Best Welding Helmet for Outdoors – Top Picks & Buyers Guide

YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
9.7/10
  • Great For TIG MIG MMA
  • Viewing Size 3.64″X1.67″ with 2 Premium Sensors
  • Better clarity, True color view – 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
  • Cheater Lens / Magnifying Lens Compatible Design
  • Increased battery life,Superior comfort with the pivot style headgear
YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
3M Speedglas Welding Helmet 9100 06-0100-30SW, with ADF 9100XX
9.5/10
  • 2.8 x 4.2 in. viewing area
  • New comfortable headgear
  • Sensitivity adjustment that allows use with all Stick, MIG and TIG welding processes, with grinding and torch modes
  • SideWindows increase peripheral vision by over 100%
  • SideWindows increase peripheral vision by over 100 percent
YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
9.1/10
  • Exclusive 4C lens technology 
  • 12.5 square inch auto-darkening lens 
  • The one-of-a-kind X6 Headgear contours 
  • Innovative low-profile external grind button 
  • Comes with a hassle-free 3-year warranty 

14 Models
Considered

125 Hours of Research

16 Experts Interviewed

350 Reviews Analyzed

Welders use a method that involves very high heat to create industrial goods. Their task is to weld materials, particularly thermoplastics or metals, together with using a power source such as an electrical arc to produce fusion. A well-made helmet is a must if you’re a welder.

Obviously, safety is the first priority when wearing a helmet, but if you enjoy geeky things, there are several fascinating parts of welding helmets to indulge in. You might dream about what you’d do with the most up-to-date True Color Technology or purchase an inexpensive helmet with that feature.

Other common characteristics found on welding helmets include UV and IR ray protection, auto-darkening lenses, arc sensors, high switching speed, comfort, and safety.

Our Picks for the Best Welding Helmet for Outdoors

YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet, Wide Shade 4/9-13 for TIG MIG ARC Weld Hood Helmet

Amazing Value: This is a low-cost helmet with a solar-powered, auto-darkening feature.

Pros: This helmet has True Color Technology and a 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating. What does this signify for you?

The helmet’s view screen is free of lime-green tinting thanks to True Color Technology. The helmet is partially solar-powered, which extends battery life.

Another advantage is the new headgear design, which is cushioned and adjustable. The YesWelder performs well in TIG MIG MMA welding, and it’s affordable as well!

Cons: While the helmet is solar-powered, it is not entirely solar-powered. A lithium-ion battery is required. It’s rechargeable, but it won’t retain a charge as long as consumers want. Furthermore, it’s non-replaceable, which might be an issue if something goes wrong with it.

Bottom Line: The helmet has excellent clarity and distinct color. In fact, all of its characteristics are beneficial for expert welding. It’s available in two tones of black and three different design patterns to provide options.


Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Auto Darkening Welding Helmet with 4C Lens Technology, Black

Reduces Eyestrain

This helmet is made of high-quality materials, has a clear lens, and has a comfortable fit.

Pros: The Lincoln Electric VIKING 3350 comes in a variety of colors and designs. For some customers, this may seem insignificant, but most welding helmets are designed in only one style, therefore having color choices is definitely a benefit.

The 4C lens technology is also useful. It provides a real-color view of your work so you can clearly see the arc and puddle’s color. With adjustable lens shade control, the visuals include automatic darkening filtering to minimize flashes and flares.

Lens flaws such as blurriness and distortion are removed by the 1-1-1-1 optical clarity rating. The X6 headgear form fits your head properly, distributing weight equally across six key contact points.

 
Cons: Some purchasers don’t like the way the X6 headgear works. When you twist the fit nob, the plastic bands come together and are cinched by a ratcheting mechanism, but they lose their tension after some time. In addition, compared to similar high-performing helmets, the helmet is heavier.

Bottom Line: The self-controllable 5-13 lens shades will come in handy when using grinding modes. Furthermore, the optimum switching speed protects you from eyestrain.

If you’re impressed by the Viking’s beautiful optics, this may be the helmet for you. The unfortunate emphasis on fashionable headgear design might not stand in your way.


3M Speedglas Welding Helmet 9100 06-0100-30SW, with ADF 9100XX

Great Optics

The Shark Evoline v2 comes with automatic filtration and allows for variable lens control between 5 and 13.

Pros: In addition to being quick-reacting, the screen is built around a pair of three sensors that trigger an auto-darkening filter that changes in a tenth of a millisecond after striking an arc.

The Speedglas lens also allows customers to pick from five different dark tints for Stick (arc welding), MIG (Metal Inert Gas), and TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding applications.

There’s a light shade of 3 for grinder and torch settings as well.

The convenient side windows with shading 5 filters allow for greater peripheral vision, which is over 100 percent. To provide a comfortable fit, the headgear is simple to adjust.

 
Cons: The 3M Speedglass helmet has a lot going for it. It would be a shame if everything ended up because of a bad fit. The helmet is made to fit one size, so if your head isn’t properly shaped, it won’t fit.

