I got one of these when building a cedar strip kayak. I found it was too heavy when looking down while sanding. Made my neck really sore. I took off the cover, removed the battery and charging/switch block and wired the fan directly to a USB cable. It significantly reduced the weight. Now I put on the airshield and plug the cable into a USB power bank that fits in my pocket.
That long rant was actually very appropriate - I am an Electrical Engineer and I have an R/C plane hobby, so I have a lot of various types of batteries. I learned a lot from this video - thank you. Because of that cable that connects the battery and switch to the fan, you could also build an "extension" to that cable, and put the battery on your belt. That might be "annoying" to have another piece, but it would also take a BUNCH of weight out of the headgear. And, it would also mean that you could just charge "that thing on your belt" instead of the whole headgear.
I had one guy suggest having a long USB cable that comes out of the back of the helmet, that can run down to any generic USB battery bank that lives in your pocket - I thought that was a bloody brilliant idea!
@ValhallaIronworks It's Christmas day 2024. I'm buying this resperator as my gift. This video has saved me time and money. THANK YOU! The USB cord comment and the remote genetic battery pack is arguably the best thing I got from this video
This was exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much. I bought the trend airshield for dirt cheap secondhand but it didn't have the battery or charger, and now I know why it was so cheap lol. I am seasoned at 3d printing but not much batteries and soldering, if you decided to make a tutorial video for this, I would be in your debt, either way you have a subscriber for life since you modeled the parts and are giving them away for free, thanks again!
Brilliant! I'm so glad it helped! If I ever do a video showing the wiring up, I'll post it here - but do give it a go regardless! There's no real circuitry required - you just need to make sure you get the positive and negative the right way around!
Alex, YOU ARE THE MAN! I've watched the video and I was like hypnotized! Great comparison of all 3 products and amazing explanation why $112 for the battery is ridiculous markup. Btw: I didn't know Trend Airshield Pro respiratior. $500 is the price I could spend on system like that. I'm very grateful for this video and HUGE HUGE thanks for 3D models of the parts (You are awesome!)- After I buy my own respirator I'll use them for sure!
Awesome informational video. I totally didn’t intend to watch the whole thing, but here I am at the end of the video. I just bought the Trend unit yesterday and am finding out about the battery issue now. I even saw another guy buy some cheap replacement batteries, hot glue them together and then take out the batteries in the Trend helmet and solder the new ones in when the original batteries would no longer hold a charge (after a few years). Cost him about $20. I had no idea that Trend gouged their prices so much for the dock and batteries. I will definitely use your solution or the other guy’s I mentioned. Thanks for the detailed video!
Utterly terrible! However, the frames they come with perfectly fit a set of 3M WorkTunes, so I swapped them out for the WorkTunes and now it is perfect!
Thanks! that really was in-depth and very useful You've convinced me so I've just ordered one. Now to decide if I order some cheap NiMH batteries or go straight to lithium.
That’s a good review. Rare for people to complain without offering a solution! I know the batteries are cheap but I’d be so tempted to go for a lithium replacement. But that’s not simple any more 😂 nice job 👍
The ones I'm building for myself are 100% going to be LiPo. I just didn't want to suggest it for people who aren't electrically inclined. Hard to kill yourself with NiMH lol
@@ValhallaIronworks I just bought a used Airshield from eBay and I am thinking about using two 18650 in parallel. I will do some testing once the shield arrives, but I am wondering if you have tried powering the fan at the limits of voltage range for Lithium Ion (2.5 - 4.2V)? I likely would use a protection circuit and cut off the cells at 3V anyway, so i am assuming it will work. 4.7V may be overdriving that fan a bit, but it looks like replacements are available, so probably worth a try. Thank you very much for your video and for kicking off a DIY community around this shield :)
Was just listening in the background but had to start paying attention when you started talking about the fart box 😅😂😅😂😂 great video brither thabk you fir your time and research 🙏
FANTASTIC review. I had been contemplating saving up for the versaflow, worried that the Trend model could not be good for this price. Your review cinched it and I bought one. Oddly enough I was purchasing it on Amazon and you could select several optional additional pieces. The option with the battery holder/charger was actually cheaper than purchasing it without! So perhaps they heard and are now trying to make up for this!
Very helpful review. Thank you. I'm new to chainsaw carving and also using an angle grinder. I wanted the triangle of protection you were talking about all in one. Currently I have all the PPE except the impact facesheild. It's pricey, but I think I'll save up for it. It would be nice to have it all in one, and good to know I can still use it with my current ear muffs. I am also glad to hear the replacement parts are readily available. Thanks for this in depth review.💯👍😊
ĢREAT review! I haven't needed such a complete filtration unit, but if I do I know I'm going with this one. Side note: Welcome to that stage of life wherein one discovers one's ears need shaving.
Wow! I have some jobs coming up where I will need a good respirator, and I was thinking that I can't afford the 3M, but I think I can swing the Trend. Thank you very much!
Thank you. Very informative review 👍 i believe the trend is P2 rated vs the versaflow, which is P3. And also with 3m you can install an additional gas filter and particulates. We're the trend has only particulates option.
on a side note i had picked these up in January and unfortunately i am a Mellon head 25inches around i tend to use welding masks on the last click and that is with a buzz cut if i can lucky i can get a baseball hat on to keep the spark off my neck anyway as a result even fully adjusted i could not get the airsheild to seal as it was pulled tight below my chin and open up both sides .. over in the us at least it looks like they are discontinuing the hearing protecton mine did not have the place for them to clip in ( i use 3M™ PELTOR™ Optime™ 95 Earmuffs H6B/V, Behind-the-Head) only 21db protection but i use in ear earbuds for music and they are rated for a extra 5db hearing protection so i tend to be quite enough)
Thanks very much for this video Alex! Very helpful. What is the file for battery A for? I recognize battery b as being the same as the one in the headset. Thanks, Neil
Great video. I'm fairly happy with my air shield but the ear defenders are shite. The plastic, slide in brackets are not strong enough for the springs that hold them against your head, they broke after two days use. Have fabricated metal brackets and solved it. Also after some use, the battery has become a bit loose in the helmet and I've taken to slipping a folded up complaint letter in beside it to stop it cutting out.
