For top of the line dependability, check these out:

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/welding_protection/head_face/helmets/digital-elite/

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_EU/Speedglas/WeldingShields/EyeFaceProtection/9100Shield/

Here is a thread on the Jackson Balder hood posted about a year and a half ago.

https://app.aws.org/forum/topic_show.pl?pid=256506;hl=welding%20hoods

The old grouch Paladin posted a bit of a review and thoughts on the Jackson and hoods in general in that thread.

I have both the Jackson Balder and the Miller Digital Elite out for everyday use. I most always use the Balder for welding regardless of process. I use the Miller for torch cutting because it has a torch mode. The Jackson does not.

The Jackson Balder has a fairly comfortable head gear but read the review for more info. But like most hoods I have ever used, unless one has it screwed down tight on your head, bending over ( head down) will send it off your head. I'm pretty good at catching it as it comes off. Practice.

I'm on my third Miller Digital Elite. The new style head gear is a FAIL in my opinion. It seemed like it would be good. But I soon changed it out for an the previous design head gear from an older Miller I had. If I remember, it (new miller head gear) was even worse for flying off my head and friction to control the head shake drop was not consistent. But the biggest fault (to me) is when you fully raise the hood it stops at an angle that when leaning over the full weight of the hood pulls it down or off your head. If that stop was not there or would let the hood tilt further back, one could lean over a little with out the hood falling down, and you could still cause it to drop with a modest head shake.

The very old Jacksons had no stops on them. This was long,long, ago before auto lens hoods. If you were not about to weld you could tilt it back far enough and it would stay up. Then when your were about to tack or weld, bring it forward to the tipping point, hold piece of steel in one hand, stinger in the other, gentle nod of the head and in the business of welding.

Floyd

I use the Lincoln Viking hoods. Reasonably priced, work excellent and hold up very well. I dropped mine 200 ft a few weeks ago, bounced excessively off the tower all the way down then crashed onto the roof of one of the buildings. I have been using it everyday since then.

I've used Miller's top of the line, hanging in my garage with a lens that has this weird spot in the lower left corner(looking from the inside). I've take very good care of it, never used it up high. It's not a crack, just some weird spot that has begun propagating and getting larger. Don't trust it so $400 hangs around for new spider webs. I also have a Speedglas hood. Dropped it off the tower as well. Broke my headgear was the only thing that happened to it as it bounced all the way down the climbing ladder for 200+ feet. I went to buy new head gear, two years after I bought the hood and apparently Speedglas redesigned that hood and parts are no longer available for mine. I tried a head piece similar but it has never worked the same. If you tilt you head back the hood stays up. Stand normal and it falls down, every time. So, $400 PLUS hood, basically useless.

On my third Lincoln Viking hood. Carry two in the truck in case one decides to go for a flight. First one was destroyed in an accident of fury. The other two are holding strong. Everybody loves my purple and black hood with purple hearts on it. They always mention the purple hearts. I got it for a discount because I guess real men were afraid to wear a purple hood with purple hearts, tarnish their image or something. LOL!!

The Viking has a knob on the outside to turn on the lens. For me that is what I like most. The Speedglas had off and on, inside the hood with adjustments for shade, no grind mode. Millers controls were all inside which was a pain if you are grinding on and off then welding. Not that I'm grinding bad welds, grinding out root passes, grinding galvanizing off that should have been ground off before I arrived and such. The switch, on the outside for me is great. Reach up, turn it off, turn it on. With the Miller and Speedglas it was raise the hood, cross your eyes to locate the button, push and hold the Speedglas to turn it off or on(5-10 seconds) or with Miller, adjust the shade thru the list of modes to find the "Grind" shade. Lincoln, reach, twist, done.

That's just my personal opinion.