Top Radar Detector Reviews, Evaluations, and Guides by Vortex Radar.

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Top Radar Detector Reviews, Evaluations, and Guides by Vortex Radar.


2023-03-20 By: W, Lynn
Top Radar Detector Reviews, Evaluations, and Guides by Vortex Radar.

Top Laser Jammer Reviews and Recommendations.

 

Protecting yourself from speeding tickets requires more than just a radar detector. While radar detectors can alert you to radar signals, they are not effective against laser technology used by law enforcement officers. Laser jamming technology is the best tool for preventing a laser-based speeding ticket. Laser is actively used by law enforcement across the country, making a laser jammer a necessary complement to your radar detector for complete protection against speeding tickets.

 

Laser jammers not only detect when a law enforcement officer is using a laser gun but also actively block the laser signal. This gives you ample time to slow down and disable the jammer, making it an important complement to your radar detector.

 

I have personally tested the top laser jammers on my own vehicle and on others, as well as conducted extensive research by communicating with manufacturers and reading numerous tests. As a result, I have a comprehensive understanding of how these jammers compare and perform.

 

 

Numerous laser jammers are currently available on the market and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your specific requirements, I would recommend a few of them, while there are some that I would advise you to avoid.

 

In this overview, we will discuss the best and worst laser jammers available on the market, their pros and cons, and which laser jammer is best suited for your vehicle. For those who prefer reading to watching, you can continue reading below.

 

 

Recommended Laser Jammers for Police Use: AntiLaser Priority – The Top Laser Jammer for 2023.

 

 

To cut straight to the point, the AntiLaser Priority (starting at $1,009) has been widely recognized as the best laser jammer for many years. It has consistently proven its effectiveness against the latest and most challenging guns with anti-jamming capabilities.

The manufacturer regularly updates its jamming capabilities in response to new laser guns, making it a reliable choice for drivers seeking protection against laser speed traps. The ALP is considered the gold standard in the laser jammer market and is the go-to choice for many countermeasure enthusiasts, including myself. It’s worth noting that while it’s straightforward to determine the “best” laser jammer, selecting the best radar detector can be more complicated.

 

The ALP jammer is highly effective and versatile. It can be customized with up to 8 heads, providing complete coverage for both small and large vehicles. The jammer has multiple automatic disarming options, and there are several optional accessories available to enhance the user experience. Additionally, the ALP can easily be transformed into parking sensors when driving through areas where laser jammers are illegal. Overall, the ALP is a top-performing and adaptable product that offers comprehensive protection against laser speed detection.

 

 

Are there downsides? A few. Certain things that are included with other jammers out of the box are optional extras with the ALP. For example, it has a little speaker in the controller for audio alerts, but the external speaker for louder alerts and voice alerts are an optional add-on. Firmware updates and programming are done on your computer and you copy the files over to your ALP using a USB thumbdrive. If you’d like to do this using your phone which is more convenient, it requires an optional Bluetooth module which also costs extra. Also if you want to integrate it with a radar detector like the Net Radar DSP or Radenso RC M so both devices share the same controller and display, you can do that, but it doesn’t work perfectly cleanly and you will lose some functionality. Personally I prefer running the laser jammer standalone and running my radar detector independently. (Here’s my recommendations for the best radar detectors.)

 

Proper installation of any laser jammer is critical or else your install can prevent the jammer from working properly. Therefore, before you order, please be sure to read over my complete AntiLaser Priority setup guide to go over how many heads to order for your vehicle, where and how to properly install them, which accessories to get, how to set up and configure your jammers, how to test it out once you’re up and running, etc.

 

 

Now that said, while the ALP’s are awesome, there are several other laser jammers that I would also recommend that, based on your specific use case, may be a better choice for your particular needs.

 

Stinger Fiber Jammers: Smallest Laser Jammer Heads

 

If you drive an exotic sports car and you’re looking for the least visible laser jammer possible, take a look at Stinger’s new fiber optic laser jammers (starts at $1690 for duals).

