Portal Manual

Modes & Runtime

Adaptive1500 lumens tapering to 750

2.5 hours95% to 75% perceived

High1650 lumens

1.1 hours100% perceived

Medium500 lumens

4.0 hours60% perceived

Low250 lumens

8.0 hours30% perceived

Click the power button to cycle Adaptive, High, Medium and Low. The status lights show which mode you are in.

Flash Modes

Hold3 sec from off

Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds from OFF to enter the flash modes. Click to switch between them.

Day StrobeFlashing, for daytime visibility

10 hours

Night PulsePulsing, for night visibility

4.5 hours

Hold the power button for 3 seconds from OFF to enter the flash modes, then click to switch between Day Strobe and Night Pulse.

Runtimes are rated from a full charge and are conservative. Expect roughly 20% less below freezing.

Why do the lumen numbers look low?

Your eyes do not see light linearly. 50% of the lumens does not look half as bright. We tune modes to perceived brightness instead of chasing a lumen spec, so the numbers read lower than you might expect. Trust us.

Battery Status

After you select a mode, the lights show how much battery is left in that mode.

100%all solid

75%

50%

25%

5%slow flash, low mode only

2%rapid flash

Low battery warning

Before it dies, the main light flashes for 10 seconds so you have time to slow down and stop safely.

Pass-Through Charging

When a powerbank is plugged in while riding, the status lights turn blue to confirm pass-through charging is running.

100%

75%

50%

25%

Charge It

Quick Charging

Portal charges fast on Quick-Charge (QC) USB chargers using the included USB-A to USB-C cord. The status lights animate 1-2-3-4 while charging; a slow animation at first is normal, and it speeds up noticeably once QC is enabled.

How Long

About three hours from empty on a QC charger. 0% to 85% in about two hours. Slower chargers take longer. Full when all four status lights stay on.

Extending Runtime (Powerbanks)

Portal supports pass-through charging, so it can charge while in use. Plug in a QC-rated powerbank, or one capable of 3.0 A at 5 V, at the start of the ride. Do not wait until the light is drained. The status lights turn blue while pass-through is running.

Plug in the included USB-C cord. The status lights animate while charging and stay solid when full.

Caution

Do not charge the light while it is wet. Powerbank compatibility varies; test yours before relying on it for a race or a long ride.

Use It

Clickonce

Turns the light on.

Clickagain

Cycles modes: Adaptive, High, Medium, Low.

Hold1 second

Turns the light off.

Hold3 sec from off

Enters Day Strobe and Night Pulse modes.

Adaptive Mode

Starts on high and very slowly reduces power as your eyes adapt to the dark. More runtime without you noticing the change.

Mount It

Which Mount?

If your helmet has a main center section, the standard base that is already installed will work. If it has a vent down the middle, use the included Wide Mount Base and simply swap bases.

Standard BaseWide Mount Base

Stick The Base On

Clean your helmet. Dust and dirt need to come off for the adhesive to hold.
Peel the red sticker off. Sticky stuff is exposed when you peel it off, so you kind of need to do it.
Place and press firmly. Hold for about 30 seconds. For best results wait 24 hours before riding so it fully cures.

Mount near the center of the helmet. The weight is less noticeable on your head there.

Install The Light

Align. Line up the tabs with the base mount.
Push forward. You should feel a click when it is fully seated.
Adjust the angle. Aim it where it feels comfortable in your field of vision, then tighten the thumbscrew.

Remove It

Compress the wing tabs inward until the mount becomes loose, then slide it back and out of the base. The mount base stays on the helmet.

Stick the base on, line up the tabs and push the light forward until it clicks.

Fix It

It won't charge

Charging is locked out below freezing to protect the battery. Bring the light inside and let it warm up. Also try a different cable and charger; the included cord is tuned for QC chargers.

The main light flashed, then shut off

That is the 10 second low battery warning. Charge it. If it happens while the status lights still show a high percentage, contact us.

Status lights animate slowly while charging

Normal on a non-QC charger. A full charge will take longer than three hours.

Status lights are blue

Blue means pass-through charging is running: the light is on and charging from a powerbank at the same time. Unplug the powerbank and they go back to green.

Runtime is shorter than listed

Cold weather cuts runtime by around 20%. If runtime is far below the rated figure at room temperature, contact us.

The mount is loose on the helmet

The adhesive needs a clean surface and 24 hours to cure. Replacement bases are available from the accessories page or from us.

Still stuck?

Send us a message through the contact form with your order number and what happened. A human replies, usually the same day.

Care & Feeding

Cleaning

Wipe with a damp cloth. Do not pressure wash.

Best Practices For Charging

Charge whenever you are done riding. No need to run it flat between rides. Do not leave it dead for long periods. Charging is disabled below freezing; warm it up indoors first.

Long Term Storage

Store fully charged, indoors, at room temperature, in a dry spot.

Cold Weather

Expect roughly 20% less runtime below freezing.

Warranty

3 years and beyond

In short: we got you. You should not have to pay out of pocket beyond the initial purchase to keep your light running for at least three years, and we stand behind the product past that.

Our free lifetime extension is the "Don't Be A Dick Warranty Extension Policy." Be kind and honest about what happened and you will be talking to a human who wants you taken care of.

Defective part? We fix it. Crashed head first into a tree? Tell us that and we got you.

Safety

Important safety instructions

Read all instructions before use. Save these instructions.
Biking is dangerous, with or without lights (but especially without). Outbound Lighting is not responsible for your decision making. Be careful, make your mom proud.
Use this light only for outdoor biking as described here. Not for scuba diving, spelunking or jet skiing. Skiing is fine. Maybe don't mount it to your plane.
Personal use only. Do not use it on animals. Use externally only.
Keep it away from heated surfaces or fire. It is not fire-proof. Do not put it in a campfire (yes, there is a reason we are saying this).
Store fully charged in a room temperature, moisture-free place when not in use.
Recharge with USB cables only. Do not open the light and start soldering things to it.
Do not look directly into the light. It's really bright.

Battery and disposal

Contains one non-replaceable Li-ion battery and materials hazardous to the environment.
Per local regulations, dispose of the product and its battery separately from household waste. At end of life, fully discharge it and take it to an e-waste recycling site.