A tasty Petzl Tikka: the perfect head torch!
Written: Sep 20 '09 (Updated Dec 07 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Robust light strong and well made head torch.
Cons: You have to pay through the nose to get the quality.
The Bottom Line: Anyone needing a reliable, strong and light head torch will love the Petzl Tikka KP
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| cr01's Full Review: Petzl Tikka XP Led Headlamp |
As we are soon to be spending four nights rough camping in the middle of a Madagascar forest, I concluded that a reliable, powerful but lightweight head torch might be very useful for any necessary middle night excursions. Although there are no species dangerous to humans in Madagascar, I'd still like to avoid urinating on a snake if I can.
A quick search around the internet soon came up with the Tikka XP made by Petzl. Although we haven't yet been on our trip, a local night time wander with the torch confirms that it will tick all the boxes for our needs. Of course, the torch isn't the cheapest, but in such an isolated spot, I'll need reliability too. The torch is guaranteed for three years.
Given that one of our local restaurants is located across a couple of fields, and that one of our roads is busy but without a pavement, the torch is going to be useful locally too, now the nights are rapidly drawing in.
The Tikka XP
The Tikka is very light; even with the three AAA batteries on board it still comes in at around 3 oz. Weight and size is an important consideration given the considerable number of potions and lotions we will also be carrying in our rucksack.
The torch itself is made from a strong sturdy plastic, very capable of withstanding a few knocks. It looks like it will bounce quite well.
The torch comes with a strong elasticised headband. While it's not a look I'd be too keen on sporting down at the high street, it means I will be able to wander round the night time campsite with both hands free. The weight isn't taxing to wear.
The controls are very easy to use while the torch is strapped to my head, as there is simply an on-off button (and a couple of rapid extra clicks controls the brightness of the light), and a "booster button" which enables you boost the light for a short period. The torch has an inbuilt safety control to make sure the bulb doesn't get too hot and damaged, if you use booster mode a little too eagerly. Finally there is a diffuser lens, which I can slide over the bulb if I need to get a wider beam of light closer to where I'm going, rather than the traditional narrow "torch beam" stretching into the distance.
In terms of beam, the little fellow packs quite a punch. With fresh batteries, and the highest setting, the beam can extend a useful light to around 100 feet away. Further, the small batteries should last a minimum of 60 hours, meaning that I don't have to pack spares during our 3 weeks away.
I wouldn't have ordinarily associated Tunisia with high spec torch manufacturing, but at least my torch wasn't made in China with its appalling human and animal rights record.
Petzl
The French Caver Fernand Petzl set up the company in the 1970's after almost 40 years of producing and adapting items for the specialist caving and climbing enthusiast. His most famous invention was a nylon ladder, which extended the ability of cavers to explore. Petzl's first mountaineering headlamp came in the early 70's.
Today the design team at Petzl are all professional climbers, so in theory they know how to design useful and practical products. Today the company employs 400 staff, and has a turnover of over 75 million Euros.
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cr01 asserts his right to be associated as the author of this review -2009-
**update** our Headlamp worked perfectly in Madagascar, and on a night trip to hunt down the mouse lemur, my Headlamp beat every other other light (whatever its size), both in terms of reach and spread.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cr01
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Member: Chris
Location: Yorkshire, England
Reviews written: 443
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About Me:
In snowy Yorkshire. Dusting down the Sledge.
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