eGear Pico Light

FYI,

Doug Ritter's eGear Pico Light can now be found on the LifeView Outdoors website under recently added items for $9.95.

SO tempted...but, I want to wait until the new PSK comes out...better hurry Doug!!

What a new psk when?.

Lee

Late spring. All we know so far is it's a 'beefed up' kit with a 'cool' new pouch and it'll contain a new knife and torch. See the thread on 'new doug ritter gear at shot show' in the survival forum (page 2 at time of writing).

QJS

That's what I'm waiting for... Getting his new PSP with all the goodies. Gives me an excuse to buy another one.

Me too...like I NEED another one! My redundancies have redundancies!!!

I have one, and it's really, really nice. I got one before they were on sale to the public (Thanks Doug!) and at $10, they are a bargain.

Why I like it more than any flashlight I've had before:

- Well crafted metal construction - no wimpy plastic here. It's surviving on my keychain, no small feat!

- BRIGHT, I mean freaky alien technology bright like don't bother with a mag-light bright, like I'm figuring out how to put one of these on the end of a defensive gun bright. Did I mention it's bright? I think I could tape two of these things to the hood of my jeep and drive on the interstate. maybe.

- Twist-On. This is such a requirement for me, because if you're goofing around with push button lights, you're tying up one hand and all that.

- Seems to deal with water really well. It's no dive light, but it didn't mind being left out on the deck in the rain/freezing rain.

My only issue is that it's so small it uses - gasp - LR 41 button batteries. However, I've begun stocking a supply of button batteries anyway, so I guess it's not the worst thing. In fact, I'm going to post a separate thread on this very topic.

Anyway, you'll like this light. I know it's 100% EDC for me, and that's saying a lot, since I'm a strict minimalist and my EDC must fit into about the space of two packs of cigarettes.

Yeah... I'm up to 3 PSP's and an SOL. And I still want one of the new ones.

The trick will be waiting for the new kit to come out before I pick up one of these lights; don't know that I can hold out that long...

Since I already carry a Gerber Infinity (single AA LED) that seems to last forever, I'm mostly looking to get the Pico for the survival kit. Possibly getting another for a keychain if I really like it.

The light hit much more quickly than I thought it would.

Thanks for the info!

I've got one of the CMG Infinity lights and I use it a lot. It isn't going to blind anyone but with a lithium battery in it the darn thing just runs FOREVER. I also really like my Fenix P2D Q5 which is very similar in size. If the Fenix had an extra extra low setting it might put the CMG out of a job entirely.

What is this minilight used for?
If it is for a camping light I will stick with my candle stubs.

If it is for an emergency signal I want as many candle power as I can get into a nice tight beam (but not quite laser tight)which I can wave in big arm length "COME HERE NOW" circles.

A very small, very bright and impossible to turn on by accident light seems ideal.
I will be thinking very hard about ordering a few of these to replace my old pelican lights and mini-mag lights as they wear out.

They seem small enough that I might order a couple as zipper pulls and keychain junk anyhow because the pelites and minimags are just a little bit too big to carry every day and every place.

I couldn't agree more about the LR41s for the Pico Lite, they are far to small in capacity. A typical LR41 is rated at about 40mAhrs multiply that by 4 and you get 160mAhrs @ 1.5 Volts. The AAA Energiser Lithium Cell is rated at 1250mAhrs @ 1.5 Volts or about just under 8 times the energy storage capacity.

If you consider the Fenix EO1 with an Energiser Lithium AAA

https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=435

has almost 6-8 times the runtime (about 11 hrs) as the Pico Lite at the same illumination for a similar purchase cost but is physically only just over twice the size.

Again as a EDC item, AAA cells will be so much easier to find than LR41s, i.e. pulled from remote controls etc.

Good point... They should just pack them in some padded envelopes.

Once again, why I am waiting for the new PSP to come out and I'll go pick it up at my local REI, most likely...

I was working the SAFE show where Doug used these lights as promotional items. They are well made and I think will be very sturdy over the long haul. From what Doug told me these lights are intended for occasional use (finding the keyhole in the dark kinda thing) and the other goal was to make it so easy to carry that you would always have it with you. I will tell you that the aircrew personnel thought the lights were great, a number of them said they'd be great on the zipper pulls of their flight suits.

Regrettably I gave the ones I picked up at the show to the DD's and my brothers-in-law so I guess I'll have to buy some for myself.

I buy button cells in bulk from DealExtreme. They generally are a good deal. I use small pill fobs to carry spare button cells on the keyring. American Science Surplus has nice deals on those.

Only got a glimpse of the new knife but it looked pretty snazzy.

Stores such as ours have to use a shipping method that either provides tracking or a delivery confirmation, such as Priority Mail, FedEx or UPS.

The minimum cost of shipping is 4.75 for a package weighing less than one pound via Priority Mail. Fees go up quickly for packages weighing over one pound. FedEx or UPS is quite a bit more.

The 7.50 flat fee shipping is usually less than our actual cost. The exception is for small items such as the Pico.

I've created a coupon code that reduces the shipping to $4.75 for any one who wants to purchase up to one pound of Picos. Just choose flat rate shipping and put etspico1 in the coupon field for a $2.75 discount. Valid through Feb. 28th. It's not perfect, but it should help.

Now that is customer service!!!

Ordered mine today.

Interesting light but I have one question. Since this device runs on alkaline battery how does it cope with freezing temperatures? I think lithium battery would be better choice for outdoor/survival gear.

How many Picos make a pound?

