Customer Reviews

Petzl Tikka 3-LED Headlamp, Green #E43P2

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought my Tikka with an REI year-end dividend when they were brand new, still fairly unique and a bit more expensive. Today there are a ton of LED headlamps about, and I have a few others, but the Tikka is still my favorite. It's been 100% reliable, it produces tons of light, and it's the lightest of all the LED headlamps I've tried. It 's better than a hand-held light for following a trail in the dark, and you can read with it in your tent, too.

This light is super bright. The batteries seem to last forever. One thing is that the switch can be a little flaky, which can affect the light's brightness. Still, it's a great light. The strap is very comfortable and it's so light you forget you have it on, except everywhere you look, it's bright!

I bought this August of 2005. After more then half a year of heavy use I feel enough time has elapsed to make some comments.

This device is very good. I find the light to be very bright, especially when the batteries are fresh. The headband is adjustable and comfortable. The tilt on the lamp itself provides a great deal of flexibility. I find the white light with a hint of blue to be pleasant and easy to view by. The three LED's provide a surprisingly bright and usable light when the battery is new or newish.

Now to the one negative. I use this item almost exclusively for reading. The unit is bright and easy to read by but is only steady for the first hour or so. After the second hour the light flashes between two grades of brightness. When the battery is new the light is bright and steady. After a couple of hours or so of usage the light begins to alternate between bright and nearly bright. After about 5 hours of usage the light alternates between nearly bright and acceptable. After about 9 hours of usage the light alternates between acceptable, dim and very dim. Because of this I find the unit has about 9 to 10 hours of usage for my needs.

For many applications of this device having a flicker would not be an issue. For reading this is very annoying. I do love the unit but I wish it would stay the same and dim consistently rather then fluctuate. I don't have this issue with the single LED clip on light I alternately use. I don't know if this is a Petzl issue or just the unit I own. Other then this minor complaint the unit is absolutely wonderful.

Aside from outdoor recreational activities, in just one month, I've already used this brightly focused, little light in many helpful ways: to sort my pills correctly, when I needed a little extra light to see better; to look inside a faulty damper of a chimney and assess the damage; to locate a tool that I accidently dropped under the truck seat; and most importantly, as a passenger, to read from a book out loud at night in an dark automobile which kept the driver alert without any distraction from glare to the driver, or to other cars. Highly recommended.

"Amazing" is the only way to describe how effective the Tikka Plus headlight is for this electrician who must adjust instruments or splice color-coded wires in junction boxes in dark or poorly lighted areas. Keeping an ordinary flashlight that is under one's shirt collar aimed at the work while connecting wires that are sometimes live, is a juggling act. Before long that flashlight drops and the bulb fails. No more. This Tikka Plus headlight is pricey but bright, lightweight, drop-proof because it is so lightweight, and operates for days on standard AAA batteries. No exotic lithium batteries or N batteries required.

The product claim for water-resistance is fair because I can easily conceive of "wearing it" in the rain, and because it's interior seems cleanable. It is so comfortable that it will soon become the electrician's stylish gadget of choice. It fits under a visor cap or hard hat. It will soon become equivalent to a doctor's stethescope. In addition, it operates for such a long time without fading. For over four decades I have wished for such a device.

Now I will tell you somethings that are not in the product blurb or manual. After one of the four brightness settings is selected and used for a few seconds, it is no longer necessary to "cycle through" settings to turn it off. The very next click shuts the light off. Also note that when dimming, all four LEDs are dimmed; dimming is not achieved by turning some lamps off. The result is excellent light distribution even at lower output settings. Also note that it can be placed very reliably on one's chin when required in close quarters or for upward illumination. I love this light.

Do you remember the "Twilight Zone" black-and-white episode wherein the roadside diner operator (space alien) finally reveals a third eye under his chef's cap? That's how I feel with this "third eye" - supernatural. But please note that if you leave the light switched on while in public areas you will be noticed and avoided, and probably viewed as "quite alien." Advice: Don't ask for a date with the light switched on.

I fell in love with the PETZL Zipka Tikka model LED light in Alaska where I first saw and bought one. In the winter as obvious, it is very dark and you really, really need a reliable light source at times. It is not an exaggeration to say that your life might depend upon it. I like the trail distance I got, the ease I could use it on my wrist or forehead. I especially recommend the small size so it can be put in a parka pocket or purse. I also use Petzl in Arizona which often is short of street lights in urban areas. Only hassle is the #$%@ accessing to replace batteries. It is impossible to open the unit with your fingers/nails. You will need a sharp object and plenty of light and a little muscle to open the unit and replace the batteries. I finally found manicure scissors do the job. If the light gives out on the trail, in a cave or dark street, you are in trouble because of the difficulty in replacing the batteries. This is the only hassle I (and plenty of others) have found with this great product. (I often carry two so I don't have to hassle battery replacement).

This would be an excellent product if it were not for some obviously weak manufacturing. The three leds are very bright...when they're getting juice from the batteries. It seems that the switch easily goes faulty causing intermittent connections. This leads to flickering as well as "brown outs" from the lamp.
After I've used it for a while I'll probably bust it open to see where the faults are really.
But, if you have the patience to fiddle with the switch to get full power to the leds, then go right ahead and get this...otherwise you might raise your blood pressure out of frustration.

We own two of these which we use for backpacking. Since we camp out 60 nights a year they get heavy use. They are lightweight, great battery life and "hands free" for reading or late evening cooking. However, both of them blink or dim occasionally which can be quite irritating. Supposedly, this is due to cheap contacts in the on/off switch though they had this problem from day one.

I'm a maintenance specialist for a pharmaceutical company in the bay area and have used this tool on several occations and find it to be a quality product. It's bright, adjustable and can last for a long time. I have also used it in night hiking or running.

Great product.

Good, bright, focused light, that seemingly lasts forever on just two AAA batteries. Comfortable to wear -- you pretty much forget you have it on. The only issue I found was that it's a little difficult to slide the on/off switch; however this wasn't a big deal.