Off-roaders are quite familiar with the fact that traveling over trails at nighttime and other low-light conditions can be a wild combination of tricky, exhilarating, and terrifying. While people who stick to paved surfaces are blessed with street lights, when it comes to off-roading, it’s up to you to bring your own illumination. That’s where rock lights come into play. These little game changers sit underneath the body of the vehicle and are specially engineered to highlight rocks and debris that can impact the vehicle’s body, frame, suspension, wheels, and tires while trail driving. It seems like there’s an endless selection of rock lights on the market, all of which differ in cost and quality. After some extensive research, we’ve chosen key rock light kits that we find help narrow down the search, and make the process of finding the best kit for your needs a bit easier.
Best Rock Light
MICTUNING 2nd-Gen RGB LED Rock Lights
This set by MICTUNING includes eight RGB rock lights that are controlled via an app, and are designed to be super easy to install. This kit includes two different types of mounting pads which make wiring and mounting easier and via MICTUNING’s app—downloadable via QR code—you’re able to adjust speed, brightness, and strobe speed.
In addition to these features, there’s a mode for syncing the lights to your favorite tunes, making your journey all the more fun. MICTUNING’s lights are perfect for off-roading, cars, motorcycles, boats, and interior lights. They’re also encased in sturdy aluminum and shock-proof glass, and are resistant to impact, water intrusion, dust, dirt, and mud.
PROS
- Bluetooth controlled
- Suitable for trucks, cars, boats, and motorcycles
- Made from die-cast aluminum and toughened glass
- Dust-proof, rust-proof, and waterproof
CONS
- Brightness could be improved
- App integration is spotty
- Control box and wiring gets hot due to being 24 volts
Sunpie RGB LED Rock Light Kit
This option by Sunpie is immensely fun, mostly for just one reason: you can change colors on a whim. There are other features, though, as the LEDs have a life of 50,000 hours, so there’s a very good chance that they’ll never burn out and they throw off 500 lumens of light, are made of solid, die-cast aluminum and toughened glass. This means they have a better chance at surviving an impact with obstacles on the trail.
These lights are also configured via a convenient app that works with both Android and iPhone, and via this app, you can change the color of the lights or make them blink, fade, or gradually change between colors for a unique off-roading experience. Going one further, they possess a special timing function, as well as a music mode function, which allows you to sync the lights with music. They’re the perfect addition to your truck, car, boat interior, ATV, UTV, motorcycle, and more.
PROS
- App-controlled
- Seemingly unlimited color and blinking functions
- Tough construction
CONS
- App integration isn’t the best
- Wiring length can be limited
- Control box can have issues
Amak 4 Pods LED Rock Light Kit
As far as a solid, no-frills, budget-minded option goes, this kit by Amak is hard to beat. While this kit may not provide a bunch of customizable color and lighting mode options, the white LED rock lights contain three CREE LEDS each, which illuminates the undercarriage of your vehicle. They’re manufactured with a tough, die-cast aluminum shell with toughened glass, and can handle any weather conditions. They’re also water-, shock-, dust-, and rust-proof.
This kit has been manufactured with a universal fit, which means that it’s suitable for all makes and models of vehicles, including motorcycles, boats, SUVs, golf carts, ATVs, UTVs, and more. Use these lights to illuminate off-road trails, or even as an interior or reverse light. If you’re not entirely happy with the product, then the company is happy to offer a one-year money-back guarantee.
PROS
- Set of four white LED lights
- Suitable for trucks, cars, boats, motorcycles, and more
- Made from die-cast aluminium
- Dust-proof, rust-proof, and waterproof
- Money-back guarantee
CONS
- Only one color option (though, that isn’t an issue for a good percentage of buyers)
- Customized mounting solutions are limited
- Brightness isn’t as good as other kits
Ampper Waterproof LED Neon Rock Lights
These white LED lights can be mounted absolutely anywhere, and provide great value and versatility for your money. Four lights are included in the kit, and they provide a strong 9-watt light with a lifespan of 50,000 hours. They also have a universal fit, which means they’re suitable for all makes and models.
Mount them underneath your car’s body, use them as off-roading lights to highlight the trail, or use them for your vehicle’s interior. They’re also designed to be boat, ATV, and UTV lights as well. They are made from tough materials, making these lights especially strong thanks to their die-cast aluminum outer shell that’s engineered to withstand all weather conditions. Mounting hardware is included as well, which helps make installation a snap.
