Best off roading lights 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]

Last Updated June 1, 2023

Best off roading lights of 2018

I am going to specify each good-to-buy feature as much as possible for your references. The “Total” indicates the overall value of the product. If you’re scouring the market for the best off roading lights, you’d better have the right info before spending your money. Now, let’s get to the gist of the matter: which are the best off roading lights for the money?

Test Results and Ratings

Rank	№1	№2	№3
Product
Total	4.8	4.5	4.3
Design	5 points	5 points	4 points
Versatility	4 points	4 points	4 points
Construction	5 points	5 points	4 points
Quality	5 points	4 points	5 points
Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

№1 – Ambuker LED Push Button on-off Switch with Connector Wire Kit for Toyota – Laser Etched ZOMBIE LIGHTS Symbol -Blue

Why did this off roading lights win the first place?

I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. The material is stylish, but it smells for the first couple of days. I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch! I really enjoy the design. It is compact, comfortable and reliable. And it looks amazing!

Design 5

Versatility 4

Construction 5

Quality 5

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№2 – MICTUNING 21.5 Inch 120W Combo Led Light Bar – 8000 Lumen

Why did this off roading lights come in second place?

This is a pretty decent product that perfectly fitted the interior of our office. Seems that the material is good. It has a very beautiful color but I don’t really like the texture. I recommend you to consider buying this model, it definitely worth its money. I really liked it. It is amazing in every aspect. It did even exceed my expectations for a bit, considering the affordable price.

Design 5

Versatility 4

Construction 5

Quality 4

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№3 – LightPlus CREE LED Lights

Why did this off roading lights take third place?

It doesn’t squeaks nor bents. Looks great in my apartment. A very convenient model. It is affordable and made of high-quality materials. It is inconvenient to use due to the size. I am going to get something different next time. I liked the design. We’ve been using it for 2 months and it still looks like brand new.

Design 4

Versatility 4

Construction 4

Quality 5

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off roading lights Buyer’s Guide

HID Off-Road Lighting Pros and Cons

The main advantage of HID (High intensity discharge) off-road lights is their incredible brightness. Top end HID lights will generally shine twice as far as a top-end LED in the same wattage range. While there is reason to anticipate LEDs getting brighter over time, HIDs will likely be the brightest option available for years to come.

KC HiLiTES Daylighters

Probably the most well known, off-roading lights, KC HiLiTES Daylighters are long-range lights that use a traditional Hhalogen bulb and reflector setup to deliver bright light. Plus, you get those iconic smiley face light covers.

Light Bar Applications

Night Driving – Light bars can produce a dramatic difference in road visibility over the brightest stock headlights.

Emergency Lighting – A light bar is indispensable for lighting accident or breakdown scenes. Their brightness also alerts other drivers to trouble ahead.

Backyards – A light bar will illuminate an entire yard for parties or cleanup activities. They make an excellent prowler deterrent.

Boats – For increasing marine visibility and lighting landing sites or docks, light bars are ideal.

Off-Road – When taking your 4WD or ATV into the backcountry, a light bar is a must-have for hazard spotting or setting up campsites.

Courtesy of Tudor Barker

Halogen, or quartz-halogen, headlamps are the most common type of lamp found on cars today. They achieve a higher filament temperature than ordinary bulbs. They save fuel and manufacturing costs since wires, switches and alternators can be smaller.

Courtesy of Kukdide

High pressure sodium lamps are commonly used for street lighting. They are highly efficient because nearly all the light produced is within the human visual spectrum. Most lamps augment the sodium with mercury and use neon or argon for faster starting.

Why We Recommend LEDs for Light Bars

If you can pardon the pun, LED lighting outshines its competition in many ways except for initial cost. For road and outdoor lighting, it offers long life and efficient light production, but there are additional advantages.

LED Light Bars for Trucks

A truck LED light bar is an important accessory whether you use your truck for pleasure, work or both. A light bar mounted across the cab is perfect for illuminating any road on dark nights or lighting up a construction site past sunset.

Mount one on the tailgate for a super bright backup light. A red LED brake light bar significantly increases your visibility to drivers behind you.

Courtesy of Zach Dischner

The best off-road lights brighten the terrain ahead, but must be rugged enough to withstand the bumps and shocks of the trail.

LED light bars are ideal, since the lamps are solid-state.

See the LED light bar reviews later in this guide to compare build quality and their ability to resist dust and water penetration.

Courtesy of Onus Technologies

A long, curved LED light bar producing 24,000 effective lumens will consume less than 300 watts and draw 2amps, which is less than most headlight systems. It can flood a large work site with bright light.

Smaller light bars on a truck rack can provide spot lighting or illuminate a truck bed. Add a backup battery or generator, and they are completely portable.

Full-size Light Bars

These are rectangular, enclosed arrays of up to 9LEDs in a single bar. The LEDs may be arranged in single, double or quad rows.

The best LED light bar used for road or job site illumination has LEDs with a color temperature of 5000K, which simulates sunlight on a clear day. Custom reflectors or lenses spread, focus or diffuse the beam. Two or more beam angles are created in combo bars.

Light Bar Length

Enclosed LED light bars typically come in the following lengths: inch led light pod, inch led light bar, inch led light bar, 20 inch led light bar, 2inch led light bar, 30 inch led light bar, 3inch led light bar, 40 inch led light bar, 50 inch led light bar.

Brightness

For LED light bars, brightness is expressed in lumens. Measuring lamps in watts became obsolete when different lighting technologies came to market. The lumen indicates how much human visible light a device outputs. However, some light bar makers list their lights in raw lumens, which is the theoretical maximum, instead of effective lumens, which is a true measure of light output. A rule of thumb is to convert raw lumens to effective lumens by multiplying the former by 0.8.