I got the ear defenders and I totally agree. They're absolute garbage. However, after permanently affixing them into their slots, and replacing the earmuffs with 3M WorkTunes, now they're awesome!
Just bought the Trend Airshield and then saw your video. Thank you very much for the 3d files. I will be building my own battery and charger. Have you thought about replacing the batteries with LIthium Ion batteries?
I wonder if the dimensions of the battery case would let me run 2 18650s in parallel. How cool and easy would it be to just swap out the 2 18650s and keep going.
Can you post the .stl on your drop box? Converting from .obj to .stl does not create a very accurate model. When I printed the battery holder it came out oversized. Excellent video!!!!!
In fairness I have a versaflow, yes they are lithium batteries and they have a seperate charger, however a replacement battery is between $400-600. And a replacement charger is between $300-600. And the chargers are a comman problem. I have been without my versaflo for 4 weeks and counting because my charger melted. It’s being replaced under warranty, but duno when. I suppose the bonus is the batteries will last me 2 or more days depending how much I used it and will charge in a few hours.
Yeah, the versaflo uses a smart charging system which - while unnecessary on such a device - at least "somewhat" justifies a higher price. Still unreasonable though!
He talks about the flaw around 32:30 LIsten, I love the comprehensive review, but yeesh, this video moved at a snail's pace and I got severe anxiety just waiting until you could explain what this critical flaw was. If others are like me: The flaw is that the battery (NiMH) requires 14 hours to charge and only 8 hours use. Trend has decided to significantly mark up the price of the batteries, and obfuscated their simplicity of design for no other reason than to make a profit. LIke I said, I like how comprehensive you were, but there is also great beauty in being short and concise.
Great video!! First time i watch such a long review, very interesting. I guess Trend hasn't reached out to you.. I'm in the process of finding a respirator for my bearded woodworker face.. I'm hesitating between this Trend unit and the JSP PowerCap, Which is similar in price and in the fact that it doesn't have backpack, belt... Everything is in the helmet as well. Major difference is the fact that it JSP's unit doesn't have washable filters but seems to have a framed shield. Both models miss standard ear muffs interfaces like on safety helmets. Have you tried the JSP? Is your Trend still working well sonce the video?
I haven't tried the JSP, no. I'm always on the hunt to find better and better PPE though. I have to say, however, that despite making this video 18 months ago, I still use this same Airshield unit every single day. I haven't had to replace any parts, either. The only modifications I've made to it have been the custom batteries I've made, and I did purchase their attachment with the earmuffs on it. The earmuffs it came with, though, were absolutely terrible. 0/10 do not recommend. But, in a funny twist of fate, I found that the 3M Worktunes bluetooth earmuffs fit onto the Airshield ear defender frames PERFECTLY, as if they were made for it. And so I have been using the airshield, with the ear defender frames, and 3M worktunes, for 18 months now and still have zero complaints. It is, absolutely, a little top heavy, which bothers some people more than others, but as some people have pointed out in the comments, you can easily modify this with a little ingeneuity to have a USB-C port on it, which you can run to a battery bank in your pocket. That removes the battery weight from the top and moves it to your pocket. Personally I don't find the battery weight to be of any consequence, but that's just me. Oddly enough, Trend Tools did see me talking about this video on Instagram, and they shared the post in their stories... I don't think they actually ever watched the video, though, as I don't think they would have shared it if they had. The price of their batteries also hasn't changed, so they either haven't seen it or simply don't care haha
@@ValhallaIronworks Thanks very much for that response, that's crazy they shared the review not seeing that it was not completely at their advantage.. Sad I'd even say. I'll keep my search :) My training only starts end of Sept, I might start with standard medical masks before spending the money. I found a shop with the JSP near my house, I'll see if I can try it on. Thanks again, I'll keep an eye on your channel :)
I also got my versaflo June last year from rob and Weber abrasives. It set me back $1800 and I got heaps of extras with it. Filters etc. but unfortunately as you know he’s no longer in business. Great video mate.
I have a Trend Air Shield Pro. Thanks for the printable files. The price in Ontario Canada is 659.00 dollars Canadian. It includes 1 battery and the charger. A replacement battery is 114 Canadian dollars. Just FYI we also have 13 percent tax on both of those prices. I will attempt to make my own batteries. Thanks again Cheers.
I’m betting that there’s a similar markup on the helmet . You can buy an auto-darkening helmet for a lot less. My other concern is that the filter is not a hepa filter.
It would only need a hepa filter if it were rated for certain things - this one is more of a light duty filtration solution for sawdust and metal dust, so these filters work pretty well. I can attest to them working well, because at the end of a day the outside of this helmet is covered in dust, but the inside is still pristine!
I've been wanting a versaflow for forever but can't justify the price. I wear glasses so options are limited. Gunna get one of these and I have a good mate that does 3d printing woohoo. Awesome vid Alex
Hey, thank you for doing a review on this. I've been looking at this as an option. I'm a heavily bearded individual and want something that doesn't require me shaving to have a respirator. I heard you were doing the review on teh forgecast. So was waiting to see it. Also, I hope if Trend does see this.. I hope they aren't jerks about the links
I'm guessing it runs on 3.6v, what do you reckon the about an 18650 mod? does it have clearance for the larger cells? Such a shame - seems like a perfect respo otherwise.
