The hard hat is the most important part of your personal protective equipment (PPE). Having the best hard hat can prevent head damages, particularly for workers in dangerous settings, like on the construction sites. If you always work in a risky environment like a construction site, then you should know how a high-quality, and best hard hat keep you safe. With this PPE head gear, you can secure your head from falling objects.
Apart from construction workers, cool hard hats are available for people who work in manufacturing plants and mining sites. It has a key role in everyone’s safety, particularly the workers’ safety who spend their days in tough work environments.
If you want to buy a high-quality and unique hard hat that you want to use at the workplace then you must find a hat, which is of high-quality, protective, and comfortable. Finding the appropriate fit is also essential for your comfort.
To reduce the burden of choosing a hard hat, we reviewed reliable, comfortable, and lightweight hard hats with the best prices so that you can view their strengths and weaknesses in one place. Hence, getting the perfect hard hat will be hassle-free and easy for you.
1. PYRAMEX RIDGELINE MATTE BLACK FULL BRIM HARD HAT
These hard hats are built with the ABS material which is sufficiently strong, still super light with the best protection. The ratchet suspension makes this hat to be easy for the hat adjustment and allows the wearer to have the perfect fitting while using this hard hat. These come with exchangeable padding of the soft brow, suspensions, and headbands to offer the user comfortable feelings. With its HP6PTSUS, you can easily convert 4 point suspensions to 6 points and the shell thickness varies from 0.07 to 0.16 inches.
Pros
• Strongest and lightweight ABS construction
• Low-profile design that offers full coverage
• Provides adequate sun glare and electrical protection
• Promotes a secure, comfortable, and customizable fit
• Offers customized comfort
Cons
• The paint is prone to chipping and scratching
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2. MSA SKULL-GARD 475407
These hard hats can bear temperature as high as up to 350F. These hats are ANSI/CSA Type I Compliant, it protects you from vertical effects and penetrations. The ANSI/SEA Z89, 1-2014 belonging to class G that gives protection up to 2200 volts. The hats are furnished with Fast-Trac III ratchet-style suspension for quick alteration which comforts you for the whole day. These hats come in the size from 6 ½” to 8” which can easily fit on your head.
Pros
• Beautiful and sturdy construction
• Promotes a comfortable, adjustable, and secure fit
• Have sizing adjustments due to Fas-Trac III ratchet suspension system
• Versatile, allowing it to act as efficient protective equipment in a number of industries
• Can offer amazing protection in hot and dangerous work environments
Cons
• Not that breathable
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3. KAIWORLDSHOP FIBERGLASS HARD HAT
The KaiWorldShop Fiberglass Hard Hat is one of the light hard hats out there. Since it weighs just 1.2 pounds, it would not weigh you down through the day, still yet provides plenty of protection. It has a complete brim. This’s best for industries where you keep working when it rains, as the full brim will keep the rain off your neck. The quick-track suspension system is very simple to adjust, and it results in a comfortable fit. Many workers suffer from hats that do not fit well and are not comfortable. We love this hat’s cool airflow system. It is well-vented, and that makes a big difference when it is hot. While it can be a slight downside when it is cold, it is nice to have a helmet that does not build up excess heat in the summer. One issue with it is that this hat will sit higher compared to other hard hats, which can look funny. However, if you want a cool and comfortable hard hat, then this hat is for you.
Pros
• Cool airflow
• Full brim
• Fast-trac suspension
• Lightweight
Cons
• Sits high
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4. EVOLUTION DELUXE 6161 HARD HAT
This hard hat is based on earlier models from the company such as the MK2 or MK3 hats. This hard hat comes with a full-brim and high-density polyurethane shell for better protection in your workstation. It has been made for protecting your head from serious impacts that can occur from heavy materials, tools, and other things. This hat has a 6-point ratcheting suspension system made of webbing straps and clips which are secured by an HDPE main strap. It contains a ph for your comfort and sweat absorption. This hat features a tested sweatband and this band is manufactured with an Egyptian cotton core. This hat full-brim design will protect your neck as well as ears from the dirt, sunlight, falling debris, and others. Its perfect ratcheting system makes it easy to get a safe and secure fit. If you want affordable and reliable protection for your head, you have found the solution. The JSP Evolution Deluxe leads the way in safety, reliability, comfort, and style.
