Customer Reviews

Petzl Tikka Plus 4-LED Headlamp #E47P

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Tikka Plus builds on the original Tikka/Zipka design. I also own an original Zipka (which has a retracting strap, but is otherwise identical to the Tikka) and have been happy with it as well.

The sliding switch in the old design was a weak spot and it has been replaced in the Plus designs with a much-improved sealed push button. The combination of the improved switch with an electronic brightness control system makes the Plus models worth every penny more you pay above the originals. The dimmed modes are achieved by rapidly pulsing the LEDs and does result in a very slight strobing effect when fast moving objects pass in front of the lamp. (rain, bugs, etc.)

The original Tikka/Zipka were not tilt adjustable and the "Plus" models address that shortcoming as well.

I have had my Tikka Plus out in the rain and snow and it's never had any trouble. The only water I would worry about with these headlamps would be saltwater.

The battery lifetimes stated by Petzl are mostly realistic if a bit optimistic. After the first 10-15 hours the brightness drops off a bit, but it remains quite usable for close work --cooking, reading, walking, etc. In complete darkness it's amazing how usable the light remains even after literally days of use.

In fact the gradual dimming of the light means that you'll probably replace the batteries to get it back to full brightness before they actually run out. And after getting 20-30 hours of light from 3 AAA batteries, you shouldn't feel guilty either. :) However in an emergency it's nice to know how far the batteries will go if needed -- whether that's in the backcountry or during an extended power failure at home...

I'm not much of a camper, but I know that a good hands-free light source is important when doing the outdoor thing. So when I was planning that aspect of my '04 Sturgis motorcycle trip, I did some research along those lines. I read a number of positive reviews for the Petzls on Amazon.com, and decided that one of those would do. However, I wanted to make sure by doing some hands-on research, so I went off to my local outdoors shop for that purpose.

I was going to buy the Petzl with the retractable string headband, since it was the most compact. But after trying it on, I was afraid the thin string would break at the worst possible moment, and I'd be sucking wind. I looked at other Petzls, and finally settled on the Tikka Plus. I liked that the lamp had adjustable pointing positions, and it seemed bright even in a well-lit store. Plus the sturdy headband fit well; it didn't feel like it would fly off if I sneezed too hard, or break under heavy use. Also, the Tikka Plus was light, compact even with the wide elastic headband, and ran on easily replaceable AAA batteries. Finally, the price was right, especially compared to some of the high-end, rechargeable models I saw.

I knew I'd made the right choice after the first night outside. It still fit my head snug and comfortably, even while walking or moving around in close quarters. As for the light's brightness, it was more than sufficient. I was able to read just fine after dark in my small tent, and it made finding that elusive item at the bottom of my pack much easier. Also, the Petzl came in handy when I had to cross a grassy, wooded campground for that late-night bathroom break. Others have complained about the push button light switch, but I had no real issues with it. The different light intensities were a nice feature - I used the highest one the most, followed by the second brightest for night reading at sack time (this is where the light's tilt function was useful; it helped me achieve a comfortable reading position).

The Petzl Tikka Plus was one of the single most useful camping items I brought along on my Sturgis trip. If you camp a lot, then perhaps a higher-end lamp would suit you better. But for an infrequent camper like me, this one was just fine.

I admit it, I'm an LED light junky. I have LED lights by Black Diamond, PrinctonTec, etc., as well as the original Petzl Tikka. The Tikka Plus is not the best value out there, and not even the lightest for its brightness (that goes to its sibling, the Zipka Plus). But it's the one that, now that I've upgraded from my original Tikka, almost always ends up in my backpack.

Why is that? Well:

1. Light weight. Mere ounces.
2. No bulky box or overstrap that makes it hard to wear a hood or hat with the lamp. Makes it more useful in rain.
3. A quite impressive flood of light for such a small lamp. I do suggest carrying a flashlight with a brighter more focused beam for when you're trying to do pathfinding at night, but if you're keeping to well-defined trails, you'll have no problem with the Tikka's amount of light.
4. Very comfortable to wear on your head. In fact, maybe too comfortable. I remember one time I set out from camp while it was still dark. About 30 minutes later, I no longer needed my lamp, so turned it off, but left it on my head in case the next dip into shadow was too dark. About an hour later, I was puffing up a long incline, reached up to wipe the sweat off my forehead, and ended up sending my Tikka flying -- I had forgotten it was up there.

I had the original Tikka and it was one of my favorites too, but had a few things I didn't like -- the inability to swivel the beam up and down, only barely enough light to hike in the dark, and a rather flimsy and klunky switch. The Tikka Plus fixes all of those issues by adding one more LED, adding a swivel, and adding a better switch. Oh sure, my Princeton Tech Yukon XL makes more light, its batteries last longer, and it is a technological marvel with its combination of traditional LED's and the new 1-watt LED. It also weighs twice as much, its big AA battery box that sits on the back of the head is very clumsy to wear with a hood or hat (as I might want to wear if it's raining), and I can't hike twice as well at night with it.

Weaknesses? Well, the battery compartment is difficult to get open, and it's hard to get the batteries in and the compartment closed again. And of course it has no focused beam of light for looking at stuff further than 20 feet or so, and the battery life isn't as long as on headlamps with fewer LED's or more batteries. Other than that...

So yes, the Petzl isn't the brightest, and isn't the longest lasting, and isn't even the lightest. But it hits a real sweet spot point that makes it my favorite headlamp despite all that.

My son is a long distance runner, running approximately 70 miles a week. In the fall & winter months with it getting dark so early, this headlamp is perfect for him to see ahead of him and also for others to see him as well. He says it is very comfortable to wear.

I bought this for my husband who is a part-time, at home mechanic. Now, everytime I see him, he is wearing this light. He uses it constantly. He really likes it and that is enough to give it 5 stars. I recommend this light to anyone and with Amazon's sale price and free shipping, it's a great deal.

Pros
- Bright
- 3 intensity settings plus a blink setting.
- Rubberized button interface is solidly implemented
- Ability to adjust light angle is great.
- Strap is comfortable.
- Unit is very light and comfortable to wear on one's head.
- Great replacement for the traditional snake light. Ie light is exactly where you need it- ie where your eyes are looking.
- Long battery life.

Cons
- NONE!

the Petzl Tikka Plus Headlamp is the perfect lamp for all night chores and activities. It is super lightweight and is very bright. The light is focused on your task at hand.

This is a great asset to have while out on the trails after dark. It is incredibly light weight, and very bright. I was surprised by how bright it was the first time I used it. The beam is spread out so that you can see a wider swath in the night time. Since I bought this, I have been doing most of my running after dark or early morning before the daylight hits. If you are getting into running Ultra's like I am, or just enjoy trail running altogether, you must get this headlamp.

Great for working indoors - I use it for fixing AV equipment and my home PC - light goes right where I'm looking. Strap is pretty comfortable.

I found out when I got mine that Petzl has now started using new LEDs in the TikkaPlus that are 80% brighter than the previous version of the same light while improving battery life (as of 1/1/06). I really think this is the perfect short-range headlamp. Very comfortable, very light, bright, 3 levels of variable brightness, unbelievable battery life, and it uses ubiquitous AAAs. I really love this light. Note that it does have a noticable blue tint to beam, but this isn't too big of a problem, considering the otherwise great perfomance of the light.