I just measured up the battery case, and I reckon you could JUUUUUUUUST squeeze three 18650s in there with a tiny bit of fenagling. It'd be a good option!
If you made it two 18650s you'd have room in there for a USB-C charging module and some basic regulation circuitry to make a really clean, stable battery which just plugs right into a USB-C cable rather than having a separate charger, too 😉
Just a question if they are selling their batteries for that extortionate price have you checked out to see if they are extorting the prices of the filters and visor overlays? Also with the problem of the flimsiness of the visor couldn't you make a jaw line frame to fit to the trend airshield respirator?
I absolutely could! But simply changing the way I pick it up fixes the problem completely. I haven't looked into the other component's price gouging, but since the air filters are cleanable, I just got a second set when I ordered this one, and clean one while using the other. Works out great!
Hi again, wrll i recived mine and it was defected. So I returned it very disapointed .. But then I found something better much much btter for close cost. The Tecmen G10 + TM1000 It did cost 840 usd. But thats still half od the versaflow and way closer to versaflow if not identical ias far as i can tell . I wouldnt mind your opinion
I'd need to get my hands on one to be able to give an honest opinion, unfortunately. It's a shame you weren't able to just get a replacement for your Trend Airshield. I've been using mine now for two years and love it.
Thank you for such a great review! I'm getting these! And really great that you put up the 3d designs, Thanks again. One question, I'd like to mount a pair of Peltor ear protectors with helmet mount on this, without having to buy the Trend ones (890NOK=90usd) and rebuild them, do you or any of the other commenters know if this is possible? Best regards, Thomas
I actually got the ear defenders that come with this Airshield and they were AWFUL. So I got a set of 3M work tunes and found that they could be mounted perfectly onto the special mountings used on the ear defenders!
I don't print them myself for people. Too much work. But there are online printing services available and I have the 3D files linked in the video description!
Great video! Farts factor lol! I did my research Trend makes a Pro Max version for around $1300 with more robust rigid jaw like frame similar to Versaflow and includes ear protection. Could you tell me if the AirShield comes with visor protector included?
I found 2 extra batteries for 25 bucks. But they are toasted. Ali express makes me nervous. If have the factory cases. Can I just get battery packs and solder them in there?
Ok that wasn't the flaw I thought it was. *I* was going to say the major flaw is the ear muff attachments. The fan is kinda loud, and the attached muffs don't line up fantastically on my ears. I can get them mostly good enough, and they mostly work, but not compared to a dedicated set of good ear muffs.
Luckily, being a weekend hobbyist, the battery issue is less of a problem for me. A single charge will do pretty much my entire weekends work, and then I whack it on the charger, and set a reminder to take it off. However, eventually the battery will die (all batteries do), so I appreciate the info and 3d models.
To your point, retail, one could buy 10Ah LiPO4 for $26 US. So yes, they really need to be addressing this. I know next to nothing about buying components and hacking this stuff because I simply don't know what is all available. But it didn't take long to research a few things to confirm your gripe. When researching this mask, the first thing that made me balk at buying it was simply the NiMh battery. Ridiculous! This has been around for several years now and they have simply chosen not to upgrade it as battery tech has improved, yet are still gouging for an obsolete battery setup. Fantastic review, Thank You.
Very thorough review. My company has been at work on a PAPR that's simpler (all in one design monocoque manifold). Our aim is a PAPR that's more accessible to the DIY crowd. When we have certification, would you be willing to give it a try to compare? Its called MicroClimate Air3.
NiMH batteries haven't suffered from the memory issue for ages, Eneloops are used by everyone and use the same tech. I know LiPO is safer than Li-Ion but not sure if NiMH is safer again? Definitely don't want a bigger battery that can have thermal runaway sitting on my dome. Anyway, thanks for the video was an absolutely excellent in depth review of the product.
Not in Australia. On Australian Amazon the dock is $173 and you can't buy the batteries outside of Trend themselves. But my point is more the principle of it than anything else.
I'm looking at these and thinking what do I need a helmet for? I can understand a face mask, but a helmet?? If I were working on stuff in a workshop rather than a building site, the helmet aspect is completely negligible to me unless I needed one of those full body bomb suits, since my neck would need more protection than my head off site. I picked up a 3M/Scott FF-300/Promask and an Israeli surplus Onyx 45 to see how that works for me, since my half mask is kind of annoying. That's roughly 2/3 the volume of the chinese PAPR you've got, which I think is 75l/min. ordered some replacement rechargeable batteries for it since the ones inside are long life non-rechargeable. I'd do the same with the chinese one, just wire up a BMS, or easier just swap in some protected cells. but it's like £70 for the chinese one and £45 for the israeli, and while the israeli one is old they didn't save pennies when they originally bought it ($180 today brand new)
Thank you for the information. I can not download the files for the battery pack. Is there someone who will make one (at a cost) of course. Again Thanks.
I just checked the download links and they still work! If you Google 3D printing services in your area you should be able to find many places that will help you!
Hi Alex, I would recomend you to make a converter to USB power instead. Use the battery with some components and have an USB cable coming out so that you can connect a normal powerbank and use that instead. Should be a better solution all together and even help with the balance.
I had a look at these about, 2-3 months ago and I wasn't hugely impressed by them mostly because I'd just have to constantly get filters and stuff mailed in. Like for me the actually good thing about 3M is that is is sold in most of the rural hardware stores so for filters and the like and trust, just sort of found it convenient. Frankly, I'd kind of shocked that NiMH is still being used for something like this when even just a 18650 Li=Ion 3.7V, 3000ma cost about $10-12 each and they'd probably drive that with 'one' cell with a little battery holder for quite a time if you're prepared to do some jiggery to the battery area. So for $3-4 bucks for a battery holder + $10 for an 18650 cell you could get this down even potentially lower and have a faster turn around on your battery life assuming you have a lithium battery charger which isn't usually that expensive.
