Having a successful night on the water depends on the types of lights that you choose. With that said, bowfishing lights probably rank as one of the most expensive pieces of gear that you will buy. What if you don’t have the money to buy bowfishing lights? Well, you can buy some of the cheap bowfishing lights to afford some of the other gear with it.
I will put together a guideline to follow and highlight some of the best choices and how to come to your own conclusions here.
LED Lights
LED lights have the advantage of not requiring as much electricity.
The one thing to understand with LEDs is that they don’t penetrate the water as easily as what other types of bowfishing lights do, but they can still work well. It depends on personal preference and the types of water that you will be bowfishing.
Now that you understand the different types of lights, let’s have a look at some of the bowfishing lights that you can purchase for the boat.
Having a successful night on the water depends on the types of lights that you choose. With that said, bowfishing lights probably rank as one of the most expensive pieces of gear that you will buy. You can go overboard with this.
What if you don’t have the money to buy bowfishing lights? Well, you can buy some of cheap bowfishing lights to lower the cost a bit.
I will put together a guideline to follow and highlight some of the best choices here.
High Pressure Sodium Lights
You might choose high pressure sodium lights when you will fish on murky or muddy water because this type of work is known to work the best. The one thing to keep in mind with this type of lighting is that it does require a lot of electricity to run, so you will want to buy a more powerful generator.
In addition, look at the size of your boat to make the right decision on the generator.
Halogen Lights
If you want a widely accessible light, the halogen lights can be bought from any hardware store in America. Meanwhile, it throws out plenty of light. However, halogen lights require a lot of electricity. In fact, they require even more than what you’d get with high pressure sodium lights.
For those who want bowfishing lights cheap options, this one makes a lot of sense for the price. It will be your easiest entry to bowfishing at night.
With that said, these lights don’t penetrate the water quite as easily as high pressure sodium lights, and halogen tends to burn out faster than other lighting choices. You can buy for 500 hours, 1,000 hours or 2,000 hours with these lights. Meanwhile, high pressure sodium lights get an average of 24,000 hours of lighting.
Nilight 60001F-B Bar 2PCS
Featuring IP68 waterproof lights, these lights come with a two-year warranty, and you can get an estimated 30,000 hours of use out of them. Because of the lamp cup, it adds to a wider range of vision with the lighting for better lighting over the water for bowfishing.
People like this choice because of the high-quality design and the affordable pricing on it. In fact, you’d have a harder time finding bowfishing lights that are cheaper.
These are also LEDs which usually cost more than the other choices like HPS and halogen, and you get a great value because of the lifespan on it. Some people have also reported getting as much as 50,000 hours of lighting out of these lights. At the same time, these bad boys are bright.
Some people have also complained about condensation getting into the lighting after the rain. One of the ways that you can get around this is through tightening the screws on the lights. This may not stop the problem completely, but it can help a little.
- Bright LED lights that will light up the water.
- Easy to install them on the boat.
- Highly affordable for anyone’s budget.
- You have a robust build quality with these lights.
- You get a two-year warranty with this product.
- Doesn’t take up too much electric.
Cons
- Perhaps not the best quality in comparison to others.
- Not as weather proof as what they could be.
KAWELL Slim 2 Pack 18W
Another LED light that works great, this is another one of the affordable choices. The other thing is that you get intense brightness with this LED. Especially on the water, this will help you to light up the fish that you hope to find while bowfishing.
This is another choice that is easy to install. The great thing about this light is that it has been recommended for your boat, so it will work good for bowfishing. In terms of the lifespan, you will get around 50,000 hours of lifespan with this light.
The lights have what the manufacturer claims is an IP67 waterproof rating, and it has anti-corrosive properties as well. They also call this as good for extreme weather conditions. However, keep in mind that these are cheap bowfishing lights. For that reason, you may want to add some silicone around them for the purpose of bowfishing.
You do have to understand one thing about cheap bowfishing lights, and that is that you get what you pay for. If you pay for cheaper lights, they may not last as long as some of the higher-end choices, but that doesn’t mean that this can’t get you started with bowfishing. For someone who just wants a low-priced entry point, this makes for a good choice.
Along with those things, you get a two-year warranty, and for two months after your purchase, you can fall back on a full refund.
Pros
- Cheap bowfishing lights.
- Two-year warranty if anything goes wrong.
- Bright lights to light up the water.
- Good quality build of bowfishing lights.
- You can expect two years with modest use.
- Install these lights easily.