Efficiency

Lumens per watt, or lm/W, measures the efficiency of a single LED or an entire LED light bar. This is a good, though not perfect, indicator as to the quality of the LEDs in the light bar. Higher efficiency LEDs have a longer life and resist fading. Manufacturers can fudge this number by measuring lumens at a voltage lower than the normal 13.VDC found in most vehicles.

LED Color Temperature

Since the sun on a clear day produces light in the range of 5000K to 5400K, that range is excellent for night driving because human eyes evolved to work well in that range. Above that, around 6000K, the light may appear brighter, but your eyes work harder to recognize terrain, which induces eye fatigue. However, LEDs running at higher CCT are more energy efficient than at lower color temperatures.

Electrical Connectors

Two types of waterproof connectors are used on quality LED light bars, which are referred to as ATP or DT connectors. Both types are made from thermoplastic and have IP ratings of IP6or above. They operate within a wide temperature range and use corrosion resistant contacts and silicone seals. They accommodate several wire sizes.

Other Features

With so many manufacturers of LED light bars, evaluating your options can be confusing. Hopefully, through reading this guide, you will come to understand the various electronic, mechanical and operating features common to most light bars. The next question is how to determine which LED light bars will give you the best service over their lifetime.

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That is a question without a definitive answer due to the multitude of customer preferences for specific price points, features and applications. This guide has selected seven well-known makers of quality LED light bars to help you decide who makes the best LED product for you.

Black Oak LED

Black Oak LED is challenging the status quo in the high-end LED light bar industry to the benefit of consumers. They are proving to everyone that building a top quality, durable, reliable LED light bar with exceptional performance can be done without charging sky-high prices.

Single-Row – 

Double-Row D-Series –   features two stacked rows of ultra-bright 5W OSRAM LEDs in a 3.3-inch housing. Seven sizes range from four inches up to 50 inches with luminosities of 4,400L to a blazing 55,000L and power ratings from 40W to 500W.  and Marine-grade D-Series light bars are available also.

Pods – 

Every Black Oak lighting product comes with a turnkey, IP69K wiring harness that includes cable, relay, fuse and switch. No other maker of LED light bars makes a better product at the value prices that Black Oak offers. Most products receive a further 1percent discount for military, police and fire organizations.

Rigid Industries

Rigid produces 1product lines including courtesy lights, scene lighting products and vehicle light bars.

E-Series – This is   designed to project long-distance beams. Included in this category are their Eand M-Series marine LED light bars in lengths from four inches to 50 inches. E-Series lights come in spot, flood or combo patterns, whereas Elights utilize Hyperspot and Specter lighting configurations.

Rigid also offers Hi/Lo function light bars, infrared lights and dual color light bars in their ever-expanding catalog.

Vision X

Vision X LED light bar products are produced in two locations. Design and engineering takes place in the USA, while manufacturing is done at their Asian headquarters. They have built a reputation for the high-quality lights that have been tested by NASA and are in use by military organizations due to their uncompromising solutions. They also make HID and halogen lighting products.

KC HiLiTES Light Bars

KC HiLiTES has been offering high-performance lighting for off-road vehicles since 197and are one of the better known brands for halogen, HID and LED lighting.

They operate out of California and offer a full-range of light bar sizes including many made specifically for Jeeps.

Lazer Star Lights

Lazer Star Lights is a division of Weekend Concepts, Inc. They have made LED light bars since 199for automotive and power sports enthusiasts.

Their products are used in marine, UTV, motorcycle and construction applications too. Their LX LED line of light bars are manufactured in their Paso Robles, CA plant. Each light product line is named after a Space Shuttle: Atlantis, Endeavor and Enterprise.

Cosmoblaze is an Australian light manufacturer and distributor that develops extremely tough LED light bars. They are one of two manufacturers reviewed here who have lights that achieve IP69K.

Federal Signal Light Bars

This dual-row inch LED light bar from Black Oak LED is the most energetic, assertive illumination you can buy anywhere. The build quality matches or exceeds that from any other manufacturer on the planet. If you want the brightest, toughest LED light bar that is budget-friendly, this is it.

This D-Series 10-inch light offers three beam patterns: Spot, Flood or Combo. You control flight output by choosing either ultra-bright 3W or ludicrous-bright 5W OSRAM LEDs. The latter delivers an industry-leading 11,000 raw lumens of night-to-day 6000K illumination.

Regardless of how you mount this power-packed light bar and the jolts and environmental conditions to which you subject it, it keeps on shining. It owns the highest moisture and dust intrusion rating of IP69K.

The nearly indestructible aluminum housing withstand harsh impacts, while the optically clear, scratch-resistant, polycarbonate lens is virtually unbreakable. A custom neoprene seal and generous application of stainless steel fasteners ensure no moisture penetrates even during submersion.

Weapons store Off Road 4X 18W Cree LEDs Work lights

Produced using military level aluminum, these Arsenal mark off the road driving light are operated to be extreme. They are likewise to a great degree brilliant. The bundle incorporates four lights and double guard mounting sections. It additionally includes the reward of a free red enlightened rocker switch.

This HELLA Halogen off the road driving lights are well-known for their consistent quality and durability, at a reasonable cost. They are lightweight, and simple to mount on just any truck or SUV. HELLA likewise offers other extras for these off road lights that including stone shield, defensive grilles, and the new Color Shieldz defensive overlays that come in Smoke,the Yellow,the Blue, and Clear. The Color Shieldz is for appearance, as well as offer extra assurance from road flotsam and jetsam, for example, rocks.

