TrailGuide uses the same and 10 and 15 watt spot beam bulbs as the TurboCat S10 and S15. The waterproof power switch is on the light and is easy to reach, even with gloves on. The light can be adjusted up and down over a range of 120 degrees plus 10 degrees side to side, so you can get the beam exactly where you want it. A Velcro® strap feeds through the vent holes. When it's pulled tight to compress the rubber pads, there's no chance of the light bouncing around. A special strap holds the wire in place at the rear of the helmet. The entire light is CNC machined and weighs only 3.5 ounces. Battery choices: Ni-Cad, Ni-MH, and Lead-Acid. Decide on battery for the combination of run time, weight, and price that suits your needs best. An optional headband lets you use the light for lots of other activities that don't require a helmet.
Submitted by
Aslan
a Cross Country Rider
from Chico, CA Date Reviewed: May 2, 2009
Favorite Trail:
So many trails, so little time...
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
can't remember...
Strengths:
Bright, durable, good mounting system, great customer service.
Weaknesses:
um... the batteries only lasted 9 years?
Similar Products Used:
Nite Rider, Nite Sun
Bike Setup:
Moots ybb and Moots Cinco
Bottom Line:
I purchased this light, along with a Turbocat S-10 bar light, 9 years ago. I ride at night 10 - 20 times a year, plus a bunch of short 'bar commutes'. Finally, after 9 years, I had to send these lights in for battery replacement. Nine years! I have had frames that didn't last that long. I have used nite rider and nite sun lights as well. They are are good too but cost more, are less bright, the batteries wear out faster, and the mounting system is not as good, especially if you use multiple bikes. These guys are not wasting a bunch of cash on advertising, it is all product here. No hype. Also, when I sent them in for testing I had a tight time frame and they turned them around in a week. Nice people, great product.
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Submitted by
robpen
a Weekend Warrior
from Olympia, WA Date Reviewed: April 3, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Capital Forest
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Bike Stand
Strengths:
I am a year-round bike commuter in Olympia, Washington, where it gets fairly dark and rainy for half the year, and I am convinced that this rock-solid helmet-mounted light has saved by bacon more than once--and at my age one small interaction with a car could be live-changing. The performance is phenominal; I recently noticably lit up the top half of a nine-story building downtown from half a block away--so I can surely get the attention of some distracted driver racing through a roundabout during rush-hour. The reliability is also supurb; I'm not careless with my equipment, but in the process of commuting every day I'm sure my helmet has dropped a dozen times or more with the light on it and the light has never been affected. The mounting system is well designed; it's pretty quick to install and very easy to redirect. Finally, the batteries last a long time. After five years of heavy use with weekly charges it still holds a charge just fine. I use the large and heavy lead-acid for day-to-day commuting and the small and light NMH batter for occasional distance or trail riding--and even caving. I believe in investing in quality equipment and getting the best long-term value, and that's been the case with my Turbo Cat light.
Weaknesses:
The down-side to any helmet-mounted light is being coupled to the bike. The long Velcro straps made it easy to lash the lead-acid battery under the center of my handlebars, which gives me just enough slack to ride and stand next to my bike comfortably without excess slack. But if you're not used to it, you may be feel like you're on a leash. The alternative is slipping the NMH battery into your pocket, but I like using the bigger, longer-lasting and durable battery day-to-day.
Similar Products Used:
Night Rider also makes a very durable helmet-mounted light, but the mounting and aiming aspects were clearly not as good.
Bottom Line:
You may flinch at the up-front cost of a top lighting system and balk at having a cord between your helmet and your bike, but if it keeps you out of the soup (and keeps the bumbers away from your legs) and lasts for 5-10 years it's one of the best investments you can make.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cackalacky
a Weekend Warrior
from Winston, NC Date Reviewed: December 27, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Burnt Mtn.
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Dirt Rag forums
Strengths:
Simple, reliable, waterproof.
All aluminum construction is very nice.
Bike Setup:
S15 handlebar light with 15 watt flood, TG15 helmet light with 15 watt spot.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the S15 bar light and TG15 helmet light.
One of those "set and forget" items. No problems with these. I got them used for next to nothing (no batteries) and then called them up to order some. Since I was riding in a 24hr race the next weekend, they gave me a discount. I also was able to buy a crimp-on connector end from them to replace one that was frayed/broken. Added a couple of extra bulbs and I was ready to go.
As far as light output, I can't give a comparison because I haven't had any other light. They seem bright enough to me, with the 15 watt spot helmet lamp VERY bright. Found myself riding way faster than I thought I could at night. On the road they will light up street signs very well at 100 yards plus.
Buy this if you want a solid reliable light that is serviceable down the road.
