LED vs. Halogen Off-Road Lights: Which to Choose?

Safety is always important in a vehicle, but it becomes even more important when you begin to throw dangerous activities into the mix. Even the best off-road drivers would admit that their hobby can be a little reckless, which is why you should take every precaution you can. Recovery gear is hugely important, but even something as simple as lighting can make a world of difference when tackling the trails. However, with so many options to choose from, understanding which is right for you can be somewhat difficult. But that’s what we’re here for, to give you the rundown on the differences between LED and halogen off-road lights, so that you can make a more informed decision.

Naturally the first aspect we should discuss is how bright the lights are, which goes hand in hand with the quality of the beam. LED lights are known for their intense brightness and crisp white light, so it’s no secret they deliver superior illumination and reach when compared to traditional halogen bulbs. Furthermore, they’re typically designed with more focused and customizable beam patterns, which makes navigating dark trails much easier. Unfortunately with halogens, the beams of their warm, yellowish light tend to scatter, reducing overall visibility and making those same trails much more dangerous.

Another thing to consider is how durable they are, because you’re not going to want to be replacing them too frequently — especially if you spring for a lot of lights, which means lots of bulbs. This is another aspect where LEDs are the clear winner, as they have no filaments to wear out with use. Vibration, moisture, dust and the many other things your lights will be subjected to on the trails don’t affect LED lights, whereas halogens are much more susceptible to these kinds of shocks. LED lights can last anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 hours, whereas halogens might only last 1,000.

While you might not think about energy efficiency as much with your vehicle as you do with your home, when off-roading it’s something you might want to consider. Many of your accessories require power, such as your winch, your auxiliary fans and yeah, even your sound system. Your lights are no different, so you want to make sure they’re drawing as little power as possible so that you don’t risk having to give up one of your other fun accessories. Halogens consume significantly more power than LEDs, and they generate a lot more heat.

The one area where halogen lights have the edge is cost, but when building a custom vehicle that’s generally not a reason you should be going with something. The safety increase you get from LED lights is a worthwhile long-term investment, especially when you consider how often you’ll have to be replacing those halogens. LEDs might be more expensive up front, but if you have to buy 50 halogen lights compared to a single LED, are they actually more affordable?

The fifth and final thing you should be considering is your actual off-road lifestyle. If you’re a serious overlander or do a lot of nighttime trailblazing, LED lights are the obvious choice. If you’re only taking your lifted Jeep to the trails every once in a while, and always when it’s well lit, maybe the extra cost of the LEDs isn’t worth it.

Whatever you decide, we’re here to help you find the perfect set of off-road lights for you. Spotlights, fog lights, flood lights, light bars, driving lights — whatever you need, we can figure out what’s right for your lifted Jeep. Just reach out to us right here at LiftedJeeps.com to get started!