Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

I got my first Petzl headlight back in the early 90’s. It worked great and was brighter and more flexible than anything out there. I had a few problems with the battery compartment but managed to keep it running with tape. Eventually it evaporated in a move. Fast forward a few years and I reached the point where I got back into biking and I’m looking for a bike light. Anything that actually gave a useful amount of light was $100+ and strapped to a bike. I wandered over to the headlight section to see what was available.

Petzl was still there and brighter than ever. Looking for maximum brightness quickly narrowed it down to the Petzl and another light. The Petzl took AA’s vs CR-123A. Case closed, light sold.

As bright or brighter than the majority of the bike lights I was able to mount it on my helmet and use it for biking at night. Around the house it had many uses, especially in home improvement. It has a long list of features some of which may not be obvious just by looking at the light.

-Takes AA Batteries. When you use it every week for hours on end the ability to use AA rechargeable becomes a big plus. I typically stock it with 3 Eneloop 2000 NiMH AA’s and it goes for about 3-4 hours at full power (not overboost).

-Overboost. Up to a 20 second burst of more intense light by pushing a button.

-Variable Power. In addition to full power you have half and quarter power for less light and longer life. Good for reading and working in the tent. There is also a flashing mode which is great for biking. When your in dark areas you go to full continuous power. When you in lit areas you can use the flashing mode.

-Beam diffuser. There is a plastic flip up beam diffuser that spreads out and softens the light. If your doing something up close or detailed work this can be nice.

-Safety Lock. When you first look at the buttons they seem kind of small and odd shaped. There is actually a reason for this. If you rotate the light to the top position (normally not where you would use it) the buttons are blocked by the light housing. It is a safety lock to make sure it doesn’t turn on while in transit.

-Small and lightweight. Just about all modern LED headlights are pretty small and lightweight these days, but this one despite being one of the most powerful is very small up front. Largely because the battery pack is in back.

The only thing I’d really knock this unit for is the same issue with my last Petzl. The battery compartment seems a bit flimsy. It’s made of a flexible plastic and folds over in a way to make the unit weatherproof and light weight. But it doesn’t inspire confidence in the strength and you could see one day that plastic tearing. Still if it lasts as long as the last one did its well worth the money.

So in summary

Pros
Very bright
Flexible beam settings
Weatherproof.

Cons
Battery compartment.

Conclusion
I’m sure in a year or two something smaller and brighter will come out but for now this unit is top of the line for overall use and performance. Well worth its high price if you want as much as you can get from a headlight.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

Buy far the best headlamp I have ever had! Its not heavy for how bright this lamp is. The low setting is really the only one I use because it is that bright. The myo's low setting is brighter than other lamps high setting. The three settings are a perfect balance (low med high)and the defusser lens is great for camp use. Just dont look at your campmates in the eyes causr you might blind them. It's water resistant( I've swam with it but no prelonged dunkings) and fits your head like a glove. The battery life is unbelievable cause I have never changed over the course of three years while using the factory batteries! Its low weight for its size and power. This is the only headlamp that you will ever need.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

Pros: Very bright, great for trail running at night.

Cons: A bit pricey, a little extra weight than normal.

I had previously used a Mongoose headlamp that used two double AA batteries. While trail running at night with a friend who had Petzl Myo XP, there was a huge difference between mine(Mongoose) and his(Petzl). He was outputting enough light that I could actually turn off mine and just run alongside him.

Since I actually had the two side by side to compare with, the Mongoose definitely didn't output enough light.

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Anyway, I went out and bought myself a Petzl Myo XP and had another night time session of trail running up in the Marin headlands and again, I was pleased with the results. There are two settings: (1) straight beam or (2) wide beam.

I mostly used the straight beam as it was more concentrated and more beneficial for me. Use the wide beam if someone is running by your side and you want to combine lights.

The weight of the 3 battery pack in the back of the head adds a little extra weight, but the extra juice in energy is well worth it.

Overall, I would say that if you do any time of trail running or 50M/100M trail runs, you don't want to leave home without this.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

After reading BoonDog's rather negative review, it sounds like he might have been wearing the headlamp upside down. I can't see how the diffuser would reflect light into the wearer's eyes without the unit being worn upside down. Wearing the headlamp upside down does make it a bit less comfortable.

I've used this headlamp for adventure races and climbing. It mounts quite well to various helmets (bike, climbing). It's not a substitute for a bike light system, but when mounted to the helmet, it provides a secondary light source.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

The little bit extra you will spend for this headlamp is well worth it. It out performs any other headlamp I have tried. I have friends with the Black Diamond Icon Headlamp. One of them broke the back battery cover when it was in their bag and it now has to be taped on for use. The other had it on his climbing helmet and the stretched the wire and it now cuts in and out. They also aren't any brighter. I am not sure how the new Mammut ones compare but I am a big fan of Mammut gear, so I would suggest comparing them.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

I use it every single day at work as a lineman, when I bike ride at night, late night hikes. I have two one for use and one for a backup. This thing is bright and is in my eyes the perfect light. It holds a charge very well especially when you use rechargeable batteries. I love the fact that you can change from a spot to flood with a little flip of the filter. I think this is perfect combination of features. The only "bad" thing about it is that it isn't the lightest headlamp around, but I think the pros definitely out weigh the cons!!!

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

Whether camping or climbing in the attic this is the headlight to own.

The first time I used this headlight I was amazed as to how bright it is. It's like walking around with a 3 d-cell mag light straped to your head. It's also very light and flexible, you can wear it over any kind of headgear.

One word of caution, if you shine this light in your camping buddies eyes they won't be able to see anything but a red spot for the next few minutes, but that's not your problem.

Battery life is exceptional, with light to moderate use I have only changed the batteries once in three years

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

Good light but the new myo rxp is out and its twice as bright

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

I bought this lamp based on other customer's reviews. I absolutely love it! It is brighter than any other lamp I have seen in action. The construction is exceptional and the battery life is awesome (I've had the same batteries in for nearly 2 years). I am buying this lamp as a gift for all of my outdoor enthusiast friends and family. The only feature I wish it had is the ability to add colored filters. Other than that, it is perfect.

Comments about Petzl Myo XP LED Headlamp:

I find it hard to believe the negative reviews I see on this headlamp.Some said "heavy", They must be joking, it weighs 6oz with batteries and the batteries are about 4 oz of that if it were any lighter it wouldn't exist in this dimension.Not "bright enough? again either a joke or they must have had a defective headlamp or maybe the pre 08' model must be totally different, because this one is the brightest headlamp I have ever seen by far. I feel like I am wearing a car headlight on my head its so bright.I would seriously disregard the negative reviews on this headlamp as either being sadly mistaken or possibly reviews of an older model that must be completely different than this one.This is an excellent headlamp, light as a feather, comfortable, the buttons are no problem at all, has great battery life, the diffuser works perfectly.only thing I can not comment on is durability because I have not owned it long enough to know, but I have owned Petzl headlamps for 30 years.I still have my old Petzl Zoom headlamp I bought from REI in about 1982 and it still works just fine, have never had a single problem with it but compared to todays headlamps like this Myo XP it is much heavier and no where near as bright but durability wise it is almost 30 years old and still works like the day I bought it.I suspect this headlamp will probably be last one I ever buy ( Iam 53 so if it last 30+ years I am sure I wont be needing a new one).For under $100 this is the best headlamp you will find.