Rating -5 Stars = Highly Recommended Best in Heavyweight Class

TOP:Left, Charger One USA AC/ Power supply. Right, Charger controller & display module Charger One Specifications

TOP:Left, PCS control button and status LEDs| Right,maintenance and attachments kit
Petzl "Vertex Vent" Helmet provided by: RescueDirect.com

Description.

The Lupine Systems Otto X is primarily designed as a headlight or vehicle mounted light for biking or Moto Cross Sporting. The use of the standard headstrap makes the Otto-X one of the most elegant and sophisticated headlamps on the market. Its build quality and beam brightness and functionality, coupled with sophisticated programmable circuitry and intelligent charging systems position it as the leader in head worn rechargeable lights.
The Ottox-X uses combination of Lupine's 25W SR12° bulb and 20 ultra bright LEDs. The Otto X hybrid light is another excellent 'best of both worlds' solution. With a stated runtime up to 40 hours on LEDs it has to be one of the best options for the professional seeking to prepare for long haul rescues. The shorter runtime incandescent lamp features a beam quality that surpasses anything that we've encountered in this form factor.This is attributed to the palladium-treated reflectors in the head assembly The mount is adjustable and therefore can be positioned onto bicycle handlebars or interfaced to the headgear. Color temperature is varied between 3600ºK for the incandescent lamp and a cool 5800ºK for the ultrabright LEDs

Features

• One Krypton Halogen Bulb with integrated quartz glass reflector (palladium-treated)
• Runtime-1 hr 44 min to 50% on High with alkaline cells (Advertised)
• Beam Characteristics>5W SR 12°, color temperature 3600 K/20 LEDs 18.000mCd 15°
• Weight - 520 g
• Two dual mode switches
• Low battery indicator LED
• High electrical and optical efficiency make the most of your batteries (96% electrical efficiency from 7.2V, 93% from 12V)
• Case Material-ABS & Elastomer
• Case Features-90ºpivoting head, removable top strap, fully adjustable straps
• Case Access Type-Slide out locking battery tray
• Switch Type-Two dual mode click switches
• Photon management-collimating optic for Luxeon &Integrated In Optic for 5mm LEDs
• Beam Types- Medium combination
• Power -Lithium-Ionen Soft Case Battery 6.5 Ah, 7.2 V , 45 W
• Electronics-PCS 007 V5, 4-LED display
  1/2/3/4-beam setting programs, individual programming, capacity control, reserve tank, SOS signal, voltage count, blue back light
• Charger-Micro Charger
  2 Ampere ( 90-240V )
  shows charged in capacity, high pulse keep-up charging
• Mounting Options-Head mount with comfortable head band. Can be adjusted to all sizes. Extension cord (120 cm) included for easy battery transportation.
• Materials-casing: CNC machined (7020 aluminum), salt water resistant, holding screw and ring V2A stainless steel
  holder: carbon-thermoplast, very easy mounting thanks to EPDM-neopren closure, only 2cm space needed!
  cable: gold-plated connectors; all connections inside the cable are soldered and protected by highly elastic elastromer-tubes
  case: water resistant 550dtex cordura, machine wash cold
• burn time 25 W: 1 hours 35 min burn time 9 W: 3 hours
  LED burn time 3 W: 16 hours
  LED burn time 1 W: 40 hours continuously (in reality the runtime will be much longer)
  charge time: 3 hrs 30 min
• Environmental Protection- sealed bulb and switch assembly.
• Warranty-2 years- reflector excluded

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Manufacturer: http://www.lupine.de contact > stefan@lupine.de

Distributor North America
Gretnabikes
Tel: 717-283-0041
Homepage: www.gretnabikes.com
e-mail: Bill@gretnabikes.com
Retail Price:Price: $560.00
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Evaluation Results & Conclusion..

