Australian Hiker

Rating

Petzl Zipka Headlamp

The Petzl Zipka Headlamp is a simple and ultra-compact headlamp that offers a maximum 300 lumen brightness, all in a relatively compact and lightweight 66 gram package.

This headlamp is a traditional construction with the light and battery compartment all in a single unit at the front. It varies from others on the market in two main ways. Firstly in that there is no tilt adjustment to focus the light. Having said that, this light is designed in such a way that by moving it slightly up and down on the forehead you achieve much the same result. The other main difference is that the neoprene style head strap that most other lights have on the market, is replaced with a retractable string. If you have a full head of hair the comfort level is not bad but you’ll to think about whether your hair will ‘catch’ on the string. As someone who is bald, the string can become a bit uncomfortable over an extended period.

As far as the lighting is concerned this headlamp can use three AAA batteries or the optional rechargeable Core battery which means it has a good degree of versatility if you are using it for extended periods. This headlamp has five separate lighting choices which are:

• Red Flood
• Red Strobe
• White Spot
• White Spot and Flood
• White Distance

The white lighting options also have dimming ability. Lighting options are chosen with the use of a single button which is now becoming common on headlamps these days. While this lamp throws a maximum 300 lumen beam which provides excellent light in close, it’s a bit wide for my liking with the end result being the distance beam only has a 65 metre throw. While sounding good it’s a bit on the weak side for serious way finding in unfamiliar areas. The duration of the beam varies between 120 hours on the low setting all the way up to two hours on the highest beam setting. With the option to swap battery types most hikers will be happy with this duration.

One other small feature worth mentioning is that there is a small phosphorescent ring surrounding the beam that makes it easy to find when the light is off. This headlamp comes in two colours – black and a muted green.

So is this a light worth considering? For most hikers the answer is a definite yes particularly at the relatively  inexpensive AUD $54 RRP.

We Like

• Very lightweight at only 66 grams
• Compact construction
• Self-adjusting retractable cord
• Versatile as it can be worn on the head or wrist in addition or attached to a tent pole, a bike frame
• Four lighting options including a good a 300 lumen lighting option
• Maximum burn time of 120 hours on low power
• Single button for ease of use
• Uses three AAA batteries or the CORE rechargeable battery
• Phosphorescent reflector is useful for locating the lamp in the dark
• While there is no head tilt on this lamp (common on many other headlamps) you can achieve a similar outcome by a slight adjustment of the lamp unit

We Don't Like

• The retractable head strap isn’t as comfortable as the more commonly used neoprene style headbands if you are a bit ‘follicly challenged’
• The retractable cord could be an issue if you have ‘large’ head
• The distance beam is not as strong or as focused as I would like so is not well suited for serious way finding if you are a keen night hiker

Best Uses

A great lightweight headlamp for the typical hiker who doesn’t do serious night hiking in unfamiliar or sketchy areas

Buy One

You can purchase the Petzl Zipka Headlamp from Amazon Australia

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have used the Petzl Zipka Headlamp or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

$72.95 AUD RRP

Other Versions

Petzl produce  a very large range of headlamp including:

• Petzl E+ Lite
• Petzl Actik Core 350 Lumens
• Petzl Actik Core 450 Lumens
• Petzl Tikkina Compact 250 Lumen Headlamp
• Petzl MYO 370 Lumens Head Lamp
• Petzl Actik Compact 350 Lumen Headlamp
• Petzl Tikka 300 Lumen Compact Headlamp
• Petzl Tactikka RGB 350 Lumens Headlamp
• Petzl Tactikka + 350 Lumen Compact Headlamp

Petzl Zipka Headlamp

Petzl Zipka rear view

 

Petzl Zipka top view with single button. This is the green colour which is very muted

Petzl Zipka with battery compartment open. You can either use three AAA batteries or Petzl’s Core rechargeable battery

Petzl Zipka on front view

Petzl Zipka on side view. While there is no adjustable head tilt on this light by slightly readjusting the unit up and down on the forehead you can achieve similar results as far as the lighting angle is concerned

Petzl Zipka on rear view showing the oval piece which improves the straps comfort

Disclaimer

This review was done by product provided by the Australian distributor of Petzl

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