Off Road LED Light Bars for Truck

Off road driving is a great pastime and has long enjoyed a wide degree of popularity among outdoor enthusiasts. In particular, off road driving at night has become increasingly common. Driving on a backroad trail in the middle of the night offers its own unique set of thrills and challenges.

In order to light up the road plenty bright enough to see what you are doing (and to give their truck an appealing customization) many off road drivers choose to mount an off road LED light bar on their vehicle.

Choosing, buying, and mounting an LED light bar on your truck can be a confusing process, but armed with the right info about how these lights work you can go out and purchase the best LED light bar for you.

Extreme LED Light Bars

Extreme Led Light Bars are recognized name today and it is hard to refute their status as the king of LED light bar companies. They are known for producing the durable LED light bars making them especially popular with people who are purchasing an LED light bar for trucks that are used in off road driving.

Part of this durability comes from the fact that the company torture tests all of their lights to make sure they can survive in the most difficult environments. Extreme light bars have a lengthy average lifespan and all come equipped with Cree LEDs—the best and most innovative bulbs available today.

This much quality means that their lights are not going to be cheap, but it does mean they are well worth the cost.

Eyourlife

Eyourlife is another company that makes great, bright light bars that come equipped with Cree LEDs. Unlike Rigid, Eyourlife LED light bars are incredibly affordable.

These lights may not be as durable as Rigid light bars, but they are nearly just as bright and come at a cost that is affordable on any budget. If you want to outfit your truck with a great off road LED light bar, then Eyourlife is the best brand to consider.

Features of a mountain bike light

Lamp body (head unit): This houses the LEDs, the lens in front, the reflectors behind, the circuitry that makes it all work and the fins or ribs that radiate away as much heat as possible.

LEDs: Most lights now use LEDs (light emitting diodes), because they produce more light for less power than a conventional bulb and are far less fragile than HID lamps. Technological advances mean performance has leapt forward in the past few years and each new season brings significant upgrades.

Optics: The reflector and lens in front affect how the light is thrown down the trail. Focused spot beams are great for seeing a long way for a given output; wide flood beams give good peripheral vision.

Mount/bracket: How you attach the light to your bike. Most mounts use clips and spacers but O-rings are a great simple solution. If you are thinking of using a helmet mounted light, you need a lamp that’s light enough to be comfortable and secure on your lid, rather than a neck snapper. You’ll need an extension cable and helmet mount too, so check if that’s included or an optional extra.

Battery: The bit that powers the light. Lighter, tougher, far more random charge resistant lithium ion (Li-Ion) chargeable batteries have revolutionised mountain bike lighting compared with older lead acid and NiMH batteries — but battery and lamp efficiencies still vary dramatically. Most brands sell extra batteries (often at a discount if bought with the light) so you can always swap halfway. Check your batteries are properly prepared for maximum performance (this should be in the instructions) and take a back-up until you know you can rely on their run times.

Switchgear: The switch not only turns the light on, but also lets you change power output levels. It needs to be easy to operate while riding, even with gloves on, but hard to operate accidentally. Many lights now use backlit switches that double as mode and/or run time indicators using traffic-light-style colour changes. Switchgears now range from a simple push button sequential mode switch with low battery warning light to wireless bar-mounted units or switches that can also change the different output levels and menus.

Head or bars

Most lights come with both bar and helmet mounting options. Which is better comes down to personal preference, but here are the pros and cons of each.

The result — it’s a draw! In reality the best solution is to use helmet and bar-mounted lights, even if you have to buy lower powered units to afford both. It also means you have a backup should one battery die.

Jargon buster

Being stuck on a wet winter’s night, miles from anywhere with a failed light or everything suddenly going pitch black halfway down a technical descent is a really serious matter. That’s why we take our lights testing extremely seriously.

There’s no substitute for time on trail in all weathers to find out this crucial stuff — and we’re not just talking about lights used in the past few months. We also reference the sets we’ve run long-term to get in-depth, worst case use feedback that’s directly relevant to the riding you do.

The science side

As is often the case with mountain biking, the scientific part of the testing is the easiest bit. Lights (lamp body plus handlebar bracket) and batteries are weighed on our scales.

We then measure the useful maximum power run time (to when the output fades and low battery warning lights come on) with pre-conditioned (used and recharged) batteries in the highest power setting on an air cooled rig to mimic the cooling effect of riding at night. We also measure the maximum casing heat of the lights with a thermal probe to see if any get dangerously hot.

This method does favour spot beams over flood beams, but it’s still a more trail translatable measurement than the lumen potential of LEDs. The coverage, density and other specific characteristics of the beam are often more important than the peak brightness though, so we also take beam photos to make it easier to compare the lights.

The practical side

It’s the feedback we get from real world usage that really sorts out often very similar lamps in terms of trail performance. When it comes to our test conditions we’re talking serious sorties, often two or three times a week all year round in every trail condition imaginable. Baked hard river bed runs that’ll shake a poor bracket or fragile circuit board apart in seconds or leave a badly bagged battery hanging by its lead; sub-zero tundra trudges that freeze a battery to horribly low maximum power run times; drownings in downpours and hip-deep bog crashes.

Most of our lights have seen it all and, if the most recent versions have only been hammered through summer, we’ve certainly put the models preceding them through the most testing ride schedule possible. Repeated group riding, bike switching, recharging and battery flattening gives us the perfect comparative testing cluster too, so any failures or fading is immediately obvious rather than going unnoticed in isolation.

In other words, if a light scores well, you know it’s gone through some proper optical and electrical purgatory to prove itself. For that reason, for all of our latest lights testing we’ve deliberately stuck with established (at least a year old) lights manufacturers to ensure anything we recommend is a fully supported product.

