I bought my Zoom in the late 80s, so it's the model with the battery pack in hard plastic with the cover that you pull up and down. And I don't really remember how much I paid for it, but it has been worth every Canadian dollar. I have used it in every condition possible (snow, rain, dense fog, you name it), and every activity (skiing, caving, backpacking, climbing). It has never, ever failed me. Yes, it's old fashioned, and heavy compared to today's models, but I would never exchange it for a new one. Think of it as a trusted friend when your going for a piddle at 3 am or you arrive at camp in the dark. I just hope the 4,5V batteries never cease to exist.

Customer Service

Never needed them so far.

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I''''d be lost without my Zoom. I''''ve had it for about 6-7 years now and it''''s never failed me. I guess some might say it''''s heavy when compared to the Tika and some of the Princeton Tec headlamps out but 7 years of no problems is good enough for me. I''''ve used it in blizzards, monsoonal rains and out on the high seas...awesome.

Customer Service

Never had to use it!

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Some other dodgy looking torch by someone I can''''t remember.

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A high quality product from Petzl. I''ve had mine for 3 years, and never had any issues with it. I''ve dropped it, thrown it around, used it in the rain, no problem. The weight is acceptable, you''re unlikely to notice it''s there while you''re hiking in the dark. The only quirk I have is that it illuminates a narrow path in front of you, so after a while you develop tunnel vision and become oblivious to your periphery. By contrast, LED models illuminate a wide area in front of you, but you can''t scan 20 ft. in the distance. As an all-around general purpose light, this takes the cake, but if you need a wider field of illumination, look at their LED models instead.

Customer Service

Unknown

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I had a Petzl Zoom for about 7 years now and it has (with some repairs) given great service. With respect to the dull light and the "blind spot", try using the optional Halogen bulb- the light''s then bright enough to burn out a kangaroo''s retinas at 50 paces. The only downside to this is battery life, which is about half. I carry both bulbs, and swap them as needed ie around camp I use the normal bulb and on the track I use the halogen one. I''ve had a few problems with the torch. The copper wires broke internally (after 5 years) where they enter the torch, probably from flexing. I just had to strip the ends back and resolder them inside the torch, easy!. The other problem I''ve had had been the elastic headband bagging out, I had to get some similar elastic from a fabric shop and replace it- no fancy patterns but very servicable. I have also made a holder for C sized batteries, that I use when weight is not an issue. The interesting thing is that the battery life is about the same as the flat shape battery, both being alkaline Duracels, but the C''s cost about half as much.

Customer Service

I''ve never had any problems getting bulbs or batteries.

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My girlfriends got one of those little Coleman ones, great value but hard to switch on with gloved hands and quite fragile.

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Overall, this is a good headlamp that is very lightweight, compact, and convenient. The light output could be brighter, it is a pretty dim yellow beam that allows you to see things nearby, but doesn''t "shine" when you are trying to see distant objects. This headlamp is VERY durable, I get it soaking wet all the time and drop it frequently.

Customer Service

Never used Petzl customer service.

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Petzl Tikka (No long range light) Black Diamond Lunar (Another great headlamp)

I bought my Zoom from a fellow in the UK..it's a great all around headlamp; durable and strong. My only beefs are the odd battery that's rather pricey(this can be circumvented with the AA adaptor), and the "blind spot" in the middle of the beam. The Micro is very simialr to the Zoom, and doesn't have the blind spot. I also have a Tikka, which is just awesome for it's size and weight; if you're an ounce-counter, you'd love it.

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This is a great overall headlamp for any use and is well suited for around-camp work after dark. The only annoying thing about it is the fact that it will light about 2 square feet brightly and not the entire area as an LCD will. It will however allow for good spotlighting though. So, because of this problem, I bought 2 of the Photon Micro LCD lights and mounted them on my Petzel Zoom. It works great while lighting a larger area then the headlamp alone.

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This is the only headlamp I've tried because it's the best I've ever seen. I have friends whome have smaller or brighter head lamps but they all wish they had mine. It's an all around great performer. This is the only headlamp I would recommend.

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Great headlamp. I have used it in moderate rain and it has still performed well. The output is very good and lets you hike with ease. I've also tested it's toughness. Mine took a 50-foot fall inside my The North Face Atlantis day pack and came out intact. My only complaint is the blind spot that is formed in the center of the light beam, but besides that you have great visibility.

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I have always wanted a headlamp, and this one fits the bill. It is light enough to pack, and puts out as more light then my mag. The only downfall is the funny battery size, that you now have to special order in my area. REI made up for this by giveing me the adapter for the AA batteries.

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