The filters on this one are cleanable, so I got an extra set I can cycle in while I clean the others, which I like. But yeah when I build my new batteries for this I'm making them Lipo for sure.
It's top heavy specifically for knifemakers, where we have to stand up close to a linisher for hours on end, looking downwards. But there have been some awesome ideas in the comments for modifying it to fix that!
You forgot to talk about type of filters and their prices, i think that for chemical stuff 3m may be the only option but for simple dust others maybe cheaper
The VersaFlo has quite considerable battery longevity issues, and I've known a few people now who have them where they're now completely unusable. This one has cleanable filters as standard, and can easily be modified for universal power. In my mind that makes it superior to the VersaFlo.
@@ValhallaIronworks yes versaflo batteries are expensive and cant be just exchanged for tool batteries (you can do that with adflo) - there is not communication between adflo and battery, but i personaly like versaflo for size and filters but for price and better value adflo is better and the stackable filters are soo nice Ps. Versaflo charging dock pogo pins that connect battery are the weak point of this system, And in adflo bigger batteries are less drop resistand then the smaller ones (the size- height wise)
I'd suggest that you not get the earpieces. I have them on my Trend and the motors actually seem louder with the earpieces on than without. Yes, they dull the outer noise, but the blower seems to echo inside the earpieces. I took them off and use earbuds now.
As I say in the video, they'd already been ordered. They actually arrived yesterday and I agree. They're absolutely shit. So they'll be getting hacked, too 😂😂
The whole thing begs the question why such a simple device costs hundreds the the first place. There’s another great video on here this guy makes his own purchasing retail parts online and uses a Milwaukee battery and a snorkel mask for like $70 US?
@@ValhallaIronworks point taken, just that this was NiCa batteries. Less explosive. Batteries on your phone, you have the batteries facing away. Very good video. Probably going to buy one and print battery packs etc.
@@ValhallaIronworks12:36 you state top heavy. Other reviews have also. Seems it would be easy to make your own battery and wire it so you could hang it on your waist or such with a thin wire. Also would be cool if could be modified to use 3M N95 filter
Batteries have been the biggest ripoff in cordless tools for quite some time. NiMH batteries are a ripoff for a new build any electronics. Have you tried LiPO batteries in your setup yet?
@@ValhallaIronworks What LiPo did you use? Thank you for your great video, I bought the Airshield and love it. I printed the STL files and am making the battery and dock, but would like to use LiPo. Would you please tell me what you did to create the charger, I've printed the dock, but I'm not sure what to put inside. Cheers, Kevan
I got one of these when building a cedar strip kayak. I found it was too heavy when looking down while sanding. Made my neck really sore. I took off the cover, removed the battery and charging/switch block and wired the fan directly to a USB cable. It significantly reduced the weight. Now I put on the airshield and plug the cable into a USB power bank that fits in my pocket.
Good design upgrade! Love it!
@@ValhallaIronworksI think about to use a power bank too, do you confirm the fan accepts a tension @5v from the usb power bank?
This is the beauty of the internet. One individual solves a big companies problem for free and share with the others... Thank you very very much.
Thanks for watching!
That long rant was actually very appropriate - I am an Electrical Engineer and I have an R/C plane hobby, so I have a lot of various types of batteries. I learned a lot from this video - thank you.
Because of that cable that connects the battery and switch to the fan, you could also build an "extension" to that cable, and put the battery on your belt. That might be "annoying" to have another piece, but it would also take a BUNCH of weight out of the headgear. And, it would also mean that you could just charge "that thing on your belt" instead of the whole headgear.
I had one guy suggest having a long USB cable that comes out of the back of the helmet, that can run down to any generic USB battery bank that lives in your pocket - I thought that was a bloody brilliant idea!
@ValhallaIronworks It's Christmas day 2024. I'm buying this resperator as my gift. This video has saved me time and money. THANK YOU! The USB cord comment and the remote genetic battery pack is arguably the best thing I got from this video
This was exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much. I bought the trend airshield for dirt cheap secondhand but it didn't have the battery or charger, and now I know why it was so cheap lol. I am seasoned at 3d printing but not much batteries and soldering, if you decided to make a tutorial video for this, I would be in your debt, either way you have a subscriber for life since you modeled the parts and are giving them away for free, thanks again!
Brilliant! I'm so glad it helped! If I ever do a video showing the wiring up, I'll post it here - but do give it a go regardless! There's no real circuitry required - you just need to make sure you get the positive and negative the right way around!
Alex, YOU ARE THE MAN! I've watched the video and I was like hypnotized! Great comparison of all 3 products and amazing explanation why $112 for the battery is ridiculous markup.
Btw: I didn't know Trend Airshield Pro respiratior. $500 is the price I could spend on system like that. I'm very grateful for this video and HUGE HUGE thanks for 3D models of the parts (You are awesome!)- After I buy my own respirator I'll use them for sure!
That is excellent! Every person who uses them is helping fight the good fight!
Awesome informational video. I totally didn’t intend to watch the whole thing, but here I am at the end of the video. I just bought the Trend unit yesterday and am finding out about the battery issue now. I even saw another guy buy some cheap replacement batteries, hot glue them together and then take out the batteries in the Trend helmet and solder the new ones in when the original batteries would no longer hold a charge (after a few years). Cost him about $20. I had no idea that Trend gouged their prices so much for the dock and batteries. I will definitely use your solution or the other guy’s I mentioned. Thanks for the detailed video!
Glad you enjoyed it! It's unacceptable behaviour and i had to do something!
a thorough and well thought out review, I'm kind of wishing I'd seen this before I bought my versaflo haha. Well done mate
Haha sell it, get an Airshield and pocket the profit!
What a champion. Thank you!