Pros
• Promotes proper ventilation and air circulation, thanks to its vent holes
• Available in many colors
• The comfy fabric is used in the suspension straps of this hat
• Guarantees the best fit with the help of its adjustable depth
• Good structural strength, thanks to the sturdy high-density polyethylene plastic construction
Cons
• Too thin sweatband
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5. LIFT SAFETY HDF-15NG DAX HARD HAT
The Lift Safety Hard Hat gives you a ton of options, and that is the best thing. You can get this hat in 5 different colors, and you can select between full brim and cap style hard hats in every color. It includes a 6-point suspension system, which leads to a comfortable fit and more safety. This model has a molded EVA foam insert that increases its ability to absorb shocks, which is a nice plus. This hat runs a small large, so if you continuously find that hard hats are too small for you, there is a great chance you will end up liking this one. One thing to note is that several users find that this model sits low on their heads. You can change it by changing your hat suspension, but it will add some additional amount to the overall cost, and this hat is also not the cheap hard hat. That is an issue that drops this otherwise great hat out of the top three. Yet, if you need a hard hat that gives you options in color and brim kind and runs a bit large, this will be a good fit.
Pros
• The option of colors and brims
• 6-point suspension system
• Foam insert for more shock protection
• Great for large heads
Cons
• Sits low
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6. HONEYWELL SUPEREIGHT THERMOPLASTIC FULL BRIM HARD HAT
This Hard Hat is made for strength and durability. It is best for harsh environments in all world. It has 8 Points Ratchet Suspension, 3RW2 Ratchet Headband, and Super-Electric Thermoplastic shell material for best protection. Its best design eliminates the risk of an object being trapped by ribs, and slots. It also offers protection from the sun, dust, non-toxic splash, dirt, and debris. The 360-degree sweatband is padded for comfort and perforated to let air circulate for a cooling impact. Headband adjustment lets users wear headgear for a long time comfortably.
Pros
• Offers multiple color choices
• Highly protective from impact, falling debris, rain, rays of the sun, and other elements
• Comfortable to use for a long period
• Guarantees an adjustable and customizable fit
• Beautiful graphics and design
Cons
• Doesn’t provide height adjustment
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7. PYRAMEX SAFETY SL SERIES HARD HAT
This hard hat combines a lower profile and you can use it easily. It features a design with a shell, which provides the best protection without being overloaded or heavy. The general design is the same as your average hard hat, making it familiar for people who have worn them in the past, and the rim at the front permits it to protect the face of wearer from angled bumps. The easy ratcheting suspension means that you can rapidly and simply adjust the fit without needing to eliminate your helmet and expose yourself. The higher -density polyethylene shell helps protect from sudden effects without weighing you down, staying comfortable and lightweight at all times.
Pros
• Low overall weight
• Easy profile.
• Made of protective and high-density materials.
• Simple enough for most conditions.
• Simple to use suspension.
Cons
• The top surface tends to get scratched
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8. MSA 475395 SKULLGARD CAP HARD HAT
The Skullgard hard hats are tested to brilliant heating which can bear temperature up to 350F. These hard hats are Type I and ANSI/CSA Compliant, protecting you from vertical effects and penetrations. The ANSI/SEA Z89, 1-2014 belonging to class G that gives protection up to 2200 volts. The hats are furnished with Fast-Trac III ratchet-style suspension for quick alteration which comforts you for the whole day. These hats come in different sizes like 6 ½ inches to 8 inches. Hence, you can easily fit this hat on your head easily.
Pros
• It is compatible with various industries who want to protect their workers
• Features a phenolic design making it suitable for high temperatures
• Sturdy and reliable for heavy use and abuse
• Shock-absorbent
• Comes with a ratchet suspension system designed to offer a comfortable fit
Cons
• The edges are somewhat unfinished and rough
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9. MSA 10079479 V-GARD AMERICAN EAGLE HARD HAT
This immediately recognizable hard hat design provides best protection from a big range of hazards, including both physical effects and electrical shocks. It uses a specially-chosen V-shaped design to help improve comfort and durability in almost all conditions and an extensive accessory system that can work with over 100 different accessories and more gadgets. The Fas-Trac III suspension system improves this comfort, even more, giving you a soft headband and multiple different adjustment options to help you get a good fit for your head shape and size. Its ratchets give a secure hold, which means that your helmet will protect you off from a sudden bump.
Pros
• Works with a lot of accessories.
• Comfortable to wear.
• Distinctive, durability-boosting shape.
• Better adjustment system.
• Very durable.