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Submitted by
Jody Jernigan
a Cross Country Rider
from South Bend In Date Reviewed: October 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Yankee Springs
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
manufacturer
Strengths:
Great light pattern. NIcve white light durability.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
Niterider digital head trip.
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Heckler
Bottom Line:
Great durable no frills light. Simple operation built to withstand impacts burntime already exceeding what the man. stated etc... Couldn't be happier to throw the junk Niterider light I have in the trash..Was going to use the Niterider for a bar mount light but IO can't stand looking at the yellow tint of the bulb besides the fact the niterider light gets lost in the beam of the Turbo cat!! Great customer Service at Turbocat from Both people I talked to.
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Submitted by
joel
a
from Richmond, VA Date Reviewed: August 12, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Turbocat
Strengths:
Lightweight, very bright, great burn time.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found any yet....
Similar Products Used:
cheapo battery lights and borrowed HIDs
Bottom Line:
Again, a great product, simple, durable, bright -does the job its supposed to. I'm glad I bought these. Granted these are halogen lights, much lighter than helmet mounted HIDs which is good since my helmet is better on top of my head than down in my face. I use Nicad batteries for both my TG and S10 for the durability and burn time benefits. Also halogen lights are cheaper to maintain (bulbs, etc).
I will buy again....great cust service also.
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Submitted by
Brian
a
from Seattle Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
phone/direct
Strengths:
Nice machine work, seems to be crashworthy. Great dual source package. Must get the CNC QR for handle bar mount, its extra but very nice. I think they are well priced based on what else is out there. TurboCats dual source systems provide good white light with very little shadows. I love the twisty, tight, wet & steep Northwest trails; these light have served me well.
Weaknesses:
I wont complain about the lack of a smart or fast charger. As a friend pointed out, its not hard to plug the light in before bed or after a ride and unplug it in the morning - just put the coffee near the charger... I think the recharge times are 12 to 18 hours for the NiCad water & 5cell pack with the 450 mA charger - or at least I hope. This is a long time; but, by planning ahead (what a concept!) it is not hard to have them fully charged before your next ride.
Similar Products Used:
None, but Ive seen others. I love those HID lights, let's me know who has got beer money.
Bike Setup:
I have the 15w flood handle bar mount light with a NiCad water bottle. And I have the 10w spot on the helment mount with the NiCad pack. I run these lights on a muddy rooted trails. My bikes seem to be on the heavy side, and I tend to carry to much wieght (tools + water) so the battery wieght is not my biggest concern.
Bottom Line:
These are high quality but simple lights. The NiCad packs are a reasonable weight. There are no power saving switches, just the on/off buttons. It would be nice to have a power save mode, but, one could just get an extra NiMH pack. My friend had the NiHM packs for his helmet mount and they are very light. They do have a much shorter run time but are great for to have as a backup - if you think your Petzel wont cut it. I think I would have liked a 10w flood on the handle bars to have a better run time on the bottle - but only if I could have the thumb switch. It is hard to reach down and turn the frame mount light off (switch on top of bottle battery) while riding twisty trails - but maybe not hard on the flat. I am considering getting another pair for my girlfriend, and I have looked at other brands and think I will most likely get the same system I have, I really love it. When ordering, think about the bulb wattage, battery, and bulb housing separately. Although they want you to go through a dealer I didn't because my friend who recommended them, didn't. They were nice to me and hooked me up with what I really needed.
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Submitted by
joe sacco
a Cross Country Rider
from hibbing, mn. usa Date Reviewed: May 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Old Hull Road
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$165.00
Purchased At:
TurboCat USA
Strengths:
everything about this light rocks!!!
it can take a beating. i've crashed a couple times where i thought............oh no... my light is going to be toast, but no way it takes everything i dish out. it works great in the winter, easy to operate the button with gloves on.
Weaknesses:
none some will say a smart charger, but come on, if you can't figure it out........your vcr clock must still be blinking??!!
Similar Products Used:
nightrider
Bike Setup:
this is about a light, not my bike!!
Bottom Line:
before you buy any other light system, give TurboCat a try!!! you will not be disappionted. TurboCat's custumer service is way ahead of the game!! way to go TurboCat, you a life long custumer!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brett Rabey
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Beach,Virginia,USofA Date Reviewed: March 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Tsali
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At:
Top of the Hill Bikes
Strengths:
Ultra Styley,Super bright and incredibly light! This is THE light for any 24hour racer.
Weaknesses:
Zippy
Bike Setup:
2001 Sugar1
Bottom Line:
GREAT light from a GREAT company! Customer service is right on! Nice job TurboCat.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pat Jennngs
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Fe, NM USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Borrego SFNF
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
Bike World - Albuquerque NM
Strengths:
This is a simple solid design that is easy to set up and works quite well. Turbocat customer support is great.
