User submitted reviews
Review by carl
very visible , battery has a good life.Very stable on the bike.
Review by SWF Rider
The UT 800 is bright and paired with my Edge 1030 Plus works seamlessly. I use it for night rides in trail mode and get 2.5 hours out of the batteries.
Review by Jpn931
Gets the attention of drivers in urban areas. I have a smaller front light for daytime, but I have used this light in more congested areas. Also works well at night.
Review by Adur
I was hoping I could use in my helmet but way too heavy, sometimes solid isn't sold and I returned it
Review by Gab
Very bright and it connects to garmin computer very easy
Review by Aaron
Love this light ! Works perfect with my Garmin Edge 830
Review by Christopher
Very bright, very 'smart' headlight. Syncs with my Garmin 1030 plus. Long battery life. Highly recommend this headlight
Review by Roadie575
A little pricey, but effective. Easy to use and a decent battery life.
Review by Anonymous
I enjoy using this light together with e1030 and v510
Review by nyc2pdx
Impressive light. You have full control from the head unit, which can set the light to automatic. Ambient light sensor takes care of this - as well as fluctuating the lumens based on your speed to get the most out of battery life. Another very well thought-out Garmin product, just wish it wasn't so heavy... but that's just battery tech for you. Highly recommended either way - completes the ANT+ light network with the Varia RTL515 when used with a Garmin head unit. Game changer for cycling safety. Recently replaced my conventional front light and couldn't be happier.
Review by CES68
I�m a true testament of the Garmin brand.!That�s why it was a no brainer in making this purchase. The light seamlessly connects with the cycling computer. I�m able to check the battery�s life from my head unit. And to my surprise, the battery lasts longer than expected. But like every other cycling light on the market. It depends on which feature you choose. I don�t usually ride at nights so I can�t say how bright it is. However, the light shines bright enough to be seen during the day. Which is what I personally prefer for my safety.
Review by John
Easily integrates with my Edge 1030. When paired with my 1030 you can control the light mode via the 1030 interface. The light is easily installed on the bottom of my bike computer mount. I have experienced excellent battery life in the "Day Flash" mode - approximately 20 hours
Review by John S
I've had another UT800 for several years which was a warranty replacement within the first couple months of that initial purchase due to greatly diminished battery life. The replacement was great and met or exceeded the stated battery life through several years of use. I recently purchased another UT800 and from day 1, battery life was well below stated and less than half of the old light in the same use cases. Garmin, admirably sent me a warranty replacement but unfortunately it has the same poor battery life. I don't know if it's a bad batch of batteries, a change in firmware or what, but I can't get past an hour of daytime riding without getting a low battery warning and another 30 minutes of power save flash mode before it dies. The old light is always good for 3-4 hours, even with more time at higher output settings, so a substantial difference. I probably wouldn't consider this light again, even though I like having an integrated system of Garmin head unit, radar and headlight. The battery life just doesn't cut it on the last 2 units I've received.
Review by Lastostrogoth
I have been through several headlights despite the fact that I do not ride at night. I have used the daytime flash on all of the ones I have owned because the majority of my rides are on roads, not bike trails. Previous ones I owned have not had the battery life of the Varia UT800 which barely touchs the battery in a 3 hour ride. Those that came close were far more fragile or had a far from ideal mounting system. Assuming you own an Garmin Edge 800 series of 1030 (more recently 1040) this one uses a mounting system that attaches easily and securely to the underside of the OutFront Garmin mount leaving your handlebars unencombered by the device. I like this particularly because it is both secure and allows me to keep my hands on the bar tops rather than the hoods. Like all Garmin products, it is really sturdy. It can also be controlled with the Edge computer setting the style of lighting you want without having to touch the light at all while you are riding. I use it in combination with the Varia Radar light in back, so I feel pretty certain that I am being seen from both direction well in advance. Aesthetically, it looks solid and professional. It in no ways detracts from the beauty of your top of the line bike. As a night time unit, it throws a powerful beam which should be sufficient for any rider needing to see the road in front. I do recommend it if you have the upper level Edge computers.
Review by Andy Mc2021
They should probably take "lightweight" out of the light description. The weight is my greatest complaint about the light. I like that it sits underneath the garmin computer. I primarily use it as a daytime flashing light and it's very effective for that purpose. It is plenty bright enough for later this year when I start riding an hour before sun up to avoid the Arizona heat. Attaching the light to the garmin out front holder took a little getting used to but overall it's no problem.
Review by MudBone
Bought this light because the reviews online were solid, and importantly, it seamlessly mounts on the same Garmin Out Front mount (included in Varia box) that my Garmin 1030 bike computer does. The light performs exactly as it is advertised with multiple modes to accommodate both low light and daylight conditions. I mostly ride a high end road bike in daylight conditions on suburban roads, so the bright, flashing daylight mode is perfect to grab the attention of boneheaded motorists approaching me. Have only had the light for less than a month and roughly 15 hours of outdoor riding, but it has yet to need recharging, and is still throwing out intense light on the daylight flashing mode. The only issue that I have had with the the light is that it does not seem to pair with my Garmin 1030 as expected. Not a big deal, because I really only wanted the daylight flasher and Garmin Out Front mount option anyway.
Review by jmc
needed a new bike headlight and wanted to get one that is compatible with my garmin edge 530. like the fact that it sits under the bike computer and off the handlebar. also, like on the sides it shows the illumination so you are not leaning over the handlbars to see what light mode you are in. it does work automatically and nice it shuts off automaticallty when you put the computer in rest mode. especially like the flashing mode while riding in the daytime. the battery deplete after about two hours.
Review by HO
This is a very nice light, bright and well built. It also has a good battery reserve, lasting for multiple long rides in near-freezing weather. It is too expensive by itself, however. The price only makes sense if you have a Garmin set for it to integrate with. It can then change brightness, mode and distance based on speed and ambient light. I have an Edge 820, and the rear radar, and the full set works well and is worth the cost. Of course, the one problem is Garmin's tech issues (ridiculously clunky if not inept for a tech company), but once figured out (or worked around), it works well.
Review by Mark Harris
This is a great headlight. the mounting to the underside of the out-front mount is fantastic as it removes connections of gear on your bars. The connectivity to my edge 530 is awesome. turns on automatically, adjusts the beam intensity for speed. Combine this with the Garmin rear view radar/tail light for the best possible set up. I thought this light was so good that i bought one for my wife as well. looks great. The windows which provide light to the sides is a great feature for visibility.
Review by AndyMc
As a light it works great. The battery life is great for flashing daytime which is primary use this time of year. The light feels heavy and that concerns me as it is mounted to expensive carbon bars. Getting the light attached to mount can be cumbersome at times. I debated with myself as to whether or not to keep the light and I am but I do have some buyers remorse.