AardvarkSagus
Flashlight Enthusiast
Lupine Piko TL Mini - Submitted for consideration for the review forum
Bike lights and Flashlights rarely share the same limelight. Lupine, long known for making quality mounted bike lights, is continuing to delve into the handheld realm.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
Meat and Potatoes
The Piko TL is yet another instance where Lupine took one of their most popular mounted bike lights or helmet lights and attached a small battery pack directly to it, creating a more traditional flashlight (if my linguistics inference ability is correct, the TL stands for taschenlampe, flashlight in german). The Piko comes in three flavors. Enough for the discerning connoisseur. The Max is their high output 700 lumen model. The Ultra reduces the output to a still-bright 550, but keeps the same size as the Max creating a long runtime torch. This particular review model though is, in my opinion, the best mix of the three. It has the slightly reduced output of the Ultra, but a smaller battery tank, making it better suited to being carried in a pocket.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
The light of the Piko TL comes courtesy of a pair of Cree XP-G LEDs (XM-Lin the Max) sitting up front behind a doublet of collimating lenses. These, as many of you well know, are my personal favorite method of gathering light and directing it downrange. Not the least reason being that they just seem far more advanced, technologically from the basic reflector concept that has been the mainstay of handheld illumination nearly since it's inception. However more importantly it is because of the preferable spread of light that these lenses typically give. Gone is the hard-edged, bright spillbeam that tends to create tunnel vision, and in its place is a gradually diminishing spill that reduces to near zero before dropping off entirely. The floody spread of light that results is quite artifact-free and very useful for short-range illumination. Basically everything I would expect and require of an EDC.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
The build quality of the Piko is simply superb. It is everything I have come to expect from Lupine, even after seeing a pair of lights that are absolute home-runs thus far. The fit and finish is completely unparalleled. From its simple design, to its absolutely built-like-a-tank construction. The Piko TL Mini is an excellent piece of work.
The battery of the Lupine Piko is actually an integrated unit this time around. It isn't a modular approach as we have seen in the past. Instead you are actually forced to use their charger each time you need to top off the battery. I don't personally see this as a weakness since this is designed as more of an EDC model, (hence not putting mention of it in the next section) but it is worthy of note. It is just something you need to keep in mind when you are carrying it. Also noteworthy, the charger adapter used for the Piko is not the standardized plug that Lupine has used previously with all their batteries so you will not be able to use the Charger1with it without a special adapter. Thankfully Lupine does include an adequate wall-wart style charger along with the light, alleviating this issue.
Charger port
Once again, as with previous Lupine models, they have graciously included the necessary mounting point for their modular bike mount. This time around, I was able to test it out even. Using the typical thick o-ring attachment method, this tool-less bike mount hangs on securely to my handlebars, surviving my January jaunt quite adroitly. The extra bonus is that the crisp winter air flowing over the light was more than adequate to stave off the actuation of the included active thermal protection (another compelling feature of Lupine flashlights).
Mounting point
Constructive Criticism
I've mentioned this before but it definitely bears reiteration. The user interface of Lupine's flashlights is directly ported from their bike light line. I am not entirely sold on this. Press for on is fine, but press to change modes can sometimes bring undesired results. Furthermore, hold for off generally does cause mildly irritating consequences. I have my Piko set to 2 step low with low start turned on. Generally these 60 lumens are all I need during my day to day usage, however in order to turn the light off, I am required to momentarily cycle through the full 550 lumen high output before the light switches off. I would much rather see a modified UI where it maintains press for on, but also has press for off, possibly a double click to change modes and still maintain the press and hold to program the light's modes. I think that this would make a far more friendly UI for an handheld flashlight while still maintaining the full functionality of the current setup.
UI breakdown
In spite of being appropriately sized for EDC pocket carry, this little monster is still a touch on the large side. It would really be able to benefit from Lupine's superior craftmanship being applied to a correctly sized holster. I would even go so far as to suggest that horizontal carry would even be ideal in this situation. Honestly, this is really not much of a gripe, but a potential suggestion for the future since the Piko (especially the Mini) is really incredibly small for it's class.
Conclusions
A finally EDC-able Lupine. Really nothing more NEEDS to be said. The Piko so clearly exudes the Lupine signature style and quality that is instantly recognizable to any who have used one. Built like a tank, but this time in miniature.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
Provided for review by the kind folks at Lupine.
