With all the high-end and amazing helmets available, it can be hard to figure out which is the best Jackson welding helmet. In this article, we’ll go over all the top Jackson welding helmets so you can decide for yourself which one gives the best bang for your buck.
Jackson Welding Helmets
1. Jackson Safety SmarTIGer Welding Helmet Review
The first welding hood we’ll go over is probably my top second choice out of all Jackson’s welding helmets even with the few flaws it has. With a weight of only 1.2 lbs and a lightweight high-density plastic shell, this helmet offers maximum comfort and protection. It has to be one of the few welding helmets that I’ve been able to wear for long periods of time without any discomfort.
Besides comfort, Jackson SmarTIGer offers a lot more great features. These features include a shade range of 9 to 13, a nice viewing field of 3.78 x 1.81 in., and a switching speed of 1/6,650 seconds. The curved front plate even helps reduce heat build-up, reflections, and fogging.
I’ve found this hood to work amazing for all welding processes including MIG, TIG, and stick welding. With the solar cell I never needed to worry about replacing any batteries and I could just throw the helmet on and start welding, which is something I know most welders would prefer.
The only drawback I have with this helmet is the fact it only has two sensors. I typically work with helmets that have 4 and find this to be an inconvenience. Even with this drawback, the Jackson SmarTIGer still brings a lot to the table and with its 5-year warranty, it would be quite difficult to pass this helmet up.
2. Jackson W40 Insight Variable Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $101.25
Next on our list comes another one of my favorites and Jackson’s best selling welding helmet, the Insight Variable. With a very affordable price tag and industry-leading features, it’s no wonder this is Jackson’s most popular welding helmet.
Unlike the SmarTIGer, the Insight Variable has a narrow shell design and has a heavier weight of 2 pounds, making it less ideal for longer jobs. Although with the added weight comes great features that Jackson’s other helmets don’t have. This includes a whopping viewing field of 3.94 x 2.36 in., giving it one of the biggest viewing fields out of Jackson’s other helmets.
The Insight Variable also features four arc sensors, which is what most welders, including myself, prefer. It also offers a variable shade 9-13, digital controls, and weld or grind modes.
I managed to get my hands on the Insight Variable helmet sometime ago and it grew to be one of my personal favorite welding helmets. When I first started using it I was worried about the extra weight since I tend to work longer jobs, but I found it to be extremely comfortable.
The comfort isn’t what made me fall in love with it though. Once I actually started welding with it I was amazed at how my welds actually improved thanks to the precision the large viewing field gave me. Plus the four arc sensors gave that extra protection so I didn’t have to worry about something like flash burn.
Overall the Insight Variable is my helmet of choice when it comes to Jackson Safety’s welding helmets. With a very affordable price and amazing features, it’s hard to pass this welding helmet up.
3. Jackson Truesight II W70 Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $297.30
The Truesight II W70 is the next line of welding helmet known for its popularity among welders. This particular helmet is made of durable and high-quality plastic, with the same narrow shape as the Insight Variable. Allowing for better welds in those tight spaces. Just like the Insight Variable, the Truesight II comes with a massive viewing field of 3.25 x 4 in. Giving it the biggest viewing field out of all of Jackson Safety’s other welding helmets.
The viewing field is made even better with the other features the Truesight II offers. These include a variable shade from 5-8 and 9-13, four arc sensors, and digital controls. You’ll be able to utilize all of these features on any type of job too with the help of it’s three different modes, weld, grind, and torch.
Now I’ve used this welding helmet a fair amount and found it to be quite amazing with only a few faults. The viewing field was obviously my main attraction to this helmet, even though I was afraid that with a greater view field, I’d have less protection for my eyes. Which ended up not being the case with the additional arc sensors.
The comfort was great for the few long jobs I used the helmet for. I had a few problems with my helmet powering down even with new batteries. However the problem seemed to of fixed itself after a few weeks, so it might have just been an error on my part.
Overall the Truesight II welding helmet is spectacular. With an amazing and clear view, great comfort, and versatility it’s great for any job or project. The main downside is the high price tag so if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly helmet, you’re better off going with the Insight Variable which has only a slightly smaller viewing field and fewer features at half the price of the Truesight II.
4. Jackson BH3 Balder Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: from $317.25
The Jackson BH3 Welding Helmet is a unique and durable welding helmet that boasts high-end features. The shell is made of lightweight, durable, and high-density plastic that features a curved design like the SmarTIGer.
The curved design is meant to improve fume deflection, reduce heat, and to reduce fog build-up. The smooth and rounded perimeter is also meant to help increase comfort. Combine that with the 3 different adjustments the headgear allows and the Jackson BH3 is looking like it’d be the helmet of choice when you know you’ll be welding for long hours.
As with all welding helmets though, comfort comes second next to visibility and protection. But just like Jackson’s other helmets, the BH3 with Balder Technology does pretty well. Now the viewing field is a good bit smaller than the previous helmets I talked about, coming in at 2.7 x 3.8 in., however, the clarity is perfect. With a 1/1/1/1 optical clarity rating, variable shade range from 9 to 13, and adjustable sensitivity, you will have no problem seeing your welds.
There were some issues I personally had with the Jackson BH3 Balder though. As with all helmets of this design, I hate not having enough overhead protection. There are times where I’d get splatters on the top of my head when I was MIG welding. The adjustment strap didn’t seem to want to stay together either so I had to make on the spot fixes to the headgear. Besides these few issues though the helmet works great. I was still able to see my weld puddle clearly and my neck never felt any strain from the helmet on a long job.
Overall this is definitely one of Jackson Safety’s higher-end helmets with great features, safety, and visibility. However, just like the Truesight II, this welding helmet comes at a very high price and you might be better off going for the Insight Variable. If you have the money though, the BH3 is definitely worth every penny.
5. Jackson HSL 100 Nexgen Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: from $384.28
Last but not least is Jackson Safety’s HSL 100 Nexgen Welding Helmet. This is another one of Jackson’s high-end welding helmets that comes with a big price tag but amazing features. Made from high-quilty and lightweight plastic with a narrow shape, this is another great helmet perfect for those long jobs where you don’t have my headroom.
The viewing field of the HSL 100 Nexgen helmet is slightly smaller than Jackson’s other helmets, coming in at 3.8 x 2.35 in.. However, it offers a variable shade of 9-13, four arc sensors, and sensitivity/delay controls. With these features, you’ve got maximum protection with great visibility. You also get a weld, grind, and torch mode giving the helmet versatility so you can take it on just about any job. And with the auto-off function, you can just pick up the helmet and be ready to go.
I’ve only gotten to use this helmet a hand full of times and during those times, I quite enjoyed it. I was a little disappointed in the viewing field, especially with that price, but the clarity was on par with Jackson’s other great helmets. Just like the clarity, comfort was also perfect. I didn’t have any issues with strain, and I had no issues making adjustments to the headgear.
All in all, this helmet is another must of if you’re in the market for a high-end helmet. Compared to other Jackson high-end helmets, like the BH3 helmet I just talked about, this one would probably be my top choice. Mostly because of the extra sensors, extra modes, and digital controls.
Joe Stephens
Joey has over 20 years of experience working in the welding industry and now works with providing readers with intensive reviews. Joey has also self-published an e-book and has written countless articles regarding welding information and safety.
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