 

 

It uses pairs of extremely tiny transmitters and receivers roughly 2-3mm in diameter which means they can be inserted into panel gaps, stealthily cut into body panels, or placed into honeycomb grills without cutting in areas where traditional laser jammers wouldn’t fit. They are significantly less visible once installed.

 

 

 

Unlike Stinger’s previous gen laser jammers, these ones actually work well and they are able to consistently jam newer guns like the Stalker XLR or DragonEye.

 

While I’m not a huge fan of the Stinger VIP radar detector, their new laser jammer is the real deal. It costs roughly 2x the price of an ALP so it’s typically something people go for when looks and aesthetics are the top priority.

 

 

You can integrate it with the Stinger VIP radar detector or run it standalone with either their smaller new strip display or just with an alert LED. Since the fibers are different than a traditional jammer, to best determine how many many fibers you need and where they should be installed on your vehicle, I’d recommend that you contact a Stinger distributor in your area.

 

Escort ShifterMax: Integrates with the Max Ci 360

Next let’s take a look at Escort’s latest and greatest laser jammer, or what Escort refers to as “laser shifters.” Depending on which radar detector you pair it with and what interface it comes with, it’s called different things, but the laser jammer itself is the same. When paired with the custom installed Escort Max Ci 360 ($3500) or Escort iX Ci, it’s called the Escort ShifterMax.

 

 

The ShifterMax, unlike Escort’s previous jammers, is able to (somewhat) jam some of the newest guns like the DragonEye. It is also receiving updates over time to add features and improve jamming capabilities which is good news.

 

That said, I’m not a huge fan of the ShifterMax and the only situation I’d recommend it is if you’re running the Max Ci 360 for radar (it’s an excellent radar detector) and want a fully integrated radar detector and laser jammer package. Personally I’d recommend getting the radar only Max Ci and running the ALP for laser, but if you want you want the radar and laser alerts to both share the same controller and display, you can opt for the Escort ShifterMax instead.

 

 

 

There are a quite a few downsides to this jammer though unfortunately. The ShifterMax is able to jam newer guns, but not as well as the ALP. Updates are less frequent and Escort has a history of blowing off customers who test their jammers and report its limitations and areas for improvement. It’s missing some basic functionality like laser gun identification. Getting Escort to add critical functionality like a timer to automatically disable the jammers after a set period of time took forever, despite that it’s a basic feature that every other jammer offers. The ShifterMax sometimes reports front and rear alerts incorrectly. It is also limited to only 4 heads total which is fine for small vehicles (2 heads per side), but testing is showing that jamming the DragonEye effectively requires 4 heads per side which means you can protect the front, but not the rear. A 6 head Bridge Box is in development, but as usual with Escort, it’s taking foreeeeever….

In short, while this is a big step up from Escort’s previous gen jammers, it still is not on par with the very best competition on the market. The main reason I would see someone choosing to get one is if they’re getting a Max Ci 360 and want to integrate Escort’s laser jammers into one package. For most people though, I’d recommend getting the Max Ci standalone and choosing a different laser jammer such as the ALP.

 

Escort ZR5: Wire it in to your windshield mount Escort radar detector

 

 

 

The Escort ZR5 ($999 for duals) is fundamentally the same jammer as the ShifterMax, except that it’s designed to either be run standalone or paired with a windshield mount Escort radar detector serving as its interface and controller. Otherwise it’s the same as the ShifterMax with the same pros and cons.

Actually, there is one other notable difference. The ShifterMax now has the important ability to automatically disarm. This feature is not (yet) available on the ZR5 so when you get shot, you’ll need to slow down and doubletap the mute button on your radar detector to disable the jammers. This is a basic and critical function of a jammer that Escort still hasn’t made available. Additionally, the implementation of this feature in the first place is pretty poor because there is no confirmation that your jammers have actually disarmed. It’s these slow updates that are one of the biggest issues with Escort’s jammers. Laser jammers are a long term investment, but Escort’s long term update and laser jammer support is spotty at best.

