markfelber's Full Review: Petzl Tikka XP Led Headlamp
LED (Light Emitting Diode) headlamps have always been known for light weight, compactness, long battery life... and weak light output. They were great for rummaging through your pack in the dark, finding the bathroom in a dark campground, and (with a little effort) reading a book or a map. Try to navigate rough terrain at night though, or find rappel anchors on your way down from a long climb, or finish a long climb in the dark, and the limitations of LED technology quickly became apparent. LED technology has improved, though, and Petzl has taken advantage of this new technology to create a compact, lightweight (95 grams) headlamp that actually produces enough light to do more than low light, short range tasks. Along with improved LED technology, Petzl has incorporated some really nice touches. The light output is variable, so that you can set the light for maximum output if needed, or set the light for a lower output to stretch battery life. This is nice in those situations where you forgot to bring spare batteries, or the terrain just doesn't require a high level of light output. There's also a flashing mode, which is nice for joggers and cyclists who are more interested in alerting motorists to their presence on the road. Next to the on/off button is a second button that delivers a super bright beam for as long as that button is pressed, whether or not the headlamp is turned on. Cute touch, but I keep mixing it up with the on/off button. There's also a diffuser screen, which will give a wide angle, low intensity beam instead of the usual tightly focussed, relatively narrow beam. Petzl also sells diffuser screens in different colors that can be fitted to the Tikka XP, although I'm having a little trouble finding a practical use for these.
This light (and others using the latest LED technology) is a big step forward. It used to be that outdoorspeople had to choose between headlamps with incandescent bulbs that put out a respectable amount of light but were relatively heavy and bulky and ate a lot of batteries, and LED headlamps that were compact, lightweight, and offered long battery life but really didn't produce enough light for anything but minimal tasks around the campsite that could probably be done by starlight anyway. The Tikka XP bridges that gap very nicely, offering decent light output and long battery life in a light weight, compact package. I'm still going to keep my Petzl Zoom with it's halogen bulb for off trail excursions, and I'm still going to keep my Black Diamond Ion for times when I want the lightest, smallest light I can find and don't need too much candlepower. Most of my outdoor activity falls in between those two extremes, though, and the Tikka XP works beautifully in all but the most extreme situations.
Just when you think LED lights can't get any better, Petzl comes out with the Tikka XP Headlamp. This single LED lamp has a range of up to 35 meters a...More at Backcountry.com
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