Moon Gem 1.0 LED front light

Little bigger than a memory stick Moon’s Gem 1.0 might be the baby of the of the Moon Gem family but has a mightier output than its size would ever suggest.

Six to seven lumens and pronounced lens are perfect companions to dynamo and high power rechargeable units, invaluable for locating errant keys, mending punctures/other mechanicals in the dead of night too. Moreover, high beam is just powerful enough to tackle unlit country lanes in an emergency. It's also an ideal emergency light to have with you all year round especially when the nights are drawing in and an unexpected delay could leave you facing a ride home from work in the gloom.

Available in black or white, it slips effortlessly aboard most handlebar diameters, adding a measly 20g. Gadget freaks will rejoice in the plug and play, cable fee USB connection. The rest of us will be secure in the knowledge, should the charge light blink red there’s a good forty-five minutes before we’re plunged into darkness. £19.99 for an emergency/back up light might seem a lot, but it is brighter than most and rechargeable and is priced on a bar with the USB rechargeable Backupz.

Much to my surprise, the switch is easily operable on the fly-even in full finger gloves. Sustained pressure sees it course between high, low, flashing, strobe modes and shut down mimicking that of high power li-on mtb systems. A rubber sheath protects the connector from dirt, ingress and more importantly the four seasons-drop it in a puddle and the relatively solid construction means you’ll live to ride another day, full immersion and it’s goodnight Vienna.

Performance from a full two and a half hour charge seems faithful to those quoted, we’ve managed three hours twenty four on the highest setting and six hours forty nine (compared with 3.5 and 7hrs respectively). Seven lumens in the high, static setting projects a bright, piercing (albeit small) spot and gives visibility at speeds between 10 and 12mph along secluded lanes, 15mph through the suburbs and town centres. It’s a very pure beam, capable of pricking driver consciousness but strobe and flashing are most effective-especially tackling junctions and roundabouts. In emergency peripheral visibility is better than expected but major roundabouts and turnings had the butterflies flapping in my belly

Verdict

Surprisingly powerful additional or emergency backup light.