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10. PYRAMEX RIDGELINE MATTE WHITE FULL BRIM HARD HAT
The hat shell is made from polyethylene. Its ratchet suspension provides facility to the user and the user can modify the hats easily as per their own needs during its usage. The hats have soft changeable brow pads, headbands, and suspensions. You can convert this hard hat from a 4-point suspension to a 6-point suspension easily with the help of HP6PTSUS. Its warranty can be requested easily by the customer to the manufacturer. Its price is also affordable.
Pros
• Has solid structure because of ABS thermoplastic resin construction
• Fitting and comfort guaranteed with adjustable suspension
• Has various comfort features like vented pressure pad, the rear suspension, replaceable sweatband
• Highly secured and offers full coverage, due to its low-profile design
• Lightweight but durable
Cons
• The paint or coating used cannot look to withstand too much heat
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11. MSA 475369 V-GARD SLOTTED FULL BRIM HARD HAT
This Helmet is comfortable. It contains a shell and suspension unit that offers protection with limited resistance to top impact and penetration. The design of the shell is beautiful which will assist with worker acceptance of this helmet. The shell of this hat made from polyethylene while its full brim provides you more coverage at the sides and also the back of the neck. These helmets contain the Fas-Trac ratchet suspension. This kind of suspension allows for the hat adjustment by a knob to fit 4 different sizes while being worn. This hard hat may be adjusted fo fit sizes 6 1/2 to 8. Furthermore, this MSA cap includes a Cushion Aire sweatband and adjustable crown straps. Complies with ANSI Z89.1 1997, kind 1, Class E, and G standards (formerly Class A and B).
Pros
• Boasts of its perfect V design
• Can withstand the majority of extreme environments and hard worksites
• Features a nape strap with 3 levels of adjustment
• Cradles your head securely, thanks to its low nape strap
• Built-in Fas-Trac III suspension system for final comfort
Cons
• Somewhat subpar and flimsy headband
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12. PYRAMEX SAFETY RIDGELINE HARD HAT
This hard hat is manufactured strong with Abs material but feels lighter. Its simple design gives a low gravitational center which aids in good balance maintenance. These hats contain 4 harness points that aid the user in free movement of the harness upward, downward, forward and backward. The hats have an articulated pressure pad that places the strap in its original position that offers more comfort. These hard hats come with sweatbands made with polyurethane foam and padded fabric which you can easily replace.
Pros
• Strong and hard ABS structure, which is the reason why it can withstand extreme situations
• Comfortable to wear the whole day, thanks to its padded fabric
• Highly breathable, thanks to the built-in vent holes on top
• Comes with swinging hinge points which provides a comfortable position for the head’s back
• Has a rear-padded suspension system for better comfort
Cons
• Not that readily available sweatband replacements
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THE HARD HAT
Hard hats are pieces of personal protective gear that are used to protect the head from blunt force trauma, falling objects, impacts because of accidental falls, and other kinds of head injuries.
These hats are made with lightweight plastic materials like high-density polyethylene and polycarbonate for the shells. The inside suspensions are made of hard fabric materials such as nylon and polyester.
Some hard hats even have polystyrene foam injected in the space between the shell and the suspension to offer more cushioning and make the hard hat more comfortable to wear. Some so-known as hard hats that can only protect against minor effects are called bump caps. These are typically used by visitors to construction sites but will not be going into the actual construction place. These are worn by delivery people.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Most people accept the fact that hard hats protect their heads from getting hit by falling debris. However, that’s a disservice to those people who designed them.
Each part and design feature of the hard hat is particularly designed for a purpose. The suspension, for example, does more than holding your head so that the helmet will not fall off while you’re working. It separates your head from the hard hat shell itself, which is why it’s known as a suspension. Space serves a more cushion that prevents the shell from hitting your head when hit by an external force.
There’re hard hats with a brim running from front to back though others are designed in a way that the brim is at the front. The brim will protect your face from the sun’s heat and keeps the glare away from your eyes. With a wraparound brim, the brim directs the rainwater to flow from the back to the front and hence the worker will not face water running down his neck when it rains. Those are some basic parts of the hard hat and how they work.
TYPES OF HARD HATS
There are 2 types of hard hats available.
Type I hard hat: This hat focusses can protect the head top only.
Type II hard hats: It protects the head top and the sides both.
Hard hats are classified as per their electrical performance.
Class G (General Use) – also called Class A: These hard hats are rated for effect, penetration, and lowest voltages. To get certified as Class G, the hard hat must withstand 2,200 volts of electricity.
