Petzl Tikka XP Led Headlamp

Pros: Robust light strong and well made head torch.
Cons: You have to pay through the nose to get the quality.

As we are soon to be spending four nights rough camping in the middle of a Madagascar forest, I concluded that a reliable, powerful but lightweight head torch might be very useful for any necessary middle night excursions. Although there are no species ...

Pros: Light, bright, durable, functional, long-battery life.
Cons: Expensive

The Petzl Tikka XP- This review is for the Petzl Tikka XP head lamp which I bought a few months ago and have found it to an extremely useful piece of equipment. Using a head lamp can be one of the most useful, safe, and convenient things you can do ...

Pros: Light weight, compact, sturdy, long battery life, very good light output
Cons: More expensive than most LED headlamps,

LED (Light Emitting Diode) headlamps have always been known for light weight, compactness, long battery life... and weak light output. They were great for rummaging through your pack in the dark, finding the bathroom in a dark campground, and (with a ...

Pros: Light weight design, long battery life, easy to use controls, high output LED
Cons: There is a wide variety of $20-$30 units, so $45 may seem high

The editors of Backpacker Magazine selected the Tikka XP for an Editors Choice award in March 2006 and it has lived up to that standard in my opinion. I have owned multiple headlamps through the years and this has emerged as one of my favorites. Aside ...

Pros: Very adaptable. Interchangeable colored diffusers available. Good battery life at the lower levels.
Cons: Would have preferred AA, but can live with AAA.

I would recommend this headlamp to anyone, period.I had bought some cheap headlamps before, including the adjustable strap Maglight holder, and been very disappointed. Once I started using the Tikka XP I was overly impressed.I have used ...

Pros: Light weight, selection of brightness and beam width. Ability to use rechargeable batteries.
Cons: AAA batts are not as cost-efficient as AA batts.

I am a nut for flashlights, and work nights and camp a lot. As a result, I have collected a whole bucket of headlamps. This is the one I use the most. I particularly like the ability to spread the beam wider with the Fresnel lens for reading in the tent at night. 

Being regulated, it maintains consistent brightness as the batteries go down. And the indicator tells me in advance whether it is time for a recharge.

Over three years later, it is still my favorite light. I am hair-triggered to buy a newer and better headlamp, but the combination of features this one offers just can't be beat.