I'm thinking of getting a Troute Mini (*). Any experiences/views/opinions welcome.
A strange sickened look came over my wife's expression when she saw the price. I think she's regretting casually answering "of course you can have some new lights for Christmas, darling".
(*) Assuming I manage to make a decision before he runs out of course.
I've had one on loan for a couple of months and I've really enjoyed using it as a helmet light. It had great throw on the beam for distance and enough spread for seeing wear you were going.
Having now joined the Liberator camp, I would strongly recommend stumping up that little extra for the Liberator as with its 6XPG LEDs it blows the socks off the Troute Mini.
http://troutie.com/?page_id=633
The spread of light is massive! With recorded figures of 1700 actual lumens rather than some made up possible figures.
Hope that helps a little.
ps.Troutie MAY be selling the Mini I had on loan. Might be worth emailing to see.
What's to be said? Great light, build quaility looks great, loads of output, though only had it just under 2 months so can't comment on long term, though I doubt they'll be any issues .
I got the helmet and handle bar mount, as I was going to mount it on my helmet originally, but considering the amount of times I've caught my DX P7 torch on branches I'm thinking of not bothering. As the rubber 2fish lockblock mount of the P7 has a lot of flexability in it, where-as the Toutie is a solid mount. Also I do believe you should have the bigger output light on the bars, suplimented by a helmet light to see round the corners.
I believe mine might have been a 'pre-production' model, so some of the following might have been ironed out on the ones now sold. The 'minor' downsides in my book are:
The handle bar mount screw isn't in the greatest position to tighten, I had to use a ball ended allen key at an angle to get it tight.
I think the low is a bit too low (great for being seen on the road but not the greatest amount of light output for seeing by) but no doubt this is a driver(?) issue/limitation.
I wish the switch was a little easier to use, going up power is fine but coming down is a bit of a faff (holding for 3 seconds), especially if you on the road trying to be courteous to oncoming cars or even off-road when passing other on-coming mtb's.
Output wise, as it's an oblong shape the beam is quite difficult to compare with what I've used previously, as you get a very wide beam. Off-hand though the mid setting is as good as my magicshine unit but obviously a lot wider and I reckon is reach is better.
The high beam was initally a little disappointing, as you think that 700 -> 1200 would be a fantastically huge difference in output - it's not as great as you may expect IMHO. That said once I got over this, it produces loads of light when on high, and I'd struggle to think that I could justify the need for a 7Up or Liberator. Though as I mention, I have a P7 torch or a Magicshine unit to use on my head to suppliment the going gets quick or twisty/technical.
I'm using my own battery that Smudge made for me a while back for my Lupine HID, so won't comment on burn times, as (1) it won't be useful and (2) I've yet to run it out, so don't actually know how long it will last...
So, as a great enthusiast of the Magicshine unit, do I regret it? No, but I do have difficulty justifying it to friends, who use the MS units. As the price would have bought me several MS units and got the same output for probably less money. You have to understand though I love my Mini and don't regret buying it, the MS units are just so damned cheap but the Mini is a better built, better all round output unit in my book.
I hope this is useful and hasn't come across as too critical of a great light, as I want to be honest and not 'blow smoke up Troutie's bottom'.
Minis are advertised on his website, so I'd expect they are available.
Drop him a note.
Stevo210.
Good to see/read that people appreciate the effort Trout and I put into getting our lights measured for actual outputs.
I've always wanted to quote actual use figures over theoretical outputs.
But testing takes time and in the meanwhile, all you can do is offer an estimate when people ask "how many lumens".
I'm waiting for some results at the moment.
I'm expecting around 1700 lumens for the 601
2000 lumens for the 701 
But in the meanwhile, thats a real good output from the LL 3.0.
Well done Trout
Ive got a mini and think its fantastic, used for weekly nightrides and used it at relentless and absolutely chuffed with it,Its brighter than
Magicshine p7,Hope 4 and Lupine that riding mates use so bright enough for anything i need a light for! The Liberator must be like a mobile lighthouse!!!
I thought the Trout Lib output was approx 1700 lumens for the XPG/XPE (?) mix, nearer 2000 for the 6 XPGs?
Thanks for the appraisals. It's been a strange little light the mini not sold in the numbers the Libs have
which had me a bit worried thinking I was going to be stuck with a lot of cases .
the main problem is price differential is not enough over the Libs. and this is because the only difference is 2 LEDs and optics .
Light makers seem to add a led and charge an extra £80 over the next light down .
