Weld In Style With These Awesome Customized Welding Helmets
Welding helmets don’t have to look drab and boring – in fact we’ve scoured the market to find some of the best looking custom painted welding helmets around. These helmets are not only really great-looking, but have excellent functionality, are comfortable and very safe to use, and most importantly, are good value for money.
| Helmet | Shades | View Width | View Height | Arc sensors | Cost | Amazon Rating | Buy It |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antra AH6-66O-6218  | 5-9, 9-13 | 3.78" (96mm) | 2.5" (63.5mm) | 4 | $ | 4.4 | |
iMeshbean® Pro Cool  | 9 – 13 | 3.78" (96mm) | 1.89" (48mm) | 2 | $ | 4.4 | |
ArcOne Python (Fighting Tiger)  | 9 – 13 | 3.78" (96mm) | 1.89" (48mm) | 2 | $$ | 4 |
Aside from the awesome graphics, we’ve taken into account all the specs and features when comparing these helmets, bringing you the best in terms of both style and functionality.
While it’s possible to get a plain old welding hood and paint it yourself, or customize it with the decals that often come packaged with the helmets, you won’t get near the polished finish that these helmets provide. Of course, it does depend on your painting skills, as these awesome helmets show. I personally really like this minion welding hood and think it would be really funny in a workplace environment, but unfortunately I couldn’t find where it was being sold. If anyone knows, would you mind telling me in the comments below? On to our list…
The top performers in our review are the Antra AH6-66O-6218, the Gold Award winner; the iMeshbean® Lightning Skull, the Silver Award winner; and the ArcOne Fighting Tiger, the Bronze Award winner.
#1 Best Overall – Antra AH6-66O-6218
In terms of specifications, the feature that we love the most about this helmet is its auto-darkening switching speed, which outdoes some of the big name brands. With four sensors and a really broad range of shades – starting as low as 5 and stretching right up to 13 – this helmet is impressively versatile. This is made even more clear by the fact that you can use it for a wide variety of applications, including MIG, TIG, arc and plasma welding, and even grinding. The lens adjustment knobs are external, making changing modes or sensitivities effortless.
From the moment you first put this helmet on, you’ll notice that it’s extremely lightweight and comfortable, making it perfect for a full day’s welding. Our only word of caution would be to take care when handling it, as the lightweight nature of this helmet means it might not stand up to continuous, heavy duty wear or being thrown around the workshop!
Here are a few different styles you might prefer:
#2 Best Value – iMeshbean® Lightning Skull Design
This is a brilliant budget buy that is best suited to both beginners and hobby welders. However, it might save on price, but it doesn’t compromise on technical specs. The switching time is fast and the range of shades is suited to a wide variety of welding types, but it’s in all the little extras that this helmet really comes into its own. You can expect fantastic visibility, because the manufacturers have designed the outer lens to avoid trapping smoke and other particles. In addition, you can adapt this helmet to suit you – not just by adjusting the sensitivities – but by adding a cheater lens in a dedicated slot, as well.
The lightning design on this helmet is pretty cool, and it gives a great alternative to ordinary skulls. However, be aware that the image is more like a sticker than a sprayed or airbrushed design – but don’t let the method put you off the style. The headgear is less comfortable than many others that we’ve tried and we had to search around to find replacement lens covers that fit, but these are small compromises to make on a mean-looking, low-priced helmet.
#3 Best Design – ArcOne Fighting Tiger
Finding a reasonably priced helmet with great visibility is a challenge, but we’ve found a gem in the ArcOne 5000V welding helmet. The view is noticeably wider than the previous model, meaning that it’s easier and clearer to see exactly what you’re working on. In addition, we were really impressed with how comfortable it is – not just because of the headgear, but because the lenses to a great job at keeping the heat out, and keeping the wearer cool. It’s lightweight, adjustable and sensitive, delivering all the basics that a good welding helmet needs.
The paint job on this helmet is awesome, unlike anything else we’ve seen before, expensive airbrushing aside. Unfortunately we did notice some of the paintwork starting to chip away at the edges, but that’s all part of everyday workshop wear and tear!
A few things to consider when choosing your helmet
- Not all paint jobs are of the same quality, so when choosing your customized headgear you should make sure the artist/painter is using high quality paint that wont peel off in the harsh welding environment, where the heat and radiation can quickly make short work of low quality paint.
- Another thing to consider is the design you’re looking for, be it a funny hood, a skull hood or just something plain badass. Have you seen previous work by the artist? Have they customized other hoods that you liked? Even an excellent artist can mess up a paint job on a welding helmet if they’re not used to the contours and materials the helmet is made of.
- No matter which helmet you buy, the most important thing is that it protects you properly from the sparks and spatter, UV and IF radiation that comes from welding. It’s not enough to look cool, it must work properly, be comfortable, adhere to safety standards and have the functionality you need for your specific welding tasks.
- Learn how to take good care of your helmet so the paint doesn’t chip away with use. Find out the best way to store and maintain your helmet so it doesn’t fall to wear and tear quickly – if properly taken care of even a customized hood can last a very long time!
We hope you’ll agree that these are some of the best customized welding helmets on offer, bringing you tons of style as well as functionality.
