Get ready for a lot of words...
Let me first explain why I'm looking for a new helmet in the first place. My current helmet (Horror Freight blue design) works pretty well with the MIG, but won't stay dark with the TIG. I'm assuming that the TIG currents are just too low and it won't pick up the arc. Either that, or I'm shadowing the sensor with my work position. In any event, it flashes me with the TIG.
And just recently, I was doing some under-car exhaust work on the family Truckster, and my HF blue flashed me even with the MIG. Something about the working position again... Must have blocked the sensor or something. Once I finished the tack welds under the car, I pulled the parts out and finished the job on easels in the driveway and it was fine. Just something about the position under the car.
So I've had it... I busted my balls on that car job and saved over a thousand bucks by throwing labor at it instead of new parts. With the money saved (think "unrealized expense"), I think I deserve a new tool so I can do a better job next time. I figure even if I spend a couple hundred of that saved thousand, I'm still way ahead in the end AND I've got a new helmet! Right?
I deserve that, right? Who's with me??
Anyway, that's where I'm coming from. I wanted something more reliable with more sensors and rated for lower TIG current.
So I did a bunch of investigation into helmets and came to multiple conclusions. First of which is that asking people what is the best helmet is like asking someone "What is the best brand of tools." and is likely to start a religious war. Beyond that, I did some reading of on-line reviews. Here's a couple examples: https://welderportal.com/ http://weldinghelmetexpert.com/ https://weldinghelmetpros.com/
And here's one that talks about the EU's relatively new rating system being used as an attempt to provide some objectivity to the highly subjective topic of viewing quality: https://www.thefabricator.com/article/safety/1-1-1-1-clarity
All the top of the line helmets seem to be great. Optrel 684, Speedglas 9100, Miller Elite, Jackson BH3, Lincoln 3350. All fantastic, and even with the unrealized expense, they're still all more money than I can justify spending. However, there is also one lower priced contender that just kept popping up... The Antra AH6-260-0000. This one seems to be very highly rated despite the costs. It's seemed to be at the very top of everyone's "Best helmet for the money" category.
So, I was just about ready to pull the trigger on the Antra AH6-260-0000 when I noticed that all the sensors are in a line across the top of the window. I can picture welding positions where all of these sensors get blocked. Might be very unlikely, but I think it's possible.
In the end, I went with the Lincoln 2450, and here's why. It's got the same optical technology as the very highly rated 3540, but has a smaller viewing window, and hence a lower price tag. But the biggest reason I went with the Lincoln over the Antra is that it has four sensors as well, but they are in the four corners of the lens. I cannot come up with an easy way to shadow all of them at once. And it's TIG rated down to 2A or so.
I went with the cheapest "Name brand" helmet I could find with four sensors in the corners of the lens. If you think the four sensors in a line aren't an issue, then the Antra sounds like a great alternative for a lot less money.
Keep in mind that I'm no welder. I know just enough to make myself dangerous. And light stuff on fire.