(Updated October 27, 2017)
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How Do I Choose the Best Face Shield?
One of the most compelling characters in film history is Star Wars’ Darth Vader. Known for kicking behinds and taking names, what makes him even more fascinating is his costume, particularly the headgear. Traversing beyond intergalactic horizons, fighting warring forces is no feat for the faint-hearted, and Darth Vader makes safety a top priority. With his awesome headgear, this character is protected from exploding asteroids, and also sounds cool when he talks. Closer to home, working in an industrial setting can become dangerous and, for this reason, safety should be a top priority.
With a face shield, your face and neck will be protected from the debris produced as you work on various surfaces using exertive tools that produce fragments, such as
power sanders,
nail guns, and
cordless drills. Our selected face shields have a large visor that provides a wide range of protection, giving you the confidence to take on risky tasks.
Ultimately, every individual wants to go home with their face intact after a long day of work. A face shield provides this guarantee, ensuring that you have the confidence to expand your professional horizon by taking on new assignments. It’s important we mention that our selected products are not only for use in an industrial setting, but also for home use. By considering our selection of face shields, you can rest assured that you will never miss a day of work because of an occupation-related facial injury.
Price
If you’re looking to safeguard your safety or the safety of your workers in a dangerous industrial environment, price should not be an obstacle. In our list, we have affordable face shields that will be easy on your pocket. However, in order to benefit from top-line features such as an anti-fog visor, you may just have to consider buying the high-end face shields in our selection.
The price of our face shields ranges from around $10 to $120, with the differences being accounted for by brand and features. For instance, a Salisbury by Honeywell face shield will cost you more than one produced by a lesser-known brand, as the former is known for producing high-quality personal electrical safety products. Similarly, a face shield that has top-line features such as a chin guard will cost you more than one that does not.
All of this said, you may still be tempted to go for a cheap face shield. However, we discourage you from going for such because they are not as durable or effective as the more-expensive products.
Features
The primary function of a face shield is to protect you from flying debris, chemical spills, falling objects, and impacts as you work. Apart from color, let’s look at features to consider when purchasing a face shield.
- Material - This is the constituent matter of the face shield.
- Impact Resistance - A face shield may have a Z87+ or Z87 rating.
- Visor - This feature impacts the usability of the face shield.
- Warranty - A manufacturer’s support is gauged by the duration of the warranty as well as its ability to adhere to its provisions.
- Area of Protection - The larger the area covered by the face shield, the more protection it offers you.
- Breathability - A face shield should allow you to breathe without any problems.
- Extras - These are additional features that increase a face shield’s effectiveness.
Construction and Design
When you’re on the market for a face shield you need to consider material, impact resistance, visor as well as other extras. Let’s take a look at these aspects in more detaill.
Material
Material is an important feature to consider when purchasing a face shield as it determines its durability to a large extent. Most face shields have a polycarbonate or steel mesh visor.The polycarbonate edition is more durable than a steel mesh one, and also offers protection from fine debris that may go through a steel mesh.
Impact Resistance
Impact resistance is another factor to take into account when selecting your face shield. Having established that this product is supposed to be used in environments where chemical splashes, flying debris, and impacts are the order of the day, it helps a lot if your face shield can withstand them. Our selected face shields either have a Z87 or Z87+ rating. A Z87+-rated one is especially suitable for the industrial environment as its glass can withstand an object coming at you with a velocity of 100 miles per hour.
Visor
Being the largest part of a face shield, a user’s ability to manipulate the visor to his or her liking is a big plus. A good face shield is supposed to be clear and anti-fog. It comes to you as no surprise that the first step to doing a good job in an industrial setting is actually seeing what you’re working on. This anti-fog feature ensures that your vision is never clouded. A replaceable visor is also immense as it means that you’ll never have to go out and buy another face shield because the visor cracked.
Extras
In addition to a visor, there are numerous features that our selected brands add to their face shields to increase their effectiveness. Some of the extras you’re likely to find include a hard hat, chin guard, and thermoplastic crown protector.
Performance and Ease of Use
The ease of use of a face shield is super important. If it’s difficult to put on or take off or doesn’t offer good visibility, you’re going to find using it a lot more difficult. Let’s see some more things to take into consideration.
Ease of Breathing
A big part of being comfortable in a face shield is breathing with ease. By selecting one of our featured products that has a steel mesh visor, breathing will never be a challenge.
Area of Protection
The area of protection is another key consideration factor. The larger the area covered by the face shield, the more protection it offers you. By selecting the Salisbury by Honeywell face shield, for example, your entire head will be protected as the product also comes with a chin guard and a hard cap.
Warranty
Finally, the warranty is a good indicator of expected performance. The longer its duration, the more durable your face shield is. In an industry where consumables rarely have a guarantee, our selected brands have demonstrated their confidence in their products by offering warranties that range from one month to a lifetime.
What is the Best Face Shield?
The best face shield has to be comfortable, secure, and meet the safety specifications necessary for your work. Our chosen face shields are strictly regulated by multiple federal standards, such as The American National Standards Institute and the European Committee for Standardization, which underlines their quality. Let’s proceed to the review, confident that you’ll get one that shapes up to your needs.