*grinning like a kid at an old school candy counter*

I prefer the Fenix E01 which is waterproof and runs on one AAA battery, very easy to find and a cheap powersource. The Fenix is so waterproof, I gave one to my GF recently and she accidently left it in a pocket of a sweater. She kept hearing something "big" rattle around the dryer and finally realized it was the Fenix light. After a complete wash cycle in the washer and a near full dryer cycle, the E01 still worked perfectly. The HAIII anodized finish took a few dings in the dryer though. I bought a couple of them for kits and in the packs.

In terms of cold weather performance, yes they would. However, at this time lithium cells this size are not readily available. There are always compromises. OTOH, with alkalines you can get days of useful light from the Pico™ Lite. With lithiums you'd get brighter light for a longer period and then they would die in a relatively few hours. Which is better? No perfect answer. We continue to work towards a lithium solution, but not today.

Actually, Essential Gear will be offering a special deal on sets of replacement batteries, at a price you'll be hard pressed to beat unless you buy them bulk. I'll post details of this offer once the production PICO™ Lites are being delivered, probably late March or thereabouts. Not sure where you got the 26th date from.

I am also a fan of the Fenix E01. However, I would not want to carry one on my keyring. The Pico is about 1/2 the size because they don't have to house a AAA battery. Plusses and Minusses. I will probably pick up a few more E01's over time. But I will also get some Picos...

...And this has absolutely nothing to do with my gear addiction. Just thought you should know...

The first step is admitting that you have a problem...

Yes; but that would mean having to stop...

I'm Mike... I have a problem. I can't stop and won't stop buying gear...

I just came for the free donuts!

Thanks for the reply, Doug. I understand the decision.

What is great about this light is the performance/size ratio. I think someone said that the output is around 10 lumens which is great for a light of this size. I have seen and used E01 (10 lumens too), excellent light but sometimes you need even lighter yet powerful light (in my case for trail running - I carry already relatively heavy keychain with basic gear and cell phone and bottle so I don´t know whether I could afford to add E01).

Regarding the low temperatures I think it could be solved by carrying the light or backup battery close to my body. It´s good to know that you are considering building another light supporting lithium battery in the future though.

But it isn't a problem. I can stop any time I want. See, I'm not buying gear right now.

I'm not even talking about it.

I'm typing about...

I don't have a problem. AND I'M NOT IN DENIAL!!!!

I broke down & ordered one from lifeview. To offset the shipping (I didnt see his post) I ordered some other stuff too...

I sure understand that. There are many small items I've passed on because of ridiculous shipping charges.

At the moment, I'm in the it's hard to beat the Fenix E01 crowd. Love the idea of this tiny light but the Photon/Princeton lights using the 2032 cell will run upwards of 12 hours. I think multi-hour use is a requirement of a survival oriented flashlight. Super brightness is not.

BTW, why this little light over the Photon light? That style is great on a keychain or in a kit. What's the advantage of the new light?

Size and weight are not much different. Doug has said that he liked the twist on-off because it's less likely that the lite could be turned on accidently and drain the battery. I also think the Pico will be more rugged because of the metal construction and since it is gasketed will likely be more water resistant. Can't comment on the relative brightness of the two.

[quote=AndyDoug has said that he liked the twist on-off because it's less likely that the lite could be turned on accidently and drain the battery. [/quote]

Yeah ... As I recall, Doug had us putting the Photon lights into demo mode as a way to attempt to reduce the chance of accidental turn-on (it happens!!) and battery depletion (a sign of old age).

I'm ordering mine today!!!

Ken

Can anyone who has the Pico Light compare it to a Streamlight Nano? Looking at the specs they are about the same size but I am curious if the Pico Light is brighter, runs longer, etc.

Don't know about run time but the lights are the same size. Both seem to be about as bright. The snap doesn't swivel on the nano and the joint is about the mid point of the tube. The joint on the pico light is on the head of the light. In operation the pico light is easier to turn on one handed due to the placement of the joint (switch), and you can turn on the nano with one hand it just takes a bit more dexterity. Both use four small button batteries. Both have a O-ring seal, the pico light looks to have a better seal placement to keep the light dry.

Here is a side by side picture if it will help,



Sorry my pictures are not as cool as Schwert's.

Just so there is no confusion. These PICO™ Lites currently being sold are from the initial pre-production run, sort of like Beta 0.9. The production PICOs™ will have a smaller, but more robust, clip and split ring virtually identical to that of the Nano, no swivel.

Other changes for production will include provision for easier battery loading (possibly retrofittable)and very minor detail changes to the body, likely not even noticeable to even the most anal owners. Well, perhaps a few really, really anal types. <g>

Also, a variety of colors, how many and which still not decided. Besides the current blue, probably red, black and pink to start. Suggestions for colors welcome.

Glow in the dark green please. If I am looking for a flashlight, it is usually because I am already in the dark. (literally, not mentally)

I don't think there is glow-in-the-dark anodizing. <g> I guess I should have mentioned that it could be any color, so long as it is Type 1 anodizing. <~>

Yeah, I know.

It's okay, I usually put a little reflective tape and a little luminescent paint on the "Where's my flashlight" lights anyway. Many moons ago, I was the telephone man. It only takes crawling across one attic that is pitch black and 140 deg F to figure out a lost flashlight is no flashlight.
Started carrying a backup after I got out though.

As long as it works, you can make it green with pink and purple polka-dots for all I care. A pink knife that cuts is just that.... a knife that cuts. A pink light, well you get the idea.

I've got to admit that getting the DW or DD to carry an item is dramatically easier if it has pink on it somewhere. I'll take all the help I can get.