Upgrade Bikes

An 84-degree beam angle illuminates everything before you, and it can operated via a wired remote control for easier on-the-fly access should you desire.

A day flash mode and urban auto mode also feature, for when 900 lumens in a bit OTT, while mode memory and a light sensor help keeps thing simple.

Website

We’ve dubbed previous iterations of the Exposure Sirius light the ‘perfect commuter light’, and the fourth generation light found a place in the RCUK100 for that reason.

Also new is an upgraded CNC aluminium bodywork, making an already tough little unit even more durable for commuting or road riding.

Website: 

The Cateye Volt 800 sits in the middle of the Cateye range, and comes in just under £90.

So, with all that choice, why the 800? Well 800 lumens will be more than enough for the darkest of night rides, for starters, and the robust casing means it feels more than resilient enough for your winter commutes.

Batteries

Most of the brightest lights still use a separate battery however, which might be encased in a fabric pouch or plastic housing and Velcro-ed to the top tube or similarly convenient place.

Exposure pioneered the single-unit lamp. This the self-adjusting Reflex which dials down its output when you slow down.

Charging

With Li-Ion batteries charging is a fairly straight-forward process, and many lights come with ‘smart chargers’ so you don’t have to watch the clock – just leave it on charge through the night and the charger will take care of everything. Some use USB cables which are handy for charging your lights from your computer or at work.

Mounting

Easy to overlook but the bracket can really make or break a lightset. You’re looking for a bracket that’s easy to use, preferably doesn’t need any tools to use (handy for swapping quickly between bikes) and most importantly holds the light securely in place – the last thing you want is the light wobbling all over the place when you’re dropping into a tight techy descent. A good, solid attachment to the bars is essential. Hinged cam-locking clamps are common and effective.

Check what fittings you get with the system. Some include bar helmet and bear head mountings, some have just one, with the others as optional extras.

Housings

Dual-beam systems like the Niterider Pro 3600 combine flood and spot for versatility and can put out huge amounts of light.

Robust and waterproof housings are essential, as are connectors that keep out the wet. Poor connectors can lead to the light cutting out at the most inconvenient possible time.

Run times

Run time of lithium-ion-powered lights will decrease with age as the battery deteriorates. In theory, this deterioration can be slowed down by storing the battery at a low temperature, so if you put your lights away for the summer, store them in the fridge.

Know your mountain bike lights

Cable
: Lengthy cables are a pain in the neck to keep under control, so the best options have short cables for bar mounting with optional extenders used to make the light helmet compatible. Better still look for a cable-free all in one option for the ultimate in convenience.

Beam Pattern
: In bar mounted light, spreading the light evenly across and up the trail with no hard lines, shadows or hotspots to distract your eye is, if anything, more important than raw power. We have noticed during years of testing that as soon as you lose peripheral vision and add distractions like bright lines or dead spots, your ability to read the trail suffers and consequently speed does too.

Remote
: Remotes are a superb way to encourage power management and extend your battery life. When the power switch is right at your thumb without needing to change or relinquish grip on the bars, it is easy to flick the power up and down according to trail conditions. Wireless remotes are especially useful for helmet mounted units.

Bar Mount
: Rubber O-ring bands are our favoured way of attaching the light to the bar; easy to fit, adjust and remove they expand to fit most bar sizes easily and leave nothing behind for day rides. Heavier lights such as all in one units need something more secure, so bolted clamps are necessary to take the weight. Most, but not all, allow for oversized 35mm bars so double check if you need that size.

Fuel Gauge
: A must for displaying your remaining power, allowing you to make decisions on power management. Most are simple green/amber/red lights, but more recently lights are filtering through with accurate time countdown displayed.

Charger
: A very welcome development has been the increase in USB charging available. Not only does this mean you have one less dedicated charge adaptor cluttering your life, but it also makes charging in the car possible at 2hour races or similar.

Headlights

Think of your OEM headlights as that suit you wore to your high school prom. That powdered blue tuxedo was cool back in the day, but it’s hardly fashion forward by today’s standards. The same is true for your car’s headlights. While most OEM lights provide adequate illumination, most times their style is straight out the 70s. Thankfully, you can pull your car’s exterior out of the past with a set of aftermarket headlights. Replacement headlights go above and beyond the uninspired design of OEM lights to enhance you car’s look and attitude. These exterior accents range from the sleek and sophisticated to the rugged and race ready, and our diverse catalog of automotive lights are sure to please drivers of all tastes.

Aftermarket headlights do more than just alter the look of your exterior – they can also enhance your car’s light output.

Helpful Tip

If your factory headlights aren’t meeting your standards, consider picking up a set of Spyder headlights. LED headlights produce a significantly stronger beam than regular OEM headlights to increase your visibility at night. Plus, they use less power than OE lights and stand up to weather and water damage better than Halogen bulbs. In addition to LED headlights, you can upgrade your front end with Euro headlights or Halo headlights. Euro lights, like Spyder Euro headlights, are ideal for import cars seeking a more continental style. Additionally, Euro beam patters are significantly wider than normal beam patterns found on factory lights, improving visibility at night and in bad weather. However, if state-of-the-art performance and style is what you want, take a look at Anzo halo headlights. Halo headlamps feature CCFL technology, which means they burn more efficiently than other lights on the market and add a super-modern style to your front end.

Tail Lights

Sure, your tail lights’ primary responsibility is to illuminate your back-end, but they also help determine your car’s look. Unfortunately, most OEM tail lights fall short in the style department. You can bring your car’s backside looks into the 21st century with a set of replacement tail lights. From bright and bold LEDs to subtle designs inspired by European luxury, aftermarket tail lights give you the freedom to add any look to your vehicle.

