Antra Wide Shade Range Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Review

A very affordable welding helmet for starters, the Antra Wide Shade provides similar auto-darkening features for starters.

If you don’t want to damage your eyes from harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays, opt for a good-quality welding helmet, such as the Antra Wide Shade Range Auto Darkening Welding Helmet.

Welding helmets are among the essential parts of the welding process. Not only that, but it protects your eyes, skin, and face from welding sparks and flying debris.

It is an affordable welding helmet especially if you are just getting started and need to pick up something as a replacement. Check out the review for this helmet below.

Welding Choice Headgear Guide

Receive our Free Headgear Guide!

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news from our favorite publications, welding product recommendations, educational material and the best articles from our Welding Choice team!

* indicates required

The Antra Wide Shade Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Review

Antra Wide Shade Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

Antra Wide Shade Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

Main Features

What We Like
What We Don't Like

Antra Wide Shade Welding Helmet Overview

As the name suggests, the Antra Wide Shade Range Auto Darkening Welding Helmet features a passive filter, four premium redundant arc sensors, and interference suppression technology.

The LCD shutter offers double-layered protection with auto-dimming capability. It’s essentially a solar-powered helmet that prevents eye inflammation, retina burns, and red eyes.

This all-rounder welding helmet comes with all the necessary features, including step-less delay and adjustable sensitivity knob.

In a nutshell, it doesn’t require continuous monitoring or manual adjustment, courtesy of the auto-off functionality that extends its battery life.

Who’s This Product For?

Whether you are a beginner or a welding experience, the Antra welding helmet is an apt choice for all types of welding processes.

This versatile helmet is a perfect choice for TG, MIG, and MMA. You can also use it for plasma cutting and grinding.

Since it’s a solar-powered welding helmet, it’s lighter in weight than similar models. It’s because it doesn’t include additional Lithium-Ion batteries.

Consequently, it’s ideal for professional welders who spend long working shifts.

What’s Included?

The box includes a helmet and one user manual. There are also six extra exterior plates and one interior bonus lens cover plate.

It’s because the lens is prone to scratches caused by flying debris. That’s why Antra has been incredibly thoughtful in incorporating extra lens covers, so you don’t have to buy from your pocket.

Features

Antra Wide Shade Welding Helmet Features

Construction

This lightweight welding helmet is made from polyamide nylon to efficiently operate in the temperature range from 14F to 131F degrees.

It also meets all the ANSI Z87.1, EN379 CE, and CSA Z94.3.

Auto-Darkening Filter

This revolutionary feature protects your eyes by adding extra protection to ensure a soothing feeling. It minimizes stress caused by sharp welding sparks.

Not only that, but the welding mask adjusts according to the outside environment using this filter. This way, it automatically adjusts the shade of the lens, saving you a lot of time.

You can also minimize the manual effort required to adjust the shade settings.

Viewing Screen

The viewing screen, measuring around 3.86 x 1.73 inches, is coupled with four redundant arc sensors.

These four sensors effectively detect the external light and send a quick signal to the auto-darkening filter:

  • Two adjustment sensors govern the sensitivity operation.
  • The third sensor determines the accurate speed with which the auto-darkening filter converts the shade.
  • The fourth sensor ensures that the desired shade is selected in the minimal possible time without any delay.

In this way, they assist in controlling the incoming light more effectively.

As far as clarity and visibility are concerned, it features a 1.2.1.2 optical clarity, an average rate compared to similar models.

However, when it comes to the shade selection, you can choose anything between four and nine or nine and 13.

The welding helmet can facilitate all types of welding, including TIG, or MG with such a wide range of shade selection.

Power Source

On the downside, solar charging consumes a lot of time, making this welding helmet prone to delays. It requires a lot of time to accumulate the desired charge to initiate its functionality.

That said, it’s only powered by solar energy, so you need to rely on batteries. The battery cells may leak water into the filter if you don’t use the helmet for a longer duration.

Consequently, you need to replace the filter if rendered useless. But again, buying a new helmet costs you the same as replacing the filter.

 

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Antra Wide Shade Welding Helmet

Anyone can use this handy helmet by adjusting the headset, keeping in view their comfort level.

What’s more, the auto-darkening feature is automatic, so you don’t need to worry about fine-tuning them. Still, you need some customization, wouldn’t you?

The Auto Darkening Welding Helmet by Antra lets you adjust the ideal setting according to the welding process. It means you can use short delays if you make multiple tracks.

On the other hand, you need to opt for longer delays while welding with higher amperage.

Along with that, you also need to make a few adjustments, especially the shade settings based on your welding task:

  • Stick: Nine to 13
  • MIG: 10 to 13
  • MIG Aluminum: 10 to 13
  • Flux-Core: 10 to 13
  • TIG: Nine to 13

The sensitivity settings play a vital role in low amperage TIG welding processes where the emitted light is relatively low.

It’s better to tune the sensitivity setting before beginning the welding task. Once you get comfortable, you can reduce the sensitivity to find an optimal environment.

Alternatives

OEMTOOLS 24357 Automatic Darkening Welding Helmet, Self Tinting Welding Helmet, STICK and MIG Welder Mask, Welding Helmet Black
The OEMTOOLS 24357 auto darkening welding mask is ideal for anyone, from the experienced welder to someone who is just beginning.

You can opt for the OEMTOOLS Automatic Darkening Welding Helmet as an alternative with its incredible battery life of 2,000 hours.

This compact welding helmet is suitable for occasional users or welding experts. It means you can use it for MIG and STICK welding tasks.

The wedding helmet comes equipped with high-tech features such as delay control, variable sensitivity, and selectable shades between nine and 13.

Additionally, it offers a viewing area of 3.54 x 1.37 inches.

The package includes individual welding choice-20nt cover lenses, minimizing the extra cost of buying new ones. The design perfectly fits your head and allows you to work in tight areas.

This reliable helmet features two independent arc sensors to control the darkening delay and accuracy.

You also don’t need to worry about the battery consumption because the auto-off circuit turns it off after 15 to 20 minutes of idle time.

Wrap Up

Antra has maintained a good reputation for incorporating high-tech features and exceptional shielding technology in its affordable welding masks.

Carrying on the legacy, the Antra Wide Shade Range Auto Darkening Welding Helmet is a perfect combination of comfort and automation.

The premium-quality welding helmet offers an excellent shading range with an auto-darkening feature and four sensors to provide optical clarity.

Apart from that, it’s a durable yet budget-friendly welding mask that completely automates the settings according to the environment.

This reliable welding helmet comes with a one-year warranty to ensure a safe investment.

Navigation

Welding Choice Headgear Guide

Receive our Free Headgear Guide!

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news from our favorite publications, welding product recommendations, educational material and the best articles from our Welding Choice team!

* indicates required
We will never send you spam. By signing up for this you agree with our privacy policy and to receive regular updates via email in regards to industry news and promotions