With warmer nights approaching, you may be better off hitting the road in the moonlight than under the scorching sun. But the moonlight is never enough. You need good vision and only the best helmet light will do. Whether you are cruising down your street or flying down on your mountain bike, you need to illuminate the ground ahead. This is not just some cool accessory but what will keep you on the two wheels you want to be on, not a wheelchair. Riding in the night is serious business and should be treated with the utmost precaution. We went ahead and found some of the best helmet lights for mountain biking, street riding, or anything else you need a helmet for.
What to Look for in a Helmet Light
Are all lights the same? Nope! The year is 2023. There are so many varieties of lights available at reasonable prices now that you actually have options to choose from. From the best budget, MTB helmet lights that you want to start trying downhill on to the best tactical helmet light for your next paintball tournament, there are many factors to consider.
Power
With great power comes great responsibility. Wanting the best helmet light doesn’t always mean you need the brightest helmet light. You want to see what is in front of you, not blind everything in front of you and end up draining your battery in the first 30 minutes. The price difference between powerful LEDs is not as much as it used to be so you should choose the strength that you need, not the biggest number. Many of the best helmet lights already have a few options to cycle through so you will likely be covered for any scenario.
Battery Life
Your best helmet light is not going to be any good if it doesn’t have any juice left in it. You are going to have to plan accordingly for your ride and see how long you can go before needing a recharge, or swapping batteries if it comes with external batteries. Obviously, your helmet light will drain at different rates of how powerful the light emitting is so it is best to use lower wattage when going on longer rides or uses.
Waterproof
Rain comes when you least expect it. Waterproofing has come a long way in the last decade but it is still best to double-check what rating even the best helmet light has. Some charging ports may be semi-exposed and need to be completely sealed when out on the road to avoid dust or other debris messing up your charging port. Don’t expect them to be rated to go underwater (while some of the best tactical helmet lights can) but anything that can handle rain should be good enough. Also, consider how dangerous it is to ride a bike in the rain.
Mounting Type
You are looking for the best mtb light to fix onto your helmet, the best tactical helmet light, or just any helmet light, you need to attach to your helmet. AND STAY THERE! One of the most common methods is a silicone belt loop that goes around a spot around your helmet, which is a great one size fits all solution. They can also be mounted onto your handlebars. There are quick-release tracker sliders as well but those require installation. Another common way is having an optional mount that the helmet light connects to which requires light one-time installation.
1. CATEYE – AMPP USB Rechargeable Bike Headlight
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Strong Light | ❌No Waterproof Rating |
| ✔️Multiple Options | |
| ✔️Low Battery Light |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 1,110 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
- 800 Lumens (2.0 Hours)
- 400 Lumens (4.5 Hours)
- Night Flashing (50 Hours)
Mount Type: Loop
The best helmet lights are usually the more simple ones. The CATEYE is a standard bike helmet light that gives you the option to control the power with a simple click, a silicone loop that will easily attach to your bike helmet, and a low battery light to warn you when you are running out of juice.
2. Super Bright F2000 Bicycle Headlight
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Very Strong Light | ❌Adjustable Swivel can be annoying |
| ✔️Multiple Options | |
| ✔️WaterProof |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 2,000 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
- Night Flashing (55 Hours)
Mount Type: Loop
Do you want pure power? You will for sure have one of the best mtb helmet lights with this absolute beast of a unit. It is waterproof, so you can take it anywhere in any condition. Just make sure you firmly attach it so it doesn’t sway on the swivel head.
3. Light & Motion Vis Pro 1000
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Side Lights | ❌Slow Charging |
| ✔️Multiple Mounting Options | |
| ✔️WaterProof |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 1,000 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
- Day Flashing (12 Hours)
Mount Type: 3 Options
If you want the best helmet light for safety look no further than the Light and Motion Vis Pro series. Put aside the multiple mount options and durability for a second, what makes this the safest helmet light is the side lights. Lots of bike accidents happen from the side, so you can be as bright and visible as you want from the front and back, but the sides are where it counts.
4. Garmin Varia UT 800 Smart Headlight Urban Edition
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Smart Light | ❌Poor Mount |
| ✔️Multiple Mounting Options | ❌No Waterproof Spec |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 800 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
- Day Flashing (25 Hours)
Mount Type: Stiff Bar Mount
Don’t want to lift your hand to your helmet to shift your light brightness? This smart bike helmet can sense the darkness in front of you and adjusts so you can focus on your road ahead.
5. NiteRider Pro 2200 Race Rechargeable Headlight
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Lightweight | ❌External Battery |
| ✔️Super Bright | ❌No Waterproof Spec |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 2,000 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
Mount Type: Loop Mount
You wanted bright? How about 2,000 Lumens bright? This illuminating bike helmet can light up the way for your next journey with ease. Just make sure you properly protect the external battery from the elements for your bike helmet to last as long as you want it to.
6. Lupine Lighting Systems Piko R 7 SC SmartCore 2100 Lumens Helmet Light System
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Lightweight | ❌External Battery |
| ✔️Super Bright | |
| ✔️Waterproof rated | |
| ✔️Bluetooth Compatible |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 2,100 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
Mount Type: Loop Mount and Strap
The Lupine Lighting Systems Piko R 7 SC Smartcore has everything. An insanely strong light, smart capabilities, and dual straps to really stick to your helmet. If you can afford it, this is definitely one of the best helmet lights.
7. Lezyne Multi Drive 1000 Headlight Black, One Size
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Lightweight | ❌Slow Charging |
| ✔️Waterproof rated | |
| ✔️Bluetooth Compatible |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 1,000 Lumens (1.5 Hours)
- Enduro (35 Hours)
Mount Type: Loop Mount
If you need something lightweight and long-lasting look no further than the Lezyne Multi Drive. It has bluetooth compatibility to control remotely and can withstand a decent storm, not that you should be biking in one unless you are an expert.
8. Oxbow Voyager Dirt Bike Helmet Light Kit with Rechargeable Battery
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Lightweight | ❌Need to install on helmet |
| ✔️Waterproof rated |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
- 2,100 Lumens (3 Hours)
- Low (12 Hours)
Mount Type: Go Pro Mount
Are you a mountain biker who wants the best MTB Helmet Light? The good people at Oxbow know how to make a durable, lightweight, and powerful mtb helmet light. It can run for 3 hours on 2,100 Lumens, which very few of the best helmet lights can come close to, while still being durable and waterproof.
9. Bright Eyes Fully Waterproof 1600 Lumen
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Rugged | ❌Only 3 Brightness Settings |
| ✔️Waterproof rated |
If you just want one that is simple and affordable then the MagicShine is the best helmet light for you. It doesn’t have anything fancy, it clicks 4 times for 3 power options and it turns off. What more could you ask for?
10. Streamlight 14512 Sidewinder 47 Lumens Compact II
| Reasons to buy | Reasons to avoid |
|---|---|
| ✔️Wide and Far | ❌Separate Lithium Battery |
| ✔️Waterproof rated | |
| ✔️Powerful Running Time |
Specifications:
Brightness & Runtime:
AA Lithium Battery
- White C4 (6-70 Hours Depending on Power Intensity)
- 5mm IR (24-100 Hours Depending on Power Intensity)
- 5mm Blue/Green (18-100 Hours Depending on Power Intensity)
Mount Type: Rail
Oh you wanted something to take to a nighttime airsoft game? The best tactical helmet light would be the one modeled after ones used in the military. The Streamlight Sidewinder gives you options to cycle between Far and wide with lots of running time from a (not included) lithium battery. Just make sure your helmet has the corresponding placement for the rail rack.
