10 Different Types of Welding Helmets With Pros & Cons

In the world of welding, your welder’s helmet is your shadow and probably your most important tool. The helmet becomes an extension of the welder, as it is on at all times during work.

Due to the fact that the helmet never comes off while you’re working, it is of the utmost importance that you are comfortable with your helmet.

Picking a helmet might seem like a no-brainer, but you will be surprised by how much the helmet alone can affect your welding process.

Safety standards

The use of quality personal protective equipment and safe welding practices must be a top priority for welders, regardless of the type of welding process. Welding PPE includes, but is not limited to, eye, face, hand, and body protection.

Safety glasses should always be worn under the welding helmet. In addition, the welding environment should be evaluated to ensure appropriate ventilation and respiratory protection.

One of the foundational features of any helmet is safety and compliance. In the United States, welding helmets need to meet ANSI standards and in Canada, the helmets need to be CSA compliant.

General standards ensure that the helmet lens protects the welder from anything that could affect the eyes, which includes ultraviolet and infrared filtering regardless of the shade settings. Safety must be a top priority.

Types of Welding Helmets

There are different types of welding helmets:

• Passive Welding Helmets
• Auto-darkening welding Helmets
• The solar-powered lens Helmet
• Battery-Powered Helmet
• Fixed-shade lens welding helmet
• Variable-shade lens welding helmet
• Pancake Welding Helmet
• Leather Welding Mask
• Respiratory Welding Helmet
• Underwater Welding Helmet

#1. Passive welding helmets.

This is the most basic type of welding helmet. The passive welding helmet is not a modernized helmet with fancy features, but this does not take away from its effectiveness.

It is well-built with tough material. It protects its wearer from flying objects, ultraviolet rays, and the extreme heat emitted from welding.

One of the most favorable advantages of the passive welding helmet is the fact that it is affordable. This helmet would be ideal for any welder who is either on a budget or prefers simple equipment.

Pros

• It is a lot cheaper than auto-darkening helmets.
• It is lightweight, simple, and easy to use.
• Lenses are inexpensive and easy to replace.

Cons

• The lens stays dark.
• You must remove the hood to check your work between arcs.
• Lenses break easily.

#2. Auto-darkening welding helmets.

The passive welding helmet might be effective in fulfilling its purpose, but because the lens has to be adjusted consistently, the need for a helmet with an automated lens is evident. This is the main feature of the auto-darkening welding helmet.

During the welding process, the automated helmet will detect the light that is emitted and will adjust the lens accordingly.

This feature was implemented in helmets because welders believed that the constant manual adjusting of the lens distracted them and significantly reduced their productivity.

Auto-darkening may prove to be efficacious, but its main shortcoming is the fact that it is usually not very affordable.

#3. The solar-powered lens helmet.

Some auto-darkening helmets use a fixed battery that can’t be replaced, as it is meant to be recharged by solar energy. The battery will power start the helmet; however, the solar energy will keep it going.

Using solar-powered helmets may prove to be economical because the battery pack doesn’t do much work. Additionally, this type of helmet automatically switches the lens off when not in use. This further increases the economic nature of the solar-powered helmet.

One of the reasons many welders are reluctant to opt for a solar-powered helmet is the fact that it is not ready to use. One would always have to remember to place it in the sun for recharge the day before a project.

Forgetting to do so would result in precious time wasted on a project, which could be very costly.

#4. The battery-powered helmet.

The battery-powered helmet uses a rechargeable or replaceable battery that is commonly made of Lithium.

Welders are often very busy completing complex projects. If they complain about having to adjust their lenses manually, imagine how much of a hassle using a solar-powered helmet must be.

It is more economical than the battery-powered helmet, but many welders would rather spend a little more on replacing batteries, rather than find themselves in a predicament where their batteries aren’t ready to use just before a project.

With regards to both the solar and battery-powered helmets, it is a matter of personal preference, because both types have their advantages and shortcomings.

#5. The fixed-shade lens welding helmet.

Fixed-shade helmets typically come with a conventional shade level of 10. These helmets do not adjust to various arc brightness. The fixed-shade lens will be ideal if you intend to work on only one type of project that uses only one type of material.

This way, there will be no need to adjust the lens accordingly. This helmet will also be ideal for DIY savvies who have not experienced welders but like the option of fixing things themselves.

Most welders refer to this type of helmet as the “daddy” helmet because dads will opt for wearing this helmet to fix their iron gates or their child’s bicycle frame.

Pros

• Very affordable compared to a variable shade auto-darkening helmet.
• Ideal for those who perform the same welding process over and over.
• You won’t need to change shade strength for many standard welding jobs.

Cons

• A different lens may be needed to perform a different welding process.

#6. The variable-shade lens welding helmet.

Unlike the fixed-shade helmet, this helmet has a feature that enables the lens to adapt to all sorts of lights and brightness emitted by the arc during welding. This helmet is preferred by welders who tend to work on various kinds of projects involving different materials.

Variable and fixed-shade helmets are equally protective. However, the variable-shade helmet adjusts the darkness that the lens provides, thereby increasing the welder’s visibility field tenfold.

This may seem like a useless feature, but imagine that you’re welding and the light emitted is too bright.

You can’t see properly, and as a result, you make a mistake that results in a welding defect. Most welders will tell you that a defect is a welder’s worst nightmare because in most instances, the whole weld has to be redone.

