Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Recommend A Welding Helmet

I'm a hobby welder and don't want to mess with Harbor Freight anymore. Flux core, MIG, a little stick. I'd like to keep it under $200.
I already have a couple good grinders so I'm halfway there.

Watching this one.

Hobart Inventor or Creator.

Thanks Jim, seems like a really reasonable price, and while I didn't read them yet, the reviews appear mostly positive.

I have one of each.

One is always in my service truck and one is in the shop.


Good value in my opinion.

I have heard pretty good things about the Vulcan line of helmets at Harbor Freight. I do have one of their cheaper $40 helmets and won't use it. Still need to buy a better helmet myself.

I have a Jackson Boss floating around in the garage that I have never used, I would sell. Shoot me a PM if interested.

Jackson pipeliner for 50 years. I ask the welder at work about the auto darkening hoods before he retired. He said those are for pussies. I’d like to try one.

A couple projects ago I discovered I couldn't see the weld line worth a schit so I went looking for a new helmet and cheaters. This clearlight lens thing makes all the difference in the world.


Miller Classic ClearLight Lens 287803 Welding Helmet.

Great Price, Click Here.

Miller digital elite.

I have a Hobart and a Lincoln Viking and really like them both but if I had to choose, the Lincoln gets the pick for the win. I did catch the Viking on sale or it would have been more than the $200 you set.
I burned my eyes so bad one time that I had to be bandaged shut for 3 days. After that, no more cheap helmets for me

I'd recommend a Jackson Insight.
Auto on, adjustable from 9-13 and uses a standard cover lens. not some expensive and hard to find replacement.
4 sensors to darken the lens so you don't get zapped when welding in a weird spot
Solar panel to keep the batteries charged so they last a long time
It does require an interior cover lens too so order a few extras or cut them from a cover lens.
Get one with a sexy color and they're easier to find in the clutter.

As usual, when you take it off, don't put it face down on the table where it gets full of grinder grit.
Set it down face up or hang it on a bottle and the interior lens stays clean and unscratched!

I'm using one for shop fab, beams, columns, stairs, handrail, horse stall doors, tank fab, stainless tig , anything else the shop needs done.
When I'm climbing, I clip a standard "disposable" hood onto the hardhat and the auto-dark stays in the shop. I don't cry when a cheapie gets knocked off and crashes.
The second Insight is at the shop at home along with all the "spares" from the past, sliders, flip-ups, leather bag hood, pancake

I've worn out three Nex-Gen auto-dark hoods from the previous generation and while they were good, I like the auto-on feature, not having to turn it on after a 15min time off makes it easy. A standard cover lens is a must for me.

been using a harbor freight helmet for 15 years or so,no problems at all

All in, I was around $200.00 when finished with a good headgear and auto darkening lens. I put a flip front on a pipeliner, just like this.

A friend of mine builds custom motorcycles and he came over about a month ago to weld a part on my mower. He has one and loves it, I don't know what brand it was or anything but he really likes it.

Jackson huntsman is a cheap no frills hood that’ll work well. Heavier than i like though.


I use fiber metal pipeliner.

Whatever brand auto dark i find after the last one went out.

Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. Don’t get hoods like the Harbor Freight models.

They use an odd ball size cover lens.

You’ll be trying to weld like looking through a snow storm once it gets spattered up.

Find one that uses a standard lens.

Tacklife makes many trade related items.

I have found most to exceed my needs for the cost expended.

I've heard that. May try one. Thanks.

Kinda the hobby guy vs. Pro situation like most everything.

I wear progressive lens glasses. I find that the helmets with taller lenses are easier to use.

Got my son a Miller Digital Elite Roadster when he was taking welding in school. Very much liked it.



Roadster