Jackson manufactures a variety of welding helmets, ranging from low-cost passive hoods to high-end, premium models.
Jackson welding helmets include superb optics, cutting-edge technology, and industry-leading comfort.
They’re also noted for their toughness, since they’ve been known to last for years, if not decades, in rigorous professional environments.
Welders who use other barnd of helmets often recommend Jackson headgear, but its renowned all-day comfort.
If you’re looking for a dependable, comfortable welding helmet that won’t let you down or make you regret your purchase, go through the further our five best Jackson welding helmets.
Best Jackson Welding Helmets Reviews
Here are our top five picks to help you choose the best one for you.
- Jackson BH3 Welding Helmet
- Jackson SmarTIGer
- Jackson Insight Welding Helmet
- Jackson NexGen
- Jackson Truesight II Welding Helmet
1. Jackson BH3 Welding Helmet
- 1/1/1/1 optics
- ADF with a range shades from 9 to 13
- Hood is composed of a high-density polymer that is lightweight.
- With a curved aerodynamic design on the front cover plate.
- The headgear is used to modify the mask height and eye distance.
Overview
The Jackson BH3 is a top-of-the-line professional helmet that is lightweight and impact resistant. This helmet’s front plate is contoured to reflect heat and reduce fogging. The helmet’s tapered design and outward-curving base make it easier to use when you need to bend your chin down to look. The BH3’s rounded corners allow it to fit into narrow spaces while also enhancing impact resistance.
Reflections from the curved cover irritate some users. Dials inside the filter control the shade intensity, sensitivity, and delay duration. The life of AAA batteries, which are widely available, is extended by solar power. The Jackson 370 headpiece makes it light and comfortable.
The BH3 has Jackson’s Balder Technology, which gives it a better view than a normal green ADF. The best optical clarity rating obtainable is 1/1/1/1. That last number stands for angularity, which implies you can get a good view even if you’re looking at it from a different angle.
Jackson Safety BH3’s quality with a 5-year warranty, propelling it to the top of our list.
Pros
- Inside infinite dial adjusters
- Hard hat compatible
- Light weight and great headgear
- Outstanding coverage of neck and face
Cons
- Glare from the curved cover bothers some users.
2. Jackson SmarTIGer
- Balder Technology for better vision
- Torch Dancer graphics
- Variable shade range from 9 to 13
- Headgear adjusts for eye distance and mask height
- Solar power for longer battery life
Overview
The SmarTIGer is a professional welding helmet with Balder Technology and a 1/1/1/1 optical grade. It also has a smooth, rounded appearance with a curved front cover. The SmarTIGer is a better option if you want the features of the BH3 but can’t justify the price. The disadvantages include a smaller viewport, no grind mode, and a non-replaceable battery. On the other side, the SmarTIGer comes with the same 5-year warranty as the BH3.
Glare or reflections bother some users, as they do with most helmets with a curved shell. Some individuals complain about the non-replaceable battery, while others claim that it lasts the life of their helmets. According to consumers, the SmarTIGer is a very light helmet that provides exceptional all-day comfort.
The Jackson 370 helmet allows you to choose your height, head size, and eye distance from the viewport. It’s small enough to fit under a hard hat and has a solar panel to keep the battery charged. The ADF filter can be changed continuously using the inside buttons from shade levels 9 to 13. Both the sensitivity level and the reaction time can be adjusted.
Pros
- two-piece shell makes cleaning.
- Jackson 370 helmet is comfortable to wear
- small weight helps to ease neck stress
- covering around the neck is superb
- digital controllers are retained inside to prevent them from being destroyed.
Cons
- Batteries are non-replaceable.
- There is no grind mode in this game.
- Light can penetrate from behind.
3. Jackson Insight Welding Helmet
- Variable shade range from 9 to 13
- Weld and Grind modes
- Solar powered lithium batteries
- Ultra light shell
Overview
The Jackson Insight offers top-of-the-line optics with digital shade, sensitivity and reaction time buttons, and a solar-rechargeable lithium-ion battery at an affordable price.
The Insight ADF filter setup can be used with the HLX100 and HSL100 series shells. The HSL series’ skirt curves outward. If the neck coverage is too bare for you, as some customers do, you can buy the HSL series shell and convert to that design without spending a lot of money.
The big viewport and digital display on this helmet, which shows the shade level at a glance, are both popular features among users. The shade level can be adjusted completely between levels 9 and 13. This Jackson Insight Welding Helmet has a swivel adjustment that allows you to alter the angle of the hood to your preference. The comfortable headpiece has four height adjustments.
