Petzl Zoom Headlamp

Bryce Hannah - 2008-09-03

great headlamp but not bright enough
i am trying to find a led bulb for my petzl zoom can any one help

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John - 2005-06-19

Great Headlamp
This lamp rules. I've had mine 5 years and works great. If you are worried about battery life then buy the 3 led screw in bulb like I did! Then it lasts ungodly long even withh aa batteries. Not as bright tho but plenty for night trekking.

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Old Zoom User. - 2004-09-02

The Grand-Daddy
I've owned and regularly used one since 1989 and have just had to replace the strap as the elastic went. Quite simply, this is the Grand-Daddy of them all. Black Diamond, Streamlight, Princeton Tec etc are all riding on the coat-tails of this one headlamp. The Petzl Zoom is near bulletproof, and very versatile. With the optional halogen bulb a range of 100m is possible (at the expense of battery life obviously), and the zoomable focus makes it useful for pottering around the campsite or for picking out a sign 50m away. Recent advances in LED technology has made bright white LEDs cheaply available which appear in many other headlamps. These give excellent battery life with a reasonable short distance light output (albeit with a bluish tint). These surpass the Zoom for short distance work, and the better battery life enables a reduction in battery size and weight, very useful for climbers. For all purpose use, I'd consider the Myo series which combine an incandescent bulb with LEDs giving you the best of both worlds. I'm not convinced that the durability is the same as the Zoom though - they appear to be lighter. I guess I'll have to buy one and see if I still have it in 15 years time! I have to give the Zoom a 5* rating simply for the fact that for so long it defined what many of us outdoorsy types wanted in a torch. The reality is that for many purposes, there now exist better options. But if you're looking for a bulletproof headlamp with excellent range and the weight is non-critical, the Zoom still fits the bill.

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> Read All 11 Reviews

Bryce Hannah - 2008-09-03

great headlamp but not bright enough
i am trying to find a led bulb for my petzl zoom can any one help

Was this Petzl Zoom Headlamp Review Helpful? - Yes - No (1 of 1 liked this review)

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John - 2005-06-19

Great Headlamp
This lamp rules. I've had mine 5 years and works great. If you are worried about battery life then buy the 3 led screw in bulb like I did! Then it lasts ungodly long even withh aa batteries. Not as bright tho but plenty for night trekking.

Is this Handy? - Yes - No

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Old Zoom User. - 2004-09-02

The Grand-Daddy
I've owned and regularly used one since 1989 and have just had to replace the strap as the elastic went. Quite simply, this is the Grand-Daddy of them all. Black Diamond, Streamlight, Princeton Tec etc are all riding on the coat-tails of this one headlamp. The Petzl Zoom is near bulletproof, and very versatile. With the optional halogen bulb a range of 100m is possible (at the expense of battery life obviously), and the zoomable focus makes it useful for pottering around the campsite or for picking out a sign 50m away. Recent advances in LED technology has made bright white LEDs cheaply available which appear in many other headlamps. These give excellent battery life with a reasonable short distance light output (albeit with a bluish tint). These surpass the Zoom for short distance work, and the better battery life enables a reduction in battery size and weight, very useful for climbers. For all purpose use, I'd consider the Myo series which combine an incandescent bulb with LEDs giving you the best of both worlds. I'm not convinced that the durability is the same as the Zoom though - they appear to be lighter. I guess I'll have to buy one and see if I still have it in 15 years time! I have to give the Zoom a 5* rating simply for the fact that for so long it defined what many of us outdoorsy types wanted in a torch. The reality is that for many purposes, there now exist better options. But if you're looking for a bulletproof headlamp with excellent range and the weight is non-critical, the Zoom still fits the bill.

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Jim Jamesson groovyadventures.com - 2004-03-31

This one gets the job done
I agree with the above comments. I've put my Zoom thru just about everything. It's been dropped, soaked, submerged, fell out of a jeep, and just always works. Best headlamp I've ever owned. (although I do long for the new dual LED/Halogen models... not until this one dies)

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G - 2002-07-19

Standard piece of equipment
Before the Tikka came along, this was the headlamp you wanted for saving your butt. I can't remember how many times I have hiked out in the dark on climbs, the Zoom gives you lots of focused light to get back to camp and cook up some dinner. The standard for strong headlamps

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rebecca - 2002-11-06

Workhorse of Headlamps!
The Petzl Zoom headlamp is the workhorse of headlamps. I conceed that it doesn't have the weight savings or battery life that the new LED lights have, but it is still a great piece of equipment. The advantage of the ability to focus the nice bright beam of light is key when you need to see a long distance or be able to really see what you are doing. The little Tikka is great for generally light, but not so great if you need a lot of light on the activity at hand, like working with charts or making repairs to equipment in field or on the road.

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Anonymous - 2002-07-24

Petzl Zoom
It is a great device. Tough and Durable. The only problems I have with it are that the batteries don't last as long, and it's not as small as some as I would ideally like. But this only matters if you are concerned with how much you have in your pack and how much time you need the light to last. What I like about it is that it's not fiddly. You just change the battery, turn it on (which is easier than some of the others) and away you go. The light, I find it good and it's also good that you can focus the light. Great if the batterie's were smaller and lasted longer-but it sits nicely. I have used in in the mountains and it has worked well.

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Anonymous - 2002-12-03

Buy newer technology if you can afford it.
I have had and was very happy with my Petzel Zoom (see earlier review), but recently took the plunge and invested in one of the new Duo LED Petzels - the difference in performance (and battery life) is astounding! Not that there was much wrong with my old Zoom - but the new Duo is just so much better.

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Rod Hill - 2002-09-21

Great product but heavy on batteries
Engineered to last forever, absolutely dependable but heavy on batteries compared with newer technology. Mine saved my butt when some poachers set their pit bull on me -sometimes you need both hands!

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Anonymous - 2002-10-13

Poor
This petzl headlamp is horrible. I would never again purchase anything remotely similar to this again. From now on I am going with Black Diamond all the way. I can't believe the low battery life and everything else. DON'T PURCHASE!! BIG MISTAKE!!

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