Ditch Lights

[MT Runner]

Short version; white or amber lights for ditch lights?

Long version;
I have had the CBI ditch light brackets with some cheap 2x2 pod lights for about 6 years now.

I’m planning on changing them out for the Baja Designs S2 lights. Just higher quality and lower profile than what I currently have.

Not sure if I’ll go with Pro or the Sport version yet. Not sure if the $80 difference between the two is worth it or not.

My question is, for those of you that have aux lights of some kind (which is just about everyone it seems), and specifically people that have ditch lights of some kind, do you have clear or amber/yellow lights? If you have yellow, what do you like about them? If you’ve had both at some point, what do you prefer?

I run Sylvania ZXE bulbs in my headlights and fog lights, so they’re pretty white. I have halogen Lightforce Strikers with clear lenses on a custom light bar in front of my front bumper, they’re white but not quite as white as my headlights.

So I don’t know if going with a yellow/amber ditch light will be useless if I have all that other white light being thrown out there.
I know the purpose of the amber color is better visibility in dust/fog/rain, which is appealing. I just wanted some opinions on if it’d be useful to have the smallest set of lights a different color, if there was still a benefit to them, or if just sticking with white ditch lights makes the most sense.

 

[JP421]

Short version; white or amber lights for ditch lights?

Long version;
I have had the CBI ditch light brackets with some cheap 2x2 pod lights for about 6 years now.

I’m planning on changing them out for the Baja Designs S2 lights. Just higher quality and lower profile than what I currently have.

Not sure if I’ll go with Pro or the Sport version yet. Not sure if the $80 difference between the two is worth it or not.

My question is, for those of you that have aux lights of some kind (which is just about everyone it seems), and specifically people that have ditch lights of some kind, do you have clear or amber/yellow lights? If you have yellow, what do you like about them? If you’ve had both at some point, what do you prefer?

I run Sylvania ZXE bulbs in my headlights and fog lights, so they’re pretty white. I have halogen Lightforce Strikers with clear lenses on a custom light bar in front of my front bumper, they’re white but not quite as white as my headlights.

So I don’t know if going with a yellow/amber ditch light will be useless if I have all that other white light being thrown out there.
I know the purpose of the amber color is better visibility in dust/fog/rain, which is appealing. I just wanted some opinions on if it’d be useful to have the smallest set of lights a different color, if there was still a benefit to them, or if just sticking with white ditch lights makes the most sense.

When I get around to getting ditch lights I am plan on going with white simply because my fogs are Baja's in yellow.

 

[MyanRagahis]

I have white Element ditch lights. I've used them during some partially light foggy nights around my area, nothing too bad. They're nice, but some of that white light kind of bounces back at my eyes. If it's gonna be too foggy or anything, snow, rain, whatever, I would think the yellow would help. I have mine pointed off to just past where the edges of the headlights cut off.
I bought some yellow lamin-x that I plan on sticking on eventually.

 

[mteolus]

Cali Raised white. Replaced my factory fogs. I think it is mostly a personal preference but I like white. They light up the night on 4x4 roads.

 

[Mgyver1]

Short version; white or amber lights for ditch lights?

My two cents are that for a ditch light go white. Ambers are for seeing or being seen in low visibility conditions like fog or dust, hence why fog lights are mounted low and are designed with a very flat beam battery to minimize light being bounced back in your eyes. And you would not want to turn on your ditch lights in very foggy or dusty conditions as you’ll probably be blinded with the light being bounced back at nearly at eye level.

I have no experience with them, but those Rigid side shooters look like a pretty cool idea for ditch lights (again, not sure of their real world performance). And no I’m not trying to steer people away from Baja as I really like their stuff and plan on getting their SAE fogs hopefully soon.

 

[Oakandhare]

Those amber lights look cooler to me.


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[MojoHD160]

i run Rigid Side Shooters and love them! Rigid also makes an amber cover for these lights so u can have the best of both worlds.

 

[Akkording]

Covers are cool, side shooters of any kind would give you just that extra angle. LaminX is a great option as well. Good luck, post pictures

 

[tomb_rnr]

I plan on putting "ditch lights". But my reasoning is not for off-roading and needing to see in the sides while wheeling.

I plan on using them as "chase lights". When you're in a convoy on a dry dirt road, dust tends to happen and it's difficult to see. The chase lights being in yellow/amber would be helpful for the person in front of you to spot you or if you're running them in the rear as well; the person behind you to see you.

For fogs, as one mention, I upgraded my crappy fogs with Baja's plug n play kit in yellow/amber.

 

[Kazzy4RNR]

I have the Cali Raised side projecting pods (in white light) & love them. They are super bright. I have them slightly turned out & the design also casts a nice beam to the side. Very helpful when driving at night & lighting up the road around curves. I installed them after some hairy night time off-roading in the mountains where the beams of my headlights & light bar were almost useless because of the curves of the roads.

 

[dktxt4r]

I have baja designs squadron sports in white with amber covers for protection. I'd you want to run amber, leave the covers on. If you want to run white, take the covers off.

 

[Drobs]

I have white KC Spot Ditch Lights on Rago Fab brackets pointed forward on my Nissan Frontier. According to my buddy (Deputy Sheriff) uncovered non-factory lights are illegal in Missouri and act as probable cause for a stop. He states his department could care less but Missouri State Patrol will use it to their advantage.

I put covers on them.

I probably won't add ditch lights to my 4Runner for that reason. I foresee adding a behind the grill light bar.

LLOD on youtube made the point that yellow / amber helps him see contrast in the snow on the ground. It shows tracks and variances better than white light.

Jump to 12 minutes in this video:
YouTube

We get maybe 1 snow storm per year and the snow is gone in a week or less.
Have lots of fog - I use my brights (when appropriate) at night as deer are more of concern than a little fog.

Personally I think the idea of not using brights in fog, is wives tail made up by someone living in the city.

 

[Caliraisedled]

I have the Cali Raised side projecting pods (in white light) & love them. They are super bright. I have them slightly turned out & the design also casts a nice beam to the side. Very helpful when driving at night & lighting up the road around curves. I installed them after some hairy night time off-roading in the mountains where the beams of my headlights & light bar were almost useless because of the curves of the roads.

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