Thank You!! The STL files they were a huge help, tinkered with them to add a buck converter mount for USB Power!!!
Excellent idea!
Thanks for the review! Very helpful. How are the earmuffs?
Utterly terrible! However, the frames they come with perfectly fit a set of 3M WorkTunes, so I swapped them out for the WorkTunes and now it is perfect!
Thanks! that really was in-depth and very useful You've convinced me so I've just ordered one. Now to decide if I order some cheap NiMH batteries or go straight to lithium.
That’s a good review. Rare for people to complain without offering a solution!
I know the batteries are cheap but I’d be so tempted to go for a lithium replacement. But that’s not simple any more 😂 nice job 👍
The ones I'm building for myself are 100% going to be LiPo. I just didn't want to suggest it for people who aren't electrically inclined. Hard to kill yourself with NiMH lol
@@ValhallaIronworks I just bought a used Airshield from eBay and I am thinking about using two 18650 in parallel. I will do some testing once the shield arrives, but I am wondering if you have tried powering the fan at the limits of voltage range for Lithium Ion (2.5 - 4.2V)? I likely would use a protection circuit and cut off the cells at 3V anyway, so i am assuming it will work. 4.7V may be overdriving that fan a bit, but it looks like replacements are available, so probably worth a try. Thank you very much for your video and for kicking off a DIY community around this shield :)
Just beautiful. Saving my own pennies now...
How will you go with the batteries? Or are you sorted to produce some?
@@ValhallaIronworks Got a filament 3D printer of my own, downloaded your models and will order the battery parts when I’m set.
Was just listening in the background but had to start paying attention when you started talking about the fart box 😅😂😅😂😂 great video brither thabk you fir your time and research 🙏
Hahaha beware the fart box!
FANTASTIC review. I had been contemplating saving up for the versaflow, worried that the Trend model could not be good for this price. Your review cinched it and I bought one. Oddly enough I was purchasing it on Amazon and you could select several optional additional pieces. The option with the battery holder/charger was actually cheaper than purchasing it without! So perhaps they heard and are now trying to make up for this!
haha I did spam them with my review, so HOPEFULLY it turned them around! Glad it was helpful to you!
Thank you so much for sharing all of this!!!
You are so welcome!
Very helpful review. Thank you. I'm new to chainsaw carving and also using an angle grinder. I wanted the triangle of protection you were talking about all in one. Currently I have all the PPE except the impact facesheild. It's pricey, but I think I'll save up for it. It would be nice to have it all in one, and good to know I can still use it with my current ear muffs. I am also glad to hear the replacement parts are readily available. Thanks for this in depth review.💯👍😊
You are welcome!
I am about to get a mask but will wait and see 😮🏴. Thanks Nick
ĢREAT review! I haven't needed such a complete filtration unit, but if I do I know I'm going with this one. Side note: Welcome to that stage of life wherein one discovers one's ears need shaving.
Hahaha and nose and.... Other places.... 😂
Wow! I have some jobs coming up where I will need a good respirator, and I was thinking that I can't afford the 3M, but I think I can swing the Trend. Thank you very much!
Glad I can help!
@@ValhallaIronworks 🖖
great review!
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video. Would this be a good helmet for a spray painting room?
Thank you! Unfortunately this particular model doesn't do liquid particles, only solids, so probably wouldn't be good for spray painting.
I wonder if you could 3d print a small jaw frame and still get the chin material to attach to the fram
You very likely could! I haven't had the need for it yet, though, as I just pick it up from the helmet side on instinct now!
Thank you. Very informative review 👍 i believe the trend is P2 rated vs the versaflow, which is P3. And also with 3m you can install an additional gas filter and particulates. We're the trend has only particulates option.
That's right! As a knifemaker, however, I only need to worry about grinder dust, though, so P2 does great for me!
Thank you
on a side note i had picked these up in January and unfortunately i am a Mellon head 25inches around i tend to use welding masks on the last click and that is with a buzz cut if i can lucky i can get a baseball hat on to keep the spark off my neck anyway as a result even fully adjusted i could not get the airsheild to seal as it was pulled tight below my chin and open up both sides .. over in the us at least it looks like they are discontinuing the hearing protecton mine did not have the place for them to clip in ( i use 3M™ PELTOR™ Optime™ 95 Earmuffs H6B/V, Behind-the-Head) only 21db protection but i use in ear earbuds for music and they are rated for a extra 5db hearing protection so i tend to be quite enough)
And I thought I had a big noggin!
Thanks very much for this video Alex! Very helpful. What is the file for battery A for? I recognize battery b as being the same as the one in the headset. Thanks, Neil
Hey mate! One piece is the top half of the battery enclosure, the other piece is the bottom half!
@ thanks!
Well done Thanks, just had a look at prices here in SA... 8K for respirator and 4500k for battery that crazy man.
Oh wow really??? That's insane!
Great video. I'm fairly happy with my air shield but the ear defenders are shite. The plastic, slide in brackets are not strong enough for the springs that hold them against your head, they broke after two days use. Have fabricated metal brackets and solved it. Also after some use, the battery has become a bit loose in the helmet and I've taken to slipping a folded up complaint letter in beside it to stop it cutting out.
I got the ear defenders and I totally agree. They're absolute garbage. However, after permanently affixing them into their slots, and replacing the earmuffs with 3M WorkTunes, now they're awesome!
Bravo.
Just bought the Trend Airshield and then saw your video. Thank you very much for the 3d files. I will be building my own battery and charger. Have you thought about replacing the batteries with LIthium Ion batteries?
I actually mention that in the video! The replacements I made for my system are all lithium ion. So much better than the old NiMH
good job👍keep them honest🤟
I wonder if the dimensions of the battery case would let me run 2 18650s in parallel. How cool and easy would it be to just swap out the 2 18650s and keep going.
