Even though the Hope R4+ has a lamp and separate battery connected via a cable, we’ve included it in the helmet category because the head unit is compact, and the battery has a better run time than most of the lid lights here. In fact it’s one of the best MTB helmet lights on the market.

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Our sample R4+ is the standard model with a four-cell Li-Ion battery, but Hope also sells a R4+ ‘lightweight’ with a 2-cell battery for £230. Both use the ES (Energy Status) fuel gauge, which is button-activated and has five stages, so is easy to read, although not when it’s strapped on the back of your helmet.

The battery comes in a plastic hard case, but the profile doesn’t fit that neatly to the curved shell and we also struggled to get the battery tight with the stretchy strap provided. We also noticed the extra 450g, and had to over-tighten the retention device to stabilise the heavier load.

It says 2,000 lumens on the tin, but the R4+ only has 1,500 lumens on full power. There are two light modes that you access via a quick or slow press during the initial turn-on phase. Trail mode (quick press) has the high, medium and low settings with the secondary mode getting a selection of flashing options.

The lamp body has fins for cooling and a backlit switch to show what mode you’re in, not that you can see it when it’s helmet mounted. There are extra mounts in the box, all using Hope’s distinctive bayonet fitting, which you twist to lock in place. However, it does mean the head mount is twice as tall as most here, so you will need to duck down more often to avoid branches.

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