Petzl Tactikka Plus LED Headlamp

Petzl Tactikka Plus LED Headlamp – great all-around headlamp with red light option

I picked up the Petzl Tactikka Plus LED Headlamp after sadly misplacing my Black Diamond Cosmo during the wee hours of the morning at a certain Californian bluegrass festival. I chose the Tactikka solely because of the red filter – red lights help you maintain your night vision so you eyes don’t need to adjust as much when you turn the light off.

The Tactikka is super lightweight at only 2.75 ounces and is fairly comfortable. Four LED bulbs provides enough lighting for making dinner in the dark, a midnight bathroom run, or reading in the tent but probably not enough light for a middle of the night technical ascent. The Tacktikka doesn’t through out a huge beam of light so it is more ideal for activities needing close-up lighting.

Three brightness settings and a flashing mode give you plenty of lighting options for different activities and a tiltable housing lets you hone in where you need the light. The lamp is also weather-resistant so you don’t have to worry about the light fizzling out in light rain or snow.

The quick & dirty:
Where you can find on:
REI: $43.95
Amazon: 43.95

Why they rock:

Super lightweight – weighs only 2.75 ounces with batteries
Four LED bulbs provide 35 lumens of light
High setting illuminates up to 23 meters
Red light filter enhances night vision
3 brightness levels and 1 strobe setting
100-150 hours of light depending on what setting you use
3 AAA batteries included

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 8 out of 10

Definitely an all around great headlamp, the Petzl Tactikka Plus is great for car camping and backpacking. The light is definitely sufficient for finding my way around camp, but if I ever plan on an early morning approach I am going to need a brighter light such as the Black Diamond Spot.

Looking to buy? Here’s where you can get one:
REI: $43.95
Amazon: 43.95