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Lighting question

BlueFalconActual

BlueFalconActual

4️⃣ Gold
Tacoma3G Supporter
Hey guys. Looking for some advice.
I am currently in the market for some extra lumens. I did the Mojave Death Race last month which is a 24 hour, 250 mile run/bike race through the Mojave desert and my truck served as the support vehicle. It did amazing, but it definitely needed some extra lights especially when I was following the mountain bikers and serving as their headlights through the trails. I have a couple of options that I am looking at, but am in the research death spiral at the moment.
-One option is CaliRaised side projecting pods as well as a 32 inch bar for 399 (with discount code)
-The other option is Baja Designs Squadron pros for 450ish

I know Baja Designs are probably a better product, but I dont have a huge budget (you all can see what I do for a living) and I am thinking that the Cali Raised option is probably better for a weekend warrior such as myself who will only use it once in a while. The Cali Raised option is also a lot more light for the price.

What say you?
 
My s
BlueFalconActual said:
Hey guys. Looking for some advice.
I am currently in the market for some extra lumens. I did the Mojave Death Race last month which is a 24 hour, 250 mile run/bike race through the Mojave desert and my truck served as the support vehicle. It did amazing, but it definitely needed some extra lights especially when I was following the mountain bikers and serving as their headlights through the trails. I have a couple of options that I am looking at, but am in the research death spiral at the moment.
-One option is CaliRaised side projecting pods as well as a 32 inch bar for 399 (with discount code)
-The other option is Baja Designs Squadron pros for 450ish

I know Baja Designs are probably a better product, but I dont have a huge budget (you all can see what I do for a living) and I am thinking that the Cali Raised option is probably better for a weekend warrior such as myself who will only use it once in a while. The Cali Raised option is also a lot more light for the price.

What say you?
Click to expand...
My squads are freakin bright. But you will be comparing 4100-12000 lm.
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Hey guys. Looking for some advice.
I am currently in the market for some extra lumens. I did the Mojave Death Race last month which is a 24 hour, 250 mile run/bike race through the Mojave desert and my truck served as the support vehicle. It did amazing, but it definitely needed some extra lights especially when I was following the mountain bikers and serving as their headlights through the trails. I have a couple of options that I am looking at, but am in the research death spiral at the moment.
-One option is CaliRaised side projecting pods as well as a 32 inch bar for 399 (with discount code)
-The other option is Baja Designs Squadron pros for 450ish

I know Baja Designs are probably a better product, but I dont have a huge budget (you all can see what I do for a living) and I am thinking that the Cali Raised option is probably better for a weekend warrior such as myself who will only use it once in a while. The Cali Raised option is also a lot more light for the price.

What say you?
Click to expand...

From my experience you tend to get what you pay for. I have the SDHQ dual light bar mount behind my grille, my one light bar is OLB which is very similar to Cali Raised, then my other one is a rigid radiance. The radiance is rigids cheaper series, and it blows the cheap Chinese out of the water by far. They’ll still probably be more than Cali Raised, but way cheaper than Baja too (not that Baja isn’t worth the money).

https://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting?page=1&f[0]=field_product_family:5164
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Hey guys. Looking for some advice.
I am currently in the market for some extra lumens. I did the Mojave Death Race last month which is a 24 hour, 250 mile run/bike race through the Mojave desert and my truck served as the support vehicle. It did amazing, but it definitely needed some extra lights especially when I was following the mountain bikers and serving as their headlights through the trails. I have a couple of options that I am looking at, but am in the research death spiral at the moment.
-One option is CaliRaised side projecting pods as well as a 32 inch bar for 399 (with discount code)
-The other option is Baja Designs Squadron pros for 450ish

I know Baja Designs are probably a better product, but I dont have a huge budget (you all can see what I do for a living) and I am thinking that the Cali Raised option is probably better for a weekend warrior such as myself who will only use it once in a while. The Cali Raised option is also a lot more light for the price.

What say you?
Click to expand...

I have caliraised pods on hood for only one reason. If they get stolen im not out much. All my protected lights thats harder to get stolen like my fogs and behind grille bars im slowly converting to baja. The bajas are just way nicer. I have also received far better customer service from baja as caliraised hasnt replied to my last email but Baja was quick to reply to my emails and get me the correct adapter plugs ect
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Hey guys. Looking for some advice.
I am currently in the market for some extra lumens. I did the Mojave Death Race last month which is a 24 hour, 250 mile run/bike race through the Mojave desert and my truck served as the support vehicle. It did amazing, but it definitely needed some extra lights especially when I was following the mountain bikers and serving as their headlights through the trails. I have a couple of options that I am looking at, but am in the research death spiral at the moment.
-One option is CaliRaised side projecting pods as well as a 32 inch bar for 399 (with discount code)
-The other option is Baja Designs Squadron pros for 450ish

I know Baja Designs are probably a better product, but I dont have a huge budget (you all can see what I do for a living) and I am thinking that the Cali Raised option is probably better for a weekend warrior such as myself who will only use it once in a while. The Cali Raised option is also a lot more light for the price.

