Diode Dynamics SSC2 2.0s are here!

It has been a long 4 (ish) years since Diode Dynamics launched their SSC2 LED pod line. When these pods hit the market they were a game changer. At the time no one else had a true 2 inch pod that could pack the punch like the SSC2s did. Making waves in the industry has always been a focus with Diode Dynamics. And 2025 is yet again a year that Diode is coming hot. 

Earlier this year they started off by releasing their brand new D-Switch (review to come very soon). Taking on a similar concept to some of the switch systems out on the market today, but improving on it drastically. Its the whole same, but way different kind of thing. Now Diode is back with yet again another product. This time though it is not necessarily a new product, but instead a revision to a product they currently offer. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the C2 2.0 LED pods. 

These are something that we have been anxiously waiting for DD to release. We have utilized these 2 inch pods in so many different ways. From a side shooting pod on our ditch lights, to creating zone lighting on our roof racks, to adding a touch of flare and a ton of light on our rear bumpers; the C2s have become a staple of use for us along with many others. Now Diode has taken one of their core products and made them even better. 

From the surface, these pods do not look much different then the originals. The bezels and casing are essentially the same. But when you really dive into these pods you'll find they been upgraded quite a bit.

One of the first big (and arguably the most important) changes that DD has done with these pods is the new Combo lens. Completely re-designed; this new optic lens is FINALLY achieving what we have been asking from DD for quite some time. We have always said that their combo lens was not quite what we hoped for; and that it just did not capture what we feel a true combo lens should put out. Well, they heard us, they attacked the issue, and the results are pretty damn good. These TIR (total internal reflection) optics were re-engineered for up to 120% more intensity and usable light output over the older optics. The thermal efficiency on these have also been drastically improved, which contributes to the higher light output.

With the new optics comes a slightly more vivid backlight feature. Diode has been offering the backlight feature for quite awhile. But for most, the backlight seemed rather "dim", and did not match very well with OEM markers which is what most want. Compared to the original C2s; these seem to be visibly more appealing and add that extra flare as well as visibility to the pods when wired up. 

Next came the new mounts. Diode has designed a new mount feature that is very similar to what they have on their Crosslink light bars. Featuring 3 different mounting points on the side of the pod; the user can choose if they want to go with a lower profile light, or add some increased height for clearance. These new brackets also allow for quite a bit more adjustability for angling the pods to to whatever the user needs. From standard straight forward mounting, to a fully inverted pod; these new brackets serve to be useful for just about any application. 

Finally comes what (we) feel is the coolest part of this update; MAX. POWA!! Diode has found a way to take these 2 inch pods and cram their infamous Max power output capability into them. If any of you know us at Hotshot Offroad, we are big advocates for the Max power levels. And packing that into these smaller pods is quite impressive. The new Max power pods use the same Osram HX Boost Leds which is found in their highest-output SS3s. This allows these pods to deliver a whopping 3900 raw lumens. Thats a lot of power to fit in the palm of your hand. We did a comparison of the Max Combo pods to the original Pro Combo pods and you can instantly see a drastic difference in overall output (we will be updating this with some outdoor/media shots soon). What stood out to us the most, besides way more light, is the more focussed output from the newly designed lens. We are getting a much cleaner release of light all around. 

To finalize all of these new features DD did something that quite honestly surprised us; they kept these new pods at the same price as the old pods. Yes you read that right. In a world where price changes are happening quicker than gas prices; Diode decided to launch this product at the current price of their originals and plan to keep it as such. This is a nice thing to see in a world of ever increasing costs. 

Along with all of these upgrades, Diode has also added some nice accessories components for customers. From the new designed 2.0 lens covers, to the even more unique crosslink kits for the C2 2.0s; Diode (and us) have you covered for any set up you need. 

When its all said and done; we are thoroughly impressed so far with what Diode has put out with these pods. Even though its what most would consider a small upgrade, its a pretty good improvement all around. These are good enough to us that we are swapping all of our current C2s to the new 2.0s. We put a stamp of approval on these and will recommend these to anyone. We still have quite a bit more in depth testing to do; but from the surface, Diode did its thing. And we are excited for what else they have coming (cough cough, new stage series light bars)

If you have any questions on these lights or any other products, reach out to us anytime. And if you just need some of these new pods, hit the link below to check out all of the new C2 2.0 products that we have. Orders are officially live and ready to roll! 

Diode Dynamics C2 2.0 products: 

• White: https://hotshotoffroad.com/products/c2-2-0-white-standard-lens-pair
• Yellow: https://hotshotoffroad.com/products/c2-2-0-yellow-standard-led-pod-pair