Our Top Choice
The UVEX Bionic Clear Face Shield protects against impacts, chemicals, and debris with an anti-fog polycarbonate visor. Looking for more from UVEX? Check out the
Bacou-Dalloz-UVEX Bionic Face Shield!
Uvex Bionic Face Shield with Clear Polycarbonate Visor and Anti-Fog Hard Coat – Also Available in a 3 Pack
Uvex Face Shield S8510 – 1 Pack
Features
UVEX is a worldwide leader in protective eyewear and face masks. If you’ve spent any time on a shooting range, working with hazardous materials, or performing a task with risk of damage to your face, it’s likely that you’ve seen a UVEX solution. It has a variety of face shields available, with different materials and options to meet every price point.
The UVEX Bionic Clear Face Shield is sturdy, durable and affordable at just under $35. The clear polycarbonate shield is impact-, heat-, chemical-, and fog-resistant for high visibility while working. As always, you will want to wear protective goggles or glasses underneath. The ergonomic design is spacious enough for accommodation and padded for all-day comfort. The headband is breathable and removable, and the safety mask meets Z87+ and CSA Z94.3 standards. It comes in a black matte color with dielectrics, has non-magnetic construction and fits UVEX replaceable face shields.
Best Value
The 3M Full Face Shield is a polycarbonate Z87 protector designed for splash resistance and clarity. Need a top-of-the-line respiratory face shield? You may need the 3M
M-100 Series Versaflo!
3M V4 Series Clear Face Shield – Also Available in 2 Pack
3M Face Shield 90028 - 1
Features
3M powers factories, warehouses, and job sites worldwide, and it has built a reputation on dependable equipment that is work-ready and tough. Its research and development labs have created some of the most innovative safety gear in use today. With a variety of protective eye and face equipment, 3M products are versatile and ready for every job.
If you’re searching for a simple, affordable face shield, look no further. At under $11, the 3M Full Face Shield is designed for basic protection and meets ANSI Z87 standards. The strong thermoplastic crown material holds the polycarbonate visor so you can focus on getting the job done. If you find that you need more protection or different gear in the future, the visor is easily replaced for versatile protection, regardless of the job.
The Salisbury Hard Cap with Ratchet Suspension protects your face, chin, and head from impact, heat, and hazardous materials. Need more protection? Check out the
Salisbury Insulated Glove Kit!
Salisbury Hard Cap with Ratchet Suspension, Chin Guard and AS1200 Series Arc Flash Face Shield in Orange
Salisbury Face Shield AS1200HAT
Features
Salisbury is an industrial safety and protection brand by Honeywell, and it's been outfitting construction workers and manual laborers all over the world for decades. From hard hats to hazmat, Salisbury provides some of the largest (and smallest) companies with safety gear they can count on.
At $121.50, the Salisbury Hard Cap with Ratchet Suspension is one of the more expensive models featured, but it includes a hard hat and chin guard for extra protection. The bright orange hard hat meets HRC 2 specifications and has an ATPV rating of 12 cal/cm2. It has a ratchet suspension system to hold the face visor in place. The face shield is a Z87 standard visor with a neon green tint and side vents for breathability and fog resistance. The additional chin guard offers extra protection, and if you need a visor with higher impact resistance, the screen can be replaced by one of the many alternatives by Salisbury.
The Zenport Adjustable Mesh Face Shield is perfect for low-impact, breathable protection. Need to carry tools with you? Try the Zenport
Non-Absorbent Plastic Knife Sheath!
Zenport Face Shield with Adjustable Mesh Visor
Zenport Face Shield FS825
Features
Zenport makes safety equipment and horticultural gear for outdoor activities. From eye, ear, and head protection to gloves and knee pads, Zenport has you covered. It has a variety of face shields, protective glasses, and eye goggles to choose from, and the steel mesh mask is perfect for light use.
The Zenport Adjustable Mesh Face Shield is unique in style and functionality. It's designed to protect your face from flying wood chips while you're sawing or cutting wood. It is not impact-resistant to extreme force or velocity. Likewise, it is not designed to endure heat or protect your face from chemical splashes. It excels as a lightweight, flexible, and breathable mask to protect your face during regular or light work activities. The mesh shield is adjustable for fit and tension, with simple use and a one-size-fits-all design.
Survival Air Systems Deluxe Clear Face Shield
Survival Air Systems Face Shield 5145
Features
Survival Air Systems is a worldwide seller of safety equipment and accessories. It focuses on ear, eye, nose, and throat protection, and has an extensive line of respirator masks and face shields. Its Clear Face Shield has a simple design and an affordable price.
The impact-resistant polycarbonate shield has a closely curved fit and aspherical lenses for the maximum field of view and protection. The push-and-turn ratcheting adjustment locks for a secure fit, and it includes a carrying case for scratch protection.
Get the Best Face Shield of 2018!
If you work in a dangerous industrial environment and wish to see another day, safety is the name of the game. By selecting one of our face masks, you’ll be assured of facial protection at all times. Our products are also highly durable, meaning you won’t need to buy another one when you move on to another assignment. However, if you fail to spot your desired facemask, keep in mind that our selected brands have other options available that you can take a look at.
Our Top Choice
Uvex Bionic Clear Face Shield
Salisbury Faceshield & Headgear
Zenport Adjustable Mesh Face Shield
Survival Air Systems Clear Face Shield