PROS
- Five color options
- Universal fit
- Mount anywhere
- Aluminum housing with good sealing
- Good true color
CONS
- Can be difficult for non-professionals to install
- Wiring might not be long enough
- No switch or relay included
- LEDs are single color, meaning no custom modes, transitions, or multiple colors
IMOSONTEC RGB Rock Lights
Prospective buyers might feel overwhelmed by the amount of customization at their fingertips via the Bluetooth-connected app with the IMOSONTEC set as not only can you change the color of the LEDs, but also their brightness, color change frequency, speed at which the flash, and pulse. They sync up with music, too!
One thing we found to be particularly fun is that the kit’s app has a feature that allows you to literally shake your smartphone to create a random color effect. Neat. It’s not all bright colors, though, as these lights are made of a sturdy, heat-resistant construction for excellent durability and can handle extensive off-roading thanks to being manufactured from aviation-grade aluminum with toughened glass, and a reinforced dual-polymer resin casing that is guaranteed to last. If you’re not 100 percent happy with the product, the company will provide you with a money-back guarantee too, without hassle.
PROS
- Smartphone controlled
- Unlimited color options
- Change lights, speed, and frequency
- Reinforced dual-polymer resin casing
- One-year warranty
CONS
- App connectivity issues over time
- Bluetooth connection has a very short range
- Wiring might be too short for certain applications
How We Selected The Products
After combing the depths of listings in search of rock light kits, we came to our list by finding a good balance of the following criteria: price, value, ease of installation, rating, brightness, and level of lighting customizability. Some kits have all the customizability, which some prospective buyers are after, while others are simple, no-frills kits that just get the job done, and in one single color. We researched over 20 kits, got well-familiar with common traits and uses, and proceeded to analyze them with our criteria from there. It must be said that we’ve done a bit of this research for our own personal interest, too, as outfitting off-road rigs is very much in our wheelhouse, and something we’d like to do someday with our own rigs.
Our product selections, rankings, and awards for this story are based on research. While we haven’t conducted real-world testing on all of these products yet, we’ve looked at consumer testimonials and data, tutorials, and general discussions on social media and in forums. We also consider price and specification in the context of the segment. And, of course, we rely on our institutional knowledge of the automotive landscape to weed out weak products.
Buying Guide/What to Look For
Here are some questions to ask yourself while reviewing our guide: Do I want extensive customizability or simplicity? Do I want something that’s easy for me to install or something that ought to be done by a professional? How big is my rig, and will the wiring have enough length? What’s my overall budget? Do I want maximum brightness for maximum illumination, or do I want something more subdued?
Types of Rock Light Kits
Single-Color LEDs
This is a kit that must be ordered in the color you want to run on your ride.
Multi-Color LEDs
This is a kit that has color-changing LEDs, which are almost all controlled via an app and often feature fun modes and music syncing.
Customizable Modes
Speaking of fun modes, some of them include blinking intensity, blinking to your music’s beat, different color combinations, and transitions between different colors.
Rock Light Kit Key Features
Pods
The pod is what contains the LED. It’s often made of tough, durable plastic, or aluminum.
Wiring
The wiring is included in almost every kit, but unfortunately, lengths can’t be customized; it’s important to measure for what kind of length you need, and then keep that in mind when ordering.
Control Box
The control box can be mounted in different locations, but it’s a good idea to mount it where water or debris won’t damage it, and where high heat won’t damage its surroundings. Some of these kits run 24 volts and can make the control box get pretty toasty.
Rock Lights Tips and Tricks
There are several things you will need to consider when buying rock lights. This is what we consider to be the most important:
- Use: What kind of vehicle do you have and how do you plan to use the rock lights? If you’re planning on off-roading and need rock lights to illuminate a trail, then you should look for a tough, durable lighting kit that can withstand all weather conditions. Are you looking to use it underneath the vehicle, or somewhere else? Consider the shape, size, and installation. Do you want to customize your lighting setup with something that has different colors and lighting modes? Then consider a color-changing RGB LED rock light kit that allows for personalized settings.
- Brightness: Will you be using the rock lights in very dark areas? On trails? Consider the power and brightness of the lights to ensure they can give you enough illumination.
- Ease of Use: How easy are they to install, and will you need a professional to help? This is an absolute must to consider before buying a set of rock lights. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a problem on your hands.
Final Thoughts
Rock light kits are proof that function and form can co-exist in fun, beautiful, and bright harmony. Check out our Best Overall pick, MICTUNING 2nd-Gen RGB LED Rock Lights. This set has everything you need for flawless installation. The lights are controlled via Bluetooth and are suitable for a variety of vehicles.