Weaknesses:
None noticed so far.
Similar Products Used:
S-32 bar mount lights were used for 3 seasons so far.
Bike Setup:
2000 Cannondale Jekyl. Continental tires. Turbocat S-32 dual beam on handlebar, Trailguide 10 on helmet.
Bottom Line:
We mostly ride singletrack at night in the winter and it is nice to be able to switch the lights on and off while wearing heavy gloves. I rode two seasons with a Turbocat S-32 dual beam light on the handlebar and found it worked quite well. The addition of the helmet mount Trailguide this year was better than I thought it would be. I immediately felt more secure and rode faster. It allows the rider to scan ahead and pick a line into corners and dropoffs. The NiMH battery pack is light and tucks into my Camelbak. The light is very bright and provides useful light quite a way down the trail. The handlebar lights compliment the system by providing enough shadows to enhance perception of rocks and other surface variations. Helmet lights alone are too close to the eyes to cast shadows. Any decent light system is going to cost some money. Turbocats may cost a little more than other comparable brands, but are well worth a few dollars more to get the best. The lights are constructed of first rate materials. The instructions are thorough and understandable. Customer support features a real person who knows all about the product if there are questions. It comes with an ac recharger that probably should be controlled with a timer by those of us who tend to forget stuff. (It would really be slick to have a dc recharger to run off my car battery when we go camping.) This light setup is great for singletrack and technical trails. It probably would serve commuters well with the addition of a suitable tail light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Cross Country Rider
from Corvallis, OR Date Reviewed: December 8, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$160.00
Strengths:
simple contstruction, very bright
Weaknesses:
no smart charger. come on turbocat spend a little extra on a smart charger design. I would pay the difference.
Similar Products Used:
vista light
Bike Setup:
gary fisher sugar 2
Bottom Line:
awesome light. I don't know how anyone can ride without a helmet light. If you ride at night (commuter or offroad fun) this is an awesome light.
I commute everyday and ride offroad with this light. For commuting it matches and in many cases exceeds the brightness of any car. If you think someone does not notice and might pull out in front of you, run this light across their face and they will see you! When commuting on the bike paths pedestrians get confused and think I am a car sometimes because of the brightness of the light.
On trails I can bomb almost as fast as a daytime ride. I am going to trade in my vista lite handlebar mount for a turbocat s15 or s25 and that will be very nice. I would recommend a good flood light on your handlebars combined with the TG15 and you will be set.
I got the 10.5oz NiMH battery with the TG-15. It goes 1.5 hours consistently. I just about trashed the battery though because I let it charge for a couple of days. If you overcharge too much the battery is history. Turbocat should sell this with a smart charger. Turbocat should at least make that an option. I guess I need to go out and buy a timer switch so I don't make that mistake again.
Overall, awesome white light, easy to hook up to the helmet, easy adjustment, reliable. Almost 5 flaming burritos but I will give it a 4 because of the charger. A cheap hit but a hit none the less.
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Submitted by
Jan-Marcel
a Weekend Warrior
from Utrecht Date Reviewed: August 15, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light(weight), compact and a beautiful bright spot.
Weaknesses:
Product weaknesses: none, zip, zero, zilch
Bike Setup:
Cannondale hardtail & recumbent
Bottom Line:
Very stable and easy ajustable helmet mounts. In combination width my TurboCat S47 it's more fun riding at night than at daytime. Actually I never ride in the dark ;-) Fast turns are no longer a problem and you can see wherever your head turns. Excellent customer support. highly recomended. Looking for a helmet mount? Buy a Trailguide! It deserves a lot more then 5 chillies!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from LA Date Reviewed: February 1, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Beautiful and bright with a spot that really carries in the darkness
Weaknesses:
It's a 6V system, making replacement bulbs very difficult to find. (Who makes 5.4V MR-11 bulbs?)
Bike Setup:
GT hardtail with Z2 Atom bomb
Bottom Line:
If you want a light that goes where you point your head, than this is it. I have the 15W bulb which means you get a very nice 2 hours with the NiCad battery. Along with my Turbocat S47, I can go as fast as I dare on the downhills and make fast turns with confidence since I can clearly see what's coming ahead. In fact, the 15W spot seems to carry as far as my 35W high beam on the S47. This is a really, really nice helmet mounted light.
