First impression:

I received the Lupine Penta headlamp to test. The simple design, very good workmanship and a metal casing immediately caught my eye and made me curious. I always like minimalist packaging without a lot of plastic waste!

Even the bare facts promise a high level of luminosity and constant insight when reading.

Data:

lighting mode

• 10 different lighting modes in white
• 7 different lighting modes in red
• Lumen ranges between 15 lm and 600 lm in white and 16 lm and 140 lm in red
• Boost mode in white 1000 lm
• SOS emergency signal in white
• Flash in white and red
• lighting time from 1 h to 120 h

• Weight: 86 g without headband, 110 g with headband
• Dimensions: 62 x 46 x 30 mm
• Charging time 2:30 hours with USB-C
• Operating range -25°C + 50°C
• Protection classes: IP68 (water resistance) + IK09 (drop resistance)
• Material: Aluminum 6061-T6, shot-peen, CNC-machined, black anodized (aircraft aluminum
• Price: RRP 150.- €

The headlamp came in a small box, which contained a card with a QR code, the lamp itself and a USB-C charging cable.

Unlike other manufacturers, the housing of the Lupine Penta is made of aluminum, has a slim design and immediately feels high-quality. The headlamp has a comfortable and easy-to-adjust strap.

The lamp is waterproof to protection class IP 68 and can therefore be used in all weather conditions without any concerns.

At 110 grams, the headlamp is not super lightweight, but it is not heavy either. For a lamp with this burn time and the materials used, the weight is really not heavy.

Handling :

It is basically very easy to use. The lamp has only two buttons, one for operating the white LEDs and one for the red LEDs. Pressing one or the other button switches through the different brightness levels.

Holding down the respective button for a longer period of time turns the lamp off again.

Pressing both buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds activates a key lock. This prevents the device from being switched on accidentally while in your backpack or bag.

Brightness levels/lighting duration:

There are four brightness levels in both the white light range and the red light range:

in the white light area: I tried to make this clear in a video and on photos.

• Level 1: 55 lm for approx. 19 hours
• Level 2: 120 lm for approx. 6:45 hours
• Level 3: 340 lm for approx. 2:30 hours
• Level 4: 600 lm for approx. 1 hour

in red light area:

• 16 lm for about 19 hours
• 45 lm for about 8:20 hours
• 80 lm for about 4:10 hours
• 140 lm for about 2:30 hours

Special functions:

The lamp has five additional modes:

Diffuse weak: The lamp shines with 15 lumens in the longest duration up to 120 hours

Diffuse medium: 40 lumens with a burn time of approx. 13.5 hours

Diffusely bright: 60 lumens with a burn time of approx. 6:45 hours

SOS: The lamp lights up automatically in the SOS Morse signal:

▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ (three short, three long, three short)

The lighting time in this mode is approximately 5.5 hours.

Flash: The lamp flashes quickly in strobe mode for about 3:20 hours.

Boost mode: Double click the button and the boost mode turns on. The lamp is switched on to full capacity for about 15 seconds at 1100 lumens.

Angle settings:

The Lupine Senta can be used at four different angles. In addition to the neutral position, there are three other options, so the ground, near or far, is always in focus of the exposure.

Charging / Charging indicator / Functions when charging:

To charge the Lupine Penta, you can simply use a USB-C cable, either with the help of a power bank or in a socket.

The remaining capacity is not shown with a special charge indicator but in 25% steps using the individual LEDs. Personally, I find this to be quite large and difficult to estimate. At 10%, the lamp flickers briefly to give another warning.

All functions are available until the end except the boost mode, which is no longer available after the 10% warning.

During charging, the Penta can still be used in 3 W mode, so that it can be used in a kind of continuous operation.

Conclusion:

I used the night for a few hikes that started early and for a few trail runs in the evening, and I have to say that the lighting is really great. The path is really well lit, especially at lower light intensities. The Lupine Penta headlamp is a great companion for all adventures. The very good and robust workmanship is completely convincing. The price is in the higher segment at €150, which is not really a negative point, but should not go unmentioned.

The ease of use, workmanship and the lighting duration/intensity are a clear plus in the possible purchase decision.