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Petzl Tikka RXP Headlamp
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With a built-in sensor that automatically adjusts light output between 7 and 215 lumens without the press of a button, this USB-chargeable lamp keeps your hands free on evening runs, hikes and climbs.
Shop similar products- When you're looking at an object at very close range, such as a map or piece of equipment, the Reactive sensor adjusts the light to a very wide beam with low output
- As you make your way down the trail, the beam widens and adjusts to a medium light output in order to illuminate objects in the path
- If you raise your head to see something in the distance, such as a trail marker or rappel anchor, the beam becomes focused and the light intensity increases
- Reactive lighting keeps your hands free longer because you don't need to press a button to adjust light output; it also extends battery life by efficiently using power
- Download OS by Petzl software to modify the functionality of your RXP headlamp; you can adjust light intensity, burn time and distance according to an activity
- Create custom activity profiles or select from pre-configured profiles such as trail running, mountaineering and hiking; load these onto the RXP and you're ready to go
- OS by Petzl software is available for download from Petzl at www.petzl.com/OS
- Headlamp can also be operated in constant mode, which disables the sensor and gives you standard high, medium and low output settings
- LEDs shine light 2 - 110m and outputs 7 - 215 lumens on high Reactive mode, 2 - 90m and 7 - 160 lumens on medium Reactive and 2 - 70m and 7 - 80 lumens on low Reactive mode
- In constant mode, LED throws light 100m and outputs 215 lumens on high, 75m and 100 lumens on medium and 25m and 45 lumens on low
- Red LED positioned to the side of the white LEDs lets you preserve your night vision or use the headlamp as a blinking light to increase your visibility in urban environments
- Integrated 1,800 mAh lithium-ion battery recharges with the included micro USB cable via any standard USB port; battery charge indicator lets you know when charging is done
- Battery recharges in 4.5 hrs. and can be recharged up to 300 times, making the battery life equivalent to that of hundreds of alkaline batteries
- Battery provides 2.5 hrs. of use in high Reactive and constant modes and 10 hrs. in low Reactive and constant modes
- Lithium-ion battery can be replaced with a 3 AAA batteries (sold separately) and a battery pack adapter (not included) for use when you can't recharge
- Comfortable headband is easy to adjust; two-part construction at the back of the head supports the weight of the headlamp during active adventures
- Two independent switches simplify use: one switch for choosing between Reactive and constant lighting, and the other to choose between high, medium and low
- Lock function helps avoid accidentally turning the headlamp on when it's stashed in your backpack
- Petzl R+ headlamp provides IPX4 water resistance for reliability in inclement weather
| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Bulb Type | LED |
| Bulb Detail | High-output LED/LED/red LED |
| Red Light Mode | Yes |
| Beam Type | Flood / Spot |
| Max Light Output (Lumens) | 215 lumens |
| Light Output | (Reactive setting) high: 215 / low: 7 lumens |
| Max Beam Distance (m) | 110 meters |
| Beam Distance | (Reactive setting) high: 110 / low: 2 meters |
| Brightness Levels | 3 |
| Strobes | None |
| Average Run Time | (Reactive setting) high: 2.5 / low: 10 hours |
| Regulated Output | Yes |
| Rechargeability | Rechargeable |
| Batteries | Rechargeable lithium-ion |
| Dimensions | Unavailable |
| Weight With Batteries | 4.1 ounces |
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Nice Headlamp, but Not Perfect
Groat11 years ago
I'd give this product 3.5 stars if the website had that functionality.
I was excited to see that Petzl had released a headlamp with their reactive light technology under $100. At half the price, 2+ grams less weight and with a considerably smaller footprint, I was sold. My experiences have been largely positive, but I'm always left wanting a little more.
The headlamp has three LEDs: a red one, a white flood light and a white spot beam. The two white beams combine quite well to illuminate the ground immediately in front of and around you as well as a further distance away. In this regard, the lamp beats any single-LED headlamp I've used. The reactive lighting technology is very nice. It requires no input from the user and happens quickly. I wouldn't go so far to say it's unnoticable, but I don't find it distracting. It's nice to be able to see the distance and then look at something by your feet without blinding yourself or having to adjust the light.