At the end of the day, there are no real benefits to running the ZR5 over the ALP, but there are a bunch of downsides. The only benefit I can think of is that you can have your alerts play through your Escort windshield mount radar detector (the ZR5 is compatible with the Redline 360c, MaxCam 360c, Max 360c, Max 360, Redline EX, and iXc). However, there are so many other downsides that it’s really hard to truly recommend the ZR5 unless you happen to come across a deal on one and you have your heart set on pairing it with your Escort radar detector, but I do think it’s worth mentioning.

Escort ZW5: Wireless jammers, easiest to install

 

 

Unlike the ZR5, the Escort ZW5 ($999) does have one big advantage over the competition: The laser jammer system is wireless which means you don’t have to run a cable through your vehicle’s firewall and into the cabin. This makes for a quicker and easier installation, especially for cars that are difficult to work on. If you’re having a professional do the install, the fewer hours of labor required means that it costs less to install too. It is also appealing if you lease your vehicle and don’t want to cut any holes in your vehicle’s firewall.

 

In order to install the ZW5, you install the two laser jammer heads in your grill and wire them to your vehicle’s battery for power as well as a the wireless communication interface. You then install a special power cable in your cabin to power your radar detector (both cig. lighter and hardwire cable options are available), and your RD’s power cable communicates to the wireless interface box in your engine bay to operate your laser jammers. This way, the laser jammer in your grill can wirelessly communicate with the Escort radar detector on your windshield.

Once it is all set up, it is effectively like a ZR5 with all the same pros and cons. Compared to the ZR5, there are two other notable difference though.

The first is that the ZW5 officially only supports two heads. The bridge box (what the laser jammer heads physically plug into) supports up to 4 heads. I’ve tested it and it does work with 4 heads plugged in, but Escort says the system doesn’t have enough power to reliably support powering 4 heads plus the wireless communication box in the engine bay. Because of this, you’re limited to two heads which means the system is best geared towards smaller vehicles, or maybe midsized sedans at best. It wouldn’t be suitable for larger vehicles, SUV’s, or trucks.

 

 

 

The second difference is that unlike the ZR5, the ZW5 can only be installed on the front of your vehicle. In theory if you tried to hook up two more heads, you’d have to run the cables back from your trunk, through your cabin, through your firewall, and up to the bridge box in your engine bay, completely defeating the whole purpose of running wireless jammers. The ZW5 is designed to be used in the front only. This is okay in most places because officers generally shoot the front of your vehicle. In some places they shoot front and rear, and in a few other places they shoot the rear more than the front, but in most places the front is the officer’s primary target so the ZW5 would be effective in most places.

If you drive a smaller vehicle, you’re looking for front protection only, you’re running a windshield mount Escort radar detector, you’re willing to learn to double press the mute button when shot to manually disarm, and you’re willing to sacrifice some jamming capabilities in order to get the added convenience of a wireless install, the ZW5 could be a great option.

 

Adaptiv TPX Laser Jammer: Designed for Motorcycles

 

 

 

Finally, if you ride a motorcycle, take a look at the new Adaptiv TPX motorcycle laser jammer (starts at $599). This is a new laser jammer that’s performing surprisingly well in my testing and on other people’s motorcycles. It can jam older guns and the newer tougher guns like the DragonEye and it has some unique features designed specifically to be used on a motorcycle.

 

 

The TPX jammer comes with two heads. There’s an optional third head ($199) for the rear as well. The jammer comes with a waterproof CPU to be installed somewhere on your bike, a wired remote to configure the jammer and manually disarm (it can automatically disarm too), a headphone jack so you can wire it in to your helmet, and an external alert LED to attach to your handlebars so you can easily see the alerts.

It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other jammers, but it has the essentials, it’s an effective jammer, it’s less expensive than other jammers, and it has a bunch of unique features designed specifically to be used by motorcycle riders.