Pros

• You can choose your shade level to fit the job type.
• You can see clearly through the lens before you strike an arc.
• You don’t have to remove the helmet to check your work.
• The lens automatically darkens when you strike an arc.
• Many recommend this type of helmet for safety.

Cons

• It is the most expensive helmet for welding.
• The LCD requires power.
• Batteries need replacing.
• Solar power can take time to charge.

#7. Pancake Welding Helmet.

If you are a beginner, you may have never heard of a pancake welding hood. They get this name because of their shape like a pancake. The main feature that makes them necessary for outside welding is a balsa box.

The balsa box is a small box made of wood that surrounds the eyes and acts as a holder for the lens. Balsa box acts as goggles and can seal out all light that might reflect the inside of the shading lens. It helps to provide the best glare-free vision.

This is very helpful for outside welders, especially pipeline welders when the sun position is directly behind the welder.

One side of the pancake hood has a shield to protect your face from welding sparks and UV rays. The protective shield should be on the right side of the face for the right-handed welder and the left side for the left-handed welder.

Pros

• Pancake welding helmets are lightweight and can be worn for extended periods.
• The pancake shape of the helmet shields all sides of your face.
• The balsa box goggles block light from all angles and from behind to give you a clear view.
• The softness and lightweight of the balsa box provide a comfortable fit.

Cons

• It’s not designed for indoor welding.
• Pancake welding helmets are only used for pipeline welding and other outdoor welding projects.

#8. Leather Welding Mask.

A leather hood fully covers your face, neck, head, and even shoulder with leather. It is best suitable for outdoor welding and provides glare-free vision. It comes with a flip-able shade lip, so you don’t need to remove the hood every time to inspect the welded joint.

You can fit both a fixed shade filter and an auto-dark filter in the flip-able lid. It’s also suitable in extreme cold weather and high wind condition.

Moreover, it saves your neck, head, and face from welding fumes, welding spark, and heat stress during overhead welding. It is made of fire and heat-resistant material.

Pros

• It consists of durable leather to provide comfort and strength.
• It covers your entire head and eyes to protect you against sparks and debris.
• Leather welding masks are ideal for working in enclosed spaces and for overhead welding.

Cons

• It is not as versatile as other welding helmets.
• It can be hot and uncomfortable to wear for extended periods.

#9. Respiratory Welding Helmet

Respiratory welding helmets, also known as Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) masks, can go a long way in protecting your lungs while still allowing you to breathe properly.

Those are equipped with external blower units with changeable filters connected by a thick hose for sufficient airflow.

Not only are these powered respirators better at FILTERING out contaminants, but breathing is much easier, too. If you spend hours welding every day, I would highly recommend getting a PAPR helmet.

Pros: Respirator welding helmets provide excellent protection against harmful fumes and particles, and they eliminate the need for a separate respirator. They are also convenient to use and can be adjusted to fit the welder’s face.

Cons: Respirator welding helmets are more expensive than other types of welding helmets, and they can be heavy and uncomfortable to wear for long periods. They also require regular maintenance and replacement of the filter cartridges.

#10. Underwater Welding Helmet.

As the name suggests, these are specially designed welding helmets for underwater welding. In terms of design, they aren’t very different from the gear used by divers.

However, they have FLIP-UP lenses that you can pull down while welding to protect your eyes from intense flashes and harmful UV radiation.

Needless to say, these helmets are solely for underwater welders, such as those working at offshore oil and gas industries, structures, ships, submarines, etc. Their heavy weight makes them an impractical choice for regular use outside of water.

Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Helmet

1. Cost

Protecting your eyes, face, and neck should always be a priority. Before purchasing a welding helmet, you can conduct a market feasibility study to ensure you get the best deal. Visiting online stores and local hardware are great areas to start from.

Auto-darkening helmets will cost you more compared to the passive ones. The price disparity is obviously due to their distinct features, like convenience. A tight budget does not necessarily mean you settle for less.

While the auto-darkening helmets are more costly, they have different price ranges depending on the features fitted. However, generally, the passive ones are always more affordable.

2. Purpose

While all these helmets’ main aim is to protect you while getting the job done, sometimes the need to use one overrides the other, as we had explained earlier in the overview sections.

3. Power Source

Auto-darkening welding helmets require a battery or solar power to function correctly.

Consider where you’re going to get the power from, i.e., where you will purchase the batteries and their cost or where you will charge your solar-powered helmet, is there enough sunlight to charge the battery pack fully?

4. Safety Standards

All welding helmets should comply with internationally recognized safety standards. Helmets mainly protect our eyes from the harmful light produced during welding. Both auto-darkening and passive welding helmets meet the required standards.

In the United States, welding helmets should adhere to the industry-standard ANSI Z87.1. All helmet manufacturers must comply with these safety standards to keep all welders safe and avoid potential lawsuits.

Tips

Once you have selected your welding helmet remember these tips:

• While welding, always wear protective clothing appropriate for your welding application. Always wear your safety glasses under the welding helmet.
• For consistent visibility of the weld, ensure the outer cover lens of the welding helmet is free from slag and spatter.
• If welding is your career or is part of it take the time to find the helmet that’s right for you. While it may be tempting to buy the least expensive helmet at the local hardware store, taking the time to explore all of your options can have long-term benefits.

FAQs.