Magicshine’s Monteer series of headlights have aggressive 5 LED setups with impressive output at affordable price points. The Monteer 6500S V2 is Magicshine’s latest version which adds a wireless two button remote for more precise control over the output modes. With 6500 lumen of output, the 6500S V2 is one of the brightest lights in the Monteer lineup and has a retail price of $369.99. The V2 uses the same high capacity MJ-6118 wired battery pack and Garmin style mount as the original Monteer 6500S. It’s a well designed light that uses an aluminum housing and can be used in either flood, spot or hybrid output modes to match any riding style. A two button wireless remote is included which pairs to the headlight and lets you control the light from any location.
The Magicshine Monteer 6500S V2 combines the impressive 6500 lumen output of the 6500S headlight with a wireless remote for more precise control.
| Rating | 8.9 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $369.99 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 144 (headlamp) /422 (battery) /34 (mount) |
| Likes | + Blindingly bright with wide and uniform beam + Wireless remote separates flash mode from intensity changes + Aluminum construction and large battery pack |
| Dislikes | – Lacks side-cutouts for improved side-visibility – Hard to differentiate remote buttons apart by touch – Retail price is close to the Monteer 8000S V2 |
| Where to Buy (US) | Magicshine 15% OFF coupon code: “TheSweetCyclists” |
UNBOXING
The Magicshine Monteer 6500S V2 comes in a sturdy black cardboard box with glossy graphics printed on it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Monteer 6500S V2 headlight
- Aluminum Out-front mount + spacer
- MJ-6118 7.2V 10.0Ah battery pack w/ Velcro straps
- USB-C to USB-A charging cable
- Allen wrench for installing mount
- Black round plug with battery cable
- Instruction manual
The rigid construction of the box and precisely cut foam holders keep the light and all the accessories organized and secure. We highly recommend keeping the box to store the light or transport it.
MOUNTING
As with the Monteer models and Monteer 6500S, the Monteer 6500S V2 uses the Garmin style quarter turn mount directly molded into the bottom of the headlamp. This is one of our favorite features of Magicshine lights as the Garmin style mount makes the Monteer light compatible with most mounts on the market. The included aluminum out front mount is visually similar to the Magicshine TTA mount but shorter with the same satisfying click when attaching the Monteer 6500S V2 or other devices. It’s a single sided mount, but appears to have the screw holes on the bottom side which means you could likely turn it into a dual sided mount with a compatible puck and hardware. Although the headlight is quite light at only 141 grams and could be mounted on a helmet, we’d recommend keeping the 6500S V2 on the handlebar and using something like the Outbound Lighting Hangover or smaller light like the Magicshine Monteer 3500S instead.
FIT & FINISH
With its 5 LED setup, the Monteer 6500S V2 is an intimidating mountain biking headlight. It’s a big headlight with a two row setup that has 3 flood lights on top and 2 spot lights below it. Magicshine has utilized a total internal reflection (TIR) style setup which features slightly inset LEDs into the housing to create a wide cone beam pattern. The top three flood LEDs have a dimpled lens and large scalloped reflectors to disperse the light while the bottom two have a more focused setup. This is a wired headlight setup which means you have a lightweight headlight with an aluminum housing and a separate MJ-6118 battery pack. The headlight has a rugged aluminum housing with slots cut into it to help dissipate heat and a flat front lens. Aside from the Monteer 6500S V2 branding on top, the headlight looks identical in design and dimensions to the brighter Monteer 8000S V2.
On top you have a single button interface that allows you to switch between LED configurations and intensities within each mode. There are three primary configurations: flood only, spot only and hybrid which illuminates all the LEDs. Within each mode you also have five modes which include four constant modes and a flash option. If you do the math you end up with a staggering 15 modes which is far too many options. A single press cycles through eco, low, medium, high and then flash modes while a double press switches the LED configuration. This two level menu design means you always have to cycle through flash when changing modes which can be quite frustrating.
