Welding Glasses: Best Welding Glasses And Where To Buy Them

Whether you're welding on the job or as a hobby, it's important to be safe. Wearing the proper safety gear can make the difference between a productive day and a disastrous one. Welding can be especially harmful to your eyes. So it's important you wear the proper eye protection. A welding helmet may seem like an obvious protective choice. But few people realize a helmet does not properly protect your eyes. To provide this protection, you also need to wear welding glasses. These glasses have the correct UV protection to prevent damage to your eyes. They come in a variety of shades, so be sure to check out the buyer’s guide. To determine which pair will suit your welding needs. Here's a guide to finding the best welding glasses and where to buy them.

We based these ratings on some critical factors. First, professional reviews and recommendations. Second, product reviews and testimonials from customers. We balance these against the price range and other factors. The ratings are a demonstration of our commitment to excellence, honesty and accurate assessment of all available options. The glasses below are an example of some of the most widely regarded, top of the line welding glasses currently on the market. There are, of course, other highly rated welding glasses on the market. This list is intended to be a top rated list, rather than an exhaustive one. Many exceptional glasses don't appear here. But these welding glasses will suit any of your needs with precision parts, expert craftsmanship, and a great value.

Now that you’ve reviewed the top 5 best welding glasses. Here are some additional areas to think about when choosing the best glasses for you and your project. Welding glasses come with a wide variety of features to handle a large range of projects. Here are a few features to consider when choosing your welding glasses. These features can be subjective, so think about your situation before selecting the perfect pair of welding glasses. Just like any tool, no pair of glasses performs optimally in every situation. Understanding the options available, and determining which options are most important to you, are the keys to finding the top-rated welding glasses for you.

Do you wear prescription glasses? If you need a prescription lens, particularly bifocals, you might want to consider welding glasses that can fit over your regular eyeglasses. These would include the Miller Electric and Jackson welding glasses. But you can also consider glasses that come with a prescription, such as Pyramex Safety Emerge. This pair doesn't have as high rating due to a lower quality frame, shade 5 and less protective lens shape. But they do include the option of +1.5 or +2.0 prescription. Another aspect of vision to consider is the shade of your lens. While shade 13 is the most protective, bigger isn't always better. If you don't plan on using MIG or TIG welding, a darker shade will only decrease your overall vision. Be sure to choose the correct shade for your welding needs.

If you're planning on welding for long periods, or if you weld consistently on the job, comfort is a huge factor. Having comfortable safety equipment allows you to work longer. Without any pain or strain associated with ill-fitting gear. Check out the padding, non-slip features and particularly the weight of each pair of glasses. None of the glasses mentioned here is overly bulky. But the 12.8-ounce Servore Auto Shade Darkening goggles are considerably heavier than the 0.8-ounce Jackson Nemesis cutting glasses.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has detailed levels of protection for all safety glasses, goggles, and helmets. Each type of welding requires a certain level of protection. The shade of lens refers to not only it’s protective value, but also it’s darkness. Lighter colored glasses have more visibility but lack the protection of the darker lenses. If you're using arc welding that emits light, you will want a value higher than 5. OSHA requires a lens with shade 10-14 for these projects. Carefully consider what type of welding you will be doing, and consult OSHA’s requirements if you need a more detailed description of each shade. If you're using your glasses for a variety of welding situations. Consider auto darkening lenses, such as the Servore goggles listed above. These will provide the correct level of visibility and safety for each welding project.

Remember that these glasses are designed to protect your eyes against not only light damage but also projectiles. Welding is a dangerous activity, and flying shrapnel can easily be thrown at your face as you work. All of the glasses listed here follow the American National Standards Institute’s impact resistance standard. Some, however, are more side-shielded, such as Servore’s goggles. Consider the likelihood of additional projectiles causing damage to your eyes. And choose the level of protection that's best suited for your welding activities.

Welding emits an incredible amount of UV light. Darker lenses are capable of dealing with these rays. But even shade five glasses will provide you with some protection. UV damage can come from a variety of other sources. So remember to use these glasses as multi-purpose safety equipment. Whether you're working outside or in another UV-susceptible environment. Your welding glasses can protect your eyes even when you are not welding.

Other types of protection to consider are dust and fog. Dust protection is especially useful in indoor shop settings. Tighter fitting glasses, like Athermal’s safety glasses, give more dust protection than looser fitting varieties, like Bollé’s safety glasses. Fog protection is a consideration not only for moisture in your environment but also moisture caused by you and your glasses. Tight fitting welding glasses can restrict airflow. This causes the glasses to fog up, particularly when you're working. All of the glasses listed come with anti-fog protection on the lenses, but some are more apt to fog than others. The Jackson Nemesis cutting safety glasses are some of the most effective in remaining clear. But all seven top welding glasses are more effective than many of their competitors.

There are just as many reasons to own a pair of welding glasses as there are pairs to choose from. Finding the best welding glasses is not only a matter of craftsmanship but also selecting the right tool for the job. Understanding shade, comfort, affordability, UV and fog protection are the first steps to finding the best welding glasses. Welding glasses are not meant to replace a welding helmet, and heavy-duty welds will require additional protection. Always check the latest regulations and recommendations about welding safety before you use a new product. You can, however, be confident that these glasses represent some of the highest quality and highest safety ratings currently on the market.