We are getting very close to releasing the new V5 Spikelight, and I want to explain how the new beams are going to work.

This will be important for anyone wanting to use their Spikelight at the World Rogaining Championships in two weeks.

Continue reading →

We will call it … the V5 Spikelight.

The V5 is going to be released at the World Rogaining Championships in Alice Springs this July.

In some ways the V5 will be like the V4

• It will still have a SPOT and a FLOOD Beam.
• We can still make you a custom light with different led colours, tints, and beam angles to suit your needs.
• 2 x 18650 Lithium Ion cells will still be the power source. So you can still buy new batteries cheaply from all over the world.
• The shape of the lighthead and battery case won’t change much, though several parts will have a more polished design. This blue Spikelight is a V4. V5 pictures will come soon.

In some ways the V5 will be a real upgrade

New Mounts

The V5 will use the GoPro mounting system for the lighthead. This will open up mounting options for helmets, handlebars, kayaks, or wherever else you want to mount a Spikelight.

BOOST Modes

The V5 will have some ‘BOOST’ modes. These are high-power modes which are unsustainable, but I think you’ll like them for the couple of minutes they last.

The FLOOD can run at 700 lumens all night long, but in BOOST mode it will have a maximum of 1500 lumens. (Think you need more lumens than that? Read my post on lumens here.)

The SPOT can reach about 250m all night long, but in BOOST mode it can reach up to 400m. Better still, it gains the extra range without getting narrower like it did in the V4.

Want one?

Of course you do.

They won’t be ready until August, but if you order now from the STORE you can get a $50 discount.

If you are going to the World Rogaining Championships then you can order yours now. We will deliver it at the event on the Friday night. Use the code: WRC2016 to get free shipping at the checkout.

Sign up to the blog and stay tuned for more details in the next few weeks.

Spike Lights is going to be in Brisbane next week and we’ll be showing off our lights.

So come along, bring your other headlights, and put the Spikelight to the test.

Mount Coot-Tha, Tuesday, September 29, 6:30-8:30pm

Just outside Channel 9, Sir Samuel Griffith Dr, Mount Coot-Tha

The Tuesday event is being hosted by Wild Runners, and you are welcome to join them for a trail run around Mount Coot-Tha.

Join the Facebook event here or just come along.

Daisy Hill, Wednesday, September 30, 8:00-9:00pm

At the gate at the end of Daisy Hill road in Daisy Hill.

Join the Facebook event here or just come along.

If you need any more details then send us an email: admin@spikelights.com.au

After many delays, we’re finally getting ready to send out the bulk of our V4 orders. We’re sorry for the delays, but the good news is that some new options have become available for you since you ordered.  This article will give you some details on those options so that you can make a choice.

Spot Options: Wide Spot or Narrow Spot

The Spot beam in our headlights is what has made them famous.  It’s the dedicated, long-range beam that shines further than any other comparable headlight.  In the V4 it is even better than before.

The Wide option is similar to the spot beam on earlier Spikelights, except that it is more powerful in the V4.  This is a very safe option and will not disappoint.

However, if you want the ultimate in long-range beams, then you’ll want the Narrow option. The Narrow beam is about three times more intense than the Spot beam in the earlier Spikelights. It shines much further, but it comes with some costs:

• The Narrow beam is about half the width and height of Wide option. So if the Wide beam lets you see a whole tree at 200m, then the Narrow only shines on 1/4 of that tree. Of course, the Narrow beam lets you see trees at 300m that you probably couldn’t see with the Wide option.
• The LED is heavily modified. This is where the magic happens. We take the best LEDs on the market, and then we cut them open and modify them to suit our needs. We’re operating in uncharted territory here and pushing the boundaries. So I’ve been torturing a few LEDs for months now and I’m pleased to say that none have failed yet. However, despite this testing, I can’t promise that the LED will outlast you or the headlight, because this is not something the poor LEDs were ever designed for. With the Wide option however, you can expect the LED to last longer than you’ll ever need.

The good news, is that the LEDs in the V4 can be replaced in a few minutes with basic tools. So if your Narrow beam does fail, you can replace it. Or if you want to change the LED to a newer version in the future, then you can do that too.

Flood Options: Sensible or High Power

The flood beam is the beam that most people will use most of the time.  It doesn’t have a particularly long range – but that’s what the spot is for! The flood is an extremely wide and smooth wash of nice-coloured light. The flood options relate to how much flood light you want.

Sensible is the option that I think everyone should use, but there is a High Power option for those who really want it.

Personally, I use the Sensible option and I rarely go above the 15% power level. However, some people love count ‘lumens’. (Someday I’ll write an article about why lumens are not the best way to compare lights.) To get more lumens, you need more power and so now you have the option to increase the maximum power level by 50%.

The High Power option is pushing the limits of what the flood LED can handle; it is 40% beyond the maximum level specified by the LED manufacturer. This is only possible in the Spikelight because our thermal management is far better than the industry standard. So I doubt that the High Power option will ever cause the LED to fail, but I can’t promise it. Of course you can always replace the LED yourself if something does happen.

While you can always swap the LED yourself, the power option will be hard-wired and cannot be changed after you receive your Spikelight.

Contact Us

So those are your options for your new V4 Spikelight.  If you are currently waiting for a Spikelight, then CLICK HERE and fill in your details and your preferences (Spot: Wide or Narrow, Flood: Sensible or High Power). Also give us your postal address if you’ve moved since placing your order.

Feel free to ask any questions about these options. We’re still planning to take some photos of the beams and give more detailed explanations, but right now we want to focus on getting the current batch of headlights sent.

It has been great to see so many people taking up the discounted pre-order. We had hoped to be sending out the pre-ordered Spikelights by now, but it looks like they’ll be shipping towards the end of October.

We are sorry for the delay, but there is some good news.

If you have pre-ordered a V3, then you will actually receive a V4 SPIKELIGHT!

Externally, the V4 will look just like the V3, but internally, it’s a whole new headlight.

• Spot Beam: 3 times brighter
• Flood Beam: Optional 50% power increase
• All LEDs: Easily replaceable and upgradable in future
• Lithium Cells: New Blazar cells with 10% more capacity

More detailed specifications are coming soon in another post.

Congratulations to all those who have taken advantage of the pre-order discount. The discount is now finished and V4 Spikelights can be ordered as per normal through the store.

As always, feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or questions.

We have a new website up and running!

Big thanks to Edd Shepherd who built the new site. He even went back through the old blog posts and made some great diagrams like this one of the Competition Plus User Interface.

I can’t say enough good things about Edd and his work, so go and check out his blog (eddshepherd.com).

The bad news is that we’ve sold out of V3 Spikelights. There has been much more demand than we expected. The good news is that there will be a $50 discount on any new orders while we’re building the next batch.

So if you want a V3 then this might be a good time to head over to our online store and snap up a bargain. Once we have V3s in stock, the discount will end.