 one of the other 2 designs depending on if you wanna be Rambo or or storming norman , the lava strap is well ..............
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 oh I see, so stick with the alpkit but get a different strap colour!!
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Alpkit Gamma for something really cheap but good; Petzl e+lite for emergency use; Petzl Tikka XP or Black Diamond Spot for something a bit more "up market" for regular use. I've got the Tikka XP and it's more than adequate for night walking, but a friend has got the BD Spot and I think it's just about got the edge -- but both are a lot more than the Alpkit.
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 Petzl do trade at a premium, but it's difficult to beat the Tikka XP, it sheds enough light for night walking. More compact is the Zipka Plus. Personally when you've head torches this light and compact I'd don't see the need for a backup like the Petzl E-Lite. The latter runs on watch batteries as opposed to triple AAA's which are easily rechargeable. The Zipka Plus sheds enough light on it's own, I've got by a couple of times on the bike with it.
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 tikka xp i have 2.i keep one in case the other gets lost or broke.if i had only 1 when the alpkit gamma came out then i would of got the gamma as a spare.fantastic price for what the gamma is.have seen diddys and it is ugly.
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well I went to field and treck this morning and got a TIKKA XP reduced from £38 to £30, then got another 10% off so it all came to £27, happy with that. I realy like the boost feature and it is very compact! Thanks for all your advice guys!
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 I love the Gamma for the price, very good indeed. I took the band running across the top off and it still sits well.
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 This came up recently on the MLTA web site. By far the most common head torch amongst Mountain Leaders is the Petzl MYO XP belt. I bought a 2008 model based on this and it is superb (about £50-60 if you hunt about). The belt version as the batteries can be kept inside jackets and so kept warmer (so much longer lasting, especially in winter) than on the head. It shined well beyond anyone else's head torch on a recent night navigation exercise. But that is for real night navigation walking. If you just want a campsite torch to find kit / navigate to the loo etc, don't bother, the alpkit option is just fine. Ever Ready do a similar cheapo version for about £10.
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 Petzl make good torches, no doubt, but they don't do themselves any favours by not catering for lithium batteries - they expressly say not to use them in various models including the latest version of the Myo XP. This just seems crazy since lithiums are lighter, last longer, and don't suffer the cold in the same way as alkalines. Princeton Tec do some cracking torches that will run on lithium, alkaline or rechargeables. The Apex is brilliant, like a searchlight if you need it, and powering it with lithiums means you're unlikely to need a remote battery pack with its faff of wires. That said, the Apex is my torch for serious winter. This time of year a Petzl Tikka XP does fine.....
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Matt what is that evil head torch you have that illuminates the whole of the known world. I seem to remember you blinding me with it once.
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 In the middle of summer, you don't really need a powerful head torch. I carry either a Petzl E+Lite or a small single LED on my knife. I've had a Myo XP for years which i find perfect for darker nights.
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An interesting thread and something that i've been thinking of purchasing, but never got round to. Is there any difference between Petzl or Black Daimond regarding customer care/satisfaction, as their products appear to be very similar?
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The Petzl Myo XP is a brilliant (literally), tough headtorch. It's my first choice for Winter day walking. It is a bit heavy, however (176g with batteries). If you just need a headtorch for pottering around camp, reading in the tent etc, go for the Petzl Tikka Plus - only 78g. It's also powerful enough to use for night walking if you have to bug out in the middle of the night for any reason. I've always used Petzls as they are well-designed and reliable so can't comment on other brands. No idea about Petzl's customer service as I've never had to use it.
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 Used to use a Pretzl Duo or Tikka, depending on seriousness. Found out the hard way that even the original Tikka was actually okay to get off a hill in the dark with... Got the Alpkit one recently, it really is excellent even before you get to the price, certainly much better than the Pretzl Glooms we all used to use and nobody really had any complaints about those. If you're navigating in the dark a lot then the top of the line makes sense, but for most of the people, most of the time the Alpkit one is perefctly good. While the hardened gear junkie in my still sort of wants the top of the range Pretzl the chances of me bothering now are about zero. Pete.
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 if it's just for pottering around camp then the little petzels are lovely and last forever, and you can drown them in the river and stand on them too. but that bloody bit of elastic on the tiny ones will claw chunks of hair out of the back of your head if you don't watch the little bugger carefully.
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Matt what is that evil head torch you have that illuminates the whole of the known world. I seem to remember you blinding me with it once. Ah, Ian, that was my Hope Vision, which is really a 2 x 5W LED mountain bike light. but I can also mount it on a headband. I'd maybe take it for serious night stuff in the depth of winter, but it runs on specific L-ion reachargeables (supplied with 2) which each do about 1hr 45min on full power, so not much use for multi-day trips.
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