Are all lightbars created equal?

[KleetusVanDamme]

Wifey is running me crazy wanting a light bar for her 2023 JLU. I got her a Fishbone Offroad light bar mount / bracket (FB21058) that is supposed to mount a 52” light bar, but I don’t even know where to begin with my research. I see bars ranging in price from $100 up to $1700-$2000. I know you get what you pay for, but I don’t think I need to go ”overkill“ either. Wife wants it for aesthetics, as we don’t do a lot of night trailing. I do want to waste money on gear that will not be used to it’s potential.

Please point me in the right direction.

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[Mocopo]

In my opinion, quality of lights comes down to a few factors:

1. Build quality. The finish on the housing will last longer on your expensive lights, cheap Amazon lights will start to turn a dull gray.

2. Sealed against Moisture. Cheaper lights aren't sealed as well, and you can end up with moisture inside the lens.

3. Integrated spot and flood combos. For better light saturation and visibility of what you actually want to see, a good lightbar will have a mix of spot and flood lights.

4. Light temperature. Something that seems to set brands like @BajaDesigns ahead of the rest are because they put research into proper light temperatures that provide great light coverage and visibility, while also minimizing the eye fatigue you would feel if you had to use the lights for hours on end. Cheaper lights are just extremely bright, which can start straining your eyes after a while.

IMO... you get what you pay for. KC and Baja are definitely expensive, but worth it if you do a significant amount of night riding.

I had a Rough Country light bar on my last jeep. Very budget friendly, not a great light temp, but definitely lit everything up, looked good on the jeep, and seemed to be built pretty well. I have all amazon specials (Nilight) on my Jeep currently, but the Bronco is running Baja Designs.

 

[gatorboy]

In my opinion, quality of lights comes down to a few factors:

1. Build quality. The finish on the housing will last longer on your expensive lights, cheap Amazon lights will start to turn a dull gray.

2. Sealed against Moisture. Cheaper lights aren't sealed as well, and you can end up with moisture inside the lens.

3. Integrated spot and flood combos. For better light saturation and visibility of what you actually want to see, a good lightbar will have a mix of spot and flood lights.

4. Light temperature. Something that seems to set brands like @BajaDesigns ahead of the rest are because they put research into proper light temperatures that provide great light coverage and visibility, while also minimizing the eye fatigue you would feel if you had to use the lights for hours on end. Cheaper lights are just extremely bright, which can start straining your eyes after a while.

IMO... you get what you pay for. KC and Baja are definitely expensive, but worth it if you do a significant amount of night riding.

I had a Rough Country light bar on my last jeep. Very budget friendly, not a great light temp, but definitely lit everything up, looked good on the jeep, and seemed to be built pretty well. I have all amazon specials (Nilight) on my Jeep currently, but the Bronco is running Baja Designs.

I will also vouch for KC and BAJA DESIGNS, have em both. Yes they’re expensive, but she’ll be proud to have em on her Jeep. The BEST !

 

[houstonstroker]

Since it is mainly for looks, I would search Amazon and buy one with great reviews. Mine work great.

 

[2K6TBSS]

I was running the Amazon special (Nilight) on the jeep, they were pretty good (until I broke one). I recently switched to the Harbor Freight offering, and it seems to be really nice.

We don't use our much at all, I think the wife has turned it on once in the year we've had it installed.

 

[Mifsuud]

You get what you pay for in quality lights. I'm a KC guy. Era 4s, Era1s, and fog lamps on mine. Pick a light that looks good for your rig since it's purely for looks.
May experience more wind noise from it, and dont be surprised if it reflects a lot of light back at you from the hood. Common issue with light bars.

 

[gatorboy]

You get what you pay for in quality lights. I'm a KC guy. Era 4s, Era1s, and fog lamps on mine. Pick a light that looks good for your rig since it's purely for looks.
May experience more wind noise from it, and dont be surprised if it reflects a lot of light back at you from the hood. Common issue with light bars.

My set up. Flex Era 4s & Flex Era 1.
works for me. All at once.Looks like a giant spotlight coming down the road.

 

[3TV]

Are all lightbars created equal?

Yah, they are all pretty much the same. They all cause wind noise, some even whistle for you. They all decrease gas mileage a small amount. And they all throw too much light on the hood causing enough glare that you really can't see any better when using one at night. And the cheap ones even have poor quality lights.

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