The iGPSPORT’s VS lineup of headlights combine smart features with modern design features. iGPSPORT currently offers three VS lights from 800 lumen to 1800 lumen to cover various types of riding scenarios. In this review we’ll be looking at the mid-level iGPSPORT VS1200 which offers bright output at an affordable price point. The headlight retails for a competitive $69.90 price with a bright 1200 lumen output. iGPSPORT has designed the light to be mounted underneath out-front-mounts with a Garmin mount attached to the top of the headlight. The VS1200 is advertised as a smart headlight as it features a built-in motion sensor and ambient light sensor which can be used to put the light into a sleep mode or shut it off in brighter conditions.
The iGPSPORT VS1200 combines a bright 1200 lumen output with modern features and attractive metal body.
| Retail Price | $69.90 |
| Rating | 8.9 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (g) | 155 (light), 62 (mount) |
| Likes | + Competitive price for the output and features + Premium look and feel with large battery that provides long runtimes + Flash modes are separated from constant modes |
| Dislikes | – Non-reversible Garmin mount – Beam pattern has prominent ring artifact – Smart features lack a auto day / night modes |
| Where to Buy (US) | iGPSPORT |
UNBOXING
The iGPSPORT VS1200 comes in a white cardboard box with eye-catching graphics of the headlight printed on the exterior and orange accents. Inside the box you’ll find:
- VS1200 headlight
- Plastic dual-sided out-front mount
- USB-C charging cable
- GoPro to Garmin adapter + tools / hardware
- User manual
Despite the budget price, iGPSPORT even includes a dual-sided plastic out-front mount instead of a basic handlebar mount.
MOUNTING
The iGPSPORT VS1200 uses a built-in Garmin mount that is located on the top of the light. This allows you to use the VS1200 underneath an out front mount for a sleek and clean installation. The Garmin mount is a standard design that uses two protruding tabs that lock into place into a corresponding mount with a 90 degree rotation. It’s a nice design detail that lets you leverage nearly any third-party mount or use the included plastic out front mount. The included dual-sided out-front mount has a Garmin mount on top and a GoPro mount on the bottom which can be used with the VS1200 by adding the included GoPro to Garmin adapter. Note, you can still use this headlight on a standard handlebar mount flipped upside down as the beam is non directional. Some other lights like the Knog Blinder and the LightSKIN U8 have addressed that issue by making the mount reversible which would have been a nice feature here.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the iGPSPORT VS1200 has a standard rectangular profile with rounded corners. The body is constructed from aluminum alloy that’s black except for a silver line running down the center and around the rear. It’s an attractive design that looks more expensive than the retail price would suggest. Branding is limited to iGPSPORT on the side and the model number on the top side. The headlight has no exposed hardware and a well protected rear USB-C port which helps the VS1200 achieve an IPX6 rating that can handle nearly any weather condition. Inside the body is a 5000 mAh li-ion battery which takes up a majority of the size of the 108 x 31 x 29 mm dimensions.
While iGPSPORT advertises the VS1200 has a anti-glare headlight, the lens is actually a simple single LED with a compact TIR (total internal reflection) design. Small dimples on the interior of the lens help diffuse the light but the overall beam is still a standard cone. That means this headlight is non-directional which lets you mount it upside down without compromising the light output. iGPSPORT has incorporated a few nice details into the lens such as small side cutouts for side-visibility and a slightly recessed design that prevents glare when you are riding out of the saddle. Given the anti-glare claims, we’re surprised to see that iGPSPORT didn’t include some basic horizontal deflectors like those found on the Magicshine RN 1500.
