Knog Blinder Review: Night Lights Done Right

Bike lights are not my favorite piece of gear. I have yet to come across a light that actually makes me smile. So many options on the market feel cheap, designed to be semi-disposable. Most have terrible charging patterns, gaudy light modes, and none I've used have ever been properly weatherproofed. Every single light I've owned has ended up tossed—undoubtedly destined for landfill. That thought frustrates me like few other issues on this planet. Why can't we legislate capitalism into actually caring about the home we all share?

But let's rewind a little and set the stage properly. Earlier this summer, I started riding my gravel bike 60km a day, 5-6 times a week. The habit of getting out every day completely changed my life, and I wanted to keep it going into the winter. Riding year-round is possible on our little island, but it gets wet and dark. A few years ago, a buddy gave me a Lezyne 1400-lumen Macro Drive. It flooded the trails with enough brightness to make mountain biking at night possible. However, it came with a huge external battery that had to be kept in a bag or strapped to the top tube. The battery also doubled as a power bank, which was nice, but the external setup created a mess of cables in my bike's cockpit.

So, to continue my daily bike rides, I wanted something relatively small without an external battery. I needed a light that felt solid, could endure the elements, and wouldn't end up in a landfill for future generations to dig up.

Who's Knog?

Knog is a company based in Melbourne, Australia, known for its diverse range of cycling and outdoor accessories—everything from bike lights to bells, locks, and headlamps. Established in 2002 by designer Hugo Davidson and engineer Mal McKechnie, their mission is to create “unboring things.” Knog is also committed to sustainability, using eco-friendly materials, recycled packaging, and durable designs that are made to last. Perfect—let's give it a try.

Blinder 1300: Trail-Ready Brilliance

I was immediately amazed with the Blinder 1300, straight out of its eco-friendly box. The light feels sturdy and solid, thanks to its machined, one-piece alloy body. At 175 grams, it's maybe not ideal for the weight weenies out there, but this isn't that type of website. Besides, for what you get, the weight is hardly a flaw.

I absolutely love that the Blinder 1300 uses USB-C for charging. However, don't expect to have it charged within an hour before heading out. From a completely drained battery to fully charged, it takes about 3-4 hours to fully charge. One feature I really appreciated in the Lezyne kit I used previously was its ability to double as a backup power bank—something Knog doesn't advertise the Blinder 1300 as being. Still, I had to give it a shot: with the light fully charged, I plugged my iPhone into it using a USB-C to Lightning cable, but no luck. While it's hard to be disappointed by something that isn't advertised, it would be amazing if the Blinder could also act as a power backup for other devices.

Performance & Real-World Use

The Blinder 1300 can be mounted on your helmet using the included GoPro mount or on your handlebar. The actual mount itself feels great and solid, but how the Blinder attaches to the mount gives me slight pause. Essentially, the mount works like a big clip that latches directly into some of the cutaway portions of the Blinder's alloy body. While this setup keeps the light body super snug, a part of me can't help but wonder if the mount's plastic will eventually give way, potentially leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

When my gravel bike died a few months ago, I had to put an end to my daily gravel rides. So, for the past few weeks, I've been putting the Blinder 1300 to the test on my local trails, mountain biking through the deep, dark forest. With its IP67 waterproof rating, I'm pretty sure I've pushed its limits. Our winter forest feels like being underwater, yet the Blinder has passed with flying colors. Waterproofing doesn't even seem to be an issue, thanks to its fully enclosed body, sealed button, and a USB-C port that's snugly protected on the bottom.

One of my favorite features of the Blinder 1300 is the battery indicator around the button. It not only tells you when the light is fully charged but also provides great feedback while you're out in the dark. On my first ride, the button turned red when I was still in the middle of nowhere. I started to worry, but it had just enough juice to get me through the 20 km ride home. Whew.

Which brings us to brightness and duration. For all of my rides, I keep the Blinder 1300 at its lowest setting (8-hour battery life on low) while on the roads until I reach the trails. Once on the trails, I crank it up to its full 1300 lumens, which offers about 1.5 hours of battery life at maximum brightness. The Blinder features three spot LEDs and three wide-angle LEDs, lighting the entire scene in front of me almost as effectively as the sun. One really smart design decision from Knog is the subtle notches on the sides of the light, which allow beams to escape to the left and right of the rider. This creates peripheral light like nothing else I've tried. Spotlights I've used in the past tend to throw weird shadows in my peripheral vision, convincing me that a bear is about to ruin my ride.

Some may not love the longer form factor of the Blinder on their handlebars, which is understandable. Personally, I'm not a fan of anything on my handlebars, especially on my mountain bike. When I first mounted the Blinder 1300, I thought it felt a bit long; however, there's a surprising benefit to its design. I find myself adjusting the focal point of the light a lot—right in front of the bike for deeper singletrack and further ahead for smoother trails or gravel. The elongated body acts like a lever, making it easy to quickly adjust the light angle on the fly.

Get it at Knog or search Amazon.

Blinder R-150: A Light to Warm Up To

When I first opened the R-150, I was immediately disappointed. Unlike the solid, premium feel of the Blinder 1300, the R-150 felt cheap and plastic—exactly the kind of light I've grown to despise over the years.

The R-150 charges directly via USB Type-A without a cable, something Knog highlights as a feature on the packaging. For me, though, this is a straight-up bummer. I don't always have a way to plug in a USB-A port, especially if I'm out in the middle of nowhere. If you're used to charging lights on the fly from a power bank, this could be an issue. Adding to my concerns, the USB contact points are exposed and flush against your seatpost. I'm no expert in the durability of electrical components, but this seems like an obvious point of failure.

The power and mode button location is my last gripe. It's small and sits flush with your seatpost on the inside of the light. Turning it on or off, or switching modes, can be a pain—especially with gloves on during colder rides.

I know I'm sounding harsh on the R-150, but over the past few weeks, I've actually come to love it. The brightness levels and modes are thoughtfully designed. There are jarring flash modes, perfect for on-road night cycling, and smoother transitions that remind me of a beating heart, making the whole bike feel alive.

Despite its initial impression, the R-150 feels like a quality product, and I'm hopeful it will stand the test of time. I may revisit this review in a year or so to see how it holds up. One feature I absolutely love is that it's dropper post friendly. The R-150's design, with its contact point at the top of the light, allows the main body to fit snugly over the lower part of a dropper post. Very cool—and something that will matter to the small but dedicated group of MTB riders who cycle at night.

Get it at Knog or search Amazon.

Wrap Up

So, back to my two initial points: I was hoping to find a set of lights that wouldn't end up in a landfill and something that could brilliantly light up my daily rides. The Knog Blinkers have absolutely nailed it. What really stands out overall is the incredible value these lights offer. They're quality products delivering performance and durability that feels like it belongs in a much higher price bracket.

As for the landfill concern, I have almost zero doubt that the 1300, with its one-piece sturdy alloy body, will be my go-to light for years to come. The R-150? Well, I had my doubts about its longevity at first, but those concerns are fading the more I use it. In fact, the R-150 has easily become the best rear light I've used to date. Its light modes are thoughtful and well-designed—clearly created by people who know what they're doing.