 

Jammers Not Recommended for Police Laser Detection

 

There are several laser jammers in the market that are outdated, unsupported, and unreliable. Some cannot jam newer laser guns and others are incapable of jamming any laser guns at all. While researching laser jammers online, it is important to be aware of these outdated products. Let’s take a quick look at some of the other laser jammers available in the market and compare them.

 

TMG Alpha-15

 

 

 

The TMG Alpha-15 is a cost-effective laser jammer that has the capability to jam many modern laser guns. It also has the added advantage of integrating with the JBV1 app on Android. However, there have been many reports of critical reliability issues with this product, which makes it no longer recommended. The system has been known to suffer from CPU failures, and if any of the heads get damaged or cables become unplugged, the user receives no warning and the entire system can fail. Many users have reported driving with what they believed was a fully functioning TMG system, only to discover that it was not providing any protection or warnings. While there are some ways to work around these issues, the poor design of the TMG makes it no longer recommended.

 

 

Laser Interceptor used to be the best laser jammer on the market. They worked great against older laser guns with fixed and predictable pulse patterns. However, once newer laser guns with variable pulse rates started coming out, the LI couldn’t keep up with jamming laser guns with unpredictable pulse rates.

They were quickly superseded by newer and more advanced jammers and are no longer even available for sale. You may find them available still on the used market and they do work well against older laser guns, but they aren’t worth investing in today to stay protected.

 

 

Escort used to build their own laser jammers such as the ZR3 and ZR4, and while they were great laser detectors, they were never particularly good laser jammers. To improve their product offerings, they started reaching out to other manufacturers to build jammers for them that they could sell under the Escort brand name.

Back when LI was the best, Escort partnered with them to create LI’s that would integrate with their own custom installed radar detector, the Escort 9500ci. These new Escort branded LI’s were called the Escort Laser ShifterPro, or LSP’s.

Unfortunately they never received a single update, even as the LI’s were updated, and the suffered the same fate as the LI’s as they were incapable of jamming the newest guns. Like the 9500ci radar detector, the LSP’s have since been discontinued. The Max Ci 360 and iX Ci / ShifterMax now replaces the 9500ci / Laser ShifterPro.

 

Blinder HP-905

Back in the days of LI, there was another good laser jammer available, the Blinder HP-905 Compact. They are what I ran before I upgraded to ALP’s.

 

 

Like the LI’s, the HP-905 was very good at jamming all the laser guns available at the time. I actually preferred them at the time over the LI’s for two reasons. First, the heads were much smaller and easier to fit into your grill. Second, the control switch allowed you to not only disable the jammers before you get hit, but also switch them to detection only mode before you get hit. This way if you see an officer up ahead, you can disable your jammers beforehand, let him get a reading so he doesn’t get jammed in the first place, and yet still get notified if he shoots you and what gun he’s using.

Unfortunately it also isn’t able to jam the latest and greatest guns on the market. There are a few companies still selling the HP-905 online, but the jammer is no longer being updated and it’s not one you should consider today.

On a related note, after the man who used to distribute the Blinder jammer sadly passed away back in 2016, the other people with the company partnered with Escort to create a successor for the HP-905 and Laser ShifterPro which today is known as the Escort ShifterMax

 

 

 

K40’s does a great job with marketing and with customer service, but unfortunately their products perform quite poorly. Their latest and greatest K40 RL360di is a bottom of the barrel radar detector and their Defuser Optix laser jammer is one of the worst laser jammers I’ve ever tested.

In a nutshell, K40’s jammers (they call them “defusers”) struggle against even older easier laser guns. They also aren’t able to jam the DragonEye as advertised. They are able to somewhat jam some of the older easier variants, but against the newer versions, they don’t even detect the laser gun, much less jam it. K40 is using older technology and it shows.

I like that K40 products have just a remote alert LED which allows for a pretty stealthy looking install in the cabin, but unfortunately the performance just isn’t there and it isn’t one that I would recommend.

