Some of the new small platform bike "helmet" lights I find most intriguing of many of the headlamps I've seen as of late.
Many are pushing over 800-1200 lumens in various configurations, in very small units, with various battery options, some even with headband attachments.
I really like the general design of the Lupine Piko, Gemini Duo, Gloworm X2 etc.
However one thing I've noticed is that none of them offer what would seem to be easy to add features that might make their lights appeal to hikers and general outdoors people as well. Especially with headlamp prices increasing and users demanding more options, etc.
For example none of them seem to offer anything even close to a low output, I'm talking say 1-10 lumens that would appeal to people wanting to use the lights close up, around camp, as an tent/area light, another would be a flashing/sos option. Third would be a small headband mounted battery option (lupine does do this with the Piko). Most seem to have a low output around 50-100 lumens. Perhaps it's just not possible to get that low of output out of these platforms. Some even offer different options for a 2 LED setup with two different focus patterns. Add in user programibility and now you could have a spot and flood each over 450 lumens that could be used individually and combined.
It would just seem with more headlamps going over $100 and in many cases pushing $200, that these companies are right on the cusp of making a light that a person could truly use for close up work, around camp, hiking, and still have 900-1200 lumens for real power users, and the package size is small enough now that it's not much bigger than a tikka (aside for the battery). The other issue would be if these lights can run at full power without the additional airflow cooling of being moving on the bike.
Lupine seems the closest to offering something like this but the downside with lupine is price, it would cost way way over $500 to really set up a piko to be close to that and you still have a light that's too bright and wrong focus for close up work.
I'd be happy to pay $500 for a 1000 lumen headlamp in a similar 2 bulb setup, with user selectable light levels from 1-1000 lumens, with flood/spot options, headlamp sized battery and larger remote battery options for use on the bike, or in very cold conditions.
Many are pushing over 800-1200 lumens in various configurations, in very small units, with various battery options, some even with headband attachments.
I really like the general design of the Lupine Piko, Gemini Duo, Gloworm X2 etc.
However one thing I've noticed is that none of them offer what would seem to be easy to add features that might make their lights appeal to hikers and general outdoors people as well. Especially with headlamp prices increasing and users demanding more options, etc.
For example none of them seem to offer anything even close to a low output, I'm talking say 1-10 lumens that would appeal to people wanting to use the lights close up, around camp, as an tent/area light, another would be a flashing/sos option. Third would be a small headband mounted battery option (lupine does do this with the Piko). Most seem to have a low output around 50-100 lumens. Perhaps it's just not possible to get that low of output out of these platforms. Some even offer different options for a 2 LED setup with two different focus patterns. Add in user programibility and now you could have a spot and flood each over 450 lumens that could be used individually and combined.
It would just seem with more headlamps going over $100 and in many cases pushing $200, that these companies are right on the cusp of making a light that a person could truly use for close up work, around camp, hiking, and still have 900-1200 lumens for real power users, and the package size is small enough now that it's not much bigger than a tikka (aside for the battery). The other issue would be if these lights can run at full power without the additional airflow cooling of being moving on the bike.
Lupine seems the closest to offering something like this but the downside with lupine is price, it would cost way way over $500 to really set up a piko to be close to that and you still have a light that's too bright and wrong focus for close up work.
I'd be happy to pay $500 for a 1000 lumen headlamp in a similar 2 bulb setup, with user selectable light levels from 1-1000 lumens, with flood/spot options, headlamp sized battery and larger remote battery options for use on the bike, or in very cold conditions.