Tbh you probably could fit them in there!
Can you post the .stl on your drop box? Converting from .obj to .stl does not create a very accurate model. When I printed the battery holder it came out oversized. Excellent video!!!!!
I've updated the description to contain a link to the STL versions, too - Though I printed all of mine from the OBJs and they came out just fine!
In fairness I have a versaflow, yes they are lithium batteries and they have a seperate charger, however a replacement battery is between $400-600. And a replacement charger is between $300-600. And the chargers are a comman problem. I have been without my versaflo for 4 weeks and counting because my charger melted. It’s being replaced under warranty, but duno when.
I suppose the bonus is the batteries will last me 2 or more days depending how much I used it and will charge in a few hours.
Yeah, the versaflo uses a smart charging system which - while unnecessary on such a device - at least "somewhat" justifies a higher price. Still unreasonable though!
He talks about the flaw around 32:30
LIsten, I love the comprehensive review, but yeesh, this video moved at a snail's pace and I got severe anxiety just waiting until you could explain what this critical flaw was. If others are like me:
The flaw is that the battery (NiMH) requires 14 hours to charge and only 8 hours use. Trend has decided to significantly mark up the price of the batteries, and obfuscated their simplicity of design for no other reason than to make a profit.
LIke I said, I like how comprehensive you were, but there is also great beauty in being short and concise.
ua-cam.com/video/q588OSeIX6Q/v-deo.html
Great video!! First time i watch such a long review, very interesting. I guess Trend hasn't reached out to you..
I'm in the process of finding a respirator for my bearded woodworker face.. I'm hesitating between this Trend unit and the JSP PowerCap, Which is similar in price and in the fact that it doesn't have backpack, belt... Everything is in the helmet as well. Major difference is the fact that it JSP's unit doesn't have washable filters but seems to have a framed shield. Both models miss standard ear muffs interfaces like on safety helmets.
Have you tried the JSP? Is your Trend still working well sonce the video?
I haven't tried the JSP, no. I'm always on the hunt to find better and better PPE though. I have to say, however, that despite making this video 18 months ago, I still use this same Airshield unit every single day. I haven't had to replace any parts, either. The only modifications I've made to it have been the custom batteries I've made, and I did purchase their attachment with the earmuffs on it. The earmuffs it came with, though, were absolutely terrible. 0/10 do not recommend. But, in a funny twist of fate, I found that the 3M Worktunes bluetooth earmuffs fit onto the Airshield ear defender frames PERFECTLY, as if they were made for it. And so I have been using the airshield, with the ear defender frames, and 3M worktunes, for 18 months now and still have zero complaints. It is, absolutely, a little top heavy, which bothers some people more than others, but as some people have pointed out in the comments, you can easily modify this with a little ingeneuity to have a USB-C port on it, which you can run to a battery bank in your pocket. That removes the battery weight from the top and moves it to your pocket. Personally I don't find the battery weight to be of any consequence, but that's just me.
Oddly enough, Trend Tools did see me talking about this video on Instagram, and they shared the post in their stories... I don't think they actually ever watched the video, though, as I don't think they would have shared it if they had. The price of their batteries also hasn't changed, so they either haven't seen it or simply don't care haha
@@ValhallaIronworks Thanks very much for that response, that's crazy they shared the review not seeing that it was not completely at their advantage.. Sad I'd even say.
I'll keep my search :) My training only starts end of Sept, I might start with standard medical masks before spending the money. I found a shop with the JSP near my house, I'll see if I can try it on.
Thanks again, I'll keep an eye on your channel :)
I also got my versaflo June last year from rob and Weber abrasives. It set me back $1800 and I got heaps of extras with it. Filters etc. but unfortunately as you know he’s no longer in business.
Great video mate.
He was a great loss to the industry when he left. Such a good bloke!
I have a Trend Air Shield Pro. Thanks for the printable files. The price in Ontario Canada is 659.00 dollars Canadian. It includes 1 battery and the charger. A replacement battery is 114 Canadian dollars. Just FYI we also have 13 percent tax on both of those prices. I will attempt to make my own batteries. Thanks again Cheers.
It's absolutely crazy. I'm glad I could help!
I’m betting that there’s a similar markup on the helmet . You can buy an auto-darkening helmet for a lot less. My other concern is that the filter is not a hepa filter.
It would only need a hepa filter if it were rated for certain things - this one is more of a light duty filtration solution for sawdust and metal dust, so these filters work pretty well. I can attest to them working well, because at the end of a day the outside of this helmet is covered in dust, but the inside is still pristine!
I've been wanting a versaflow for forever but can't justify the price. I wear glasses so options are limited. Gunna get one of these and I have a good mate that does 3d printing woohoo. Awesome vid Alex
That sounds perfect!
21:24 is where the video starts for anyone in a hurry, though everything beforehand was worth watching.
Absolutely. The comparison is important! But some people just want the info raw.
I think that second hand versaflo/adflo maybe the best or second best option
How is this for using it where chemicals are in the air? Are there filters for it?
Unfortunately not. This only filters solid particles, not liquid. It's probably its biggest limitation.
Hey, thank you for doing a review on this. I've been looking at this as an option. I'm a heavily bearded individual and want something that doesn't require me shaving to have a respirator. I heard you were doing the review on teh forgecast. So was waiting to see it. Also, I hope if Trend does see this.. I hope they aren't jerks about the links
They'd have to take pretty drastic action to make me take them down!
I hope no one needs to ever replace that tiny plastic inline fan for $348 CAD!
hahaha I know, right? The mark-ups they try to justify are atrocious.
You need to try the 3M Behind-The-Head Earmuffs they are awesome.
I'm guessing it runs on 3.6v, what do you reckon the about an 18650 mod? does it have clearance for the larger cells?
