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Knog 605 $399.00
| Light | Price | Claimed Lumens | Runtime | Battery Type | Light head weight | Battery Weight | Installed Weight | Lumens per gram | Lumens per dollar |
| Knog 605 | $399 | 300 | 2hrs | Lithium Ion | 98g | 384g | 482g | 0.62 | 0.75 |
Light Meter charts and comparison table available here.
Description:
Then Knog 605 is the high-end light of the Knog line. It features a nicely styled light head with three LEDs. The aluminum and rubber casing is bonded together nicely and the rubber mounting strap is integrated into the light head. The first two LEDs serve the function of lighting up the trail. The third light is good as a map-reading light and has a Flash mode to help the rider become more visible to oncoming traffic.
The switch is external and can be placed near the grips so it can be controlled easily while riding. Each of the three LEDs comes with its own switch that operates independently. Each press toggles each LED through its light modes starting with the medium setting. To turn on full power requires five button presses on the three switches. Turning off requires four.
The battery is long and it mounts on the top tube. This light is for handlebar use only.
As the photos will show, the package is quite attractive and the materials and construction are very good.
Light Meter Readings:
On our light meter readings, it scored a 16. This equals the readings from the Ayup helmet light and the Dinotte 200L.
Light Head Close ups:
Mounting Options:
The Knog 605 can only be mounted on the handlebar. The long battery is mounted on the top tube and the external switch is mounted beside the grips for easy reach.
Strengths:
- Very nice packaging and industrial design
- Molded rubber bands make the battery and light head easy to mount
- Separate bulb for flash mode can be good for commuting
Weaknesses:
- Not bright enough for the price
- Beam pattern has a lot of artifacts
- An indicator lamp is lit the whole time the battery is plugged in
- Too many button presses with its three switches to turn the light on and off
- Light cannot be used on the helmet
- External switch requires more handlebar room
- Not as bright as lumen claims of 300
Bottom Line:
This light was designed for the commuter market and it shows. It’s very hip and cool. There are several light levels and the flash mode can work very well for commuters. However, the light is not quite bright enough on the trail and some usability issues also hold it back. The amount of light the rider gets for the money is not very high. Also some of the design issues, like the switches, limit its trail usability.
Beam Pattern Photos:
Knog 605
Beam Pattern rollover and side by side comparison page available here.
Value Rating:
2 out of 5 Stars

Overall Rating:
2.5 out of 5 Stars

Read or write reviews:
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Lights/product_131587.shtml
| A word from the Manufacturer: |
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Francois








January 4th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Thanks for doing this. Loved your last review.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Wow Francis and crew…this is going to be a good shootout. Nice work!
Brett
January 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Excellent , looking fwd to further reviews ..pls add bike or helmet mount aplications/best use
January 4th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Good Job guys, I also really liked the old shoutout, Looking forward to this one. Really like the video captions too! Thanks
January 10th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Lumens per dollar and lumens per grams are both wrong. I’ve found a few others on the other lights that are also outright wrong, or rounded incorrectly. Sorry to find fault, otherwise, the test is excellent!
January 10th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Lumens/dollar is 0.75, lumens/gram is 1.61.