Kowalski Pico - any reviews?

[gj999]

Hi

Has anybody tried the new Kowalski Pico torch?

The specs look good for a backup torch - 490 lumen, 18 hour battery life all in a small package for a reasonable £75.

I haven't been able to find any hands on reviews so I would appreciate comments from people who've tried this torch.

Thanks

 

[gj999]

I've finally bought one of these torches. I haven't taken it underwater yet but I thought some thoughts from dry land tests might be welcomed.

This is a bright torch. It doesn't produce as much light as the Xtar D06 but it does produce more than the Lenser D14 (although the D14's hotspot is probably just a little brighter). I've used these two comparisons mainly because those are the other torches I have, but also because they are comparable in size.

The Pico is very solidly made (all metal) and uses a simple twist on/off so barring twisting it all the way off underwater, this should be a very reliable torch.

The Pico does drop the ball when its comes to battery life. The claims of 18 hours on the Kowalski website looked to good to be true and that proved to be the case. It takes three AAA batteries and I tested it with fully charged 800mAh rechargeables and I got 2-3 hours of usable bright light before it dimmed significantly. I know a new set of alkalines would last longer but the "up to" 18 hour claims seems well beyond anything credible. I'm so used to the 10+ hours of the Lenser D14 (which takes 4 AA's) that the short battery life is a big let down vs the advertising.

Overall the size and brightness is great, but in the end the poor battery life may be enough to make me return the torch.