If you have the misfortune of having an accident while cycling it’s often your word against someone else’s. That’s why Garmin has developed the Varia Vue bike headlight and camera combination to continually capture riding footage and store clips if an incident is detected. Retail price for the Garmin Varia Vue is $549.99 with the camera capable of 4K footage with a built-in microphone for audio recordings. The camera features a MicroSD card slot for storing footage and will store footage in a special location if an incident is detected. Garmin has also designed the Varia Vue to seamlessly integrate with other Garmin products such as rear cameras and Edge GPS computers.
The Garmin Varia Vue combines a sharp beam cutoff headlight with a 4K front facing camera for additional safety while riding.
| Rating | 9.0 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $549.99 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 193 (headlight), 58 (out-front mount) |
| Likes | + Upto 4K resolution (if image stabilization is turned off) and good night time visibility + Sharp beam cutoff headlight eliminates glare for oncoming traffic + Integrates seamlessly into the Garmin eco system for easy control |
| Dislikes | – Premium price compared to standalone headlights and camers – MicroSD card is not included with the camera – Confusing device and camera color indicators means you need an Edge GPS computer or the Varia app |
| Where to Buy (US) | Garmin |
UNBOXING
The Garmin Varia Vue comes in a compact gray cardboard box with large Garmin branding and a glossy graphic of the Varia Vue printed on the top. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Varia Vue headlight/camera
- Plastic out-front mount w/ shims + GoPro bottom mount
- Safety tether
- USB-C charging cable
- Safety pamphlet
- User manual
Garmin includes everything you need to install the camera but you’ll need to purchase your own MicroSD card to start using the camera.
MOUNTING
On the top of the Varia Vue there is a GoPro adapter that is bolted onto the housing. To Garmin’s credit, the mount has been positioned perfectly at the center of mass of the light so that it stays level when mounted. The Varia Vue is designed to be undermounted for a clean installation underneath a GPS cycling computer. Included with the light is a dual sided plastic out-front mount which is designed to be clamped onto the left side of the stem on a round handlebar. If you have an aero bar or integrated cockpit setup, you’ll need to use bike-specific or alternative out-front mount setups. The out-front-mount is well designed with a single bolt clamp design and a Garmin top mount with a GoPro adapter for the bottom. There are multiple shims included to fit different diameter handle bars. There is even a safety tether included with the Varia Vue which can be used to tie the light to the handle bar or mount as an extra safety precaution.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Garmin Varia Vue has a rectangular profile with rounded edges and a metal housing. It’s a fairly large and heavy device with a large LED on one side and the camera next to it. The front ring of the Varia Vue has a light gray finish while the rest of the body has a semi-gloss black finish. Rounded rectangular cutouts on the sides are dedicated white side markers that are illuminated while the light is on. There are two buttons and LED indicators on the right side to control the camera and light. The other side of the light has the only Garmin branding on it. On the rear of the light you have a magnetic cover for the USB-C charging port and a locked door for a MicroSD card.
For illumination, Garmin has integrated a single LED headlight on the right side of the Varia Vue. It uses a special lens design with aspherical style inner lens to create a sharp beam cutoff. Combined with the outer deflectors, the Varia Vue has a rounded rectangle-like beam shape that ensures you do not blind any oncoming traffic while still remaining visible during the day or night. The headlight has six different modes to choose from with three constant modes, two flash modes and a headlight off option. There is a daytime flash mode with a more erratic flash pattern and a friendly night time flash mode. You can also run the light with the headlight completely off if you just want camera footage.
