Alpkit Boson - chea...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Alpkit Boson - cheap helmet light..!

29 Posts
16 Users
0 Reactions
409 Views
Posts: 689
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I have not seen these mentioned anywhere..

but I got one a while ago to chuck in my bag as an emergency light after nearly getting caught out with a short winter day... a long ride.. and a mechanical that took an age to fix..

And its great! nicely shaped beam and plenty of runtime and light on full power too..

it also fits nicely in an exposure helmet mount!

(it only comes with a bar mount)


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:36 pm
Posts: 273
Full Member
 

How long does it run for? I rarely ride for a long into the night but looked at this as a cheap way of getting a decent road light. I'm also interested in it for the Exmouth Exodus this year.


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:40 pm
Posts: 4313
Full Member
 

Looks really good


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:40 pm
Posts: 689
Free Member
Topic starter
 

forgot the URL..

[url= https://www.alpkit.com/products/boson ]https://www.alpkit.com/products/boson[/url]

runs for 3 hours on full..!


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:41 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

850 lumens, for 3 hours, from a single 18650 cell?

consider me skeptical.

edit: whoops, reading fail, NOT an 18650 cell...


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 262
Full Member
 

edit: whoops, reading fail, NOT an 18650 cell...

Nope, but pretty much the same capacity of a 18650 so who knows


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 2:51 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

consider me skeptical.

Indeed, either they are chinese lumens, or someone forgot that its only running off a 3.7v battery rather than the usual 7.4v when calculating the runtimes


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 3:20 pm
Posts: 91000
Free Member
 

How spotty is it?


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 3:25 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

That looks exactly what I'm looking for.

Wonder if my mum fancies popping in to Alpkit when I take her out for 75th birthday on Monday?


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 4:06 pm
Posts: 916
Free Member
 

Is it just a rebranded Chinese eBay light?
I bought a few of these on eBay for a fiver each
https://www.alpkit.com/products/lampray


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 7:17 pm
 P20
Posts: 4153
Full Member
 

Backinireland, you got a link?


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 8:10 pm
Posts: 916
Free Member
 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rechargeable-3W-300LM-CREE-LED-USB-Camping-Outdoor-Light-Lantern-Tent-Lamp-6hrs/302017328228?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41396%26meid%3D6e4fdeaeda7d4310b1f128a11b21e2e2%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D162325085924

There's one or look at similar items

I've ordered 3 at various times
Brilliant for camping
Magnetic or hanging hook
Can charge phone off them
Last night we had a power cut th kids took them to bed, still going the following morning


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 9:20 pm
 P20
Posts: 4153
Full Member
 

Cheers!


 
Posted : 03/03/2017 10:07 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

So the Boson is down to £30 in the sale and I had an hour to kill the other day near Alpkit....

Not ridden with it properly yet but I have to say, it seems a great light for the money. It's a very tight fit in my Exposure helmet mount. Just wondering if anyone has removed the bracket mounting hardwear from the base of the light unit to make it clip in better? Either have to clip it in right at the rear of the light - which seems fine - or clip it in upside down in the centre, which leaves the charging point exposed to the rain.

Cheers


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 7:17 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

Just me then?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 3:10 pm
Posts: 824
Free Member
 

I'm going to take it off as soon as my helmet mount comes.


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 3:59 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

If anyone is interested, a guy on the Audax Facebook page is currently trying to run down the battery on his Boson to check run time. Apparently it's still going after 6 hours on full power. He seems as shocked as I was. Or maybe it's switched to a lower emergency setting automatically?


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 7:44 pm
Posts: 40225
Free Member
 

Could you update us when you've used it for MTB night riding?


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 8:14 pm
Posts: 4170
Free Member
 

Indeed, either they are chinese lumens, or someone forgot that its only running off a 3.7v battery rather than the usual 7.4v when calculating the runtimes
Agreed - a 2600mAh battery, running for 3 hrs, can't give more than 867mA. Which, at 3.7V, is 3.2W. To get 850 lumens from 3.2W is 265 lumens per watt, which I don't think anyone has yet managed.


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 8:42 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

Apparently the inquisitive audaxer *waves* thinks that the positive and negative on the battery are too close together, increasing the likelihood of a short.

He's raising it with Alpkit, and asked me to pop it on our thread as well.


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 9:08 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

Just taken this photo down the drive. Apologies for the quality, but not a bad light for £30.

[url= https://s8.postimg.org/ua80m9bsx/IMG_20170323_211024518.jp g" target="_blank">https://s8.postimg.org/ua80m9bsx/IMG_20170323_211024518.jp g"/> [/img][/url]


 
Posted : 23/03/2017 9:19 pm
Posts: 824
Free Member
 

I took the bracket off mine and found it fits nicely into an exposure lights helmet mount. It's very tight so should be good and safe, as long as it doesn't short out and fry my head 😯


 
Posted : 28/03/2017 8:38 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

its surely just a rebadged generic chinese torch?

Greybeard - minus losses surely.


 
Posted : 28/03/2017 8:49 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

The Ghost - not got round to taking the bracket fixing off yet as I may use it on LittleMissMC's new bike as a handlebar light.

Is it an Allen key or Torx to remove it?


 
Posted : 28/03/2017 9:07 pm
Posts: 824
Free Member
 

1.5mm Allen key.


 
Posted : 28/03/2017 9:15 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

Cheers.


 
Posted : 28/03/2017 9:17 pm
Posts: 1318
Full Member
 

I got something very similar from the aldi bargin bin for £6 did have the mount but came with a car charger as well as a wall charger


 
Posted : 29/03/2017 9:32 pm
Posts: 1318
Full Member
 

I got something very similar from the aldi bargin bin for £6 did have the mount but came with a car charger as well as a wall charger


 
Posted : 29/03/2017 9:33 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I also have this kind of light but mostly i use my action camera on my helmet instead of this light.


 
Posted : 30/03/2017 7:26 am
Posts: 824
Free Member
 

Finally tried my Boson last night head mounted. Very impressed for £30.


 
Posted : 11/05/2017 7:56 am

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!