 

 

 

 

The last laser jammer isn’t really a laser jammer at all. It’s a so-called “scrambler” that’s built into Rocky Mountain Radar’s windshield mount radar detector, the Odin.

Rocky Mountain Radar likes to advertise their radar and laser “scrambling” capabilities that supposedly scramble police guns and prevent them from being able to get a speed reading on your vehicle. I’ve tested their previous gen top of the line RMR C-495, Judge, and Judge 2.0, as well as their current flagship, the RMR Odin, and none of them have any effect against any police radar or laser gun when it comes to preventing a speed reading from a moving vehicle.

 

RMR is largely considered to be one of the biggest scammers in the countermeasure industry and really the only reason I’m including them here in this list is just to let you know in case you happen to stumble across their products when doing your research that they’re not a serious company and they don’t make effective products. Their radar and laser scramblers are not worth consideration.

 

Veil

Finally, let’s quickly mention Veil, a special laser-absorbing paint designed to coat your headlights and license plate area to reduce reflections back to the laser gun and make it harder for the gun to get a reading. Laser guns can get readings on parts of the car that aren’t treated with Veil, but unfortunately we haven’t found it to be effective even if the officer does target the parts of your car with Veil applied.

The previous generation seemed to work better, but Veil’s formula cracked headlights on multiple vehicles. Veil G5 was then released with an all new formula that was designed to be safer on cars, but the paint came out to be comically dark.

 

 

Besides the obvious visual issues, independent testing has repeatedly shown that Veil isn’t effective in the first place.

Since then, Veil has updated their formula, essentially diluting it to make it less opaque, but given that it wasn’t effective in its stronger form, well… Now there’s Veil G6 and we’ve all stopped wasting time with it. At the end of the day, I recommend that you simply save your money and don’t purchase Veil.

 

What is the Best Laser Jammer for Avoiding Police Speed Detection?

 

Which laser jammer is the most effective in terms of shielding you from different types of laser guns used by law enforcement agencies nationwide?

To summarize, we have reviewed the most efficient laser jammers currently available in the market, each with its own advantages and limitations. By evaluating the specific features, capabilities and performance of each jammer, we can make recommendations for specific usage scenarios. It’s important to understand what each jammer is best suited for, depending on your personal needs and budget. Overall, a high-quality laser jammer can help protect you from speeding tickets and keep you safe on the road.

 

After evaluating different options, it appears that the AntiLaser Priority (ALP) is the best laser jammer for most people due to its effectiveness, continual updates, and advanced features. ALP offers superior protection against different types of laser guns used by law enforcement agencies nationwide. It’s worth noting that the ALP is not the least expensive option, but its performance and reliability make it the gold standard in the industry. I highly recommend purchasing the ALP but make sure to read over the setup guide first.

For those with exotic cars looking for a hidden option, the Stinger Fiber Jammers might be the best fit. These tiny heads are nearly invisible and specifically designed for high-end vehicles. However, they are twice the price of other options and have a less stellar track record regarding updates.

The Escort ShifterMax is a good option for those looking for integration with the Escort Max Ci 360. Though not as capable or effective as the ALP, the ShifterMax has a convenient controller and display for both radar and laser detection. The downside is that it is limited to only four heads total and lacks advanced functionality.

The Escort ZW5 wireless jammers offer the quickest and easiest installation as they do not require drilling through the vehicle’s firewall. However, they lack automatic disarming, only offer front protection, and are limited to two heads. Additionally, they require an Escort windshield mount radar detector.

The Escort ZR5 is similar to the ZW5 but can integrate with a windshield mount Escort radar detector or be run standalone. It also has the same limitations as the ZW5 in terms of automatic disarming, only offering front protection, and no updates yet released.

For motorcycle-specific laser jamming, the Adaptiv TPX is an excellent choice. It has all the basic features needed for laser jamming as well as the ability to wire into a helmet for audio and a waterproof external alert LED for handlebars. It’s important to note that the TPX is not suitable for car use.