My biggest gripe with the light is the battery life. My old light (that used lithium batteries) used to only need a battery change occassionally if I was using it on a medium setting. This light's status LED will blink red (indicating that the battery is low) after about 1:30 to 2:00 of usage. If you're headed into the woods for more than a weekend, I wouldn't bring this light. There does appear to be a battery compartment that takes AAAs and fits this light, but of course it's sold seperately. Charging the light takes longer than I would have expected, but not overly long.
The micro USB cable that comes with the headlamp is too short. It's six or eight inches long, but I'd rather see it at two or three feet. There's a decent chance you've already got a better one sitting around your house, though. The two-button operation is not extremely intuitive, but it works well enough. I don't think you'd have a problem operating the buttons in light or medium gloves, but you might have trouble with gloves that are particularly thick or inflexible.
Groat
Fairfax Station, VA
34 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Nice Headlamp, but Not Perfect
Groat11 years ago
I'd give this product 3.5 stars if the website had that functionality.
I was excited to see that Petzl had released a headlamp with their reactive light technology under $100. At half the price, 2+ grams less weight and with a considerably smaller footprint, I was sold. My experiences have been largely positive, but I'm always left wanting a little more.
The headlamp has three LEDs: a red one, a white flood light and a white spot beam. The two white beams combine quite well to illuminate the ground immediately in front of and around you as well as a further distance away. In this regard, the lamp beats any single-LED headlamp I've used. The reactive lighting technology is very nice. It requires no input from the user and happens quickly. I wouldn't go so far to say it's unnoticable, but I don't find it distracting. It's nice to be able to see the distance and then look at something by your feet without blinding yourself or having to adjust the light.
My biggest gripe with the light is the battery life. My old light (that used lithium batteries) used to only need a battery change occassionally if I was using it on a medium setting. This light's status LED will blink red (indicating that the battery is low) after about 1:30 to 2:00 of usage. If you're headed into the woods for more than a weekend, I wouldn't bring this light. There does appear to be a battery compartment that takes AAAs and fits this light, but of course it's sold seperately. Charging the light takes longer than I would have expected, but not overly long.
The micro USB cable that comes with the headlamp is too short. It's six or eight inches long, but I'd rather see it at two or three feet. There's a decent chance you've already got a better one sitting around your house, though. The two-button operation is not extremely intuitive, but it works well enough. I don't think you'd have a problem operating the buttons in light or medium gloves, but you might have trouble with gloves that are particularly thick or inflexible.
Groat
Fairfax Station, VA
34 people found this review helpful
Mary Lou
Portland, OR, United States
Great Light, Disappointing Documentation
10 years ago
The amount of light this can supply, and the flexibility in terms of distant versus close, is very impressive. However the printed documentation that came with the light is quite poor. It's also a little irritating that you may need to step through several gyrations of pressing the two buttons to get to the mode you want to use. Since the lamp has a computer interface already, it would be nice if you could program it to start in your preferred mode rather than having to play the 1-2-1-3 button press game. It's a good light, but with a little re-engineering it would be an awesome light.
Yes , I recommend this product
wynnethewalker
Houston, TX, United States
Best headlamp ever
11 years ago
This headlamp is amazing. By far the best headlamp I've ever owned. Its very bright, has great wide diffused coverage within about 10 ft and has excellent spot coverage much further out. This is accomplished using 2 different LED's with different lenses. I havent found a use for the red LED yet. The light sensor works really good. Bend down to tie your shoes and it dims, stand back up and it brightens again. I mainly use it to trail run at night and when I come across other people with lights this headlamp will dim as our paths cross so as to not blind them. I'm a gadget guy and just love this thing. Its light weight and comfortable to wear. The battery does not last as long as other headlamps but I think the technology makes it worth the extra charging. Great job Petzl!!
