If you are considering installing an off road led light bar on your vehicle, you need to think about what type of beam pattern you want your light bar to have. Here are the top three most common beam patterns for led light bars:
Spot Beam Pattern
A light bar with a spot beam is very similar to a spotlight. It will provide you with a very focused beam of light. This can be a great feature if you are off-roading at night and really need to see the road or the trail that you are driving on.
However, most led spot beams are designed to be adjusted from outside of the vehicle. That means you are going to need to know where to point the beams before you get on the road, or you are going to have to stop and adjust the beam while you are off-roading if it is not pointed in the right direction.
Flood Beam Pattern
A flood beam pattern is a little wider than a spot beam pattern; it allows you shine light on a larger area. This can be helpful when you are off-roading in the dark as well.
This feature is really nice though if you have your vehicle parked somewhere and need a little extra light. If you are camping, you can easily light up your camp space with a flood beam patterned led light bar. A flood beam can be used for more tasks than a spot beam.
Combo Beam Pattern
You can also purchase led light bars that offer a combination of both spot beam patterns and flood beam patterns. The plus side to this led light bar is you don't have to choose between which light pattern you want on your vehicle. The main downside to a combo led light bar is that neither the spot beam or the flood beam provide as much light as when you have a bar dedicated to that style of light beam since you are splitting the light between two different beam styles.
Both spot and flood beam patterns have their advantages and their drawbacks; the one you choose really depends on what you want to use your light bar for. If you can't choose between the two, you can always install a combo light bar or install a flood light bar on top of your vehicle and a few small spot light bars on the front of your hood. If you are still not sure what to do, discuss your concerns with your local off-road automotive specialist.
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