What say you?
Click to expand...
Never cheap on lights! Ever
Baja is great my preference
Rigid is cool...(if you have a jeep) joking
Black oak LEDs is another great one for cheap
I have personally used and approved .in actually thinking of getting rid of my 42" light bar ;)
 
Thanks for the help guys.
Anyone have any experience with the Squadron Sports? Im thinking of using them as ditch lights until I save money for one of their S8 light bars.
 
Anything baja is worth in running squad prod on ditch in wide beam even that pattern is bright and shoots further then most , I run s2's off my roof rack facing the back running the scene lenses and that is massive light power for such a tiny light
 
0uTkAsT said:
Tons of guys are running the Sports as ditch lights and fogs here... @JTS2016TACO @JerryTaco2.0 @hellppy and others can chime in but they all like them.
Click to expand...
@JerryTaco2.0 and I are actually running Squadron Pros, and @JTS2016TACO is running Squadron Pro XLs (big boobies) for ditch lights. We are all however running amber Sports for fog lights. I'm not really sure if white Sports would be sufficient as ditch lights. I guess it would depend how many of the lumens you want/need. Sorry for the correction @0uTkAsT, I just wanted him to have the right info but I know that anything @Baja Designs makes will be better than Caliraised.
 
I do have xl80s as Ditch lights and I love them. I’ll tell you this when I got my first truck I had the level of caliraised I then got rigids and on this truck I went baja. Bajas have been the best lights I have ever had the lifetime warranty is unbeatable and the ability to change beam pattern and color and still keep the warranty means everything. Just my .02
 
hellppy said:
@JerryTaco2.0 and I are actually running Squadron Pros, and @JTS2016TACO is running Squadron Pro XLs (big boobies) for ditch lights. We are all however running amber Sports for fog lights. I'm not really sure if white Sports would be sufficient as ditch lights. I guess it would depend how many of the lumens you want/need. Sorry for the correction @0uTkAsT, I just wanted him to have the right info but I know that anything @Baja Designs makes will be better than Caliraised.
Click to expand...
No need to be sorry for the correction!! I'm glad you clarified. Serves me right for trying to talk about someone else's truck haha
 
Yeah, I may hold off until I have the $$$ to drop on the good stuff. I still have to buy the absolute necessities such as sliders, better skids and a new leaf pack. Thanks all for the help.
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Yeah, I may hold off until I have the $$$ to drop on the good stuff. I still have to buy the absolute necessities such as sliders, better skids and a new leaf pack. Thanks all for the help.
Click to expand...

That’s what we always say just save up and buy once instead of being impulsive which is so hard to do haha
 
The only reason I had the four Cali Raised pods on my last truck is because they were given to me, so I feel kinda bad for talking shit but... they were pretty much useless. Seeing all the trucks outfitted with BDs in person makes it easy to know what I want on this truck though.
 
JTS2016TACO said:
That’s what we always say just save up and buy once instead of being impulsive which is so hard to do haha
Click to expand...
Yeah I hear ya. My issue is that I have another ridiculously expensive hobby which is road cycling. Between the thousands upon thousands spent on new bikes and parts this year along with a new truck with thousands of dollars in more parts, my wife’s patience as well as my bank account is growing thin lol.
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Yeah I hear ya. My issue is that I have another ridiculously expensive hobby which is road cycling. Between the thousands upon thousands spent on new bikes and parts this year along with a new truck with thousands of dollars in more parts, my wife’s patience as well as my bank account is growing thin lol.
Click to expand...

Best thing to do is save up and wait for deals to come. Seems like there’s always a sale around the corner you just have to wait and be patient. Better to buy once then to get something that won’t perform to your expectations
 
BlueFalconActual said:
Yeah I hear ya. My issue is that I have another ridiculously expensive hobby which is road cycling. Between the thousands upon thousands spent on new bikes and parts this year along with a new truck with thousands of dollars in more parts, my wife’s patience as well as my bank account is growing thin lol.
Click to expand...
We all know the feeling... it would be nice to only have one expensive hobby, but no, most of us are always shelling out stupid amounts of money in several directions at the same time. Some of us are family men on top of it. RIP savings account, haha
AzBarcelona said:
Best thing to do is save up and wait for deals to come. Seems like there’s always a sale around the corner you just have to wait and be patient. Better to buy once then to get something that won’t perform to your expectations
Click to expand...
Truth. Best deals I've seen have been on Black Friday and at Overland Expo.
 
Yeah, I’m gonna wait until I come back from vacation probably and get the Squadron Pros. I went cheap/mid range on my previous truck and I promised I wouldn’t do that on this thing because it’s my dream truck.
 
Here's my RIGID set up. Side Shooters on the A-pillar. Amber Fogs, 30" SAE Light Bar, and a 40" Adapt. Plus I have an SRQ Diffused on eash side. The rears I have our RIGID Amber and Red hi/low chase light. The side shooters are only 300 bucks. They come with everything you need and the lifetime warranty. We also use the best powdercoat that protects the light from rust and fading. I am using the Floods which give out 6,300 lumens each with a 120 degree spread. I'd be hard pressed to find a better spread at that output for that size. That's my opinion. They would be a great first option. Pair them with the SDHQ A-Pillar brackets and you'll be set. Maybe they can get you a deal on the lights.


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