How to Choose Headlamps
Petzl Tikka Core Headlamp
$44.93Compared to $59.95*Save 25%
A necessity for night hiking, camping or reading in your tent, the Petzl Tikka Core headlamp is lightweight and compact enough to fit in a pocket or backpack—and it comes with a rechargeable battery.
- Easy-to-use, single-button design
- Phosphorescent reflector makes it easy to find in the dark, and red light mode helps keep you from blinding those around you
- Reflective headband allows you to remain visible at night
- Can be tilted up or down, allowing you to illuminate your surroundings while wearing the headlamp on your head or neck
- Single, wide-beam pattern allows you to comfortably see your immediate surroundings
- 3 brightness levels, including red lighting, continuous and strobe, to preserve night vision and to signal your location
- Lock function prevents the headlamp from accidentally turning on and draining the battery when not in use
- Comes with the Petzl CORE rechargeable battery; also works with 3 AAA batteries (not included)
- Hybrid concept design is compatible with either the CORE rechargeable battery or 3 AAA batteries (not included) without an adapter
- With Petzl 50:50 brightness-to-burn-time ratio, it will retain 50% of its original brightness halfway through its burn time
Imported.
View the Petzl Tikka Product LineView all Petzl LED Headlamps| Best Use | Camping |
|---|---|
| Bulb Type | LED |
| Bulb Detail | 1 LED / 1 red LED |
| Red Light Mode | Yes |
| Beam Type | Flood |
| Max Light Output (Lumens) | 450 lumens |
| Light Output | High: 450 lumens; medium: 100 lumens; low: 7 lumens |
| Max Beam Distance (m) | 75 meters |
| Beam Distance | High: 75 meters; medium: 45 meters; low: 10 meters |
| Brightness Levels | 3 |
| Strobes | 1 |
| Average Run Time | High: 2 hrs.; medium: 7 hrs.; low: 110 hrs. |
| Rechargeability | Rechargeable |
| Batteries | 1250 mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery (included); also compatible with 3 AAA (not included) |
| Dimensions | 2.6 x 1.5 x 1.3 inches |
| Water-Resistance Rating | IPX4 |
| Weight With Batteries | 2.96 ounces |
Buying Advice
More expert advice
Review this Product
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Functional & comfortable, Lacking at price
Reid2 years ago
Received free productBeen trying this for a few weeks now. Overall I like it, but there are some shortcomings at the pricepoint that I'd overlook if it were $20-30 cheaper.
1. Battery compartment is kinda tough to get into; opening it has a sorta clunky & awkward feeling as if I'm going to break something. It's already somewhat frustrating to open it at room temperature, so I know it'll be quite frustrating to open in cold weather. Considering it needs to be opened to recharge, this could lead to some very annoying scenarios. Before opening the battery compartment, it needs to be swiveled around on a loose pivot to access it, so if it isn't held tightly, it shifts around. Maybe I'll grow to like this over time (at least I know this thing will never accidentally open), but it feels odd at the moment.
2. An upside is it has a removable battery, so it's presumably easy to replace if it breaks or after years of use. Though I wish it had the best of both worlds: A removable battery that could be charged without opening the battery compartment.
3. The battery compartment is connected by a rubber attachment so it doesn't feel as if it'll snap off like hard plastic ones always do. The compartment also has a rubber gasket around it, but is only rated at IPX4; for $60 I'd lean towards expecting IPX6 water resistance.
4. The headlamp overall is really comfortable. The band is wide and finely sewn so it's soft against skin. It's comfortable enough that I've been putting it on noticeably more frequently that my other headlamps.
5. The "lantern" bag (doubles as a drawstring storage pouch) is a nice addition, but awkwardly has a fairly large, black "PETZL" logo on it that covers some of the semi-transparent diffusive white fabric. If a logo needs to be on this bag, it'd make much more sense for it to be right along the drawstring fabric where it's least obstructive.
6. Glow-in-the-dark ring is nifty. I didn't even think about this, but now I kinda want all headlamps to have it.
7. I wish the red light intensity was adjustable, even if it was a simple toggle between a low and high (along with the flashing).
8. The battery life is sufficient for my uses, but it is notably specced lower than other brands at the price point.
If I were asked to guess the price, I'm confident I'd guess $30-40 instead of $60. It's a decent headlamp, but I'm confused by Petzl's price point for it. I could see some circumstances where someone would prefer this over other headsets. Anyone would be happy to get this as a gift or at a discount -- it's not a bad headlamp, but competing products are clearly higher value.
ReidReceived free product
MI
22 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Functional & comfortable, Lacking at price
Reid2 years ago
Received free productBeen trying this for a few weeks now. Overall I like it, but there are some shortcomings at the pricepoint that I'd overlook if it were $20-30 cheaper.