Bumper Lights and Corner Lights

Bumper and corner lights are the small but essential accents that tie your car’s style together. If your car’s front-end still looks frumpy even after installing a set of new aftermarket headlights, it may have something to do with your bumper lights. In the same way a chipped tooth can ruin a perfect smile, cracked bumper lights, parking lights, and corner lights can diminish your front-end looks. Pick up a set of Anzo bumper lights to fill out your style. These bumper lights come in a variety of styles and feature a cosmopolitan design that adds sophistication to any bumper. For cars suffering from outdated corner lights, consider a set of APC Amber corner lights. These cool amber corner lights are custom designed to your vehicle, making them the easy-to-install way to brighten up the sides of your vehicle.

Helpful Tip: Need help finding the best LED headlights for your car? Take a look at the customer reviews on our site while you browse and see what people are saying about our aftermarket lights.

Third Brake Lights

Third brake LED lights take your rear-end lighting system to the next level. These lights provide drivers with an instant, cost-effective lighting upgrade, and most 3rd brake lights install easily with hand tools or automotive-grade tape. Truck and SUV owners should take a look at the Anzo LED third brake light. The Anzo 3rd brake light features a set of long-lasting LED lights and adds a rugged look to the back of your cab. It’s ideal for domestic trucks and SUVs, and comes in multiple colors. Truck owners in search of an attention grabbing light accessory should check out the Putco tail light bar. This light bar is constructed with striking LED lights that are custom fit to your truck’s tailgate. For budget conscious truck owners, this lighting accessory is a no-brainer.

How To Install Your Car Headlights

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a seasoned mechanic to install a set of replacement headlights. In fact, adding a new set of lamps to your car is easy, regardless of your experience with do-it-yourself projects. Check out this video and see how you can install a new pair of Spyder Euro headlights to your vehicle in under an hour.

Off-Road Lights

Trucks, SUVs, and Off-road vehicles have different needs than regular automobiles. When you’re fording through dark trails or cruising through the campsite, those high-beam headlamps aren’t going to cut it. Off-road lights are designed to meet the specific needs of heavy duty vehicles and enhance the style of your exterior. They come in a variety of designs to increase your visibility and truck’s rugged look. Before you start browsing, take a look at these popular off-road lighting options to find the best set of lights for your vehicle.

Flood Lights

If you’re facing inclement weather while off-roading, you may need additional illumination to get to your destination safely. In these situations, rely on a set of car flood lights. These flood lights have a wider beam pattern than OEM headlamps and make for a great exterior ornament for any truck or SUV. If you’re interested in mounting a set of flood lights onto your vehicle, take a look at KC HiLites off-road lights. Heavy rain and inclement weather are no match for these lights. These KC Hilities flood light kits come with impressive HID lights and feature a compact design that’s perfect for Jeeps and SUVs that are short on space.

Fog Lights

Fog can spell major problems for drivers. Driving through heavy fog can make the straightest paths seem uncertain, and even the most experienced drivers could get lost in the haze. You can see past heavy fog, however, with a set of high powered fog lights. Car fog lights are different from flood lights in that their beam shines at a downward angle to avoid your beams reflecting off of hazy weather. Drivers who face fog on a daily basis should pick up PIAA 2000 Series Fog Lights. These compact fog lights fit most vehicles and produce a wide 55-degree light beam to increase your visibility on the road. If these lights don’t suit your style, then check out Anzo LED fog lights. The LEDs on Anzo Fog Lights add over 400 Lumens to your existing light system and are available in multiple sizes and styles. In addition to the safety they provide, fog lights can also enhance the rugged style of your truck or SUV. For drivers looking to enhance their Jeep’s style with a set of mountable fog lights, check out PIAA 520 Series fog lights. This off-road fog light kit comes with two high powered bulbs and a rugged style that provides any vehicle with a set of tough off-road lighting accents.

Long Range Off-Road Lights

Off-Road long range lights can bulk up the look of any SUV or truck. They drastically increase your visibility at night and mount onto most vehicles in minutes. If your truck is lacking in the lighting department, a long range off-road light kit might be just the thing to enhance your 4×4’s visibility. Among the many off-road range lights we carry, our most popular among off-road enthusiasts are the KC HiLites Daylighters. These powerful HID lights increase your ability to drive along dark trails and come equipped with a rugged casing that enhances your vehicle’s off-road look.

LED Lights

LED lights shine brighter than OEM headlights and can even triple your range of vision in some cases. Additionally, they’re built to last longer than incandescent lights. Unlike standard car lights, LEDs don’t have a filament, which makes them more resistant to water damage. LED lights also use up less battery power than incandescent lights and fire up faster than incandescent bulbs, making them ideal for brake lights. If you’re thinking about switching over to an LED light system, check out Anzo LED tail lights. These replacement tail lights give your rear-end increased visibility and make for a great off-road accent for trucks and SUVs.

Halogen Lights

Halogen is the standard bulb for most replacement headlights and tail lights. These lights burn brighter and longer than regular incandescent lights and are more energy efficient. However, like most incandescent bulbs, halogen lights are more susceptible to wear and weather damage than LED lights. If you plan on buying a pair of halogen headlights, make sure they’re encased in a weather resistant cover. Otherwise, the filament could be vulnerable to dust or water damage.

HID Lights

The intense glow of HID (High Intensity Discharge) Xenon lights is caused by a superheated ball of xenon gas, which burns with the same level of intensity as daylight. HID lights are typically found in off-road driving lights and flood lights. HID bulbs are ideal for drivers in search of high performance, high-efficiency lighting. If you’re thinking about adding these lights to your vehicle, check out PIAA HID lights. These driving lights only use 3watts of power and dramatically increase your visibility at night.

