As a welder, you want maximum protection while at work. If you’re just starting out, you might be on the lookout for the right welding PPE to add your list of must-haves. But if you’ve been a welder for quite some time now, you might be adding just a few to your list of favorites or maybe trying to find better options to the ones you have now. Here is a complete buying guide for the best welding pants.
What are the best pants for welding?
In buying the best welding pants, you need to take into consideration their construction details like the fabric and materials they are made of, as well as comfort and sizing. Let’s break down these points so you could confidently decide on which one you should buy.
Construction Details – Welding Pants Fabric, materials, durability
The fabric of a pair of welding pants determines the degree of safety. Aside from making sure you get flame retardant pants or FR Welding Pants, get one that is spark-resistant and has self-extinguishing mechanisms. Also, consider getting one that has a minimum of 9-ounce cotton blend fabric. Canvas, twill, or cotton duck are all materials that are used frequently at the 12-ounce weight and higher. This provides longer wear and a delay of transmission of heat from welding spatter and sparks.
Another option is to get a pair of leather welding pants. The best thing about these kinds of pants is that they can also withstand harsh conditions. Leather has resistance and flexibility features. They can be less comfortable than cotton, but they are warmer, making them perfect for working in cold climates.
When it comes to its zippers, look for one that has brass zippers. Brass is a self-lubricating metal and they are longer lasting than nylon or steel ones.
As to the waist fasteners, get one with either wood, leather, or plastic fasteners so it won’t get hot easily or so that electricity won’t easily transmit.
Make sure seams lie flat and are double and triple stitched to ensure security for a long time. This will disallow embers to reach the leg of the pants.
Get one with gussets. These add extra strength to the pants’ high-stress parts. Other reinforcements to consider would be rivets, extra lock stitching, and linings.
You can also check if these welding pants have the proper certification. The National Fire Protection or NFPA and other organizations give certifications to specific pants that meet industry standards. A certified welding pant means it has gone through a vigorous test which makes them more recommendable.
Comfort
Remember, comfort matters. If it’s difficult for you to wear your welding pants, it will be hard for you to feel secure in them. Choose materials that breathe. Breathability gets you through the heat and ultimately allows for more swift movements which welders do a lot of. This means that when you get yourself a pair of welding pants, you need to also make sure that you get one that is light enough to facilitate these movements.
Sizing
Choosing the right size brings you comfort. And if you’re comfortable, you move better and you perform better. Welding pants need to fit your waist comfortably in such a way that it’s secure and it doesn’t move around. This will disallow sparks and embers inside the waits.
The length of your welding pants need to be long enough to cover any exposed laces on your welding boots. But, they should also be short enough that you’re not walking on the heels.
As to the diameter, these need to be big enough to cover your boots but not loose enough to catch objects or tools while working.
