Petzl Tikka 2 XP Headlamp review

4 miles on the schedule today.....done and I used the Petzl Tikka 2 XP headlamp to light my way!

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As discussed in a previous post, I contacted Petzl regarding doing a review on one of their headlamps.  This is the second headlamp that they sent me for review.  Retail price:  $54.99.  It's the Petzl Tikka 2 Headlamp.  Take a look:

As with the other review I did on the MYO RXP , this has a similar quality to it.  By that I mean, it's a great quality product but the price point is much lower.  As you know, there are many headlamps to choose from out there and each has it's purpose.  While I feel the MYO RXP is for the serious night runner and specifically great for really dark situations, the Tikka 2 XP is still for the serious night runner but it has a little less power to it.  It should be your "goto" headlamp for your average night run.  That's not to say that you can't see or that cars cannot see you, because in my experience, cars were well aware of my coming down the road - it's just less light.

The brightness on this is 68 meters long with 80 lumens.  That's a long distance and more than enough light for most running situations.  It also allows for up to 190 hours of power so you will not have to change batteries very often.  You can use regular alkaline or rechargeable batteries.  Even on the brightest mode there is 80 hours of power.  There is also a battery level indicator that will tell you when the batteries are at 50% or less left - a nice feature so you are not stuck out in the dark in the middle of nowhere running without light.  There is 5 lighting modes:  Bright, medium, flashing, red constant and red flashing.  I have been using the bright mode the entire time I have run with it and it has been a great source of light to see when running and safety for cars coming towards you.

There is also a wide angle lens that is easily changed with a flip of the plastic notch.  Frankly, I have been using it primarily on the focused lighting more as it seems to throw off more light in my opinion.  Along with the wide angle, you can also adjust the headlamp in order to point the light straight or down depending on your preference.

Here's a couple close ups so you can see the details in the light:

In regards to weight, this is a very light unit at only 88 grams including the three triple A batteries that come with the unit.  Once adjusted properly, this unit stays in place and you do not notice it on your head.  The unit is also water resistant to IP X4 standards - again, no worries in rain/sweat but it's not waterproof.  I have run in every type of weather there is with it and it performed flawlessly.   It can be used up to 140 degrees and down to minus 22 degrees - more range than I think anyone would use this and I'm a hardcore outdoors runner.

One really awesome feature that I think is great(especially for the ladies that run at night) is the whistle buckle.  At the back of the band, the buckle doubles as a built in whistle.  It's a fantastic design that does not detract from the looks and adds an extra level of safety.  Frankly, I didn't even notice it until a couple days ago(I guess I should read the directions more)  Plus --- it's LOUD and it's one less thing to carry.  A great tool just in case someone sneaks up on you God forbid or you get lost in the woods.

A great safety feature for the ladies(or anyone really)

I liked the Tikka 2 XP so much that it's now become my daily headlamp to use given all the great features this headlamp has to offer.  Because of it's very reasonable price, you have no excuses not to run outside at night.  This should be a staple in every runners gear.

Interested in learning more?

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* Note:  I received a complimentary Petzl Tikka 2 XP headlamp for review purposes.  All opinions in this review are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!