What it has been for me is a good little light for upgrades to folks lights that they send in for repair as I can use different drivers to suit the differing voltages of the doner battery
Zippys being a case. yes it was an early unit and I had to match it to his Lupine battery. the level issues he mentioned can be programmed differently if required. and also the user interface has changed with newer drivers
I have a new driver for it and it can be pushed to output a colossal. 1800 on paper lumens not bad for 4 LEDs
something I have not yet tried but will soon
Woffle the 1700 lumens are a measured out the front lumen count. not the on paper theoretical count
and that is for 6 XPGs in the test light
.
Woffle the 1700 lumens are a measured out the front lumen count. not the on paper theoretical count
and that is for 6 XPGs in the test light
All I know is it's *********** bright 
Chris - did you get my 2 emails re. my LL and the pre production lamps you advertised recently?
All I know is it's *********** bright
Yeah, but more than that, with good cooling, the LL and 601 are going to stay bright, maintain their outputs and not bake the LEDs as other, smaller lights with 6 or 7 LEDs might...
Steve
Nope I saw on the classifieds you were going to mail me but nowt has got through.
Damn Virgin media.
been having problems for a while now. Thought I had resolved them
Chris, did you get my mails about the flooring work in Devon?
Oh Bloody hell not another one.
sorry Mark
Can't do owt before Xmas as now fully booked
Jan will probably be very quiet. if it can wait till then
Two of us ride with Lum's 601s and they are very very bright indeed - Trouts are very similar although I tried the less bright 3XPG/3XPE mix next to the all XPG Lum 601.
After a pretty severe ride last night (15ish miles heavy heavy rain, sleet, hail, floods, etc) the 601 didn't miss a beat.
I can't imagine wanting more light - oh and oncoming cars get realy narked at you when they are on full power!
Having trialled both the LL and the 601 recently, I'd say that there really isn't much in it.
Total output is the same, just small differences in beam patterns.
The decision will come down to personal preference.
Needless to say, either on it's own is VERY good. Did some Innerleithen DH tracks on Tuesday with both on full. 3400 real lumens really is daylight!!!
back to the OP - haven't seen a mini so can't comment.
Chris - I tested the two at the same time. I echo your comments but went for the 601.
Chris - I'll try again when I get home - but basically I had a query re. my LL output and wanted to know how you would feel if I advertised one of the lamps (the single XPG helmet lamp or Hammond double) I had off you before I went for one of the others
Surf-Mat are you sleeping with your 601
No but I think it's very good and doesn't get mentioned enough
7/6/401/S1, LL, Trout mini. They all have their distinctive features, which will give rise to preferrences.
And theres a light in that list for everyone.
But, whichever one you might like, I reckon you're getting really good performance, matching the big name brands but not their big prices.
Big thanks to Chriswilk who has been working for weeks now, measuring the lights so that we can have real world figures for light outputs.
Cheers Chris
EDIT: 3400 Lumens that has just got to be comically bright. Talk about visible from space 
Lum - I did the same test - it is indeed rather bright.
now, a 701, S1 and LL - that was real bright. More than 5k lumens
Just stood in the woods though, not riding 
were there any reports of UFO's last night just south of Edinburgh?
were there any reports of UFO's last night just south of Edinburgh?
Probably not. The pilot would have looked down to see you torching the woods and then thought better of it.
Easy to have to much light as well!
I was riding with more & more last year - when I got over 4000 lumens, I found that depth perception was actually worse & some trail features were bleached out, making me slower & more cautious in some sections.
I'm now working on 4XPG & 7XPG lights with a mix of colour temperature bins of the LEDS to make a more usable light.
Good stuff Snaps.
I hope you post your findings and what you decide upon as your optimum set-up. Keep us posted.
Well, it seems my wife didn't have a sickened look on her face, as she is extremely caring and understanding. Not to mention lovely and generally wonderful.
So I've placed an order for one of these lights.
Thanks Luke I will be intouch when I get home and putting the thermals on for a build up in the freezing garage .
was it a bit like this Chris cant remember how many lumens it was but more than 5000 IRC
Exactly what I mean Chris, & you don't realise either how much light is 'lost' to the sky in that shot until you blast in to a forest & get it all reflected back at you!
yup, a bit like that, but I was in the woods with low overhanging trees so it felt even brighter.
Coming down Innerleithen with 3.4k lumens - the guy infront of me was in my shadow, and he's got a super bright HID - the sort that are on quad bikes. The guy behind me couldn't see much due to the reflection off the frost.
I'm confused 
Is this post about a Mini Trout as i'm interested
OR a thread hijack by someone trying to flog their own light? 
Just set up a mini on a head strap for nocturnal doggy walking
so thought might as well get some beam shots while out
How much is the mini out of interest?
check out trouties website .....
get your mini here
Don't think much of your dogging outfit and light there troutie
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