CCFL Lights

CCFL stands for Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps. These lights are sometimes referred to as “halos” for the unique, circular light pattern. Halos produce a concentrated beam of light that shines father down the road than other car lights and are ideal for cars driving at high speeds. Plus, CCFL halos give any vehicle a high-performance, high-tech style. For drivers seeking a performance halo light, check out Anzo CCFL headlights. These are car lights are custom fit to your car’s front end and install under an hour with simple hand tools.

How Weather Determines Your Automotive Lights

Aftermarket headlights and tail lights can help redefine your vehicle’s look and attitude. However, if those lighting upgrades aren’t enough, consider tricking out your vehicle with a set of automotive lighting accessories. We carry an exhaustive line of light accessories for trucks and SUVs, from tailgate light bars to tail light covers. If you’re looking for an additional lighting accessory for your front end, pick up a set of PUTCO Dayliners. These bright LED lights install directly underneath your truck’s headlights with 3M automotive tape and provide your vehicle with a set of attention grabbing accents that look great at any time of day.

If you’re looking for something a little bolder for your lights, consider installing a truck light bar on your truck or SUV. Truck bars do more than just provide you with additional illumination at night or in bad weather – these mountable lighting accessories embody the rugged attitude associated with off-road vehicles. SUV owners seeking a total front end upgrade should consider the KC Hilities light bar. KC Hilities has long been associated with the off-road lifestyle, and their light bar is a favorite among Jeep owners for its easy to install design and its tough, wear resistant design.

Cateye Volt 800 and Rapid Kinetic X2

One of the oldest names in bike lights, Cateye knows how to deliver and the Volt 800 and Rapid Kinetic Xlive up to the reputation.

For the Volt front light, five settings (three constant plus ‘hyper’ and flashing) give you from two hours of burn up to eight hours, or 80 on flashing.

As the name suggests, the Kinetic Xmonitors movement and switches from flashing to constant as you stop, with three modes and a 50-lumen total output.

Cateye’s mounts are certainly tried and tested and work well despite diminutive construction.

With a low-battery indicator built into the switch, there is plenty to like, although changing the light setting while riding in winter could prove a little awkward as the switch is slightly recessed.

Moon Meteor Storm and Shield-X

As you’d rightly expect at the very top end of our budget, these Moon units are loaded to the hilt with light-giving features.

Dual Cree XM-LLEDs provide plenty of brightness, with an output of 1300 lumens and a run time of a good three hours. There’s also a 10-second 1700-lumen burst option if you know a tight spot is coming up.

Meanwhile, the Moon Shield-X rear light offers up to 80 lumens for 80 minutes and up to 40 hours on 15-lumen flashing mode – there is also a further hour available in a ‘get you home’ mode – all thanks to a central CREE and 20 miniature COB LEDs.

Both units offer several mounting options which look as though they’ll cover just about any fitting. Which is handy.

Blackburn Central 700 and Central 50

Pumping out 700 lumens, this version of the Central is currently Blackburn’s most powerful front unit, making it an obvious pair to the Central 50, the brand’s brightest rear.

Three main settings provide 700, 400 and 200 lumens respectively, with a minimum run time of 1.15hrs and max of 16hrs on Pulse; with three, five or seven hours on the rear.

A broad footprint and 4mm rubber strap, complete with secondary hook, gives a secure fitment but lacks a quick release to aid removal for charging. The power/selector button is flush, making adjustments in winter gloves awkward.

At 50 lumens, the rear is bright enough that having it angled down is probably a sensible option but there isn’t an option to change either.

Light & Motion Urban 800 and Viz 180 Micro

Urban 800 offers four modes, including ‘pulse’, with the most powerful 800-lumens setting giving a run time of 1.5hrs, while the constant 175-lumen setting promises six hours.

The Viz 180 rear has a less regular set of outputs, with 2lumens in either a solid light (four hours), or pulsed (six hours).

It also has a 13-lumen setting for up to 1hours, and there’s a particularly neat feature in the Paceline amber setting for riding with others you don’t wish to dazzle.

At the rear, the rubber strap combines with a clip to hang it off a bag plus a hinged plate for your seatpost.

Up front, it’s a less conventional arrangement with a locating tab and swivel which means you can adjust the centering of the beam – but it does also mean it can be knocked off-centre easily.

Lezyne Power Drive 1250 XXL and Strip Drive Pro

On numbers alone, the Lezyne pairing are smashing it. As you’ll guess from the name, the front has up to 1250 lumens via three LEDs and the rear up to 100 from five.

With six modes, run times range from just under two hours at maximum power up to 3hours for the pulsed 150 Lumen setting.

If that wasn’t enough, the Strip Drive rear light offers nine modes and importantly returns to the last used when restarted.

Also of interest is that Lezyne states you can use a 2A fast-charge point to reduce the complete refill to five hours. Both are quite sizeable units so use hearty straps which are easy to get on, but hard to knock off.

Forward

IP68… IP67… IP58, what does it all mean – and is it important? Yep, It certainly is! These codes highlight the extent of how water and dust proof your new LED driving lights will be. IP stands for Ingress Protection, and below is a breakdown of what these numbers actually mean. Take the first number of your IP rating from the solids section, and the second number from the liquids section to determine how protected your LED lights actually are. An IP6rating for example would be water and dust proof.