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Submitted by
Lowell
a Cross-Country Rider
from Los Gatos, CA Date Reviewed: November 22, 1999
Duration Product Used:
tested or demo'ed only
Bottom Line:
I tried this light for one night and really like it. The beam is bright and has a good pattern/distribution. The battery is small and lightweight. My only minor complaint is that i found the switch a little awkward to use, but that would probably get easier with practice.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a racer
from Carlisle, PA Date Reviewed: October 19, 1998
Bottom Line:
Had a Niterider premium, and while it was adequate, I was pretty unhappy with the light pattern (fairly narrow spot). I ride pretty hard, and was looking for a more powerful light. Heard about Turbocat thru my LBS, and after looking into their website and checking out the LBS owner's bar-mounted system, I ordered the TG15. Plugged it in and the next day, no power...nothing. I put a meter on it, and the NiCad battery pack was dead. The LBS swapped it out for a new battery, and this one works fine. You really have to see this light in action to appreciate its brightness and coverage compared to other helmet lights. It has an actual light output of 19 watts, and it makes my friend's 15 watt lights disappear. The light pattern is perfect, kind of a medium spot, and you can point it way down the trail. While I don't argue that a helmet/handlebar setup is ideal, this light by itself is fine for riding and training hard. Just so you know where I'm coming from, I'm racing sport senior class and averaged top 3 this year with one win, and this light lets me ride just about as hard as I want to. The light unit itself is very lightweight compared to my old Niterider, the only niggling thing I can say is that you need to remove the whole mounting setup (bracket w/velcro straps) from the helmet rather than just the light head. My solution...I use a spare helmet for my daytime riding, which is minimal this time of year anyway. The wire connectors pull apart rather easily, but this is probably better than the wires separating elsewhere. I used heat-shrink wrap (from Radio Shack for $2.95) on the wire/connectors as added insurance...it looks a lot better, too. I also used electrical tape and shrink wrap to beef up the wire where it emerges from the battery pack. Don't get the wrong idea...none of this is necessary for night riding, but my typical night rides usually include descents thru very tight, branchy singletrack, so I'm just trying to avoid any problems. You will not be disappointed if you buy this light!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Dripping Springs Date Reviewed: September 20, 1998
Bottom Line:
Got the TG15 about 3 weeks ago and am truly impressed. Superior bright white light is more than adequate for night riding. Even spotted a fox the first night out. Need a carrier for the ni-cad but no biggie if you use a Camelback. Very easy to mount and adjust. Extra velcro strap to take up wire slack is a bonus. Also it is light weight and has a sealed switch which is easy to operate. I concur that I now have no excuse for not going night riding.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a cross-country rider
from Gainesville, Florida Date Reviewed: April 8, 1998
Bottom Line:
These lights are great. Easy to set up and dial in. Run time is longer than what they say 3+ hours. I also use a Turbocat handlebar mount light and the 2 are perfect together. No problems. Great mount and quality work. Everyone I know that rides at night uses them and NO PROBLEMS. Highly recomended. No excuse not to ride at night.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Texas Date Reviewed: January 24, 1998
Bottom Line:
I've been using the TG-10 for a few months now, and can't say enough good things about it. Combine this helmet light with a handlebar mounted beam & you'll have the versatility to ride anything you would dare to in broad daylight. Compared to my previous Nightsun Sunspot, my TurboCat's light and battery are both a little heavier, but it has a far brighter, wider, and more useful beam, and seems to be made of much higher-quality materials. With the Sunspot, the beam was soooo narrow & tightly focused that I was constantly focusing on where I needed to direct the beam. No amount of fiddling and adjusting seemed to resolve this (and no help from Nightsun's so-called customer support). With the TG-10, two rides were all it took to dial it in perfectly - now wherever I look I automatically have an abundance of usable light. As for the weight of the light, it did take a little getting used to, but the folks at TurboCat were VERY helpful in fielding questions & providing suggestions for mounting the light to my particular helmet. To carry the battery, I simply purchased the extra-small Jandd fanny-pack & stuck it in there. The pack is just the right size for the ni-cad battery, provides a secure method of transport, and is very unobtrusive when riding. In my opinion, much better than carrying a helmet light battery (for ANY helmet light) in a jersey pocket.All-in-all, a great light, at a fair price, from a great bunch of people that won't leave you hanging - 50 peppers!!!!- Chris woolly@usa.net
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a weekend warrior
from Arlington, Tx Date Reviewed: January 20, 1998
Bottom Line:
Excellent bright light, more light than a standard 15 watt bulb, seems to be built better than some other brands,also has a $9 crash repair plus the cost of their parts. If you can afford to purchase only one light set this one is worth looking at. The only complaint is you must have a camelback or something to carry the battery pack in.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith
a cross-country rider
from Georgia Date Reviewed: January 18, 1998
Bottom Line:
It's very bright and has white light. Comes with Two velcro straps for stability. run times are 2 hours on the 15 watt bulb and 3 hours on the 10 watt bulb. it's relatively light. has larger straight 18 gauge wiring. Just plain good. It works really well in all situations.
$ 115.00
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
