As outdoor recreation grows in popularity, van life surges and folks move to remote corners of the country, there is a greater need for off-road vehicle accessories that assist drivers in their far-out travels. LED light bars are a set of LED lights that are housed in a horizontal crossbar, which can be attached to the roof, front bumper or windshield of your vehicle. Aftermarket LED light bars come in a variety of lengths, light configurations and frame shapes.

Ultimately, LED light bars amplify more vibrant light across a greater area of the road than conventional headlights, fog lights and old-fashioned off-road auxiliary lights. These powerful linear systems help drivers safely and efficiently navigate unpaved backroads as they search for a designated campsite, bypass wildlife and divert natural obstacles. These units are useful for off-roaders, emergency responders and hunters. Vehicles used in outdoor work such as plowing snow, roadside assistance, or flooding a truck bed will all benefit from LED light bars. This roundup specifically focuses on LED light strips and excludes other types of light technologies such as HID.

We appreciate when a product comes in a complete high-quality package. This one offers a wiring harness and the mounting bracket can be rotated 45 degrees for a spectrum of adjustment and accuracy. The three-pound strip is 20 inches long with a double row of 126-watt lights.

For a streamlined, small strip design with a single row of LED lights, this bar is among the best. Made with durable die-cast aluminum, the 60-watt lights deliver nearly 10,000 lumens. The kit includes two equally-sized strips that are seven inches long and offer adaptability for installation. Each light is only one pound. Note: The mount points are a bit wider at 7.87 inches.

This waterproof 42-inch-long light strip features a double row of LED lights. The shape is also curved, which some drivers aesthetically prefer on less boxy rigs like 1990s-era Toyota 4Runners. Compared to a straight bar, a curved light bar compliments the shape of many vehicles when mounted on the bumper or windshield. This very bright bar also provides 240 watts of power.

This sleek, lightweight single-row LED light bar is a slim shape that’s easy to integrate at 1.0-inch by 12.2 inches. The 80-watt, 8,000-lumen LED lights are housed in aluminum. The setup includes a 30-degree spotlight, a 170-degree floodlight for sweeping visibility and a combined beam.

With a dual row of lights, this 32-inch-long LED Light Bar includes a spotlight that reaches up to 984 feet away. On the backside, the strip features integrated fins that help cool down the light, which delivers a whopping 18,000 lumens of brightness. The waterproof gasket helps prevent leakage and dust deterioration. 

This unique 264-watt light bar design spans five full rows of LEDs. The arrangement includes three rows of 30-degree spotlights and two rows of 170-degree floodlights. The illumination reaches nearly 984 feet and provides close to 26,400 lumens. You may or may not find yourself needing to illuminate frozen tundra, but the Zmoon is built to function in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit if you do.

In order to determine the best LED light bars for your vehicle, we considered the products most accessible to the widest swath of consumers in the U.S., which also includes the durability, performance, price, and value across a variety of shapes and designs for diverse applications. We also considered a broad range of end-user ratings and evaluations. Forbes Wheels ultimately examined six LED light bars, which were evaluated based on their functionality, longevity, ease of use, integration, uniqueness, popularity and accolades.

For partnership inquiries please reach out to us at partnerships@forbeswheels.com