Such a shame - seems like a perfect respo otherwise.
Also i can't seem to find it for less than $700aud today
I just measured up the battery case, and I reckon you could JUUUUUUUUST squeeze three 18650s in there with a tiny bit of fenagling. It'd be a good option!
@@ValhallaIronworks Thank you, good sir
If you made it two 18650s you'd have room in there for a USB-C charging module and some basic regulation circuitry to make a really clean, stable battery which just plugs right into a USB-C cable rather than having a separate charger, too 😉
Just a question if they are selling their batteries for that extortionate price have you checked out to see if they are extorting the prices of the filters and visor overlays? Also with the problem of the flimsiness of the visor couldn't you make a jaw line frame to fit to the trend airshield respirator?
I absolutely could! But simply changing the way I pick it up fixes the problem completely. I haven't looked into the other component's price gouging, but since the air filters are cleanable, I just got a second set when I ordered this one, and clean one while using the other. Works out great!
Does that operate while being plugged in and charging? If so it opens up all types of powering options.
You know, I've never tried!
👍👍👍👍👍
Hi I just bought the airshield pro
I would like to work with your designs
You are welcome to!
Hi again, wrll i recived mine and it was defected.
So I returned it very disapointed ..
But then I found something better much much btter for close cost.
The Tecmen G10 + TM1000
It did cost 840 usd. But thats still half od the versaflow and way closer to versaflow if not identical ias far as i can tell . I wouldnt mind your opinion
I'd need to get my hands on one to be able to give an honest opinion, unfortunately. It's a shame you weren't able to just get a replacement for your Trend Airshield. I've been using mine now for two years and love it.
If you want to use a cloth bag, go buy some flannelette sheets. The bag they come in is awesome. Found at spotlight.
Where in Australia did you buy it? Or did you just get it straight from Trend's site?
I got mine from a place called Trend Timbers!
@@ValhallaIronworks hah, fitting. Thanks :)
Thank you for such a great review! I'm getting these! And really great that you put up the 3d designs, Thanks again. One question, I'd like to mount a pair of Peltor ear protectors with helmet mount on this, without having to buy the Trend ones (890NOK=90usd) and rebuild them, do you or any of the other commenters know if this is possible?
Best regards, Thomas
I actually got the ear defenders that come with this Airshield and they were AWFUL. So I got a set of 3M work tunes and found that they could be mounted perfectly onto the special mountings used on the ear defenders!
Do you offer 3d printed battery cases for the Trend Airshield Pro, if so I would be interested in purchasing
I don't print them myself for people. Too much work. But there are online printing services available and I have the 3D files linked in the video description!
Great video! Farts factor lol!
I did my research Trend makes a Pro Max version for around $1300 with more robust rigid jaw like frame similar to Versaflow and includes ear protection.
Could you tell me if the AirShield comes with visor protector included?
Depends what you mean by visor protector.... It comes with everything you see in the video!
I found 2 extra batteries for 25 bucks. But they are toasted.
Ali express makes me nervous.
If have the factory cases. Can I just get battery packs and solder them in there?
Absolutely you can!
Thanks for the video!
Will you sell a ready to go battery and doc. Postage to Sydney?
Hey mate, like I say in the video I just don't have time to make them for people - that's why I've given everything you could need to make your own!
Fart problem... That can be the best guide video on the planet.
It's a real problem! hahaha
Ok, only 58 secs in, but I thought I'd say, I have one of these, and am looking forward to the rest of the video to see what you reckon. :)
And I can guess already what the flaw is.
Ok that wasn't the flaw I thought it was. *I* was going to say the major flaw is the ear muff attachments. The fan is kinda loud, and the attached muffs don't line up fantastically on my ears. I can get them mostly good enough, and they mostly work, but not compared to a dedicated set of good ear muffs.
Luckily, being a weekend hobbyist, the battery issue is less of a problem for me. A single charge will do pretty much my entire weekends work, and then I whack it on the charger, and set a reminder to take it off. However, eventually the battery will die (all batteries do), so I appreciate the info and 3d models.
My ear defender add ons arrived this morning and I 100% agree with you. They will be getting hacked, as well 😂😂
To your point, retail, one could buy 10Ah LiPO4 for $26 US. So yes, they really need to be addressing this. I know next to nothing about buying components and hacking this stuff because I simply don't know what is all available. But it didn't take long to research a few things to confirm your gripe. When researching this mask, the first thing that made me balk at buying it was simply the NiMh battery. Ridiculous! This has been around for several years now and they have simply chosen not to upgrade it as battery tech has improved, yet are still gouging for an obsolete battery setup. Fantastic review, Thank You.
It's a real shame, because outside of that fact, I genuinely love it as a respirator.
Very thorough review. My company has been at work on a PAPR that's simpler (all in one design monocoque manifold). Our aim is a PAPR that's more accessible to the DIY crowd. When we have certification, would you be willing to give it a try to compare? Its called MicroClimate Air3.
Absolutely. After testing out so many different types I'd be happy to give it a full review.
If you'd like to get in touch, my email is valhalla.ironworks.au@gmail.com
NiMH batteries haven't suffered from the memory issue for ages, Eneloops are used by everyone and use the same tech. I know LiPO is safer than Li-Ion but not sure if NiMH is safer again? Definitely don't want a bigger battery that can have thermal runaway sitting on my dome.
Anyway, thanks for the video was an absolutely excellent in depth review of the product.
You may know, but amazon has the battery for about 60.00 and dock for about 55.00
Not in Australia. On Australian Amazon the dock is $173 and you can't buy the batteries outside of Trend themselves. But my point is more the principle of it than anything else.
I'm looking at these and thinking what do I need a helmet for? I can understand a face mask, but a helmet??
