Petzl Fills In The Dark Spots...

In The Shops Now...

The nice people at Petzl have been busy filling in the blackspots in their extensive range of headtorches with the latest development the MyoLite 3. And there's something even more interesting zooming down the pipeline.

The MyoLite 3 pretty much does what it says on the box. It takes the basic 40-quid Myo 3 - three LEDs, one Xenon bulb - and lightens it so that it now tips the scales at just 170 grammes including three AA batteries.

You lose the weight of one battery, save on the more compact battery box and because the overall weight is down, Petzl has also done away with the top strap which runs over the head since the lower weight means that it can get away with a single, Tikka-type band without it making a desperate bid for freedom and slithering down your face... The top strap is however available as an add-on extra.

It's still not as light as the Tikka, which weighs in at a mere 70 grammes including batteries, but if you need an additional light source for more distant work, then the MyoLite 3 should do very nicely thank you. Petzl says the Xenon Halogen beam will reach up to 76 metres and has a focussable beam. Price is around £35 and they're in the shops now.

Coming some time soon is the new XP version of the Myo, it's a high-powered LED version which will have three output settings plus a 'boost' button which should up beam range to an impressive 65 metres for a 20-second burst - claimed.

The spec' also includes a tilting head, a flip down diffuser for flood lighting beam and an LED battery indicator.

Claimed battery burn times are impressive, ranging from 70 hours on 'high' which should give a 45-metre beam to a whopping 170 hours on low with a 20-metre beam being thrown out.

It should be light too at a claimed 129 grammes including three AA batteries. Price will be around £50 and the XP should be in the shops around March time. Could be the perfect headtorch for all round use.