Exposure Joystick Mk18 with Helmet & HB mount & USB/C

The Exposure Joystick Mk18 is a helmet light for night riding that puts out up to 1200 lumens from one LED, with the battery built into a 105 g aluminium body. It charges by USB-C, changes modes with a tap on your helmet, and is rated IP67 for water and IK09 for impact. A helmet mount with an action camera clip, a lanyard and a USB-C charger come with it.

Who it's for

Mountain bikers who want light that goes where they look. On a helmet the beam follows your eyes through the switchback and down the far side of the rock garden, so a night lap of Nerang or a winter after-work ride at Mount Coot-tha feels a lot less like guesswork. At 105 g with no cable and no separate battery pack, the Joystick Mk18 sits on your helmet all night, and it pairs with a bar light for fast descending.

Brightness and runtime together

Runtime runs from 1.5 hours to 36 hours, set by the program you choose. There are six lighting programs, each with two or three modes, and the rule is simple: double the runtime and you halve the output. Match the program to the length of your ride and the light holds a constant output the whole way.

The Joystick Mk18 arrives in program 4, which gives the full 1200 lumens in High and 6 hours in Low. Flash mode runs for more than 24 hours from a full charge, and program 6 swaps flash for an SOS signal. With TAP switched on you change modes by tapping the light or your helmet, and three sensitivity settings let you tune it to your riding.

Beam shape

A single white XHP35 LED sits behind a beam refined for focus and clarity, made to reach down the trail and light the line you are looking at. That is the job of a helmet light, and it is why the Joystick Mk18 earns its place next to a wide bar light.

Charging and battery

The 4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery charges through a USB-C port in 2 hours 5 minutes from empty, from a wall charger or a power bank, and you can run the light while it charges. A traffic-light display on the back shows battery level the whole time the light is on; one press with the light off shows it for five seconds. Below 10% the main beam flashes to warn you, which is your cue to drop to a lower mode for the ride out.

Mounting

The helmet mount passes through a vent and clamps with a nylon bolt, with two bolt lengths supplied for helmets 22 mm to 40 mm thick. The nylon bolt is a designed break point in a crash, so never swap it for a metal one. The mount has an action camera interface for multi-angle adjustment, and the light moves to any compatible action camera mount you already own. It works with MIPS Essential, Evolve and Air Node helmets, fitted between the outer and inner shell, and is not for MIPS Spherical or Integra helmets.

Two finishes

• Gun Metal Black: the Joystick 18 in Exposure's gunmetal grey hard anodised finish
• Purple: the Joystick 20th Anniversary Edition, a limited colour marking Exposure's 20 years of making lights, with the same hardware, output and weight

Weather resistance

Rated IP67 for water ingress and IK09 for impact. The 112 mm body is CNC machined from 6063 aluminium and hard anodised, and built-in thermal management keeps the LED running efficiently on a hot night.

Looking after it

Wipe the light down with a soft cloth and lukewarm soapy water, rinse it with fresh water after a beach ride, and keep the pressure washer away. Charge it fully before storing it, and top it up every 6 to 8 weeks if it sits unused over summer.