Ease of Use
Excellent . Though quite sophisticated in its programmability, the Otto-X is nonetheless a straightforward interface to learn. The pushbutton remote activation switch connects to a Processor Control Board or Power Control System, in Lupine parlance, that with the first push-initializes the 'program' and defaults to the user selectable setting- Full Incandescent On for example. A second push prompts the light into low output mode. Subsequent pushes will cycle between the two levels of output. To change mode and activate the LED bank, requires a longer push with subsequent pushes allowing for cycling between levels again. to turn the unit off simply requires a sustained pressure of about 2 seconds. Although this is not a simple interface it is semi-intuitive, mastered after only a couple of tries. The exquisite and exhaustive instructions make the learning process for all the Otto-X procedures easy to comprehend.
Getting the light to point at the subject or way path is simply a matter of orienting the friction mounted head to point in the desired direction. There's much to like about a 'rubber band' approach to the tilting hinge- in that the mechanical failures that are associated with ratchet style pivots are eliminated .Since the elastomer stretches, it always maintains the same amount of pressure unless it's degraded or abused. In addition, the use of the elastomer 'O'ring absorbs shock that may cause the head to change position at an awkward moment. This feature makes the Otto-X very high activity friendly. Piano type hinges are also effective but often require tightening to maintain a firm position hold- especially if subjected to constant jarring motion. The other advantage of this mounting system is that the head can be configured for several of different end uses. Applied to the headstrap assembly, the Otto becomes the Otto-X. If mounted to the handle bars it simply becomes the Otto-8 when used with the water bottle LIon battery.In that case the remote is secured to the handlebars using the supplied attachment kit. No doubt, end users will find that this type of flexibility lends itself to numerous other applications- both in the Search & Rescue as well as non emergency domains.
4.5 points
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Task performance optimization
Excellent. The Otto-X effectively accomplishes the task of illuminating subjects for the purpose of identification or for illuminating a passageway hands free. Its usable range is up to 800' indoors at full power with Incandescent selected.The maximum usable range outdoors is between 500' and 600' depending on topography and reflective surfaces around. The beam pattern is Medium(LED)/Wide(Incan). It's a perfectly even beam with a very gradual progression to a hot center. This unique beam configuration makes it excellent for wide field contextual illumination and navigation- especially at higher speeds of user activity. In close quarters this wide beam again makes contextual inspection very easy as the eyes can do the scanning rather than the head . Seen from the point of view of the SAR or CERT operative, this means that details easily missed are 'captured' within the beam's wide-angled window of illumination. This wide window also makes vehicular mounting a realistic option, with the light projecting a beam wide enough for even users in large motor vehicles to see a wide swath of roadway ahead.
One lead user on foot can light the path ahead for a small team of people.
To test the Otto-X, we sent a fully equipped operative carrying a3 Day Pack- into the woods in search of previously 'planted' caches. Even when engaging the footpath in a fast paced walk, he reported an 'automobile headlight' experience in that a full 170º of his visual field contained illumination from the Otto-X ( Incandescent Mode) . Moreover, the overexposure of closer landmarks that is typical when lights with pronounced hotspots are used was absent.
For searching quadrants at a close range, the lower level of incandescent made the beam brightness more manageable. The LEDs were an effective source of illumination for close range work for very long periods of time. In fact, used over several 'shifts', the LEDs lasted close to 45 hours before requiring a recharge. This high level of performance lends great confidence to a rechargeable system that may see an operator spending many hours or even several nights in the field- far away from a source of AC power.
Thanks to the 'top of the helmet' positioned remote switch, even a gloved operator managed to quickly and accurately switch modes and cycle between settings. Though such a placement may be deemed risky for a caver or for rope rescue missions, in practice it was the most logical place to position the switch control.
Adjusting the Otto-X head is pure serendipity. The simple friction mount side-steps the risk of failure that is often associated with more complex or intricate systems.
The headstrap system is one of the finest we've ever experienced. Not only is the elastic strapping material of high quality, but the straps are wider and thicker than the ones typically found on such products. This extra width translated into a better support platform for the Otto-X head. In addition, the wider strapping made for a very comfortable ride on one's head. Since the Lithium Ion power supply is carried in a pocket or attached to a belt, top heaviness associated with some head-worn systems isn't as prominent as it might otherwise be. The best approach seemed to be to snake the cable under the topmost layer of clothing and either attach the pack to ones belt or to drop it into an inside coat pocket. The cable is long enough for all but the tallest of users to have sufficient range of motion and freedom to bend over without tightening the cable.
5 Points
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Durability
Long term and stress tests have been performed. Our first impressions are that in normal use the Otto-X is very durable for heavy use. Testing over a period of five months has proven the Otto-X to be impervious to drenching or to exposure to numerous organic solvents. This light was designed to be splashed with mud and then simply rinsed off with water. The completely sealed head assembly makes it safe to use in most environments. It is not HAZMAT rated. The only care that needs to be taken is in not subjecting the lens to very high impacts and to not sever the control switch cable and switch assembly. It is an excellent choice for the occasional or professional SAR/CERT operator.
5 points
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