Click to buy online
from Brigade Quartermasters

Petzl Tikka and Tikka Plus Headlamp
Reviewed by: Bill Ames
Where to buy: REI, any decent outdoors shop
Cost: about $30

The Petzl Tikka is one of the newest breed of headlamp to come out which use LED technology. LEDs have been around for decades, but only recently have bright white (nearly white) versions become available.

The Tikka is extremely light, weighing in at just a few ounces, but the light it puts out rivals much larger and heavier units.

With three AAA batteries, you'll have well over 100 hours of bright light--bright enough to hike or read by--and you don't have to worry about the bulbs burning out since they're solid state.

I've used my Tikka for about a year now, and I'm still on my first set of alkaline batteries. This is one of those rare items that I think everybody should have, and my only complaint is that the switch mechanism is a little touchy. I've always gotten it to light for me, but sometimes it just doesn't want to click on the on position without me holding it there and tapping it a few times.

Addendum

I've had my Tikka for over two years now, and it's still going strong. I use it for everything from power outages to working on my car. In fact, I've purchased a few more, just to have handy. A lot of other manufacturers have come out with LED lights, but I find the Tikka to be completely right for my needs.

Another update - Tikka Plus released

The Tikka Plus is now out, and it seems to have fixed the few things I didn't like about the Tikka. The switch is now a rubberized push button that seems more reliable, and there is another LED for more brightness. There are also a few power saving modes instead of simple on/off operation. I'm going to get one as soon as I can find an excuse!