USER INTERFACE
The iGPSPORT VS1200 utilizes a single top mounted rubber button that is also backlit. A long hold turns the light on and off, with mode memory ensuring it always turns back on in the same mode. As a part of the latest firmware, iGPSPORT has created a three-level menu structure to separate constant modes and flash modes. A single press cycles through the available modes while a double press switches between flash modes and the constant modes. There is also a triple press option that activates an SOS mode which does a SOS flashing pattern. There is also a “standby” mode, but that is only accessible via the app or by enabling the auto-sleep mode. An associated app lets you switch the current mode and modify the custom mode as well as access the “smart” features. Unlike the Magicshine Allty lights, the VS1200 does not have a multi-level battery status checking function and instead only displays battery life on the app or a linked GPS computer.
iGPSPORT APP
To access the smart features of the iGPSPORT VS1200 the headlight can be paired with the free iGPSPORT app. It is the same app that is used with iGPSPORT’s GPS computers and is available both on Android and Apple devices. Under the “devices” tab the VS1200 can be selected and connected using a bluetooth connection. Once the light is paired you have a simple display screen that shows the current mode, remaining battery life and firmware version of the headlight. We’d highly recommend doing the firmware update as iGPSPORT has modified the mode menu as a part of the updates which significantly improves the user experience. The device page is fairly basic with a link to the user manual and the only available sub-pages being “tail light mode” (note, this is obviously a UI bug as it should say headlight mode), “intelligent function configuration” and “firmware update.”
Selecting the incorrectly labeled “tail light mode” lets you switch the current mode of the headlight directly from the app as well as modify the “custom” mode. iGPSPORT allows you to adjust the brightness from 10% to 100% as well as change the lighting mode between constant, flash and breathe. The breathe mode is a nice gradual increase and decrease mode that is less distracting than the full flash modes in low-light settings. Although the customization feature is a unique feature, we don’t know if it adds much value as the VS1200 only has one LED and the default low constant mode is already useful.
What makes the headlight smart are the “intelligent function” options which feature sync shutdown with a compatible computer, auto-sleep and intelligent light sensing. Auto-sleep puts the light in a standby mode if there is no motion detected while light sensing turns the light off in brighter conditions. Personally, we would have preferred the light sensing mode to have a smart mode that automatically switches between daytime flash and medium constant mode rather than turning the light off during the day. All the features are disabled by default to avoid any confusion for users. While we appreciate the inclusion of the features, for this simple of a headlight we preferred to leave them off and use the default setting of the custom mode.
LIGHT OUTPUT
From the factory, the iGPSPORT VS1200 comes with six output modes spread across a three-level menu. There are three constant modes to choose from: high (1200 lumen / 1.75 hour runtime), medium (600 lumen / 4 hr) and custom (300 lumen / 8 hr). The custom mode is defaulted to an equivalent low constant mode but can be modified to be any brightness from 1-100% or any of the flash modes if desired. There are also two flash modes: daytime flash (800 / 30 hr) and a low flash (300 lumen / 70hr). Both flash modes have an erratic pattern that alternates between two brightness settings and then completely turns off which helps attract attention when riding. The sixth mode is the SOS mode that doesn’t have any specs listed for it and does a standard SOS flash pattern and should have similar specs as the low flash mode.
The beam of the iGPSPORT VS1200 has a basic cone shape with a bright center and a ring artifact around the edges. We would describe the beam as more of a spot beam as a majority of the light is focused ahead which is useful when riding faster. The light doesn’t have deflectors or a beam cutoff so you’ll want to tilt it downward to reduce the glare for oncoming traffic. At 1200 lumens it’s a bright light with a large battery that lets you take advantage of the high output mode. The medium and high constant modes are more than bright enough for road cycling and dark trails while the high flash is a good choice for daytime riding. We would have preferred a bit more spread on the beam like the Knog Blinder but it’s otherwise impressive for the price.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the iGPSPORT VS1200 to be an affordable and bright headlight. Despite having a retail price of only $70, the VS1200 has a metal body with attractive silver accents and bright 1200 lumen output. The headlight also has all the modern features we’d expect such as USB-C, Garmin mount and nice side visibility with side cutouts. Using the newer firmware, the headlight also has a two level menu that separates constant modes from the flash modes. While we didn’t find the smart features that useful, it’s nice that iGPSPORT has added additional features to customize the output and utilize the motion and light sensors. The main negatives we found with the headlight is that the mount is fixed to the top of the headlight, the beam has a fairly obvious ring artifact and that there is no smart mode to automatically switch between daytime flash and constant mode. That said, the iGPSPORT VS1200 is a bright and easy to use headlight that offers a lot of features for the price.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by iGPSPORT. 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.