Best Welding Shirts (2020): Reviews Of Our Favorite Workwear To Use

Welding shirts are designed to smother hot sparks and are good adjuncts to leather jackets. These shirts offer extra protection against flying sparks that may get past your jacket or helmet. They may also provide more warmth if you’re welding in winter or in cold environments. But the best welding shirts provide comfort in hot conditions. If you’re working in the field on a hot summer day, a good welding shirt will not only protect you but also keep you comfortable throughout your gig.

A lot of guys ridicule the danger of flying sparks when welding. A spark landing in the pocket of your everyday shirt? No problem. Yeah, that’s until that random moment when that glowing splinter burns the fabric and then your skin. A welding shirt is essentially a flame-resistant clothing that constitutes your overall protective arsenal in the workshop.

The importance of welding shirts cannot be discounted, so our next concern is finding the best flame-resistant shirts for welders out there. After all, you don’t want to compromise on your safety at work. The following are some of the best welding shirts based on quality and features.

Black Stallion FR Denim

This is the best value for your money. The affordable Black Stallion FR is a long sleeve shirt that protects you from sparks and spatter without weighing you down like a leather jacket. It’s comfortable and offers an added layer of protection to your jacket, although it can be worn alone for light welding projects. Its breathable 8-oz 100% cotton denim provides natural resistance to flames.

This Black Stallion shirt is further treated to make it more flame-resistant. You can rest assured this protective clothing meets the ASTM F1506 standard. That means you can wash this shirt more than 25 times, and it will retain its flame resistance.

Wrangler RIGGS Workwear for Men

This classic workshirt wins the durability contest. It’s a fire-resistant shirt made to last for years to come while keeping you safe from sparks and spatter. The Wrangler Riggs is made of 100% flame-resistant cotton. The fabric is carefully made to meet the stringent OSHA Final Rule 1910.269 and CAT2 and 2112 classifications.

Nonetheless, for any type of clothing, comfort comes first. What’s the point of having a durable welding shirt if you don’t want to wear it because it’s stiff and itchy? The good thing about this work shirt is it’s comfortable and has sleeves that fit your body and arms nicely. Again, the fabric self-extinguishes when exposed to flame or sparks to protect you from burns.

Perhaps the main attraction this shirt has is its professional look, made possible by its button-down collar, two chest pockets with button flaps, and highly visible compliance labels. Despite the fact that it’s made for welders, one can wear it anywhere because of its good looks.

Carhartt Flame Resistant Twill Shirt

Carhartt’s classic flame-resistant welding shirt is one of the best on the market, but this lighter version is noteworthy for the comfort and convenience it brings. Don’t mistake its lightweight nature for lack of quality. It meets NFPA 70E and NFPA 2112/CAT 2 requirements. This 6-ounce shirt is 88% cotton and 12% nylon. Its seams have triple stitches, so it’s not easy to tear. It’s still a durable shirt despite being lighter than many welding shirts. One thing wearers noted is that it’s still a pretty warm piece of clothing in summer. You can throw it into a laundry machine, but the fabric can have a lot of creases that are difficult to smooth out.

Carhartt Women’s FR Twill Welding Shirt

Carhartt makes durable welding shirts for women. This button-down collar work shirt for women is designed to allow free motion. It doesn’t feel stiff, but some find it too loose-fitting and may prefer the snugness of the Wrangler shirt. The chest pocket flaps have flame-resistant buttons as well. It feels warm, so it’s not exactly the kind of welding shirt you want to wear on a hot day.

Wrangler Riggs Women’s FR Western Snap Shirt

Made from cotton and nylon, this western-style work shirt boasts a sateen finish, which provides a soft, silky feel. Hence, this is possibly the most comfortable flame-resistant shirts out there. But this authentic Wrangler shirt is durable. The misconception is that comfortable welding shirts provide less protection than their thick, heavy counterparts. That’s not the case with the Wrangler Riggs snap shirt. The fit is good, not too tight and not too loose. When a work shirt is made to meet CAT2 and 2112 requirements, you can bet it’s a well-made, high-quality shirt.

The Bottom Line

If you’re asking whether you can just wear a welding shirt and forgo a welding jacket, the answer is it depends. Most professional welders do not recommend wearing a flame-resistant shirt alone. However, do note that the Black Stallion shirt is okay for some light welding work.

Many flame-resistant shirts are not burn-proof, but they effectively block spatter and prevent burns. However, you still need a welding jacket over your FR shirt for serious welding operations. 

Welding Shirts

If you would like to learn more about welding shirts please read our article that focusing on if they are a necessity or if they are considered an unnecessary expense.