Yes , I recommend this product
TravellingMatt
Mountain View, CA
Reactive lighting works seamlessly
10 years ago
I love this light. The reactive lighting works exactly as it should--you're not even aware of what it's doing most of the time, it just lights whatever you're looking at at the right brightness no matter how far away you're looking. I took it on an overnight backpacking trip, and used it for a whole night and it worked awesomely. When I bought it, I was worried about the battery life, but after plugging it into my computer, I find it was still at about 88% battery life after one night. That seems fine to me. You can also use the software to throttle down the brightness in certain modes if you want, but I don't think I will because its factory performance seems great to me. I also really liked the extra red light, it was a good for getting up in the middle of the night and not disturbing my camping companion or my night vision. I would highly recommend this light, it works exactly as I dared to hope it would!
Yes , I recommend this product
espia4ci
Sierra Vista, AZ
Some Good and Bad
11 years ago
I was really excited to try out this headlamp. I have a lot of different headlamps and I was excited about the sensor technology. After purchasing the headlamp I immediately put it on the charger. At first it didn't want to charge. I had to mess around with the connection numerous times and it finally started working. The sensor technology works great and as intended. I also really like the fact this headlamp runs primarly on rechargable battery pack. I got the white one (only one in stock). The white is a horrible color as it shows dirt or grime VERY easily. The redesigned headband looked cool at first, but because it's thinner, not too sure it is as comfortable as the old Tikka headband.
Yes , I recommend this product
dishby
Phoenix, AZ
Strong light, reactive light works well
11 years ago
Used to walk dog in neighborhood at night. Encounters with coyotes, javelina,other dogs, and fast car drivers makes having a strong headlamp essential for safety. The wildlife will typically scamper away at a safe distance (although coyotes tend to hide, so headlamp will reflect their eyes so can avoid), drivers slow down (sometimes), and other dog walkers can cross street to avoid bothersome barking and growling. The reactive light will dim with the oncoming car headlights and lighted areas. The boost function is useful when needing to find the droppings left by dog. Had to recharge the headlamp after 2 weeks of night walks. Would have preferred rechargeable AAA but Li-Ion makes headlamp very light. Headband is ok, haven't fully adjusted to comfortable position but ok for the hour or so walk. Selecting modes was initially awkward. Button on top (offset to right side versus previous headlamps in center) is used to turn on/off (hold for 2 sec) and boost (2 short pushes). Button on right side is use to cycle through reactive/constant lighting modes. After a few uses though, becomes easy to control. Debated on selecting higher lumen headlamp, but with boost option, pretty strong beam. Recharging done with supplied microusb cable (very short) and is straightforward. Small LED indicates charge level (green -good, yellow, and red -recharge). So far, best headlamp I had (Black Diamond Storm, Petz Tikka Plus, and Rayovac K2).
Yes , I recommend this product
Groat
Fairfax Station, VA
Nice Headlamp, but Not Perfect
11 years ago
I'd give this product 3.5 stars if the website had that functionality. I was excited to see that Petzl had released a headlamp with their reactive light technology under $100. At half the price, 2+ grams less weight and with a considerably smaller footprint, I was sold. My experiences have been largely positive, but I'm always left wanting a little more. The headlamp has three LEDs: a red one, a white flood light and a white spot beam. The two white beams combine quite well to illuminate the ground immediately in front of and around you as well as a further distance away. In this regard, the lamp beats any single-LED headlamp I've used. The reactive lighting technology is very nice. It requires no input from the user and happens quickly. I wouldn't go so far to say it's unnoticable, but I don't find it distracting. It's nice to be able to see the distance and then look at something by your feet without blinding yourself or having to adjust the light. My biggest gripe with the light is the battery life. My old light (that used lithium batteries) used to only need a battery change occassionally if I was using it on a medium setting. This light's status LED will blink red (indicating that the battery is low) after about 1:30 to 2:00 of usage. If you're headed into the woods for more than a weekend, I wouldn't bring this light. There does appear to be a battery compartment that takes AAAs and fits this light, but of course it's sold seperately. Charging the light takes longer than I would have expected, but not overly long. The micro USB cable that comes with the headlamp is too short. It's six or eight inches long, but I'd rather see it at two or three feet. There's a decent chance you've already got a better one sitting around your house, though. The two-button operation is not extremely intuitive, but it works well enough. I don't think you'd have a problem operating the buttons in light or medium gloves, but you might have trouble with gloves that are particularly thick or inflexible.