LUMENS VS LUX

Every manufacturer will supply the raw lumen figure their light produces, but many wont supply the lux readings. Quite simply, lumens provide a figure of the total amount of light being produced. Lux on the other hand, measures the intensity of the light. So while a light may have high lumens and offer fantastic spread of light, if the lux readings are low there won’t be enough grunt to actually see much at all. There are technical methods of measuring both lumens and lux, which takes out the ‘seat of the pants’ argument. A light integrating sphere accurately records lumens, while lux is measured with a far simpler device (oddly enough) called a lux meter.

WIRING LOOMS

You might not think it, but the wiring looms supplied with LED driving lights are a major part of what actually helps to keep water and dust out. Many manufacturers will in fact void the light’s warranty if you decide to cut off the supplied connectors and install your own. Look for a light that incorporates Deutsch connectors that are water and dust proof. If not, moisture will find its way down the electrical cable, and directly inside your LED driving light, potentially destroying it.

MOUNTING BRACKETS

We know from the previous article on illegal 4Xmods that you can’t mount an LED or any driving light on top of a bull bar. So how do you go about installing them? Luckily, many bull bars will have mounting tabs to secure a light fixture. If not, there are several light mounts that can be installed with a few basic tools. The most common variety is a tube-mount clamp that wraps around the top hoop of a bull bar pointing downwards, providing you with an adjustable mount that simply bolts on. No need to weld or fabricate new mounts, which also preserves the factory powder-coated finish the bull bar came with.

GREAT WHITE 1LED

Manufactured by Vision X, Great White has been lighting up tracks in Australia for some time now. In the process, they developed a product with many big claims: it’s shock proof to 15.6G, waterproof to 3m, has an operating lifespan 50,000+ hours and it’s all backed by a five year warranty. If that sounds like something that might be up your alley, take a closer look at the 1LED driving light. Powered by eighteen individual LEDs, the Great White LED is offered in a dust proof black or chrome-finished aluminium housing. There are also many additional accessories available for the range of LED driving lights, including anti-theft lock nuts, coloured and clear polycarbonate lens covers, and both 12v and 24v wiring harnesses.

ROUND DRIVING LIGHT

Very similar to its big brother (the 1LED driving light), the LED version offers similar features and benefits, just in a smaller package. Modern vehicles have far less space for aftermarket accessories when compared to older four-wheel drives. This is especially true when you take a look at a modern bull bars. So it’s no surprise that a light with half the amount of LEDs produces exactly half the raw lumens. But when you still have 4,43raw lumens of 6000k LED light pointing down a dusty track, you wont be complaining. The smaller size is also a benefit for those who own vehicles that are more notorious for having overheating issues. With less surface area to block the radiator, more cool air can get past the lights and into the vehicle’s cooling system.

HALO RAPTOR INCH LED

The Halo Raptor is a seven-inch LED driving light that packs plenty of technology into a small package. While LED lights by nature don’t get anywhere near as hot as halogen lamps, Halo have put considerable amounts of time into keeping these lights running as cool as possible. Features include integrated electronic thermal management to regulate heat levels, and a channeled heat sink also helps to dissipate heat and prolong LED lifespan. The housing is made from 606grade aluminium for durability, and a polycarbonate PMMA lens keeps weight down while resisting impacts from stones and debris. As an interesting side note, Halo tells us that these lights can be mounted vertically, horizontally, diagonally or on any angle. So if you have a tricky mounting platform that requires an alternative install, these could be the driving lights for you.

IMPACT LED 51W

These are the least expensive LED driving lights in this guide, and on paper they deliver some impressive statistics, with 1three watt American-made LED lights crammed into a rugged seven inch housing. Strong 3mm thick tempered glass has been utilised instead of polycarbonate, and all cabling has been sealed and double insulated to prevent water and dust ingress. Impact LED back up their product with a two year warranty and claim the LEDs used in the light will be good for a lifespan of up to 30,000 hours. These lights have also been tested in accordance with ISO 16750-which (if you are not a mechanical engineer) means they have passed a mechanical shock test to ensure they wont fall to bits while blasting down your favourite track.

JW SPEAKER TS3000R

JW Speaker are an American-based manufacturer of high quality lighting that you will see on Harley Davidsons, John Deere tractors and Caterpillar earth moving machinery. So while the name might not be immediately familiar, they have been in business since 193and have been manufacturing vehicle lighting since 1960. The TS3000R from JW Speaker is a compact LED driving light that has been designed from years of engineering research and development. Like many other LED driving lights, the TS3000R is available in a pencil or spread beam and with a black or silver finish on the die-cast aluminium finish. While small in size, the pencil beam will shine close to 500m down the road and the spread beam offers a wider beam of light yet will still comfortably shine over 400m down a straight road. Another unique feature is the universal pedestal mount that has been designed for ease of fitment on a variety of mounting platforms.

Lightforce LED 180

The smaller model in the latest Lightforce LED range is the 180. This LED driving light is made up of seven watt high output CREE Chipset LEDs that are housed in a high-pressure cast aluminium housing. There is a choice of wide or spot beams depending on your requirements, and Lightforce claim their product is waterproof. The difference between cheaper driving lights and Lightforce units is the attention to detail. DuPont paint has been used to provide protection from our harsh elements, and the polycarbonate lens has been hard coated for scratch and impact resistance. For even more protection, clear clip-on covers are provided and military grade wiring cable gets the nod for handling power-up duties. These inclusions make for a solid, compact LED driving light that has been designed for Aussie conditions.

