I've had a NexGen for about six months & am happy with it. The "clear view' is around 2.5

I am a weekend welder using it mainly for mig & O/A. I've also used the 3N1 setting when doing several cycles of welding and grinding - it saves time to be able to just keep your helmet down while doing different processes.

So far the only thing I would change is that I have to both take off the helmet and remove my gloves to change settings. The buttons are inside the helmet and are too small to push with thick gloves. Tig gloves would probably work though.

Hi Brande,
I just got a Speedglas 9002x about 2 weeks ago to throw in my truck.
Have an older one in the shop. They seem to have cured the bugs from the 9000 with this one. I run mostly stick and fluxcore, and you can delay dark to light switching so your puddle can darken a little, or very fast for tacking.
Also no more flashing when out of position. The light shade is 3, good enough to see what you are doing.

Hope this helps. Jeff

Hi brande
Just purchase a Speedglass 9002X along with adflo filter works well the settings allow for pulse tig at very low amps best money I ever spent
Have a 9000X 4 years old its the only auto darkening that has stood up to everyday use also had sellstorm and jachson
Barbados

I have both the speedglass and next-gen. The speedglass has a better helmet were the lens in the Jackson is slightly better. (Just an opinion). Either one is a great helmet.

Now after the point of sale, Jackson blows them away. If you have a problem with the Jackson they will bend over backwards to help you. Good luck with speedglass I have never gotten them to give me the time of day.

I've had the 9000x for about 2 years and still wouldn't give it up for a new anything else, I also own a MillerXLix and a Jackson journeyman and the Speedglas is the best. Its lighter more flexible and the controls are all inside. On the down side, the up and down adjustment is a little weak, and the safety shields are speedglas only items. The weaknesses are substantially outweighed by the strengthes.

There is a new helmet from Miller called the Big Window Elite which has more sensors and is getting very Hight praises from my friends on the miller site, I haven't yet tried it but I respect their opinion!

Peace,

Brande,
The guys here at work have tried many varieties of the auto-darkening shields and we require hard hats in the shop in addition to the welding shield. Herein lies the problem with the Speedglas vs the Jackson Executive in our shop. (haven't used the Nexgen, yet)

The Speedglas utilizes it's own version of a hard hat which requires adapters, the bands break that allows the shield to slide up and down and guys are frequently sending their equipment back for service and are unhappy with that service to boot.

The Jackson fits our company issued hardhats and we add the little ears to hook the shield onto ...all Jackson stocked, no special hardhats or adapters with the Jackson products. Just a few more thoughts to consider. Might not be relevant to your work at your shop.

As far as the working of the "auto darkening" features, I think the guys seem OK with either shield. By the way, we still have those Fibermetal shields in use in our shop...some of the older gents won't let go of that shield that they have had for decades that still works great. I don't blame them, as long as it still works.
John Wright

Hi brande,both are good hoods,but i like my Nexgen 's 3-1 mode
with the touch of a button you can change from your varible welding shade to you're grinding shade then to you're #5 cutting shade.
sure helps speed things up