Yes , I recommend this product
NorCal Kirt
San Jose, CA
Best Headlamp Yet
10 years ago
I've had this headlamp for almost a year now and feel well qualified to review it. With LED technology improving every year in terms of light output and efficiency, I get a new flashlight or headlamp every year or two. This is the first headlamp I've seen that outputs over 200 lumens without a battery pack on the back of your head, so I gave it a try. I was skeptical initially, but I have been really impressed, and I use it every week. OPERATION: The Tikka RXP headlamp has three LEDs: a higher-power white spot LED, a lower-power white flood LED, and and low-power red LED. There is also a light sensor. When you turn it on, it's in "Reactive" mode. Initially the high beam comes on, and it's plenty bright for hiking and looking around the campsite or yard. In reactive mode, the light sensor looks for light scattered back. If there is not much backscatter, the high beam stays on. If there is enough light scattered back, the spot LED turns off and the flood LED comes on. With a lot of backscattered light, as when reading a book, the light dims just the right amount. The transition is smooth. Most of the time I use the headlamp in reactive mode. When needed, it's a simple matter to push the side button to turn on the constant low or the constant high output mode. The red LED produces a relatively uniform beam. If you use LED mode and turn it off, it comes on in LED mode again. BATTERY RUN TIME: The battery run time is the best I've ever seen in a headlamp. On one camping trip in the rain, three hours of on time only used about a third of the battery charge. (On the side of the headlamp is a three-color green-orange-red meter for battery life--and it actually works.) I've used this on three multi-day backpacking and camping trips and the battery only ran down about a third of the way. The light output is constant until the charge is almost depleted due to a constant-current circuit. Note that one outdoor gear review website dings the RXP for having a short run time, but the competing headlamps got dimmer over time and this dim time was counted in the full run time, making them look better when they were actually worse. You can purchase a spare battery pack online if you do an online search. USES: In addition to camping, I use the RXP for working on my car and my house in the dark and reading in bed. It's comfortable for wearing for a long time, but at 4.1 ounces I feel that it's too heavy to wear running. You could use the high-beam mode for biking, but I fell that 210 lumens is not enough. The only other ding I give it is that it's sometimes hard to find the small on button in the dark, even though I know about where it is.
leagle141
Everett, WA
Great for nighttime running!
11 years ago
I bought this for a nighttime trail run. It was really bright and let me navigate the trail easily. It has a good strap and didn't bounce around on my head. Loved it! Really happy with it! My friends joked that I had a spotlight on my head :)
Yes , I recommend this product
BikeMark
San Francisco CA
Very confusing and user unfriendly controls
9 years ago
I have used Petzl's headlamps for years in my work. I frequently enter dark places and need light to shine where I look. Older versions have been great. You push the button on, the light comes on. another push and it goes off. For some insane reason, Petzl included a two second delay on the Tikka RWP. Why? I reach up to turn it on. It is maddening to have to wait. I cannot fathom a scenario where one would want to wait for light after making a motion to engage it. Also, to get full power, you must press a different button on the side. If you press it too long or too short, it doesn't work. A further criticism is that the USB receptacle in the headlamp is very fussy with accepting the Petzl changing cord. If not held just right, it won't charge. Petal's customer service is a joke. I wrote, offering comments about my unhappiness with this light. All they could say was, "Sorry, I'll pass the comments along to engineering." No more Petzls for me.
No, I do not recommend this product
Poke
Pine Curtain, TX
Customer Service is non-existent
10 years ago
I have used several Petzl headlamps since 2001, and they work well. However, when 1 Petzl lamp was a lemon, Petzl was stunningly absent in any sort of customer service. Since the lack of response in 2013, I changed to Black Diamond. Their customer support on a broken hiking pole included two emails and a brand new pole section shipped to me quickly. Their lamps have been just as good as Petzl, standing up to many miles of thru hiking the CDT and PCT. And I know they have my back when something doesn't work like it should.
No, I do not recommend this product
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