USER INTERFACE
The Garmin Varia Vue has a two button user interface on the actual device with multiple LED indicators. There is a smaller round camera button which can be used to directly control the camera. Holding the button for 4 seconds turns the camera on and off, while a 2 second hold will stop saving an active video. Pressing the button while the Varia Vue is on will save a video or take a picture. There is also an LED next to it which will illuminate and flash in different colors to reflect the current state. Additionally there is a wider power button next to it which you hold to turn the Varia Vue on or off. Pressing the button also cycles through the available light modes with an LED next to it to reflect the state. To access most of the features and functionality of the Varia Vue, you have to use the Varia phone App or a compatible Edge GPS computer. It’s also a lot easier to understand and see the current status using the other interfaces than trying to decipher the LED colors and flash patterns.
The easiest way to control, and probably Garmin’s preferred option, is to connect the Varia Vue to a compatible Garmin Edge GPS computer. Garmin has designed the camera to seamless integrated into the quick status screen of the Edge computer so that you can not only control the headlight mode but also see the available memory and recording mode. There are separate icons to save the previous 2 minute clip, start an extended ride recording or take a photo. The on screen controls and icons make it easy to see the current state of the Varia Vue. Most of this functionality is repeated on the free Varia app which is convenient for cyclists that use a phone instead of a dedicated GPS cycling computer.
RIDIN IMPRESSIONS
Garmin has designed the Varia Vue to either run continuously, on incidents only or manually to capture riding footage. That means you can use the Varia Vue has a camera only, headlight only or any combination of camera and headlight to match your needs. As a headlight, the Varia Vue has a distinctive and wide beam thanks to the sharp beam cutoff. Garmin has kept the settings simple with three constant modes that range from 140 lumen up to 550 lumen in the high mode. There are also two flash modes, one for day (an erratic on/off) and one for night (low to high pulsing). There is also a sixth mode of headlight completely off for cyclists looking to use the Varia Vue as camera only. Surprisingly, there is no mode memory so it always turns on in a low constant mode instead of the mode it was shut off in. Runtimes per Garmin using the default 4K resolution vary from 1.25 hours in high constant to a maximum 6 hours with the headlight off.
To maximize the runtime you can leave the camera in an incident only mode, but that means you won’t have as much previous footage if something were to happen. During our riding, we found the runtimes to be fairly accurate with about ~6 hour runtime using daytime flash and capturing occasional photos and video footage. While the Varia Vue doesn’t look as good as a GoPro, the image smoothing takes the 4K footage and reduces it to around 2K resolution to create smooth video even on rough roads and fast descents. The footage itself while not as vibrant, captures plenty of details such as license plates. Even at night, the large sensor on the Varia Vue results in bright video that captures details that would otherwise be dark with GoPro cameras. It’s hard to see license plates at night though, as the headlight itself will cause the reflective paint on license plates to shine at any brighter setting.
We primarily road with the Varia Vue synced with a Garmin Edge 850 GPS which provided convenient status indicators and controls. You can even use the hood buttons on a Di2 shifter to take photos during a ride which is a nice way to capture images during a ride without removing your hands from the bars. The big challenge with the Varia Vue is whether the price tag is really worth it, there are better headlights and some better camera but there aren’t many options outside of Cyliq for combo devices. The seamless integration with Garmin GPS head units is a big selling point as well, as it’s easy to control and monitor battery and memory status directly from the GPS display. The simple icons for capturing 2 minute clips or longer riding footage allow you to capture more memories from a ride as well as potentially capture crashes or incidents automatically.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Garmin Varia Vue camera and headlight combination to be well designed combination product. Like most combo products, the Varia Vue results in a great combination of a good camera and a good headlight. The sharp beam cutoff eliminates glare for oncoming riders while focusing the light in a nice wide beam. We were impressed with the optics and simple mode selection for daytime and night time riding. Similarly, the camera captures detailed footage during the day and night as either 2 minute continuous clips or longer clips to capture riding footage. The biggest downside of the Varia Vue is the premium price which means it isn’t a practical option for many cyclists. However, Garmin’s seamless integration into the Garmin GPS headunits and overall fit and finish make it a great addition for riders who want additional peace of mind and a convenient way to capture photos and videos while riding.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Garmin. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.