I have about ten different lighting systems for 24Hour+ adventure racing, but the Tikka XP is the one that I always have in my Mandatory kit. For all but mountain biking over technical terrain, this lightweight, power-efficient lamp delivers ample illumination.

Its a good basic lamp. I would recommend this for anyone with casual use. Its far to weak for anything serious though. The boost feature is a bit of a gimic though.

Save your money and buy a Black Diamond Spot instead. The spot is $10 cheaper, uses a better LED, and brighter. When trail running with a friend after dark, him wearing the Petzl, and me the Spot, both on fresh batteries, the Petzl's brightness pales in comparison. This is because the Petzl uses the Luxeon LED, which gives only half of the light output as the CREE LED, which the Spot uses. Both LEDs have similar run time. If you want a side-by-side comparison of CREE vs Luxeon, go here: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/fenix_p1d.htm

I was reluctant to plunk down $50 for a headlamp but it was worth every penny. I was worried about all the weight being in one spot creating a bounce while I ran at night but I hardly notice it. The buttons are easy to access and operate, no fiddling around turning it on and off.

I was impressed with the spotlight ability of the Tikka for being an LED. It's the lightest and brightest headlamp I have ever used and use it for everything from backpacking to BBQ'n in my back yard.

This light is a good buy. I've found the battery life to be excellent. It isn't bulky and doesn't get in the way. So far it's been plenty bright for nighttime hiking and setting up camp.
It would be nicer if there was a band coming over the top of the head to prevent it from falling down when running.

I rode my mtn bike in the dark on city streets tonight -the Tikka XP was far brighter than my bike-mounted light. I used the Tikka's 'strobe' setting and could read street signs well in advance of when I needed to. I felt comfortable knowing I was very visible to cars. Oh - and it stayed on my helmet perfectly without slipping or sliding around. I directed the beam downward, just in front of my bike so as to not blind oncoming drivers or pedestrians. In short - excellent headlamp, compact, simple to operate and lightweight. I can't wait to use it camping! A great find..and water resistant, too. This replaces my two-strap, waterproof 1997 Petzl headlamp that had a 4AA battery pack, two separate bulbs (one adjustable focus) and an unbelievably cumbersome rear battery housing that caused the headlamp to slide all over my head and blinded anyone I was talking to.

great light,
very solid feeling to it, batteries last forever
plenty of light for mountaineering, hiking, figuring out whats wrong under the hood of your car
buttons are super easy to manipulate even with somewhat thick gloves
the diffuser lens is great. you slide the lens over the LED for proximity light and then slide it out for long distance spot light.
Great for finding rap stations after the sun sets.

This is a great light for all occasions. I replaced my smaller and lighter (1oz) cheapo headlamp and was worried about the added 2oz. After using it I can say that it was worth the extra weight. Between the different intensity settings and the diffuser this thing could weight 10oz and I'd probably still use it. One thing I did was change from standard alkaline batteries to lighter weight lithium ion ones to save a little weight. You can't go wrong here.

Great light! I'd never really used on of these before, and I was surprised at how bright it was. I used it for camping and hiking and it worked brilliantly (I even had to light the way for some others because their headtorches were rubbish). It would help to have a strap going over the top, I was hiking with it on my head for about 10 hours and started getting a bit of a headache, but that could have just been fatigue.

I've used this headlamp looking for blazes while hiking after the sun has set a few times. It's also pulled duty for getting me down off a mountain in the Wasatch range after the Utah night snuck up on me.

The lamp packs up small, and doesn't weigh much, which is why it's always in my backpack. The spotlight works great looking for blazes on trees in the distance, slide the diffuser over and this lamp is perfect for wondering around camp. This is an awesome all around headlamp with long battery life, I still haven't replaced mine.

In Natural Bridge Caverns, it is pitch black, and can't see a thing, but when I turned on my petzl, BOOM! instant light. the moral of the story... BUY A PETZL !!!!!!!

We went on a midnight to dawn hike up Wheeler Peak, Nm over Labor Day. This was a great headlamp, I used it on the medium setting all night. After a while you tend to forget it is pitch black outside. This headlamp provided pleanty of light without overpowering your surroundings.

I can't believe how bright the Tikka XP is for its size. It is incredibly small and lightweight yet when using boost mode it manages to outshine many of the larger headlamps with annoying battery packs that hang behind the head. I also love the sliding diffuser which makes the light softer and more widespread for close-ranged lighting rather as opposed to distance spotting. I was originally a bit skeptical at how well it would work, but I have to say, I am quite impressed. This is my favorite headlamp by far and has completely replaced my old halogen lamp, even for spotting things in the distance. By the Tikka XP and you'll never be left in the dark again!

Took my new Petzl headlamp on a backpacking trip on the Colorado trail a few weeks ago. It got plenty of use, seems durable and gave off tons of light. I like having the option to diffuse or spot the lamp and found the power to be perfect, even on the lowest settings. LED technology has come a long way, because the light doesn't appear too "blue" and the lamp is light enough (and comfortable) to be worn for extended periods without issues. A great buy and good value for money!

