MAGICSHINE MONTEER 8000S GALAXY V2.0
£359.99
SPECIFICATION Weight: 605g • Lumens: 3,200, 4,800, 8,000 • Contact: magicshineuk.com
The Magicshine 8000 was our test winner 12 months ago, but it gets a couple of improvements this year, the most noticeable of which is the new wireless remote included in the box.
With its claimed 8,000 lumens, the new 8000S Galaxy V2.0 really lights up the trail, but side by side with the Exposure Six Pack, it doesn’t seem twice as bright. On the other hand, it is definitely 25% cheaper.
For the money you get a machined aluminium lamp unit with five Cree LEDS. This attaches to a Garmin-compatible alloy bracket, which gives it a bit of extra versatility. It looks a little thicker and stronger than the one we tested last year, but unfortunately it still vibrates on rough trails, and the fixing bolt is still underneath, so is tricky to get to when attaching the clamp.
The 8000S Galaxy V2.0 has three light settings – full power, a flood beam and then a spot beam. You also get a low-powered flashing mode, but using the remote means you don’t need to cycle all the way through the settings to get back to high beam, there are some short cuts.
The battery has a foam backing, but it attaches using two flimsy Velcro straps. We couldn’t get these that tight, and we also had a few issues getting the long thin shape onto a couple of smaller frames. Underneath a rubber bung on the end of the battery is a fuel gauge and also the USB C port, so you can use the battery as a fuel cell for charging devices.
If you’re riding in open terrain, like on the moors, and want to see off into the next valley this is the perfect light. It’s incredibly bright, but also has a really white light. It may be too much in tight trees because of the amount of bounce back, but the remote lets you toggle through the modes on the fly, making it way more versatile. We still have issues with the battery shape and flexy bar mount, but the
Magicshine is so powerful and such great value for money that it’s easily our test winner.