Skip to main content

Trail LED DS Lights


Trail LED is the brand behind the distinctive ‘Halo’ light; a 6,000 lumen monster with 10 LEDs that curves to fit right around the outside of your helmet. Producing a claimed 3,000 lumens, the DS is basically half a Halo. It’s close to half the price too at $699 versus $1,379 for the Halo.

The alloy light body is machined in the US and the finish is first rate. Visually the battery pack is comparatively rudimentary; the cells are wrapped in a heavy duty rubber cover. While the battery isn’t as well presented (or protected) as a hard case unit, the performance was impressive. It offers a 1:1 charge to burntime ratio; ride on high beam for two hours and it’ll only take two hours to recharge the battery—that’s pretty rare for a 3,000 lumen light.

It’s pretty clear that the DS has been designed first and foremost as a helmet light. The alloy body contours gently to match your helmet and it sits directly on the shell with a big O-ring to hold it in place. Mounting is a little fiddley the first time around; the light needs to line up with vents for the O-ring to slip through whilst simultaneously pointing the beam in the right direction.

The main benefit of this system is that it keeps the weight low and close to your head. At 98g the head unit is pretty light to begin with – especially for a 3,000 lumen light – but the perceived weight on your helmet will have you thinking it weighs even less. There is a handlebar mount for the DS; a nylon sleeve that goes around your stem before you strap it down with two O-rings. We had limited success using it and it’ll depend heavily on your handlebar and stem setup.

Power wise the DS won’t disappoint—it was extremely bright. While a lot of light is punched through the central portion, it still spreads to the sides and the DS performed brilliantly as a helmet light. The emitters are also upgradable, so there’s an element of future-proofing built in and Trail LED offers a lifetime warranty on the light head.

Claimed Output (Lumens) 3,000
Total System Weight 415g
Longest Burntime 16 hrs

PRICE 700$


Labels

Popular posts from this blog

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>

ENVE M50 29" Wheels

Utah based company ENVE have been making drool-worthy carbon components for some years now. Despite the fact that carbon rims are becoming more and more common on mountain bikes these days, you can guarantee that ENVE wheels will be a talking point when someone is eyeing off a steed. Instantly, the big bold logos on each rim scream "fast", "light" and to some extent, "expensive" The kids call this 'bling'.

READ MORE >>

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

READ MORE >>

YT Tues downhill bike

The new Tues downhill bike is here – and won a World Cup on its first outing While a number of big brands have launched 29er downhill bikes,YT Industries are sticking with proven 650b wheels – for now, at least. The latest Tues comes in five sizes (S-XXL), with the biggest sporting a reach of 495mm. Head tube and chainstay lengths now vary between sizes, to put the rider in a better position on the bike. The S-L bikes have 435mm stays, while the XL and XXL are a shade longer, at 440mm. Reach is longer than last year on some sizes, including the XL ridden to victory by Aaron Gwin at this year’s openingWorld Cup round.A reachadjust headset can be used to tailor the fit further. YT have also made subtle but significant changes to the suspension. The initial stroke is said to be more sensitive, while there’s more mid-stroke support, to sit the bottom bracket a shade higher when on track.YT have decreased end-stroke progression, by five per cent, to make tackling really big hits th...

READ MORE >>

NS Bikes Metropolis bike

There aren’t many companies like NS Bikes, whose entire product range is designed around getting rad, ripping corners and boosting jumps. The Polish brand are passionate about freeride and have gained a reputation for building heavy-hitting,wellspecced and reasonably-priced bikes. This latest incarnation of their Metropolis dirt jump rig follows in this vein, with a doublebutted 4130 chromoly frame and an array of reliable kit. The frame mixes MTB and BMXtechnology, using a threaded bottom bracket and Race Face AEfect two-piece crankset in combination with horizontal dropouts and an integrated headset and seat clamp. A Manitou Circus Elite fork gives 100mm of air-sprung travel, with a 20mm front axle to maintain stifness. The Metropolis rolls on 26in NS Fundamental rims, fitted with Kenda Small Block 8 tyres. We reckon the combo of chrome frame and tan-wall rubber looks pretty rad too! The full build weighs a fairly robust 12.13kg , but it should have no problem shrugging of s...

READ MORE >>