Cons
- Not as waterproof as the manufacturer claims.
- Lighting output is great but the wattage is overstated.
- The mounting system not great.
Ustellar 2 Pack 30W LED Flood Light
This bowfishing light comes with IP66 waterproofing, and no matter what the weather, you can be sure that your bowfishing lights come well equipped to handle it. As far as cheap bowfishing lights go, you also have a highly agreeable pricing.
The cool thing about the Ustellar 2 Pack 30W LED Flood Light is that it comes with a three-year unlimited warranty. If anything goes wrong, they got you covered with a fast replacement so that you can keep bowfishing without interruption.
Don’t underestimate these babies. They look small as you first take them out of the box, but you will noticed how these lights put out tons of light when you go to turn them on.
Being LED, the one thing about these lights is that they do retain the heat more than the others. When you’re out bowfishing, that can be a good thing in some cases because it keeps you warmer. Still, it doesn’t produce nearly the heat of what you might get with halogen lights.
The one thing we have to remember about these lights and any of the lights listed here is what you pay. You pay much less for bowfishing lights like this, and because of that, you shouldn’t expect unbelievable performance, but they will get the job done if you’re in a tight spot financially.
Pros
- Three-year warranty with these lights.
- Produces heat, which could be good or bad.
- Affordable lights and good value for the price.
- Puts out a ton of light for what you’d think.
- Easy to install these lights.
Cons
- No option to dim them a bit.
- May want to add some extra waterproofing.
- Longevity seemed to be a common problem.
GLW Super Bright 50W Flood Light
The manufacturer states that these lights can last for up to 50,000 hours, but you have to remember how these are cheap bowfishing lights, and they may not last as long as stated. You will find that as a problem no matter what kind of lights you get for this price. If you have an issue with that, you may want to spend a little extra.
Some people have talked about the longevity, but it seems to depend on the luck of the draw if you get the longlasting ones or the ones that don’t last as long.
That said, these lights are bright and most people have talked about the wonderful brightness of these lights. It covers a large area. The other good thing about these lights? You can repair them easily. With some, that may prove a difficult task, but you shouldn’t have a problem with these.
When you install lights like this, you want to install them in as upright of a position as possible. In this way, the heat will dissipate from the top, and you don’t have to worry that it will affect the lifespan of these lights.
A lot of people have talked about how these lights exceeded their expectations for bowfishing because they’re bright, and you want bright when out on the water. It lights up the fish and makes them easier to shoot.
The other thing that you have to keep in mind is that this product will most likely be larger than you expected. It is one of the bigger bowfishing lights, but it sure lights up the water. You get great value for the price.
Pros
- Exceptionally bright lights that work well.
- Exceeds expectations in many cases.
- Excellent value for the price tag.
- One of the cheapest 50-watt lights you will find.
- The lights feel sturdy and of a quality build.
Cons
- Durability could come into question in some cases.
- A little bigger than what you might expect.
Onforu 2 Pack 50W LED Flood Light
Featuring super bright lights with energy savings, the Onforu 2 Pack 50W LED Flood Light has IP66 waterproofing, and you may want to add some silicone to make it more waterproof, since this will be bowfishing out on the water. You get stable lighting here that you can install easily.
What makes this a bargain is that you pay for a 2 pack for the price, which makes them even more affordable.
In terms of build, they appear of top-notch build with a robust frame. The other nice thing about these lights is that they won’t burn you if you touch them. You don’t have to worry if you bump these lights, especially in a boat where that happens more often, because of how they don’t use monofilament.
The other good thing is that these lights can be installed easily, which is another one of the good things.
One of the problems that has come up with this product has been longevity. Again, for the price you can’t complain too much, and while the manufacturer states that you will get 50,000 hours, it could be a little less than that. That seems to be a common problem with cheap bowfishing lights, but you shouldn’t necessarily let that stop you.
Pros
- Robust build that feels like quality.
- You can install this easily in comparison to others.
- Great value for the price of what you get.
- The lighting is stable, which you want in a boat.
- Non-monofilament for greater durability.
- The lights stay where you have positioned them.
- Good brightness and range with these lights.
Cons
- The 50,000 hours of service time is questionable.
- It may require some extra waterproofing.
These are some of the best cheap bowfishing lights around. If you’re looking to put some on your boat because you have a tight budget, they will get the job done. However, keep in mind that you get what you pay for and cheaper lights may not always be what is best. That said, they give you an easy entrance point, especially if you’re just getting started in the sport of bowfishing.
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