LIGHTFORCE LED 215

Opposite Lock have long been selling the Power Vision range of halogen and HID driving lights, so it makes absolute sense that they partner up with them again to produce the Nitro 228mm LED driving lights. These driving lights pump out a huge 120w of glorious white light, thanks to 2five watt CREE LEDs producing a claimed total of 10880 raw lumens per lamp. Sturdy mounting brackets are supplied, which offer ease of adjustment for a range of fitment options. Lens covers, a wiring harness and anti-theft locking nuts are also included, meaning no surprises when it comes time to install the lights. Plenty of attention to detail has gone into the construction side of things, with the inclusion of a robust high-pressure die-cast aluminium housing and a high impact polycarbonate lens to prevent stone chips and other damage while off-road.

RIGID INDUSTRIES Q SERIES

The Q Series from Rigid Industries is a little different to the rest of the LED driving lights on the market, as it is a square shaped unit rather than a traditional round shape. The reason for this is quite clever, Rigid Industries were able to build the Q Series around four of the smaller yet extremely popular and proven Dually LED lights optics. The real benefit of the Q Series is the shear amount of beam pattern options available. From spot beam for those who need absolute long distance vision, to diffusion beam for anyone wanting as much light spread as possible, or combinations of both. Originally designed for use on fire and rescue and commercial trucks, the Q series are extremely heavy duty in construction and still made in America. Best of all, they come complete with mounting brackets and a waterproof wiring loom too.

RIGID INDUSTRIES R SERIES

The latest LED driving light from Rigid Industries is also quite possibly the boldest they have designed. The R Series has been built for those who want to stand out from the crowd, while still offering performance levels that you would expect from the USA-based manufacturer. The secret to the exceptional performance of the R Series is the curved lens and housing which allows for a tremendous throw of light. When combined with twelve of Rigid Industries’ brightest LEDs, you have one serious LED driving light. Availability in a spot, hyperspot, flood, combo, driving and wide beam patterns means there is a light in the R Series range to suit most applications and terrains. A black lens cover is included, as are quality stainless steel brackets and a waterproof wiring loom.

VISION X SOLSTICE

Vision X is actually the manufacturer of choice for many other lighting companies, so their own product sometimes gets less attention than it deserves. Producing a generous 4800 raw lumens from just six LEDs is impressive, and when you consider they also have a service life of up to 50,000 hours things really get put into perspective. The key feature of this light has nothing to do with the light output, but more the slim die cast aluminium housing, which has excellent strength and heat dissipation properties. And with a mounting depth of just 1.inches, this is the LED driving light for you if space is at an absolute premium. As Vision X lights are subjected to rigorous vibration testing for performance in high impact situations, Vision X offer a lifetime warranty on the LED Solstice driving light.

Orbea Wild & Keram

The Wild is a 650b+ (27.5″ wheels with wide tyres) hardtail and has a metal box around the power technology to protect it from rocks and debris that may fly up and damage it, as it is centred in a vulnerable position around the bottom bracket and pedals. The Keram is largely a 29er, although the size Small does come with 650b wheels, and is a more relaxed mountain bike, where the Wild is more, err, wild. The Keram is also mud guard and pannier rack compatible for off-road touring or commuting opportunities. The Wild comes with mostly Shimano SLX components, RockShox Recon 100mm forks, and a choice of three colours starting at £2,599.

Carrera Crossfire-E

Halfords are a large provider of budget bikes and, while I would recommend one of the above bikes or brands for rugged alpine expeditions and proper mountain biking explorations, the Carrera Crossfire-E would provide a great entry-level mountain bike with some battery assistance for the rider looking for more leisurely cruises off-road, like towpaths and bridal ways. It comes with Shimano Acera 8-speed gears, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and has the ability to assist your travel up to 15.5mph and with a range of up to 60 miles on a single charge. It’s quite a compelling package for £1,100 especially with a year warranty on the entire bike; the frame, components, and the battery.

Volt Big Foot

Keeping all the numbers and letters straight on a sidewall can be next to impossible. But all that alpha-numeric soup is hard to live without; it’s the tire’s genetic code–it tells you the size, tolerances, and basic need-to-knows about the tire.

Rome Is Home for Pirelli–But Not Italy

MIRS technology is a Pirelli original, with mechanical and technological design assistance from universities and industry leaders and is the use of robots for virtually all aspects of tire assembly. So efficient is this system, that there’s no overstock within the factory itself, as all the tires are shipped within the week they’re made. Thus far, the robots require just over 3000 square feet of workspace to complete a job, which formerly took well over 9000.

It wouldn’t surprise us if, someday, the whole plant could fit into a trailer, making it possible to produce tires at the races, instead of hauling them to it. The Rome facility is the first Pirelli plant in the United States and the first MIRS tire factory in the world, producing tires for the North American high-performance SUV and car markets. The tires produced at the factory will be the Ultra High Performance PZero Nero M+S, for vehicles such as the Viper and Corvette, Scorpion STR, for midsize truck applications, and Scorpion Asimmetrico, for high-performance truck applications.

Dealer Selection

The best-selling vehicle in the U.S. isn’t the Camry sedan and it’s not the CR-V crossover — it’s the Ford F-Series lineup of full-size trucks. And although crossovers of all types are leading to sales increases across the industry, trucks still serve an integral part of many automaker lineups. Whether you’re looking into a compact/midsize truck, a full-size pickup, or even a heavy-duty model, keep reading to get a better idea on how today’s trucks have changed from last year’s models, and learn about their basic specs, too.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Word

First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.

Most important, have fun and choose your off roading lights wisely! Good luck!

So, TOP3 of off roading lights

• №1 — Ambuker LED Push Button on-off Switch with Connector Wire Kit for Toyota – Laser Etched ZOMBIE LIGHTS Symbol -Blue
• №2 — MICTUNING 21.5 Inch 120W Combo Led Light Bar – 8000 Lumen
• №3 — LightPlus CREE LED Lights