People have been requesting a full size Bogota Rake for years. SEREPICK heard their pleas and created the Bogota Titan-Flats Entry Toolsets.
Top to Bottom: Bogota single, Bogota triple, a shallow hook, and a basic tensioner
Overview
The Bogota Titan-Flats Entry Toolsets are made from titanium which makes them very light weight, corrosion resistant, and non-magnetic. The kit contains a Bogota triple, a Bogota single, a shallow hook, and a basic tensioner.
Rather than the familiar compact, quarter bend format of the typical Bogota Entry Toolsets, the Titan Flats are more like traditional picks in form. They are larger overall than the other Bogota Entry Toolsets but they are flatter. This makes them ideal for use as a very flat stand-alone kit or as an addition to a full kit.
A little heat shrink tubing keeps the tools together in one compact kit.
In Use
I have already covered why Bogota Rakes are so effective in some depth in previous reviews. They work and they work well. I know of no other pick that gives even the first time user such a good chance of success.
I thought that I would find these Bogota Titan-Flats had better “feel” and were even more effective than their smaller counterparts due to their larger handles, but that wasn’t really the case. That isn’t a knock on the Titan Flats but rather a compliment to the smaller Bogota Entry Toolsets because these Titan Flats are still quite good.
They do have excellent feel. If you are used to picking, you would likely prefer this set. The shallow hook is quite good as is the Bogota single. In fact, the Bogota single is quite versatile. It can be used to rake or as a pick when inverted. Both provide very good feel and feedback when picking.
The Bogota triple works very well but I found myself actually preferring the form factor of the compact Bogota rakes. It may be that I would feel differently if my first experience with Bogota Rakes was with the Titan Flats, but I have become so used to the hooked handles of the Entry Toolsets for raking. This is purely preference.
The tensioner is very basic but it works. I prefer a tensioner that has a little more flex than this but that is only because I lack skill and the flex makes up a bit for my heavy handedness. Skilled users will likely find this tensioner to be completely sufficient.
Titan-Flats shown with Titan-Minis and a quarter for scale
Conclusion
I think the biggest upside to this kit is its versatility. It is just as comfortable as a stand-alone kit as it is as an addition to someone’s full pick set. Until now, it has been somewhat difficult to find a Bogota triple with a full handle. It will also serve as a great gateway to raking for those who are used to bypassing locks with full sized tools. Every tool in this kit works and offers performance that will satisfy everyone from beginners to pros.
Check out the “Titan-Flats” on SEREPICK.com.
