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Submitted by
TiCoyote
a CommuterDate Reviewed: January 22, 2013
Strengths: Brightness
Price
Internal Rechargeable BatteryWeaknesses: A little heavy for a helmet-mounted light
Loose Helmet MountBottom Line: I use this light for early morning commutes. I have used a Trail-Rat, and various Cateye Compact Opticube products (HL-EL400 series).
The Trail-Rat is a bright light, but it doesn't have a helmet mount; it has a big, heavy battery pack; the handlebar mount slips down so the beam points at the road; and sometimes when I ride over a bump, the battery detaches from the light. On top of this, the charge only lasts about an hour, it takes 9 hours to charge, and there are all sorts of warnings about over-charging and letting the battery run too low.
The Cateye is a great little product. It's light and bright, and it runs on AAAs. It's also a great price. It can also be clipped onto a helmet. The newer one (which I believe is now actually discontinued) is really bright. I can put two of them on my helmet and get some good light. It also has a flashing mode, and the batteries last a long time. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if the batteries are running low. Also, two of them get a little heavy. And the rubber strap used for mounting is difficult to adjust. On a handlebar, the thing never stays pointed in the right direction. Still, even two of them together aren't nearly as bright as the Trail-Rat.
So I decided to spend a little money to get something that would be brighter than the Cateyes and lighter than the Trail-Rat.
The Expillion is really a great product. It feels solid with a lot of metal. It is nicely sealed against the weather. It has a helmet mount. It's also brighter than the Trail-Rat. It has a Li-Ion battery that charges quickly, and can't be overcharged. It has numerous modes in different brightnesses and flashing patterns. I use a mode that is the second brightest, with a flash interruption every 2 seconds. It gives me a relatively constant beam to see, it saves the battery, and it gets the attention of motorists.
As a helmet-mounted light, it feels a little heavy. I guess that's the tradeoff for something that is powerful and solidly built. After an hour of riding, my neck does get a little sore.
The helmet-mount is a plastic bracket on a velcro strap. The strap is a little floppy, so the thing will rock back and forth on the helmet. However, this is less noticeable when it's my head. Also, there is a screw adjustment on the side of the light, so the beam can be aimed up or down to suit your riding position and visual preference.
The other nice feature is that it has a snap-lock release, so I can leave the mount on the helmet, but take the light off. This way, I can take it off the helmet for the commute home, and avoid the neck soreness.
Overall, I'm happier with this light than I have been with any other light or combination of lights. It was definitely worth the money, and I'm hoping it will last a long time.
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At: Ebay
Similar Products Used: Nite Rider Trail Rat
Cateye HL-EL400
Cateye HL-EL450
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