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review

Light and Motion Vis 360 Plus helmet light system

8
£139.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Well made back up light for country lane use or urban commutes. Good visibility but watch those burn times
Weight: 
110g

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I've never really got on with helmet lights but Light & Motion's Vis 360+ has changed my view. Loads of adjustment, decent power and beam shape make for a very good commuter light that offers high up, 360° visibility in amongst traffic.

In the box you get a single LED front light, a three LED rear which also holds the Li-Ion rechargeable battery, USB cable and all the mounts you should need depending on the venting layout of your helmet.

The front light puts out a claimed 250 lumen, up from 120 of the standard 360 although the 360+ does get a 125 lumen as well as a flash mode of the same output. The burn times are 3hrs, 6hrs and 16hrs respectively with a recharge of 6hrs via USB.

On full the beam has a good spread and you could easily ride with it as your only source of 'see by' light. You've got plenty of adjustment at the bracket which lets you get the positioning right without dazzling oncoming drivers.

The bracket is held in place by way of a rubber strap with holes like a watch strap and once fitted to my helmet it didn't move one bit. The front also has the button for controlling the modes and pressing it didn't make the light move either.

Side visibility is achieved thanks to orange 'sidelights' which are actually very bright and show up well. The rear has these too.

Speaking of the rear, this is where the battery sits as it's an integrated unit. An all up weight of 110g is noticeable at first but soon disappears and I wouldn't say it gives you neck ache or anything like that.

A new addition to the 360+ over the standard is a button to allow you to toggle the rear on and off. It would be nice if this had the option of turning the front off and leaving the rear on as I think this is more important on busy roads.

The three LED's pulse when they are on which makes them more noticeable in my eyes than a straight forward flash. Light & Motion don't confirm a light output for the rear but I'd say it's around the 10 lumen mark dropping to 5 when the front is on the 125 lumen setting.

The LED's are angled as well which means they are more visible to car drivers even when your head is dipped and they certainly look brighter than they actually are.

The front and rear are connected by a coiled cable which coils to keep it taught so you don't have to worry about any wires dangling anywhere.

As far as burns times go the 360+ was cutting it fine on those quoted by Light & Motion with those first few runs only giving about 2hrs 30. A new battery does take a few cycles to get fully efficient though and we did see an increase in those burn times but only up to around 2hrs 50.

Testing took in the daily soakings of November and there were no issues with waterproofing as the 360+ didn't miss a beat. The charge point is hidden behind a rubber bung on the bottom of the rear light so is kept out of most of the rain.

Overall the 360+ is a great addition to a commuter's arsenal of lighting and is borderline bright enough to be your only source of light on dry unlit country lanes. The all round visibility is great around town and stands out above the roofs of cars.

The overall quality is good as its wet weather resistance though only you can decide whether £139.99 is justifiable for an, albeit good, secondary light if your ride goes out of town, and indeed in town too. Although I found them bright enough to use as a main light round town, you wouldn't technically be riding legally if you did use them as your main urban set up because the law requires your lights to be fixed to the bike.

For urban use though when paired up with a couple of decent flashers - for added visibility (and legality) on your bike it'll do the job day in, day out whatever the weather.

Verdict

Well made back up light for country lane use or urban commutes. Good visibility but watch those burn times

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Light and Motion Vis 360 Plus helmet light system

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Light & Motion have aimed the 360+ squarely at the commuter with this helmet light having front and rear illumination above the height of traffic. The 360 name comes from the angle of visibility thanks to side lights. It works as either a sole see where you going light or a secondary option for road or trail rides.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?

Vis 360 Patented design

* Simple Tool Free Snap On/Off System

* 250 Lumens, 125 Lumens, Flash mode

* 3hr, 6hr, 16hr burn times

* Battery Charge & Status Indicator

* Rear Light Toggle switch

* MicroUSB Rechargeable

Rate the light for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Looks really well put together and doesn't feel flimsy at all. All switches and covers have a solid click and snug fit.

Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
 
9/10

Really easy to set up and incremental movement on the front light allows simple adjustment.

Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
 
8/10

A range of fittings for various helmet vent patterns which keeps the lights pretty secure. Some movement but nothing to worry about.

Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
 
10/10

No issues in heavy downpours of an hour or more.

Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
 
8/10

A little less than claimed and the outside temperatures weren't below freezing to affect battery life. A 6hr recharge via USB though is ideal for commuters, just so long as you're organised enough to charge it as soon as you get to work.

Rate the light for performance:
 
8/10

An impressive beam pattern from the front light and the rear stands out very well thanks to its pulse pattern. Riding by the 250 lumen front is possible at 15mph but not much more, better performance than a 250 lumen bar mounted light though.

Rate the light for durability:
 
9/10

Hardwearing components shouldn't see any issues for longevity here.

Rate the light for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

110g for front and rear light plus battery is pretty impressive I reckon and is barely noticeable when attached to your helmet.

Rate the light for value:
 
7/10

It is pricey when you could strap a couple of cheap lights to your helmet for the same output but the 360+ works well as a package and will last a long time. A long term investment.

Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It increases your visibility in traffic for sure and helps at busy junctions as well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the light

The surprising amount of light thrown out from the small front light.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light

The burn times coming up a bit short

Did you enjoy using the light? Yes

Would you consider buying the light? Yes

Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes

Anything further to say about the light in conclusion?

A really good package here from Light & Motion that ticks a lot of boxes for the commuter. It works well in the lanes too for looking around bends before you get there. It is expensive though but probably worth it in the long run.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Kinesis T2  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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