Tester Biographical Information

Name:	Andrew Buskov
Age:	31
Gender:	Male
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	218 lbs (99 kg)
Email:	Rescue(at)Corridor9(dot)net
City, State Zip	Madisonville, Kentucky  USA

Backpacking Background:

I started backpacking and became hooked on the outdoors. I realized that I enjoyed the colder weather and solitude of deep backcountry, and have hiked various environments from the green mountains of the Appalachians to the barren desert of Arizona. My hiking season starts early September and ends early June. I’m usually a moderate weight hiker, but as an Emergency Medical Technician I’m trained to be prepared, so my pack usually weighs between 30 to 40 lbs (13 and 18 kg) while solo, to 60 lbs (27 kg) when leading. Information about the author can be found at http://www.corridor9.net.

Product Information:

Item:	Petzl Tikka Plus
Manufacturer:	Petzl
Website	http://petzl.com
Year of Manufacture:	2006
MSRP:	N/A
Actual Weight:	2.75 oz (78 g)
Listed Weight:	2.7 oz (77 g)

Product Description:

The Petzl Tikka Plus is a light weight headlamp that provides 3 levels of lighting in addition to the strobe function. There are 4 leds that provide long lasting, white light. The headband provides a pivot point for the user to aim the light. In addition, it is water resistant for all weather use.

(Information from the Website)

Adjustable proximity lighting with long burn time.

• 4 LEDs produces a long-lasting and even, white light.
• 3 lighting levels (maximum, optimum, economic) and strobe mode, to adapt the light to the activity and light duration needs.
• Produces diffuse, proximity lighting.
• Light beam can be easily aimed where desired.
• Adjustable and comfortable elastic headband.
• Water resistant for all-weather use.

Here are the light duration statistics from the website:

Light duration	Distance
Test 20°C - alkaline batteries
4 Leds Maximum
100 h	t0 = 32 m t30mn = 25 m t10h = 15 m t30h = 5 m
Optimum
120 h	t0 = 23 m t30mn = 20 m t10h = 13 m t30h = 6 m
Economic
150 h	t0 = 15 m t30mn = 14 m t10h = 11 m t30h = 9 m

Description and Performance:

I initially bought this product to replace a cheaper headlamp which had a slider style switch that kept turning on while inside my pack. When I went to the store I was looking for something that was fairly inexpensive, yet durable enough to take repeatedly being stuffed inside my pack, being bashed against rocks when carried in my thigh pocket on my pants, could provide many hours of use on a single set of batteries, yet be light enough that my head wasn't bobbing back and forth all night when I was wearing it.

I settled on the Petzl Tikka Plus due to its relatively light weight, its three brightness levels, the fact that it offered 150 hours of light on a single set of batteries when in low light mode, and the fact that it was made by Petzl. Having a good quality name to back up your product doesn't usually mean a lot to me, but when shopping for an item like this, with so many alternatives out there, the name just helped tip the balance of choice a bit more easily to the Tikka Plus.

Immediately after opening the package, I was impressed. Inside was a very well designed, light weight, headlamp that offered a number of additional features I wasn't even considering when making my purchasing decisions. This headlamp is noticeably lighter than the old one that I was using.

 One of the things that struck me as ingenious was the fact that when the battery cover was removed, there was a small rubber strip holding the front of the headlamp to the battery plate. This makes it virtually impossible to lose the battery cover unless the rubber piece breaks completely. In addition, battery replacement is done relatively easily without the need for coins or other prying items to remove the battery cover. While it is plenty tough to get the battery plate off without meaning to, a firm push against the battery retention clip lets the user remove the battery cover without additional tools.

The battery case does a great job of holding the batteries in place even if the cover isn't securely placed. After inserting the batteries into the cover, I tried out the light and near blinded myself. The light from the 4 LEDs are quite bright, and can easily cause discomfort if looked at directly, even at a low light setting.

 The headband it made of a stretchable material that is very comfortable. It has two hot welded plastic pieces at each end and a clip that allows the user to easily adjust the length without much effort. The design is such that it is easy to adjust, but doesn't slide unnecessarily when left alone.  The headlamp isn't designed to be removed from the band and doing so can damage the plastic clips. I tried to remove this, but after looking at it more closely I wasn't willing to damage my headlamp simply to see if I could remove it.

The Tikka is designed to rotate up and down through a number of positions making it easy for the wearer to position the light at the best angle to see with. You can see in the picture above and below how the light angles change with the tilt of the headlamp. I found it very helpful to position the light more toward my feet to avoid blinding the people I was talking to while cooking my food or other operations that required me to use the headlamp. The radiant light from the Tikka Plus is sufficient to light an area, thus limiting the need to rotate the headlamp often to illuminate an area directly.

Even on the lowest setting it was very bright and allowed me to see roughly 15 m (50 ft) down the trail. I found that only a few times did I need the brightest setting as most of the time my eyes were adjusted to the dark enough that the low light setting worked perfectly. In addition the four light settings (economic, optimum, maximum, and strobe) the Tikka Plus also offers a push-and-hold feature that will illuminate the LEDs for only as long as the user is holding the button. This feature was wonderful for those nights when I needed a simple flash of light to see the shelter doors or the zipper of a tent without wanting to totally obliterate my night vision.

I was completely surprised at the cleaning of this headlamp. The instructions state that: "After use in a humid environment, remove the batteries and dry out. If sea-water gets into the lamp, remove the batteries, rinse thoroughly in fresh water and dry." It was surprising to me that the instructions would say to rinse the headlamp in water. I would assume that this would allow washing of mud or sand off the headlamp without problems. In addition, although it isn't specifically stated in the instructions, I would also assume that this headlamp is somewhat water resistant. Although I'm sure this isn't a very good situation for the batteries, during an emergency situation I won't hesitate to use this lamp when wet.

Another item that struck me as weird was the fact that the instructions state NOT to use Lithium batteries. Using such batteries can cause the headlamp to overheat and possibly damage the LEDs. Someone who doesn't' fully read the instruction manual wouldn't find this information. While I'm not sure if using Lithium batteries would void the warranty, I feel this is something that should be more visible on the packaging since it isn't something that would normally be thought of as a damaging action.

One of the things that has bothered me with the operation of the Tikka Plus is the sequence of lighting that is designed into its electronics. I've found that my usual brightness level is the lowest setting. As it stands now though, I must click through the maximum and optimal setting to reach this lowest brightness level. I feel that the operating levels post an unnecessary drain on the battery, as well as additional strain on the switch, and should be reversed. The light should start off at the lowest level, then progress to the highest light level before reaching the strobe function. Not only would this save battery life, but it would also limit the decline in night vision adjustment.

Field Locations:

I have used this headlamp in a number of conditions ranging from semi-warm, dry 70 F (21 C) weather, to cold wet 20 F (-7 C) weather. All the while the light from this headlamp stayed steady and true. At no point in time have I noticed any sort of dropping in light intensity while wearing this. I'm sure that it happens over time due to battery drainage, but my point is that it is nearly imperceptible and at no time did it hinder my operations or views while hiking the trail at night.

Summary:

I am very pleased with the quality, durability, and ease of use that the Petzl Tikka Plus provides. The band was comfortable on my head and didn't scratch, nor was the weight heavy in my opinion. I would recommend this light to any who are searching out a light weight headlamp for their backpacking adventures.