Best Welding Safety Glasses (Shades 14-10-5)

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Are you a new welder who’s looking for the best welding glasses? You’re on the right track. If you know welders who disregard eye protection when welding, perhaps by not using the right lens shade or using old helmets, don’t assume what they’re doing is okay just because they seem fine. Eye damage that results from arc radiation can be insidious.

If, however, you’re looking for the best welding safety glasses because you previously suffered from arc eye or welder’s flash, you’re also doing the right thing. When looking for safety glasses for welding, you will come across different lens shades. These shade numbers range from 3 to 14, and they matter, especially if you’re choosing fixed-shade welding helmets. Many welders still prefer these helmets to auto-darkening helmets. 

Basically, the shade number tells you how dark the lens is. The higher the shade number, the darker the glass. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best welding glasses with shades 14, 10, and 5.

The Best Shade 5 Welding Glasses

Shade 5 lenses are not dark enough for most types of welding operations, but you can use them for light plasma cutting. Like any welding glasses, they provide protection against stray sparks and debris that may hit your eyes. 

Hobart 770726 Shade 5 Safety Glasses

Made of polycarbonate, the Hobart 770726 glasses are scratch-resistant and shatterproof, making them able to withstand tough work situations. The lenses are mirrored, and the frames are form-fitting give you a feeling of comfort and much of time you will forget you are wearing them.

The frames also feature a soft foam lining that protects from dust, debris, and sweat.

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Hobart Shade 5 Mirrored Safety Glasses

Bolle Safety Shade 5 Welding Safety Glasses

These polycarbonate glasses for welders are scratch-resistant. They offer protection against ultraviolet radiation by why of the thick, heavy duty lenses. UV radiatin of up to 99 percent can be expected with these saefty glasses.

Another exciting feature of these glasses is that fact they have no metal parts which would become very hot while welding or plasma cutting which could cause burns to your skin.

They are extremely light weight and comfortable to wear.

Bolle Shade 5 Welding Glasses

welding jacket example
  • Scratch Resistant 
  • Polycarbonate/TPE Frame
  • Neck Cord
  • ANSI Z87, 1-2010, CSA-Z94

Miller Electric Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses

These polycarbonate glasses are polarized to allow you to see clearly in bright light while protecting you from different types of hazards. The safety glasses are fitted with ear pads that are rubberized to make the glasses comfortable. 

Miller is known for making high-quality welding kits and these safety glasses are no exception to the company’s line of great products.

Miller Electric Shade 5.0 Welding Safety Glasses

The Best Shade 10 Welding Glasses

Manufacturers don’t typically make shade 10 glasses, because this shade is in an awkward place between being dark enough and not dark enough.

Shade 10 glasses don’t offer sufficient protection from high amperage welding arcs. Even so, they are handy in any workshop. If you’re doing mid amperage MIG, TIG, or stick welding, you’ll find any shade 10 lens useful. Despite these glasses being “not dark enough,” they render your surroundings almost pitch black until you strike an arc. 

Needless to say, welding glasses come handy in situations where you have to work in small areas where helmets will not fit or are unsuitable.

NOVEL Safety Glasses Shade 10

These radiation-resistant glasses are so dark that you will see almost nothing until you start welding and they provide solid protection for soldering or melting projects.

The NOVEL glasses are an affordable, light weight option that are comfortable and also come with adjustable earpieces and replaceable poly-carbonate lenses.

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NOVEL Safety Glasses Shade 10

YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Glasses

Although not specifically Shade 10 Welding Glasses, these impressive safety glasses cover not only shade 10, but shades 4/5-9/9-13 giving providing great flexibility in a wide range of applications.

These sophisticated welding safety glasses allow you to carry out TIG MIG MMA and plasma applications.

Perfect for maximum protection where access with a proper welding helmet is limited.

YESWELDER True Color Auto Darkening Welding Glasses

The Best Shade 14 Welding Glasses

Shade 14 is the darkest shade for welders. It’s not the most commonly used shade, as it’s reserved for the most intense type of welding. These glasses are so dark that you can use them to watch a solar eclipse. 

Plastic Solar Eclipse Shade 14

These glasses look like your regular sunglasses, but you can’t see anything at all when you wear them. They keep 99% of ultraviolet radiation and 97% of infrared radiation, so you can use them for any type of welding. 

This particular pair of safety glasses are a cheaper option and comes with a glasses lanyard and a micro fibre pouch for cleaning and storing the glasses.

Plastic Solar Eclipse Glasses

High Definition Precision Plasma Cutting

TITUS Welding Safety Glasses

The TITUS safety goggles come in shades 9, 11, and 14. You can swap one lens for another when the need arises. The lenses are easy to change, so you should have no trouble switching to a shade 14 for high amperage welding. Simply unscrew the ring, remove the lens, and attach the shade 14 lenses.

This pair of goggles comes with an adjustable strap to fit the eyewear securely to your head. The additional padding around the lenses make them comfortable to wear for long hours of work. In addition, the nose bridge is also adjustable.

They also have two adjustable vents that can cut off or provide indirect fresh air.

TITUS Welding Safety Glasses

The Bottom Line

It’s hard to find the perfect welding glasses. Even the best ones come with some drawbacks, but these drawbacks don’t make them any less functional. The most important thing is these glasses do what they’re supposed to do: protect your eyes from intense radiation while you’re welding. 

Further Reading – What Do Welding Shade Numbers Mean?

Sam Cobb

Sam Cobb

Chief Editor

Hi everyone, my name is Samuel but all of my friends call me Sam. I have been a very hands on person ever since I was a kid. Back in those days I was more interested in wood work and have always been a very keen gardener. I find physical projects very rewarding and love having something practical that I can use that I have made with my own hands.

As I have progressed with my DIY skill set I have focused more and more on working with metal. Now my favorite projects are combining my metal working skills with my wood working skills.

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