Optrel Swiss Air

[Easywelder]

Anyone using one? Thoughts? I need a new welding helmet, but I also grind quite a bit and also am an arable farmer and the grain store and grain drier gets dusty so am thinking one of these would be pretty handy all round. Pluses are I can switch from welding to cutting and grinding easily without keeping the helmet on so much better visibility , probably more comfortable once on. Harder to put on though, not sure how it would be under a welding helmet. Expensive…..

 

[bletchmonster]

Not seen that model before, looking at it and having done a lot of the work you describe, I would be looking at the 3m fx or G5 01.
Not as trendy maybe but optrel just haven't got the grind weld thing sorted for some reason. That optrel face mask looks to be hideous to wear compared to a proper air fed visor. Only a jumped to conclusion!

 

[northwest]

Not wishing to start an argument but I think you are right, it looks like a good all round mask and being Optrel you can be sure it works as advertised, it took me a while to get used to my Optrel helmet but now that I have I wouldn't go back.

 

[bletchmonster]

No argument to have, only spouting my opinion

 

[hotponyshoes]

The Swiss air is not like a normal airfed mask.
It's just the breathing system, basically an air-fed half-mask.

It's very comfortable to wear and once you have all the straps adjusted properly you hardly notice its on. Very quiet and smooth running.
The blower unit sits on your back so the filters last well as they don't normally get grinding dust etc directed straight at them.
Does get in the way if you want to jump into a car seat or something though.

It's good as you can just use any mask you have/like with it. Ie, take a welding mask off and use a full face shield to grind rather than looking through a small window of a weld mask in grind mode.
You can wear it by itself or with goggles, sunglasses etc but it comes up quite high over the nose so not all goggles/glasses work very well with it.

It's a bit slow to put on so you probably wouldn't bother if you were just popping into the grain store to take a moisture reading but once it's on you can leave it on happily for hours and the battery lasts all day if you wanted to clean the store out.

It does muffle speech so not brilliant if you are working with others.

The ability just to whip a helmet off and put it down for better visibility makes it more enjoyable to use than a traditional air-fed setup.

The only complaints I have heard about them is that it doesn't cool the inside of the helmet so you can get misting on the lense if you change temperature quickly and it can also get hot under the helmet if you are doing heavy welding in tight spaces but that's probably not going to apply to you or me!

 

[Brad93]

Personally i'd buy a system from a company that specialises in respirators, rather than a welding helmet company having a crack.

Sundstrom would be my go to for that type of half mask system and at a fraction of the price.