With this 6500S V2 version, Magicshine has added a two button wireless remote which greatly improves the user interface. This allows you to control the light directly from your drops and gives you more control of the light with its two button design. One button has a square indicator while the other has a round indicator. Holding either button turns the light on/off. A short press on the square button activates the max 6500 lumen mode regardless of your current mode, a feature that’s similar to Moon Sport headlights. Double pressing the square button switches between the three output modes: flood only, spot only and hybrid which illuminates all the LEDs. Pressing the round button switches between the four constant modes while a double press active flash mode. This design decouples flash mode and means you don’t have to activate it unless you need it. It’s a big improvement for the Monteer 6500S V2 and makes it much easier to use and ride with.
The Monteer 6500S V2 uses the same MJ-6118 battery pack that’s also found on the Monteer 8000S V2 lights. It’s a big battery pack with four 21700 Li-on cells inside the housing and 10k mAh capacity. Although you can not replace any of the individual battery cells with this setup, the battery pack itself retails for only $149.99 which is a fraction of the price of the Monteer 6500S V2. This battery pack also features a USB-C charging port and detachable setup cable that allows you to easily use this as a powerbank for other devices. The headlight connector can be removed from the battery pack and replaced with a rubber cover that makes it easy to carry and transport the battery. You can also easily check the battery status by pressing the button on the battery pack to illuminate three LEDs to show how much battery capacity is available.
LIGHT OUTPUT
The light output modes and runtimes appear to be nearly unchanged from the original Magicshine Monteer 6500S. That includes the same 15 output modes and option to run the flood only (32 degree beam spread), spot only (21 beam spread) or hybrid with all five LEDs. Within the spot mode you can select 300-2600 lumen constant modes (5 – 40 hr runtimes) as well as a 0-650 flash mode (18 hr runtime). In flood mode, the light offers 500-4000 lumen constant modes (3 – 27 hr runtime) and a 0-1100 lumen flash mode (14 hr runtime). Full hybrid mode with all the LEDs active offers 900-6500 lumen constant modes (1.5 – 16 hr runtime) and a 0-2000lm flash mode (8hr). Even in the low powered eco modes, the Monteer 6500S provides long run-times and daytime visibility if needed.
We found that the low/medium modes were more than sufficient enough for most riding situations, while the high modes were simply an overkill. Even though the light is tailored for mountain biking it’s also great on the road. We found it worked great to light up low traffic canyon roads on our early morning rides. The bulkiness of the battery and the glare it produces for oncoming traffic do mean the Monteer is best suited for rural roads or mountain biking. With the wireless remote it’s far easier to use the Monteer 6500S V2 as you can avoid flash modes and quickly switch between modes. Although the remote could benefit from some sort of tactile or shape difference between the buttons, it’s easy to place the remote next to shifters or hood for easy access.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Magicshine Monteer 6500S V2’s inclusion of a remote to be a significant upgrade to the headlight. With the addition of a wireless remote in the V2 it’s far easier to switch modes on the headlight, quickly access the full 6500 lumen mode and, most importantly, avoid flash mode when switching intensity modes. This remote simplifies the user interface and lets you enjoy the impressive uniform beam and high output of the light. Despite being a wireless light with multiple potential failure points, Magicshine has used high quality materials and connections between the headlight and battery. The main downsides of the 6500S V2 is that it’s priced fairly close to the 6500S V2 and that the remote lacks tactile difference between the two buttons. That said, if you’re in the market for a bright mountain bike headlight with a wireless remote the Magicshine 6500S V2 is tough to beat.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Magicshine. 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.
Good morning,
I have a Magicshine Monteer 6500s V2.0 since a few months, and have been using it for 3-4 weeks… This week I noticed that the control light on the lighthead turns blue and I’m no longer sure if it was like this from the beginning. When I connect the lighthead to the battery (MJ6118) the light on the light head flashes green a few times, when I turn the lamp on the light turns blue. I surmise that it was actually also green during operation, but maybe I am wrong and remember it wrong? In the manuals it is also indicated as green at charge status 100-21%, red 20-6% and red flashing 5-0%. Today I drained the battery out while riding, but I was in a 40 min downhill at already daybreak and the lamp only on Eco to be seen in traffic and I have then no longer noticed whether the light on the head is red or flashing.
But what I’m dying to know, does the indicator light on the head always glow blue when in use or is there a reason it glows blue instead of green?
Thanks so much for the help!
Dennis De Martin