Optrel Crystal 2.0 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet 1006.900

Bright, clear 'off' optics, amazingly detailed 'on' optics. I can't claim that I've tried them all, but I can't imagine anything better than this. When you're not arced up, the view is clear and nearly unshaded. It's like looking through your normal safety lens. Arc up and it's still amazing. I don't understand the technology, but I can see everything plain as day - the workpiece, scribe lines, the torch - oh, and the arc! The arc and (TIG) electrode are clearly visible and I can see my standoff distance and the character of the arc. I can't imagine much better. My welding has improved in both comfort and result due to this helmet, I can't recommend it highly enough!

The Crystal 2.0 meets every expectation I had. The 2.0 "Off" shade is like not having a helmet on. The least weight of any helmet I have ever tried. At 72 years old my vision is nearly the perfect vision I had at 19 as a result of cataract lens replacement with $6000 lenses. But, my retina is aging and I require more light than when I was younger. The 2.5 cheater lens that Optrel makes fits perfectly and my resulting "Puddle Vision" is nothing short of spectacular.One person was complaining that the helmet doesn't have an up position detent. In fact, the helmet is so light that it isn't necessary. It stays up just fine. The blinking grinder mode LED is a nice touch and with the off state shade of 2.0, you can actually easily grind with the helmet on. The Auto Shading works perfectly. I've not even tried manual mode.Is it expensive? You bet. But well worth it. I have a Swiss made Rolex watch and a Swiss made Leica surveying Total Station. They were pricey as well. But Swiss products rarely disappoint.

I have three helmets including Miller and the Optrel. What's interesting is just how crystal clear looking through the helmet is when not welding. It's amazing. I just got the helmet yesterday, and only tested it out with a few welds. It's as clear as safety glasses. The helmet can be used in either a fully automatic mode or manual. I tried the automatic mode. It worked great. Instead of the usual dark green view of the weld, it's a blue shade. I was able to see the weld significantly better than I could would my more basic Miller welding helmet. It was a pleasure being able to actually see my weld vs a sort of welding in the dark using my other welding helmets. I'm sold. I can't tell you how it compares to other high end helmets as I've never tried them. But this one rocks.

This helmet is easily the best on the market. I've tried the top of the line Miller, Lincoln, ESAB and they are pretty good. But If you don't like a slight green tint or you want the clearest view possible welding or in light mode this is the one. Light mode is just slightly darker than the sorounding area. The auto function is great, you don't have to turn grind mode on you can go seamlessly between welding and cutting or grinding. If you do turn on the mode manually, a red led blinks inside so you won't forget and flash yourself. The head gear is simple, comfortable and sturdy. This is easily worth the money if you weld a lot or just want nice equipment. Made in Switzerland quality

This hood has a tiny viewing area compared to other brands of the same quality range.My main gripe is the flash burn.The hood has this fancy feature where it goes from dark to light very gradually. You HAVE to wait for the hood to do its thing if you start to weld too soon after stopping like 1 second then the hood wont darken and you get flashed.Its so gosh darn annoying that ive gotten used to closing my eyes before arcing.I’ve ordered a different hood brand and im giving the optrel to a guy in the shop I dont like much.

Holy cow, this makes a huge difference. I'm coming from a Antra True Color AH6-260-0000 which did the job, but I kept feeling like I was blind.RE: arc flashThere are multiple reviews saying that they are getting flashed. I noticed that the Optrel only has only 2 photo sensors while the Antra has 4. And that the Optrel can be further from the viewing area b/c the Optrel lens is larger. The photo cells are along the top. So I could see very easily how you could get flashed when welding out of position / sticking your head in some tight space and covering up the sensors. I've been cautious about this and 100% no flash.RE: auto adjustThis is simply great. It's dark enough to protect me but as light as it can be so I can see what I'm doing.ConclusionI'm a better welder now b/c I bought a helmet where I can see.

I Tig weld for a living, and after borrowing one of these hoods from a co worker for a day, I had to invest in one for myself. It feels far more lightweight than my Lincoln (which I now keep at home for when I'm welding in my shop), the frame feels much more comfortable to wear, and the clarity and shade of the lens makes for much better ability to watch my weld puddles and control my arc. Since several at my work have this same hood with nothing but P-Touch labels with their names on them, I couldn't resist having a friend do some custom airbrush work on the hood itself, so there's no question whose it is if someone wants to try to walk off with it.