Lightforce has been a big player in the international driving light scene for some time, and they have a new product out: the Venom. Based upon the popular 170 Striker light, the Venom comes in a shape that suits 4X4s of all sizes, and produces some very strong light for its size.
Although their also suits smaller 4X4s, they certainly don’t look out of place on the 130. P.S: I am sorry about the mud, I haven’t had a chance to clean the rig yet.
The light’s body is make of ‘polycarbonate composite resin’ – a tough-looking and well-finished lightweight plastic that is resistant to all of the elements – and it certainly looks well made. The Light itself is dust and waterproof (IP57/67/68/IP69K), and has a salt spray resistance rating of ISO 2007. All of the threads and fittings on the light also look to be of a high standard, and the lights certainly look a lot smarter than the old lights that they replaced on the Defender.
The light has a plastic lens and cover instead of glass, which is reported to be very strong.
The wiring loom that is supplied with the lights is a quality, waterproofed affair with thick insulation and plenty of length for an easy install. Our lights also came with the ‘Venom Security Kit’, allowing a bit of peace of mind from thievery.
The Venom mounting system, with optional security kit.
One big appeal of the Venom is the mounting system (polycarbonate also) that allows the light to fit with as little as 25mm space required behind, allowing it to suit a myriad of 4X4’s that are on the market. If you want them set right back, you can fit them with 83mm of backspace, with two other options in between.
The 50W globe produces a light rated at 4300°K
At the heart of the light is an Osram ballast and globe, producing a nicely coloured light that performs well, and doesn’t take long to warm up. Our 50w set consisted of two spot beams, which definitely threw a nicely coloured, strong light for as far as I could test on nearby roads, beating the absolute pants off the lights that were replaced. These spot beams are rated at proving 1 lux, or luminous flux at 1,357 metres. What’s a lux? It’s essentially one lumen per square metre, which is how much light is still provided at the given distance.
It’s plastic, but far from ‘plasticky’. The Venom’s body has a great feel and finish.
Lighforce do offer a combo filter that spreads the beam out, but I cannot speak for it myself. As the lights don’t take up mountains of real estate at the front of the 4X4, combining them with a little LED spread bar would make for a terrific combination.
What the light looks like with the park lights enabled.
Speaking of light emitting diodes, a big new element for the Venom is the small row of LED’s that sit at the bottom corners of each light. These are largely aesthetic, wiring up with your ‘park’ lights, and give your vehicle a bit more visibility to other traffic and pedestrians. Aside from that, they give the lights a bit of a look that sets them apart from other lights on the market.
Overall, the Venom looks to continue Lightforce’s tradition of providing good-quality driving lights that throw plenty of light in a nice colour temperature (4300°K). The globe and ballast are sourced from Osram in Germany, but the lights are built right here in Australia. Lightforce offer a three-year warranty with their lights, which speaks for the faith they have in their product. Keeping the size and profile compact, without denigrating light or build quality has made a great combination that will suit many 4X4s on the market today.
If you are looking For more information, go to www.lightforce.net.au.