1. Battery compartment is kinda tough to get into; opening it has a sorta clunky & awkward feeling as if I'm going to break something. It's already somewhat frustrating to open it at room temperature, so I know it'll be quite frustrating to open in cold weather. Considering it needs to be opened to recharge, this could lead to some very annoying scenarios. Before opening the battery compartment, it needs to be swiveled around on a loose pivot to access it, so if it isn't held tightly, it shifts around. Maybe I'll grow to like this over time (at least I know this thing will never accidentally open), but it feels odd at the moment.
2. An upside is it has a removable battery, so it's presumably easy to replace if it breaks or after years of use. Though I wish it had the best of both worlds: A removable battery that could be charged without opening the battery compartment.
3. The battery compartment is connected by a rubber attachment so it doesn't feel as if it'll snap off like hard plastic ones always do. The compartment also has a rubber gasket around it, but is only rated at IPX4; for $60 I'd lean towards expecting IPX6 water resistance.
4. The headlamp overall is really comfortable. The band is wide and finely sewn so it's soft against skin. It's comfortable enough that I've been putting it on noticeably more frequently that my other headlamps.
5. The "lantern" bag (doubles as a drawstring storage pouch) is a nice addition, but awkwardly has a fairly large, black "PETZL" logo on it that covers some of the semi-transparent diffusive white fabric. If a logo needs to be on this bag, it'd make much more sense for it to be right along the drawstring fabric where it's least obstructive.
6. Glow-in-the-dark ring is nifty. I didn't even think about this, but now I kinda want all headlamps to have it.
7. I wish the red light intensity was adjustable, even if it was a simple toggle between a low and high (along with the flashing).
8. The battery life is sufficient for my uses, but it is notably specced lower than other brands at the price point.
If I were asked to guess the price, I'm confident I'd guess $30-40 instead of $60. It's a decent headlamp, but I'm confused by Petzl's price point for it. I could see some circumstances where someone would prefer this over other headsets. Anyone would be happy to get this as a gift or at a discount -- it's not a bad headlamp, but competing products are clearly higher value.
ReidReceived free product
MI
22 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
FSG1
Received free product
Merritt Island, FL
Excellent headlamp, great beam options.
2 years ago
This is an excellent headlamp with powerful adjustable beam, a red option, flashing and a long battery life. I first used this on a night paddle board fishing trip and the light was just what I needed. The low level setting was great for tooling around and seeing what I had on my board (see picture) and the high beam was amazing, allowing me to see the bobber well off in the distance and really lit up the signage (see picture). I also left it on high power after the paddle board trip of about 40 minutes of use to see how long the battery would last. After 2 hours and 13 minutes the light flashed a few times, which it then did again about 10 minutes later before automatically going to a lower power mode. It stayed in that mode for 8 hours and 58 minutes before the battery wore down and it shut off. Pretty impressive and now I know I cold use this on a multi-day trip and not necessarily need to recharge it. But I always bring along a battery brick. It was great around the house and hiking as well. Speaking of charging, opening the case is a bit difficult and even after multiple times I found it tough. It's a very tight fit which is probably good. The battery charges in a reasonable amount of time. Also the way it flips around is a bit weird and I only got it correct when using it a few days later and realizing that it was slightly out of kilter. Had to play with that a bit as well, as the pin came completely out of the groove on one side a couple of times. Once I figured this out it stayed where I set it vertically as it clicks through vertical adjustments. These are really only minor annoyances in what is a great light but that is why I did not state it was "Very easy to use". Also, I really like the dual pull strap design (see picture) much easier to tighten or loosen around my head, than the typical single adjustment point and I never worried about it slipping. Overall a great headlamp and will be my go to on trips.
Age:55–64
Yes , I recommend this product
shekky
san francisco
poor strap design
2 years ago
little blue pin on the blue adjustment buckle (?) popped out and was lost. why does this part even have a piece that easily pops out? a TINY piece of plastic i hope my cats don't find and swallow!
Age:55–64
No, I do not recommend this product
Tim
Decent headlamp with a couple of flaws
2 years ago
Pros: The light is super bright, and I love the red setting, so no issues there.I also love how this comes with the "core" battery and can also take AAA batteries. It doesn't take very long to figure out the UI for operating the light functions. Cons: As others have pointed out, the little piece of plastic on one of the strap buckles is a pretty major design flaw (In my opinion). It can easily come loose and you may lose the ability to tighten the strap. In the back country, I do not want to have to worry about this when my lamp is getting jostled around in my pack. Battery box feels a little flimsy to me, and the "hinge" is a small piece of rubber. Adjusting the light angle wasn't very easy. With a few improvements, this could be a great little light, but I just wouldn't personally rely on this for my back country camping trips.
