Board Blazers vs. LED Strip Lights: Which One is Better?
If you’re looking for skateboard underglow or skateboard lights - you really only have 2 options. Board Blazers or LED Strip lights. While we may be a little biased, we’ll present both options as fairly as possible - then leave it up to you to decide
In this article, we’ll be sharing a quick head-to-head comparison of the two most popular choices; LED strip lights and underglow lights, otherwise known as Board Blazers. Together, let’s find out which one is better for you.
Skateboard LED Strip Lights
An LED Strip Light is a flexible circuit board of considerable length, typically measuring anywhere from a few inches to a 3 feet long.
The exterior tubing is made from rubber, so users can easily cut it to any length they prefer.
You see LED strips mostly used in home decor where they are commonly used to provide a backlit to cabinets or ambience for bedrooms.
Anybody see those Tik Tok led lights for bedrooms?
Most LED strips install using double sided tape. Each LED strip’s backside is lined with a special adhesive, similar to double-sided tape. This sticks to any smooth surface, and is waterproof, too, for outdoor use.
So even if it rains, the light strip won’t be detached or lose its glow.
The entire strip light is powered by an external battery box. You’ll also find a mini-controller attached to it for switching on and off the device, and adjusting its settings.
Skateboard LED Strips vs Board Blazers
LED light strips are only one of the ways you can increase visibility when skateboarding. Another popular alternative is Board Blazers - a one of a kind product for skateboard underglow.
While these two options essentially serve the same purpose, both are very different in many ways.
1. Ability to Skate
When deciding what accessory to purchase, one thing is the most important - you don’t want it to interfere with your skating.
Both LED strips and Board Blazers attach underneath your board. However, you can place Board Blazers underneath your trucks or line them up down the center.
For LED strips, you’re pretty limited by their length. You can either line each edge of your board or place one strip straightdown the center.
Whereas Board Blazers are protected by your trucks, skateboard LED strips will rip and be destroyed the second you try to do a rail grind.
Therefore, if you think you’re going to a skatepark, Board Blazers are your best option.
2. Installation and User-Friendliness
If there’s one thing I absolutely hate as a skater is dealing with a frustrating installation process. 6 Youtube videos later and you’re no closer to getting the thing installed correctly than when you started.
In general, Board Blazers are very straightforward to install. Each set comes with included adhesive patches. Just peel it off, lay everything out carefully, and stick the light - it’s that simple. And because the power source is built-in, there’s no need to remove the entire thing when replacing its batteries.
LED strip lights operate similarly in that they, too, have double-sided tape at the back. Fastening them on your skateboard, though, is slightly more challenging because of where they must be attached. It takes a steady hand and extreme precision to do this correctly.
Another potential issue is the external battery pack, to which these lights are connected to. We recommend using screws - and not just tape - when securing it to your skateboard. Its added weight needs something more durable.
Otherwise, this could fall off when moving. You can see how that would… not be good. And that’s one of the biggest problems with LED strips - the external power pack. But we’ll talk about that next.
3. Power Source
As mentioned earlier, LED strip lights utilize an external battery source, while Board Blazers come with batteries already within them. This may seem like just a design preference, but it actually affects your overall experience greatly.
For starters,Board Blazers are more reliable. Having the battery already included in the casing reduces the number of parts and keeps them attached to the board.
Another issue we observed with LED strips is finding a place to put the power source. With its lights already occupying both sides, there’s no space left other than underneath your board.
Technically, this could work, except that it takes away the opportunity to install other accessories.
This a stark comparison to underglow lights, which are a lot more practical. Board Blazers, for instance, are compact and shockproof. They’ll last longer, too, while providing more consistent illumination when rolling around at night.
Best of all, replacing the batteries will only take a few seconds. You won’t even have to remove the lighting fixture anymore.
The winner when it comes to power source: Board Blazers
4. Safeness for Tricks
When shredding through the streets, you don’t just want to ride along, right? Doing a Frontside 180 or 360 Rail Jump offers a different kind of rush. That’s why doing tricks on your skateboard is so fun, and such an enjoyable part of the experience.
Having said that, it’s always important to check if all accessories are in place. If not, they could be a major obstruction, landing you in the emergency room faster than you could say hang ten.
And in case there was any doubt, yes, that includes your skateboard lights.
Thankfully, Board Blazers has been deemed safe for tricks by millions of riders worldwide. Once again, it’s lightweight and ergonomically designed for moving at high speeds. Being that way means you’ll hardly notice that it’s even there, barely adding any additional weight that could cause imbalance.
Underglow lights like this also do a splendid job of casting light on the area, giving you better visibility at night. But we’ll get to that in the next section.
Unfortunately, LED strip lights may not offer the same peace of mind. Skateboarders frequently complain that its power box is an impediment when in motion or doing kickflips. This probably has to do with protruding underneath and on the sides.
Nevertheless, anytime riders feel apprehensive is never good. All it takes is a slight miscalculation for an accident to occur. And so in terms of safety, we would recommend using Board Blazers ten out of ten times.
5. Lighting Strength + Battery Capacity
Without a doubt, Board Blazers offers superior lighting ability.
Besides being brighter, it’s also positioned to provide better visibility of the ground, which is where you should be keeping your eyes on, anyway. These neon-colored underglow lights play a major role in alerting surrounding motorists, bikers, and even other skateboards that you’re around.
As an added bonus, the battery life has the ability to last 30-hours without fail. This way, you’ll never worry about it suddenly dying in the middle of your skating session. This longevity is perfect since its brightness will remain consistent during that duration.
In comparison, LED strips put forward acceptable lighting ability, yet nothing nearly as close as what we just discussed. More than anything, these fixtures are better suited for adding flashiness and style, rather than functionality.
LED strip lights, however eye-catching, illuminate only a limited surface area. They cast light downward, instead of forward or backward, which is the ideal scenario. Furthermore, because the strips already take up the entire side of your board, adding more is essentially a non-option.
Another issue is with its battery capacity. Even with a fresh pack inserted, you’ll only have a maximum of 8-hours before the power runs out. Of course, there’s always that choice to bring spares. But we don’t think that’s wise, given the environment.
Conclusion
After everything we just discussed, the comparison of Board Blazers and LED Strip Lights now seems like a one-sided affair.
Ultimately, light strips are better suited as a secondary light source (if you have headlights already installed), but not a primary one. It won’t offer enough brightness or visibility to keep you safe when riding across poorly-lit areas.
Board Blazers are a much better option for skateboard lights, providing a much more even balance of functionality and pizzazz. It comes with far fewer issues, too, and greater convenience so you spend less time at home, and more time gliding through the streets.
So, Board Blazers wins our battle as the best skateboard underglow solution.