Some users claim that this shell is too small to accommodate a respirator. The larger HSL shell may be desirable if you need a respirator and want the Insight lens. The Insight HLX comes with a two-year warranty, in addition to everything else it has going for it.
Pros
- Big viewport
- ADF filter fits HLX100 and HSL100 shells
- Digital button controls
- Four-position height adjustment
- Rechargeable batteries
Cons
- Too slim to fit a respirator
- Some users feel neck coverage is lacking
4. Jackson NexGen
- NexGen 3-in-1 Digital Auto Darkening
- Variable shade from 9 – 13
- Auto-off function
- Low battery alert
- Meets ANSI Z87.1 safety standard
Overview
The NexGen filter on this Jackson NexGen helmet is the real show-stealer. The amber-colored glass is one of the most popular options for expert welders on any helmet. Because it allows you to view the weld puddle in a manner that green filters cannot, this one feature can have a huge impact on the quality of your welding.
The characteristic Jackson comfort and durability are praised by a legion of loyal consumers. Solar power and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are included in the NexGen. The Grind, Weld, and Torch modes of the NexGen filter give it its 3-in-1 moniker. Some users have reported that there is a great deal of light coming in from behind them.
Digital controls for shade intensity, delay time, and sensitivity are located inside the hood for increased security. The shell is lightweight, flexible, and long-lasting, and the shade level may be changed from 9 to 13.
The NexGen contains a low battery indicator as well as an automated shutoff option. With sensitivity down to 5 amps, TIG and sheet metal work can be done. Jackson offers a two-year warranty on the NexGen helmet.
Pros
- Use an amber lens to get a clearer view.
- Digital sensitivity and delay adjustments
- large viewing area
- Batteries made of lithium that can be recharged by solar
Cons
- Some reports of light from behind reflecting on viewport
5. Jackson Truesight II Welding Helmet
- 1/1/1/1 has the best optical clarity.
- Shade range is from 5-8 to 9-13.
- Balder’s True Color Technology vision clarity.
- Weld, Grind, and Torch modes.
- The battery standard is AAA battery.
Overview
The TrueSight II is Jackson’s top-of-the-line premium auto-darkening helmet. Jackson’s largest viewport, arguably the largest on the market at 13 square inches, combines with Balder True Color Technology to provide an unmatched vision of your welding. 1/1/1/1’s optical clarity is as good as it gets.
The HLX series shell weighs just over a pound thanks to the huge viewport and the usage of two AAA batteries rather than a watch battery. That’s still exceptionally light, and thanks to the four-position adjustability on the Jackson 370 headgear, you can wear it all day without getting bored of it. The TrueSight II features solar-rechargeable AAA batteries, as well as Weld, Grind, and Torch modes.
Some users of HLX shells have complained about light coming in from behind and insufficient neck coverage. Another disadvantage for some is the high expense of lens covers, which cost around $5 each. The digital keypad on this helmet allows you to alter the shade from 5-8 to 9-13. It’s a costly helmet, but given the widest viewport, Balder Technology, industry-leading comfort, and a 5-year warranty, it’s well worth it.
Pros
- Large viewing area of 13 square inches.
- well-balanced and lightweight
- True-color view of the weld puddle
- Both the shutdown and auto-on
Cons
- Cover lenses are $4-5 each
Jackson Welding Helmet Buying Guide
Jackson welding helmets are known for their high-quality headgear, clear optics, minimal weight, and industrial-grade durability.
Look These Features When Buying A Jackson Welding Helmet
Jackson Safety has four different types of helmets. With the exception of the Classic series, Balder Technology is included on the highest levels of each tier.
This category includes passive helmets as well as specialized variations. For the rest, auto-darkening helmets are employed.
ADF helmets with HSL100 shells and digital controls provide excellent performance. The Insight and SmarTIGer are part of this group.
High-Performance: These helmets come with the HLX100 shell and analog controls. The NexGen and the BH3 are part of this series.
The TrueSight II is currently the only helmet available at this tier.
Mix And Match
In addition to the tiers outlined above, Jackson’s filters are interchangeable between series to some extent. This is confusing because it implies that the HSL (Performance) and the HLX both have an Insight model (High Performance).
Despite their comparable shapes and feature sets, the SmarTIGer is in the Performance category owing to its digital controls, whereas the BH3 is in the High Performance tier due to its analog setting dials.
Conclusion
Jackson has earned a well-deserved place in every welding shop because to decades of consistent performance. You can’t go wrong with any of these helmets, but the Jackson BH3 is our favorite.
With 8 years of experience a senior welding instructor and safety equipment researcher and writes articles, reviews and guidelines on helmets and other welding and safety gears at Welder Choice, and other written works have been published in various publications.