Torches, Lamps and Lights
Head to head (no pun intended), Petzl's Zoom, Zipka and Myolite 3 Reviews
I want to know what the best head lamp/torch is on the market at an affordable price, so why not get 3 and put them head to head to see which one I recommend. The three which i could get my hands on was the Petzl Zoom Halogen, Petzl Zipka and the hybrid Petzl Myolite 3.
Firstly the Petzl Zoom Halogen. I actually didn't need to look that far to get my hands on one of these, because i actually own this head torch. Needless to say then, i rate this torch. I went up Snowdon at night (pitch black, literally) to try this one out, i was accompanied by 2 friends who sported led torches. I, or at least my torch was the lead as this was sooo, bright, it was almost like the sun shining down, pointing it towards the sky and you can see the beam go on for a while, in fact all's it needs is a bat on the lens and Bruce Wayne would appear i'm sure. The battery life is not bad either, i think i'm on battery number 3 in 3 years. Sadly, it's not all good though; it's easily more than twice as heavy then most led headtorches, and forget about wearing a peaked hat, as it just won't work. I heard horror stories off people stating the torch switched itself on in their pack and drained the battery, due to it only needing a twist of the torch to switch on; i've been lucky so far though. Still, for only around £25, this is a great buy. It's been around for a while and hopefully will stay around for a while.
Secondly the Petzl Zipka. No, i don't own this, nor will i ever own this torch. Don't be put off though, I wouldn't buy one because i don't need it. I done a night navigation in the Gwydyr Forest in North Wales with this torch, and for reading a map in front of you it was ideal, you can also get different colour lens'. But if you want to see more than six feet in front of you, then don't waste your money. On the plus side though, it is amazingly lightweight and the battery life is outstanding. I love the fact the headband retracts, and you can wear it around your wrist or head. I would say this is the perfect backup torch to have at the bottom of your pack; but for me, and for £25ish, it's a no.
And last but certainly not least, the Petzl Myolite 3. This is the future, it's a hybrid torch with 3 led's and a halogen option. I've used this numerous times and had to get myself one, no turning back since. The main bulb is really good, not quite on par with the Zoom Halogen, but nevertheless, it's good enough to go on long walks in the unlit skys on various mountains. As for the led's, these are so white and clear; they are great for around camp, reading maps etc. and if you more often use the led's over the main you'll get a healthy battery life out of it. All this for £35, cheaper than buying 2 seperate torches and quite possibly better than both too. This torch is stable enough to not need a central head strap but for runners etc, you can by this seperately.
Ok, Petzl Zoom earns a 8/10, Petzl just need to work on the weight problems now. Petzl Zipka is a 6/10, drop the price buy £10 and i'd reconsider and Petzl Myolite 3 earns a 10/10, for the price and the performance, you can't complain. See below for pictures in order of review.
