I bought three of these with the intention of giving them out as presents. I ended up keeping one and giving away the other two. It's the handiest little tool I own!
I have used it while grilling outdoors at night, for extra light to help reorganize the wiring behind my entertainment center, for sweating fittings onto my water heater in the attic, you name it. You just can't beat the compact design.
The tension on the retractable headband is just right tight enough to keep it on even when active, but not so tight that it hurts even when wearing it for long periods of time.
The size and weight is so minimal when retracted that you can just put it in your pocket and forget it's there. Sure, people will make fun of you when you wear it, but you'll have both hands free to attend to your task.
This light makes a great gift, because most people don't realize they need this until they use it. However, if you do buy one as a gift, get two. Trust me, you'll use it.
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This thing is so small and light you can have one with you for any outdoor activity where you could get caught in the dark if things don't go perfectly.
It works on your bare head, though not as well as one with straps, but it also works over helmets and hats with instant adjustments (stays on some helmets better than others), and it fits in any pocket. Beyond that, the zipka loops brilliantly around a handlebar and over itself to make a bike headlight; you could make another into a taillight if you got one of the lens kits. It also loops around a branch and over itself for an overhead light, or around a ski pole or tent pole. It's also great for reading in a hotel room when your partner is asleep, or for rooting through a dark closet. I realize this is starting to sound like an infomercial but this thing is that useful, I have a couple and I use them regularly in all these ways (well, except the taillight). It's versatile in ways you only wish a headlamp with a strap could be.
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I have already bought 6 of them for myself, friends and family. It is the most convenient, effective light for any kind of outdoors stuff. My brother gave me the best feedback. Climbing in the Karakoram Mountains above 20,000 ft altitude, he found the Zipka worked like charm in the coldest weather, for 18 nights with only one change of 3 small AAA batteries. It even worked for lighting the trail ahead when they would start marching at 3 am, and it worked at night when he was preparing meals and writing his notes. In contrast, all the big fancy headlights he has tried, either were too heavy (wt is a killer in the high mountain treks and most of them are atleast 3-4 times as heavy as one zipka), or required 5 or 6 times 4 AA battery pack changes (which requires you carry that much extra weight) or couldn't stand the cold. Zipka (because its batteries are close to your forehead and keeps warm our own assessment) didn't go dead on him like other batteries did.
All the high altitude guides were eager to have the zipka as they found it amazing. Zipka is the best gift for them.
I have two, with one permanently in my shell jacket sleeve pocket and one in my car.
It should be awarded an OSCAR of lights.
Honest reviews on Petzl Zipka Plus 4-LED Headlamp
I love this headlamp, but as with one other reveiwer, after a few months of flawless use, it started shutting off on me in the middle of active use. This can be quite dangerous depending on what you are using it for. At the very least it is aggrivating. It is usually difficult to get it to come back on without adjusting the batteries in various ways. I like the headlamp itself so much that I have continued to use it even with this large fault, but I am becoming less tolerant and am likely to purchase a new head lamp soon, but will not buy this one again unless this issue is resolved with the product.
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coolest strap system I've seen. fits easily in your pocket.
at first I didn't think the angle was adjustable but you effectively can by moving it up and down on your forehead.
also it can sit flat on the floor / ground with the light at a 45 degree angle. useful for a small area light.
the light is bright and highly defused. favors lighting up a large area close to you as opposed to spotting at a distance.
previously owned a princeton aurora which was good, but I like this one a lot better.