Class E (Electrical) – also called Class B: These hard hats are similar in function to the hats in Class G. Class E types can bear 20,000 volts of electricity. These are recommended in most construction sites.
Class C (Conductor) – This class is rated for effect and penetration only. In most cases, the hard hats in this class are constructed using aluminum, which is a best electrical conductor. This is why it isn’t recommended and banned from use in worksites where there’re electrified circuits.
WHY DO YOU NEED A HARD HAT?
There are various reasons to wear hard hats in different places like construction sites and other dangerous work environments. Some viable reasons for wearing a hard hat are:
VISIBILITY
The construction foremen should know that at all times where the workers are, hence they need to wear high-visibility work clothes. A hard hat is also included in the acceptable clothing list. Hard hats are colored brightly because of high visibility.
IMPACT PROTECTION
Many construction sites have employees in elevated positions and the tools they use are secured to their bodies, but still, there is a chance of something to get loose and fall to the site’s lower levels. If you’re not wearing a hat and that tool fall on your head, the damage will be massive. Also, there are several scaffoldings in worksites as well. If you get hit your head on any cross members, it will injure you. A hard hat protects your head from blunt impacts.
PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTROCUTION
Class G and Class E hard hats provide protection against electricity. If your head with a hard hat gets touched to a live wire unintentionally, you will not get any damage from high volts. Due to this reason, aluminum hard hats are no longer accepted in construction sites. The risk of fatal head injuries from falling debris and other hazards in construction sites or other places are very real, so you must protect yourself.
BUYING GUIDE
If you are looking for the best hard hat to provide you high-quality protection? Then you should follow these points when you are in the market for buying a new hard hat:
CERTIFICATION
The certification shows what type of hazards hard hats can bear. For example, Class G hard hats can protect your head from punctures, blunt force impacts, and electricity up to 2,200 volts. And, Class C (conductor) hard hats can protect your head from impact & puncture only. Hence, before buying a hard hat, you must ask your company what certification of the hard hat, you should use.
MATERIALS USED
Hard hats are manufactured with HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or polycarbonate plastic generally. These have high impact strength, no electricity conduction, lightweight and these specs make them perfect materials for hard hats. Other materials like aluminum can also be used but these hard hats are not meant for general use.
SUSPENSION
It is the harness inside the hard hat which will keep your head centered inside. It should leave some space between your head and the hat shell because it will protect your head from blunt force trauma. The hat suspension should be made of durable materials, such as nylon or polyester. Also, it must be adjustable so it can fit your head properly.
SIZE AND FIT
The hard hat must fit you perfectly. It should be tight enough that it will not fall from your head when you bend over. However, it should not be so tight that it will give you a headache. The hat suspension should be easily adjustable so that you can adjust the fit whenever you will want.
MANUFACTURING DATE
It is an important factor that you should check when you buy a hard hat. Hard hats contain a lifespan of 4 to 5 years after the manufacturing date. If you know the hat manufacturing date, you can do simple math to find how many serviceable years the hard hat has left yet.
COLORS
The color you will get will rely on the color-coding system your company is using in the construction sites. For example, bright yellow is used for general contractors such as masons, carpenters, and heavy-equipment operators. White hats are used for the foremen, architects, engineers, and VIP visitors to the site. It is also necessary to know what your job is before you will buy a hard hat. You must be careful while you are selecting so you can make sure that you will not waste money on something that you even cannot use.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Hard hats are durable and can shield you from head injuries in the construction site. But you also care, clean, and maintain it properly. It will not take so much to clean hard hats; hence you should clean your hat once a week.
You will simply remove the hat suspension then pull out the tabs from the shell. Then, in a pail of soapy water (use a mild detergent or a small amount of usual laundry detergent), soak your hat shell and the suspender. Soak them for 5 to 10 minutes. Thoroughly scrub your hard hat and suspension with a soft-bristled brush, take out dirt, oil, and grime from the hard hat.
Once you are done with scrubbing, hang the hat and suspension outside to dry. You can hang it in the sunlight for drying fast but take it back inside after an hour. Then re-assemble the helmet and store it in some cool place.
CONCLUSION
The hard hat is a very essential part of your safety equipment, so you need to make sure that you are getting a high quality and best hard hat. When you are in the workplace, then you must wear it at all times. You should note that a good square hit can seriously damage your head. Hence, always wear high quality and comfortable hard hat and also take much care of it so that it can take care of you too.