When welding, you should not overlook head safety gear in any way. Such a small mistake can significantly affect your body both externally and internally. Since it comes in close contact with welding tools and substances, it should have excellent protection.
There are many reliable brands of welding equipment out there, and Optrel is one of the top companies. Welders prefer an Optrel welding helmet mainly for its flexible and advanced technology design. The company engineered it to overcome all potential dangers of the welding process.
Before you buy an Optrel welding helmet, we will provide an overview of the manufacturer and a helpful discussion about the product. Let us find out what makes it a top recommendation and some potential setbacks in using it.
Optrel: An Overview
Optrel started as one of the early manufacturers of auto-darkening welding helmets in 1986. They previously went by the name Sperian Welding Protection. Currently headquartered in Wattwil, Switzerland, Optrel is now a prominent manufacturer of protective work equipment. They supply safety products for face and head protection, breathing protection, and eye solutions.
Optrel Welding Helmets: Best Features
Now that we know a bit about Optrel as a company, let us discuss what makes them an excellent choice for welding helmets. Below is a list of Optrel's best characteristics, featuring some of their welding helmet products.
Amazing Technology
The first remarkable thing about Optrel's helmets is their impressive incorporation of advanced technology. Making them stand out is their true color UV/IR filter, which means the colors you see from the helmet are close to the real ones.
Optrel's enlightening crystal lens technology (CLT) allows welders to get a clearer view of their working environment. When you are welding, your view is usually a bit cloudy because of the protective gear. With Optrel's technology, you can avoid experiencing that. The CLT has a light transmission of 31% in bright condition and a protection level of 2.
Flexible for Various Welding Jobs
All of Optrel's helmets for welding are suitable for metal inert gas, tungsten inert gas, and stick welding jobs. The brand also produces approved helmets for overhead welding. Overhead welding is a difficult and risky position in the field since the welder has to look up and keep the torch stable throughout the entire process. Thus, you must be careful of the flames, molten metal, and debris while in such an inconvenient position.
The Optrel e650 welding helmet and Optrel VegaView 2.5 are approved equipment for overhead welding.
The Optrel e650 is an auto-darkening welding helmet with variable filter shades of 9–13. It also has a selectable grind mode that makes it suitable for various arc welding applications.
The Optrel VegaView 2.5 automatic darkening filter (ADF) welding helmet comes with an unrivaled shade level of 2.5/8–12 for bright views.
Cool and Comfortable Designs
There is nothing better than a well-functioning helmet with an excellent and convenient design. Optrel engineers welding helmets with a cool design for safety and efficiency. The designs are divided into five series.
Panorama Series
The helmets in Optrel's Panoramaxx Series are perfect if you are looking for excellent eye protection. They give you a larger field of view of the welding environment. Also, the filter sits closer to the welder's face, and, combined with the CLT feature, it makes the view bright and clear.
Sphere Series
The Sphere Series from Optrel is suitable for professional welding work. They boast good optical performance and a control panel located outside the helmet for direct access. Unlike the Panoramaxx Series, the design does not have a nose cutout and is similar to the Optrel satellite welding helmet.
The Sphere Series helmets have excellent shade levels (2.0/4–12). They have a patented twilight system, where the ADF turns from dark to light state. Furthermore, it is integrated with ShadeTronic® technology (automatic shade level adjustment) and FadeTronic technology (anti-glare display adjustment to avoid eye fatigue).
Y-Series
The welding helmets from Optrel's Y-Series have a pentagon-shaped structure. They are classics and feature some of the brand's best sellers. They have a shade level of 4/9–13, making them flexible for various welding applications.
The lightweight Y-Series performs much better with ADF technology. You can use them for approximately 3,000 hours without battery replacements.
Liteflip Series
Although it is called Liteflip Series, there is just one product under this category. Optrel's Liteflip Autopilot is perfect for welding tasks that need flipping solutions. This lightweight flip-up helmet has an automatic shade adjustment, with shade levels ranging from 1/4/5 to 14. When flipped, it goes on level 1.
It incorporates a patented twilight system, which, as previously mentioned, is a function that gradually turns the ADF from a dark to a light state right after the arc stops.
Weldcap Series
Finally, we get to the visually appealing Weldcap Series. This set of automatic welding helmets come with a bump cap on the upper head area. Its design protects you while welding and doing other metal works. What makes this helmet worth the purchase include the following:
- A well-defined visual unit structure to increase your line of sight by 2.7 times
- Extremely lightweight, only weighing 390 g
- The textile part is removable, washable, and flame-retardant.
- Has a shade level from 3/9 to 12 to suit various welding applications
- Complete upper head protection with the bump cap
- Perfect for professional work with higher safety regulations
A Quality Worth the Price
Optrel is one of the brands with expensive models in the market. However, Optrel assures you that the quality is worth the cost. For instance, the Optrel Air-Fed welding helmet offers excellent respiratory protection and comfort. The e3000 integrates the highest class filter (TH3-certified), which protects the welder from smoke and other particles caused by rough environmental conditions.
Lightweight ADFs
Optrel’s line of welding helmets is among the most lightweight in the market. One of these products is the Optrel p550 welding helmet, which weighs only 495 g. The Liteflip Autopilot weighs only 530 g and is one of the most lightweight flip-up helmets in the market.
Bonus: Site Browsing Experience
If you visit Optrel's official website, you can see how detailed they are about their products. The Paranomaxx Series comes specially equipped with an automatically playing video that you can listen to while looking into other essential information.
What Are the Cons of Optrel Welding Helmets?
No such welding helmet is perfect and free from any shortcomings. Here are some of the downsides you might encounter when using a welding helmet from Optrel.
- It might be pricey for your budget.
- Grind buttons are not that robust.
- Narrow shade levels/range
- It may not always lighten well.
- Sensors might loosen up.
- Power restrictions
- Some helmets do not have an electromagnetic sensor.
- Curved outer lenses that put off glare
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has given you a good idea about Optrel welding helmets. The welding equipment market has many trusted brands to offer, but it is up to you to find what best suits your preferences. If the features of Optrel's welding equipment match your needs, it will be worth the purchase, so consider the essential factors. We wish you success and safety in your next welding task.
August 8, 2022