NiteRider Lumina 1100 Boost

Occasionally, a product is so similar to its stablemate that one could be forgiven for actually making the mistake of reviewing the wrong product. Ahem. After reviewing the Niterider Lumina 900 Boost, I moved on to the 1100 Boost. Except I forgot to change the units over for the first two uses. Oops.

It actually tells a story in itself. No, not [just] that I'm an incompetent reviewer, but the fact that, externally, the two units are precisely the same: the same dimensions, the same weight (give or take an insignificant 3g), and the same branding save for a swap from '900 Boost' to '1100 Boost'.

Internally, the workings are the same too. You get the same seven-function setup as the 900 Boost, and the same single-button action that's programmed in the same way. As a result, it's very easy to mistake the two.

Niterider claims exactly the same battery life on the maximum setting, which indicates that the battery has taken a boost to cater for the slightly brighter settings. Standard static modes now rate at 225 lumens (+25 versus the 900), 450 (+100), and 900 (+200). Of course, 900 lumens is the max 'boost' brightness achievable on the 900 Boost model, but this bumps that to 1100.

In truth, draining the batteries side by side on the equivalent-tier settings led to very similar drain times, within a five minute window of each other, and with the same auto-dimming to maximise life – a variance you could arguably expect to see in the same units coming off the production line. Seeing as the 900 Boost slightly outstripped the claimed life, we can hardly complain. It also takes a similar amount of time to charge too, plus around 45 minutes.

The two flash settings also achieve very similar drain times, but the low-light long-term static setting on the second tier of functionality lasts for 18 hours now, but at 70 lumens (+35 over the 900 Boost).

This increase in brightness means there's a touch more heat developed at the bulb end, while the beam itself bleeds very slightly more into the surrounding area (beyond the focused section, which remains distinct). Our beam tests will reveal exactly how much, but this is one of the reasons you'd opt for this light over the 900 – for that extra power.

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And for it, with no real measurable difference in battery life or functionality barring that output, you pay an extra £25. Only you will know if you need that extra light. For my money, I think it's a little unnecessary, unless you happen to like hammering home on a gravel track in the middle of nowhere at the dead of night (and intend to make it home in around an hour).

For the record, the bracket is the same too, so there's still the slight issue with achieving a tight grip if you have odd-diameter handlebars, but it's solid enough and easy to use, just like the rest of the light.

Verdict

Almost precisely the same light as the 900 Boost, with a bit of a brightness and accompanying battery bump