Racecarl, when I bought the MM251 for work, it came with a "free" auto darkening helmet. I don't know what brand it is, but it looks kinda like the ones in the Northern Tool catalog. It has an adjustable darkness setting and a sensitivity setting to determine when to go dark. It is well worth the investment. In times past (especially when stick welding) I sometimes strike an arc while getting setup with the hood still up and would see purple spots from the flash. No longer with this new helmet - just makes it a lot easier and more comfortable to weld.