There are two adjustable straps, a padded headband, and a ratchet tightening system for securing the straps. Some people find the straps uncomfortable. It’s possible that the helmet lacks flare but is used as a welding helmet after all.

Bottom Line: The advantages greatly outweigh the drawbacks here. The 100% peripheral vision is alone a selling feature. Other useful details include the auto-darkening and varied shading options for different welding processes, which are both beneficial.


Optrel Crystal 2.0 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet 1006.900

Superior Clarity

The Light Blast helmet has crystal lens technology, which adjusts the light filter automatically in order to allow you to see before, during, and after welding.

Pros: The Optrel Crystal 2.0 helmet has an effective auto-darkening mechanism and a broad selection of shade levels (4-12), which adapt automatically to shield you like the arc’s brightness changes.

Welders in a dark state have a high-contrast, crystal-clear view of the pool, while welders in a light state have the vision of looking through a transparent glass window. The True Color crystal lens technology is fantastic for wearers.

In bright light, the 2.0 lens enables a 31% light transmission (level 2.0 shade protection), whereas the typical helmet provides only 5% light transmission.

When welders are operating, the crystal lens technology provides them a clear view of their surroundings, allowing them to see clearly. It’s lightweight and pleasant to wear, according to users.

 
Cons: With a helmet of this quality from an expert welder, the major drawbacks are few and far between. Some welders claim that arc flashing occurs frequently. Others note that the grind button is delicate. It’s also rather costly, but it would be a waste of time to argue about it.

Bottom Line: If you’re a seasoned welder that can make full use of the Optrel Crystal 2.0’s numerous features, this is an excellent buy. The combination of auto-darkening shades, True Color Technology, and 2.0 lens is advantageous.


YESWELDER Large Viewing Screen 3.94

Pivot Style Comfort

 There is no need to look at your project or the area around you while wearing a helmet.

Pros: This helmet offers a broad 3.93- by the 3.66-inch view of your working space, not just your welding.

Excellent work and safety are possible thanks to optimal viewing.

True Color Technology delivers clear vision and a reduction in the green light.

This one is ideal for TIG, MIG, and MMA welding as well as plasma applications and has four premium arc sensors, like other YesWelder models.

It also includes a grinding function, which has an optical clarity rating of 1-1-1-2 and is perfect for grinding.

Cons: The shell of the helmet is low-quality plastic, and the pivot design is made of metal. Because the material is also light, you’d expect that the helmet wouldn’t be as heavy as it is, but some users claim that it’s heavier than it should be.

Bottom Line: This is an excellent buy for people learning TIG, MIG, and MMA welding. It provides everything you need, as well as some extra features and a reasonable price. For example, the helmet will suffice for the any-level welder who wants to save money with an OK-quality helmet.

 


Buying Guide for Welding Helmets

Buying Guide for Welding Helmets

Why buy a welding helmet?

Welding is a physically demanding job that exposes you to flying hot debris, welding flux, intense UV rays, and infrared light while bending over for lengthy periods of time.

It’s a hazardous career, but wearing a welder’s helmet along with other safety equipment can reduce the risk of flash burn and scars that can remain for years.

Eye strain is another common problem caused by ineffective protection. Welding helmets are not only necessary for safety, but they’re also critical to completing a task well. Most helmets include lenses that assist you see what you’re doing clearer while exposed to undesirable, strong radiation.

What should you look for in a welding helmet?

  • Certified as Safe: Look for a helmet that meets American National Standards Institute and Society of Safety Engineers (ANSI) standards. Not all welding helmets labeled as “safe” meet the current safety standard. Check to see whether the helmet packaging is marked specifically for ANSI and the most recent certification.
  • Lens: Understand the distinctions between a passive helmet that is usually light and filters UV light, but the lens will not change from a bright to a dark state on its own. This implies you’ll need to put on and remove the helmet while welding, then check your work. Auto-darkening helmets have lenses that detect the required welding shade within a range and automatically alter tint as needed.
  • Fit: It’s wonderful to have the most up-to-date equipment, and it may even be necessary for some professionals, but the fit is unquestionably the most essential aspect. You require a helmet that fits your head comfortably, remains in position throughout your shift, allows you to see the surroundings around you, and is breathable and lightweight.

How important are personal preference and comfort?

It’s critical to be comfortable. You’ll undoubtedly be hot, no matter what, since welding equipment generates a lot of heat and you’ll be wearing a protective welding suit. As a result, choose a lightweight helmet.

It will help you feel less tired and strain your neckless. If you’re aware of the sort of welding you’ll be doing, look for one that will best help you perform it.

Final Thoughts

Welding necessitates a high level of technical knowledge and physical power. It might be an artistic endeavor or an industrial manufacturing process that includes intense heat, toxic metal gases, strong UV radiation, and so on, therefore it’s crucial to have a safety-certified, comfortable, durable, light helmet with the technology you’ll need for the specific tasks of your job.

There are several outstanding helmet alternatives available, so you should be able to discover one that meets your demands.

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