Customer Reviews

Petzl E98 Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a tenured user of these lights, and they are well worth the money. This light has the red LED mode and does flashing and on all the time in that mode. Otherwise it has no advantage over the 4 led model (which is cheaper). It actually seems slightly less bright than the 4 LED in white mode. The red light (which is only one bulb, contrary to how it looks) is very dim but enough to walk home if your eyes were adjusted. More important distinction is to buy the push button model (this one or the 4 led), the slide switch on the (even cheaper still) 3 LED model wears out over time.

This is the first time I could call a headlamp "addictive." I got this lamp and continually friends and strangers alike are enticed into acquiring one, sometimes even before seeing it in action! I carry this with me religiously, and it is small and light enough to be unobtrusive in almost any pocket. This is a fully-functioning light, good for hiking, slow mountain biking, or getting caught in an epic while rock-climbing. I had an older model which was thoroughly abused, and the spectra cord got slightly furry, but never showed signs of failing. I lost it before I was able to kill it.

PROS:
-Light
-Small
-Bright
-Even Beam
-Red Light
-Battery Indicator
-Mega-Durable (no wires, impact-resistant)
-Batteries change out in the dark more easily than previous model/ some other headlamps
-Wrist-wearable, auto-adjust for hats, helmets, neck, etc.


CONS:
-Can be tangly for long/fine hair
-Can slide around on long-haired people
-Bike handlebar-mount trick doesn't really work for me
-Tilting must be done by moving it around on your head (or moving your head around)

I own a handfull of headlamps, including Petzl's Myo RXP, an old Black Diamond, and several other random headlamps I've collected. This is now my go-to headlamp. The retractable cord is fantastic. I really like being able to wrap it around my arm, tree limbs, poles, or whatever. Might not be great for runners, but it fits comfortably around my head and doesn't fall out of place. The beam is bright enough without blinding. I don't normally use the strobe, but the strobe effect on this is much more "strobe" like and not just on/off blinking than any other light I've used. The red lamp is another great feature and I use the red beam about 25% of the time now. The light doesn't tilt, but beam is enough of a flood that it hardly matters to me.

I am a regular headlamp user in the wilderness and around home. This lamp has a lot of light, is consistent and reliable. Around camp or working around home it is great but it has a disastrous flaw. In pitch black the light diffused straight out the semi clear plastic in the bottom and the glare is a real problem.

Most of the time a light like this is used when there is other light around. At these times your eyes are not dilated and the glare is not noticed but hit the trail early with cloud cover or even worse with a fog and this light is a real problem. The glare comes straight down and your vision is gone. In other words, when you need it most it won't do the job.

Yes, a piece of black tape mostly fixes this, but Petzl blew it and they are better than this! Opt for another headlamp.

I have 2 versions of the Petzl, this one and Petzl E99 PI Tikka XP 2. Both are great, slight differences. The Petzl E99 PI Tikka XP 2 tilts and may be a little brighter but the Petzi E98 headband is more convenient than the fabric headband, I love the non cluttered band. If I did a lot of hiking the E99 is probably better but for me either is good.

We have cheaper head lamps but this one is definately the best. I like that it is lightweight and that it packs small. The run-time and luminance are better I got the Petzl carry case for it and this is a very accessory.

The unit cannot tilt to adjust the beam position, however, I haven't really needed to do that at all.

Well worth the price.

I bought this headlamp for a camping trip and it has been great. I travel a lot, so I wanted something compact. The Zipka takes up very little space and it's very bright. Also has a "Economic" mode that less bright and a red LED that's great for preserving night vision. It's not quite as comfortable as a standard headband, but it's by no means uncomfortable. Also, the zip line can be used to hold the light on your wrist, or mount it to various other objects.

so i bought this because a buddy had one at first i thought way too expensive then i said screw it and bought one for a camping trip well not only did i use the heck out of this on my camping trip but it has ended up in my truck and every time i need a light whamo there it is the red light feature was great for that midnight call of the wild and i am looking forward to the red light for use on my sailboat the neat string headband was usefull for wrapping around a beam on my easy-up and directing the light right on to the table allowing us to keep the dominos going into the wee hours of morning still i gotta admit not quite sure if it was worth as much as i paid i can say that i love this when compared to my old headlamd with the 4 aa battery pack will purchase more probably one for the truck, the tool box, a couple on the boat who knows if they every get cheaper watch out!!

We've only used these on one trip so far, mostly tent camping for a couple of weeks. We wanted the model with the retractable cord instead of a head band so they'd be easy to carry around in a pocket or other small space. Everything about them was a pleasure: lots of light, good choice of lighting modes, light-weight, small size, battery life seemed excellent. My wife has long hair and had no problem using the corded model as long as she took it off properly (i.e., as long as she didn't just yank it off). We were in dry weather so can't comment on performance in wet conditions.

I love this little light. It works great for its application as my go to light for backpacking. The retractable head strap is tight enough to keep the lamp secured to you head while loose enough to remain comfortable. I like how easy this light is to pack away into small pockets or in sacks full of small items in my pack. The only complaint would be when my girlfriend used the light it pulled her hair a little bit when she removed it. I personally have no complaints.