Bike lights and Flashlights rarely share the same limelight. Lupine, long known for making quality mounted bike lights, is continuing to delve into the handheld realm.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
Meat and Potatoes
The Piko TL is yet another instance where Lupine took one of their most popular mounted bike lights or helmet lights and attached a small battery pack directly to it, creating a more traditional flashlight (if my linguistics inference ability is correct, the TL stands for taschenlampe, flashlight in german). The Piko comes in three flavors. Enough for the discerning connoisseur. The Max is their high output 700 lumen model. The Ultra reduces the output to a still-bright 550, but keeps the same size as the Max creating a long runtime torch. This particular review model though is, in my opinion, the best mix of the three. It has the slightly reduced output of the Ultra, but a smaller battery tank, making it better suited to being carried in a pocket.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
The light of the Piko TL comes courtesy of a pair of Cree XP-G LEDs (XM-Lin the Max) sitting up front behind a doublet of collimating lenses. These, as many of you well know, are my personal favorite method of gathering light and directing it downrange. Not the least reason being that they just seem far more advanced, technologically from the basic reflector concept that has been the mainstay of handheld illumination nearly since it's inception. However more importantly it is because of the preferable spread of light that these lenses typically give. Gone is the hard-edged, bright spillbeam that tends to create tunnel vision, and in its place is a gradually diminishing spill that reduces to near zero before dropping off entirely. The floody spread of light that results is quite artifact-free and very useful for short-range illumination. Basically everything I would expect and require of an EDC.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
The build quality of the Piko is simply superb. It is everything I have come to expect from Lupine, even after seeing a pair of lights that are absolute home-runs thus far. The fit and finish is completely unparalleled. From its simple design, to its absolutely built-like-a-tank construction. The Piko TL Mini is an excellent piece of work.
The battery of the Lupine Piko is actually an integrated unit this time around. It isn't a modular approach as we have seen in the past. Instead you are actually forced to use their charger each time you need to top off the battery. I don't personally see this as a weakness since this is designed as more of an EDC model, (hence not putting mention of it in the next section) but it is worthy of note. It is just something you need to keep in mind when you are carrying it. Also noteworthy, the charger adapter used for the Piko is not the standardized plug that Lupine has used previously with all their batteries so you will not be able to use the Charger1with it without a special adapter. Thankfully Lupine does include an adequate wall-wart style charger along with the light, alleviating this issue.
Charger port
Once again, as with previous Lupine models, they have graciously included the necessary mounting point for their modular bike mount. This time around, I was able to test it out even. Using the typical thick o-ring attachment method, this tool-less bike mount hangs on securely to my handlebars, surviving my January jaunt quite adroitly. The extra bonus is that the crisp winter air flowing over the light was more than adequate to stave off the actuation of the included active thermal protection (another compelling feature of Lupine flashlights).
Mounting point
Constructive Criticism
I've mentioned this before but it definitely bears reiteration. The user interface of Lupine's flashlights is directly ported from their bike light line. I am not entirely sold on this. Press for on is fine, but press to change modes can sometimes bring undesired results. Furthermore, hold for off generally does cause mildly irritating consequences. I have my Piko set to 2 step low with low start turned on. Generally these 60 lumens are all I need during my day to day usage, however in order to turn the light off, I am required to momentarily cycle through the full 550 lumen high output before the light switches off. I would much rather see a modified UI where it maintains press for on, but also has press for off, possibly a double click to change modes and still maintain the press and hold to program the light's modes. I think that this would make a far more friendly UI for an handheld flashlight while still maintaining the full functionality of the current setup.
UI breakdown
In spite of being appropriately sized for EDC pocket carry, this little monster is still a touch on the large side. It would really be able to benefit from Lupine's superior craftmanship being applied to a correctly sized holster. I would even go so far as to suggest that horizontal carry would even be ideal in this situation. Honestly, this is really not much of a gripe, but a potential suggestion for the future since the Piko (especially the Mini) is really incredibly small for it's class.
Conclusions
A finally EDC-able Lupine. Really nothing more NEEDS to be said. The Piko so clearly exudes the Lupine signature style and quality that is instantly recognizable to any who have used one. Built like a tank, but this time in miniature.
Lupine Piko TL Mini
Provided for review by the kind folks at Lupine.
