Look Like The Welding Undead With These Designer Skull Welding Helmets

If you’re looking for a unique welding hood to scare and impress your co-workers, these are some of the best options out there. Not only are the helmets beautifully designed with custom pained skulls, but they’re all functional, comfortable and safe for the harsh welding environment.

The top performers in our review are the Antra AH6-66O-6218, the Gold Award winner; the Save Phace Gen Y, the Silver Award winner; and the Redtail Red Skull, the Bronze Award winner.

#1 Best Overall – Antra AH6-66O-6218

We tried this helmet for MIG, TIG, arc and plasma welding, and found ourselves seriously impressed on every occasion. It was easy to adjust the settings, thanks to the external adjustment knobs, which allow you to choose between a range of shades from 5 right through to 13. This is in addition to the dedicated grinding mode, which just made it even more versatile. The switching speed was one of the fastest we’ve ever come across, meaning that the danger of blinding is almost non-existent. Opt for this helmet if you’re planning to weld for long periods at a time, because its light weight means that it’s super comfortable, too.

We do have a few question marks around the durability of this helmet; we certainly wouldn’t advise dropping it or being careless if you can avoid it. This is mainly down to being so lightweight, which can make it feel a little flimsier than some other models. However, the build quality feels great, so as long as you’re careful this helmet should stand up to a great deal of continuous use.

#2 Best Design – Save Phace Marvel Comics Venom Gen Y

The build quality and awesome skull design are two of the best things about this welding helmet. Not only does it look great – guaranteed to make you the envy of all your friends and colleagues – but it feels sturdy, well made and comfortable. Save Phace is well known for its combination of stylish designs and top specifications, and this helmet is no different. The auto-darkening is really fast, but if you do want to adjust any of the settings or sensitivities, we found the external controls to be smooth and easy to use. However, most important of all is the visibility; luckily, this helmet has been designed with a really wide view, making it easier than ever before to see what you’re working on.

After using this helmet for some time, we did find a few minor drawbacks. Firstly, although the design is amazing, it’s actually a sticker applied to the surface, rather than an airbrushed design. If you plan to use the helmet for high temperature or overhead welding, you might find that the design blisters or melts, which does ruin the effect slightly. In addition, we noticed that over time some of the knobs began to work loose, meaning that the helmet tends to fall down rather easily. However, with a bit of tightening, this is a problem that’s easily rectified, resulting in a helmet that delivers great quality overall for the price.

#3 Cheapest – Redtail Red Skull

This is more than just a practical welding helmet: it’s a work of art. You can’t deny that this helmet’s design is incredible – it’ll stand out and look great in any workshop, whether you’re using it for professional or hobby purposes. However, it doesn’t just look great – it feels good, too. It’s fully adjustable and lightweight, meaning that it’s really comfortable to wear for long periods of time. That said, to a certain extent you get what you pay for, as some parts are a little fragile. We found the headband to be particularly prone to breaking, but as long as you handle this helmet with care, it will keep you looking awesome for longer!

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Things to consider when choosing your skull welding helmet

• Some of the lower quality skull hoods are very narrow and uncomfortable in order to fit the design – stay away from those as you’ll quickly find comfort is very important. All the helmets in this review are designed for comfort as well as looks.
• Ensure the paint job is done by a professional hood designer, as painting on a welding hood is different from canvas due to the contours and materials used. A good painted will have performed the art before on other hoods, so you can have a look at their previous work to see if it’s to your liking.
• Learn how to store and maintain your hood as custom paint tends to chip away over time, especially with all the sparks, spatter and radiation constantly hitting your helmet while you weld. With good maintenance even a skull hood should last you a very long time.

Still not sure which helmet you’re looking for? Check out our extensive welding helmet guide.