If I were working on stuff in a workshop rather than a building site, the helmet aspect is completely negligible to me unless I needed one of those full body bomb suits, since my neck would need more protection than my head off site.
I picked up a 3M/Scott FF-300/Promask and an Israeli surplus Onyx 45 to see how that works for me, since my half mask is kind of annoying. That's roughly 2/3 the volume of the chinese PAPR you've got, which I think is 75l/min.
ordered some replacement rechargeable batteries for it since the ones inside are long life non-rechargeable. I'd do the same with the chinese one, just wire up a BMS, or easier just swap in some protected cells. but it's like £70 for the chinese one and £45 for the israeli, and while the israeli one is old they didn't save pennies when they originally bought it ($180 today brand new)
It's not a safety rated helmet. It's basically just a framework to keep everything inside.
Thank you for the information. I can not download the files for the battery pack. Is there someone who will make one (at a cost) of course. Again Thanks.
I just checked the download links and they still work! If you Google 3D printing services in your area you should be able to find many places that will help you!
Hi Alex, I would recomend you to make a converter to USB power instead. Use the battery with some components and have an USB cable coming out so that you can connect a normal powerbank and use that instead. Should be a better solution all together and even help with the balance.
Not for my intended usage cycle it wouldn't. Don't worry, I'm an ex electrical engineer. Building a Li-ion power setup is pretty basic for me.
Great video. Taking my battery apart as I watch this. Battery and charger here in the UK £114.00. That's a rip off as you say.
Glad I could help!
You cna get a full dewalt set with 2 batteries LITHIUM btw, for less.
On that note … I was thinking of using Dewalt battery adapter to power leads with a voltage step down 18/20v to 3.7v to power the Trend AirShield.
@@crazyethanyeahyeah And your results were?
I had a look at these about, 2-3 months ago and I wasn't hugely impressed by them mostly because I'd just have to constantly get filters and stuff mailed in. Like for me the actually good thing about 3M is that is is sold in most of the rural hardware stores so for filters and the like and trust, just sort of found it convenient.
Frankly, I'd kind of shocked that NiMH is still being used for something like this when even just a 18650 Li=Ion 3.7V, 3000ma cost about $10-12 each and they'd probably drive that with 'one' cell with a little battery holder for quite a time if you're prepared to do some jiggery to the battery area.
So for $3-4 bucks for a battery holder + $10 for an 18650 cell you could get this down even potentially lower and have a faster turn around on your battery life assuming you have a lithium battery charger which isn't usually that expensive.
The filters on this one are cleanable, so I got an extra set I can cycle in while I clean the others, which I like. But yeah when I build my new batteries for this I'm making them Lipo for sure.
Wait for it……wait for it…….wait for it……………………
The trend is also glasses friendly I don’t think it’s top heavy
It's top heavy specifically for knifemakers, where we have to stand up close to a linisher for hours on end, looking downwards. But there have been some awesome ideas in the comments for modifying it to fix that!
You forgot to talk about type of filters and their prices, i think that for chemical stuff 3m may be the only option but for simple dust others maybe cheaper
The VersaFlo has quite considerable battery longevity issues, and I've known a few people now who have them where they're now completely unusable. This one has cleanable filters as standard, and can easily be modified for universal power. In my mind that makes it superior to the VersaFlo.
@@ValhallaIronworks yes versaflo batteries are expensive and cant be just exchanged for tool batteries (you can do that with adflo) - there is not communication between adflo and battery, but i personaly like versaflo for size and filters but for price and better value adflo is better and the stackable filters are soo nice
Ps. Versaflo charging dock pogo pins that connect battery are the weak point of this system,
And in adflo bigger batteries are less drop resistand then the smaller ones (the size- height wise)
The fart problem is real. You never forget the first time it happens when wearing the versaflow
Oh man. It's so bad.
I'd suggest that you not get the earpieces. I have them on my Trend and the motors actually seem louder with the earpieces on than without. Yes, they dull the outer noise, but the blower seems to echo inside the earpieces. I took them off and use earbuds now.
As I say in the video, they'd already been ordered. They actually arrived yesterday and I agree. They're absolutely shit. So they'll be getting hacked, too 😂😂
As monty python said, JESUS CHRIST!!! on the pricing lol
also RIGHT TO REPAIR!
The whole thing begs the question why such a simple device costs hundreds the the first place. There’s another great video on here this guy makes his own purchasing retail parts online and uses a Milwaukee battery and a snorkel mask for like $70 US?
I saw that one. I think the answer to your question is........ Capitalism lol
From a business standpoint the cost of batteries and charger makes them a non contender for me
better your own fart than someone elses😂
haha I guess?
I would not have a LiPo battery close to my "PC"/Brain...
Do you not use a cellphone?
@@ValhallaIronworks Loved your video.👍
@@ValhallaIronworks point taken, just that this was NiCa batteries. Less explosive. Batteries on your phone, you have the batteries facing away. Very good video. Probably going to buy one and print battery packs etc.
Attach a DIY battery that you can put in your pocket or wear on your waist. Get that weight off the helmet.
It's fine to wear. The balance is good.
@@ValhallaIronworks12:36 you state top heavy. Other reviews have also. Seems it would be easy to make your own battery and wire it so you could hang it on your waist or such with a thin wire. Also would be cool if could be modified to use 3M N95 filter
Batteries have been the biggest ripoff in cordless tools for quite some time. NiMH batteries are a ripoff for a new build any electronics. Have you tried LiPO batteries in your setup yet?
I have! On mine when I rebuilt the batteries, I changed them out to LiPo and they work much better.
@@ValhallaIronworks What LiPo did you use? Thank you for your great video, I bought the Airshield and love it. I printed the STL files and am making the battery and dock, but would like to use LiPo. Would you please tell me what you did to create the charger, I've printed the dock, but I'm not sure what to put inside. Cheers, Kevan