I have had my Tikka XP for over 3 years and it is still going strong. This is excellent for camping or general night time use. The diffuser is a nice option for when you need to illuminate a wider field of view. Multiple settings allow dimming during times when the full output is not needed and also extends battery life.

Upgraded after many years of using the Petzl Tikka... which was sufficient until friends started to get these new generation of LED headlamps that produce more light. Although not the brightness it is a good compromise for its size.

this thing is so cool the batt last for ever buy u love it

buy it and u will love batt last forever and has a led ont the side that tells u the batt life 3 light levels and a super bright mod and a flashing mode

Because I live in the dark for a good part of the year (Alaska), I have been on a quest for the ultimate flashlight. I have found it, the Petzl Tikka XP.
Very light weight, very durable, very bright, and an incredibly long battery life. So impressed, that I bought one for all my family and a few friends. I highly recommend it.

This lamp is serious overkill. Most hiker will use their headlamp briefly to read or write in their tent. maybe for a couple minutes to find a solid tree in the middle of the night when nature calls. This thing is just to bulky on ones head - you're going to feel like a coal miner trust me. Two words Petzl e+lite. weighs less than an oz you can get extra batteries on ebay for almost nothing and it's really all the light most hikers will ever need. take the elite an extra set of the weightless batteries it requires plus a backup squeeze led for an emergency and you'll be much happier. then again if you're hauling 50lbs of gear anyway ignore this bums advice since you'll need the tikka xp when you are doing the dishes in the kitchen sink you undoubtedly brought along. E+lite look it up!

This thing just works. The battery lasts a long time, and you can put a cover over the light to diffuse it for a wide beam or uncover it for a tighter brighter beam. It's great all around

Extremely light and simple, this headlamp is a gem. In particular, I love the wide vs. narrow beam option, the blinking batter meter, and the boost mode.

Tilt function will not fail like other brands eventually will.

This headlamp is great for around camp and other general use, but is not bright enough for an alpine start.

I got the original tikka when they first came out and am super impressed with the updates. This one is easier to change the batteries and the buttons are easier to push. One button is a simple on/off and the other controls flashing and brightness. But the best new feature is the diffuser shade that flips over the light to make the light easier to tolerate when walking and reading. The sharper light is great for climbing or very specific tasks, but the diffuser is nice for reading a book or looking at a general, bigger area. I feel like this on is lighter and much more comfortable as well. It adjusts easily and works without fail. Great lamp!

Not as bright as some, like the Princeton Tec Apex, but its bright enough for trail running. Its a very good balance between weight and brightness. Very easy to carry in one hand if you wrap it around. Stays on without slipping down if I put it on tight enough. My choice headlamp for everyday trail running.

Light, bright, comfortable, small. What else could you want! I use it primarily for biking at night and it put my $80 bike mounted light out of business. The power boost button is priceless when you hear rustling in the bush across the way and the the slide over diffuser is perfect for close range tasks like setting up a tent. Worth every penny over the cost of cheaper models.

I was extremely pleased after this weekend with my first headlamp. I used the floodlight feature the most(large diameter of light) and even while wearing working gloves I was able to find the buttons and switch between flood and spotlight with ease. Upon hearing thigs in the distance I would immediately switch from flood to spotlight and enable boost mode within 2 seconds. The brightness and distance reminded me of several Surefire flashlights I own. It was surprsingly lite in weight and the 3 strength of light were perfect. I'm also looking forward to not changing the batteries for quite some time (having the indicator is nice too) A++

this is by far the best headlamp that I've ever used, the beam is extremely strong and the different options all work great

This head lamp has given me the freedom to run/hike in the woods after work. It feels great! The light is fantastic. I now can recognize different animals simply by the shape of their eyes. This head lamp gives plenty of light and is very lightweight. Easy to switch on & off.

Great lamp. Everything I thought it was going to be. Use it more than I thought I would for a variety of projects. Mostly bought it to walk my dog at night. Works great for that too.

great lightweight headlamp. not amazingly bright past 25 feet unless using superbright option for the 10 seconds provided. but around camp or when running, its perfect. awesome battery life and i've dropped mine in quite a few puddles and have had no problems. definitely recommend it. very versatile. only downside is it isnt as bright as my buddies, but his weighs 3 times as much and was 80 bucks so i guess it works out.

This is a best in class for the money
no other light is as bright in the this class or made with a 120 hr run
Hit at 40 lums the extra push is almost as bright as my surefire flash light
amazing very happy . perfect for hiking or mountaineering .

I bought this 2 years ago after doing a bit of research and deciding it had the best mix of intensity and battery life. Since then I have never regretted it. I can't complain about a single thing, it's really bright, might not be the brightest, but it's up there, and the battery life is fantastic, one battery change will last several trips, depending on how much you use the super bright setting. One thing I've found really useful that is a bit out of the norm for headlamps is the flood setting, just a little plastic window that slides out in front of the LED and diffuses the beam into a wider path, illuminating more with a less blinding light, good for working/ cooking, setting up tents etc.

It was a Christmas gift so I haven't had a chance to use in the field yet. It looks well made and simple. It seems practical and easy to use. Can't wait to try it out!