my go to. I had it and 3 of my other hoods out and replaced batteries, wiped them down etc. For grins I decided to run some beads and cycle through the different helmets. I could definitely tell a difference in color between the Optrel and the 2 older Miller hoods. All were fairly clear, couldn’t really do a fair comparison as I didn’t have new replacement lenses for all of them. Surprisingly the off brand helmet I bought for when I’m traveling was remarkably clear considering I only paid $120 or so for it. I haven’t searched out replacement outer lenses for it which may be an issue as it’s an off brand.


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[bigdog12]

I just got an ESAB Sentinel and so far I like it.

 

[IndyGarage]

Speedglas.

 

[eaglefan1]

I never cared for the auto lenses at all. Never liked the big lenses either. Both just my opinion.
Here is what I have. 1inch cut off the top and the bottom. American Optics Ice Blue lens. Dont know if they even make it anymore, best sense I have ever used or tried. Had guys trying to buy the lenses off of me on the job years ago. Many years ago, dam.
https://store.cyberweld.com/fipiwehe11.html

 

[ive]

I’d love an Optrel Panaramaxxx because of the way they increased the field of view by bringing the filter in over the bridge of your nose but at over $400, it’s hard to justify. What do you think about the Optrel Vegaview 2.5?

Hi. I’ve only used the 684 and similar optrel models. Used it for about 15 years. That was the best helmet I’ve had, it’s especially great for overhead design wise as the sparks roll off due to the curve of the lenses and helmet.

I use a speedglas now because work supplies the consumables.

The speedglas is lighter and a better fit on the head, but optics is still better with optrel imho.

Some welding stores give discounts on speedglas and optrel if you say you’re at a welding school they are affiliated with. They like that because they have you for consumables. Ask around. Speedglas is hugely popular with these programs.

Anyways, trust your eyes to European optics. Nobody says I wish I bought a worse welding helmet.

 

[Deadsquiggles]

So my Digital Infinity showed up today. After messing around with it in the garage, I’m very happy with my purchase. The resting shade is more than light enough, especially compared to my Instapark which has a resting shade of 4. While there’s a slight green tint, there’s way less than on my Instapark. I definitely prefer the controls, they seem more intuitive that the knobs in my other helmet.

Also, I know some mentioned that Miller’s headgear sucked, but compared to what I’m used to, it’s infinitely better, the pad that goes on the back your head is soft and spreads the weight out across a large area, plus there’s another pad that clips in at the top. Once that’s in, it’s extremely comfortable and I had no issues with the helmet sliding around as I shook my head. Also, I like being able to adjust how close the lenses sits to my face, a small adjustment to bring the lens closer to my face actually made a noticeable difference in field of view, which was already great with the lenses as far from my face as it could be.

After getting the Digital Infinity in hand, I’ll say that it’s plenty of helmet for my work. I don’t think the premium of the Optrel would be worth it for the fab work I do in my garage. Hopefully I’ll get more time to mess with it tonight after my son goes to bed.

 

[royesses]

Lincoln Viking 3350 4C is awesome. Comfortable head gear, very clear, no tint, light enough for a senior citizen with neck injuries to use without pain. If you just get the all black hood it's around $200 US The fancy ones can be had for $250 up. I've had mine since they first came out and still love it. Takes one 2450 battery. Keep spares in stock. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Thompsonweldnfab82]

I am partial to the optrel crystal 2.0 shield. It is comparable to all the other shields, but the lens is way lighter in grind mode, and very light! It is much lighter than other shields and clear lenses way better designed for easier replacement. 22yrs in the trade I have used pretty much everything.