Age:45–54
No, I do not recommend this product
Shine in PGH
Received free product
Pittsburgh, PA
Bright rechargeable light
2 years ago
Pros: Multiple brightness settings Right light option Can use either the rechargeable battery (which is included) or 3 AAA batteries. Comes with a storage pouch Cons: Single button for all functions including on/off Holy cow, this thing is bright at its highest setting. The tilting mechanism is different from the Black Diamond that I'm used to, but I think I like it better. I really like that it comes with the rechargeable battery pack. The dual power option is great when you're out for a long trip without the ability to recharge, you can just throw some AAAs in and keep going. I'm withholding one star because of the single button for all operations. The button is pretty big and could have easily been made into a power button and a function button. This would simplify operations. But that is literally my only complaint about this headlamp.
Age:45–54
Yes , I recommend this product
Larz
Davis, CA
Excellent all-around headlamp Petzl Tikka Core 450
2 years ago
The Petzl Tikka Core 450 Headlamp is an excellent headlamp for my needs…car camping, backpacking, home use, biking, etc.. I love that it uses both a rechargeable battery and/or regular AAA batteries for backup. Lighting selection is very easy and quick with the large control button, especially on a dark and cold night. The innovative design for rotating the entire light unit for efficiently changing out or charging the battery is great! Also, the phosphorescent afterglow of the light face is a nice little feature. I’ve owned many brands of headlamps, including other Petzl models, and I highly recommend this headlamp for general use.
Age:65–74
Yes , I recommend this product
Anna
Philadelphia, PA
Poor headband
1 year ago
I was extremely excited that this came with a rechargeable battery, which seems to last a long time. The three levels of brightness for white light are great and the highest level is extremely bright. Unfortunately, not even two weeks into using the headlamp the plastic piece that maintains the band tightness fell off, and now it loosens up on it own, which is annoying and disappointing and why I gave one star.
Age:35–44
Tadoerner
Received free product
Cincinnati, Ohio
Great for camping and night hiking!
2 years ago
This headlamp checks of most of the boxes I was looking for: greater than 400 lumens, simple user interface (one button operation), a form of battery life indication, and comfortable when wearing. I like how easily the strap can cinch down to my head by simply pulling on the two tabs- you don’t have to remove it and thread the strap in our out to change the length. The auto green/orange hue when the light is powered off indicates remaining battery life, then dims away. When the battery reaches a certain life, the head lamp auto sets to a lower capacity to extend the life. I do like the battery pack is rechargeable, however, I would prefer if it is built into the head lamp instead of having to take the batter pack out to recharge. It does take 2-3 hours to fully recharge, but I think that is par for the course on these types of headlamps when comparing with several other similar brands. Also, when traveling with it in a pack, the headlamp can “lock” by holding the power button for ~4 seconds. Love this feature so that my battery isn’t accidentally drained when I get to the trailhead!
Age:25–34
Yes , I recommend this product
ingallslake
Battery wouldn't charge after a year
2 years ago
No complaints about the headlamp except the red light is very dark and not illuminating. My reason for 1 star is the battery. I used this battery in my headlamp regularly but not more than a couple hours a month for a year. It then stopped charging completely. I wrote to Petzl and they said the battery should last for 3 years. Petzl said I could send the battery in for warranty review but I also had to send in my headlamp (and pay for the shipping myself). I didn't want to lose my headlamp for who knows how long, so I am just recycling the battery and using rechargeable AAA batteries instead. I do not recommend any Petzl headlamp using this battery due to how quickly the battery does not work -- not good for anyone trying to shop sustainably.
Age:35–44
No, I do not recommend this product
snailtrailpaul
It's ok. Not the best, but ok.
1 year ago
It's ok, but should be cheaper. The light is ok. I would prefer one with a spot light center. The plastic feels a bit flimsy. Petzl used to make bomb proof headlamps, and this seems like it won't last that long. I have an older version called the tactikka and it seems to have better plastic. I can't help but feel that this model should be 30 dollars even with the rechargeable battery option. And frankly, REI shouldn't sell any product with disposable batteries these days. It's not the 1980's. Bottom line: this is fine for camping, car camping, light use. If you're climbing big walls or doing solo stuff, get a better headlamp.
JJ WMT
Missoula, MT
Good light with one problem
2 years ago
This light is great (with one problem) Power pack charges and lasts a long time. Then spare batteries can be put in. Varity of light settings helps extend life. The lock out feature is great so it doesn't accidently get turned on while in luggage. BUT- the way they made the adjuster clip on the band it POOR DESIGN!!!. While in my pack in the middle of now where my band was jostled. The little plastic tag end of strap fell out of the adjuster (rectangle shaped frame). When this happens the FRAME becomes a loose piece of itty- bitty small plastic!!! I was pulling a fleece out of my pack and the plastic went flying. The only way I even knew that it fell out was it made a 'pinging' sound off a rock and I noticed it. DON'T loose this piece!!!! I taped the plastic tag end into the frame. If you loose this tiny piece then the strap is no longer adjustable and must be jerry rigged.
Age:35–44
Yes , I recommend this product
1 - 10 of 58 Reviews