User Review: Petzl Zipka Plus

Petzl Zipka Plus
Above: The current Zipka Plus, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 29, 2006 by Glowwormxl

Rating:
Price Paid: $30

Pros: TINY, Bright, cleverly designed.

Con: light angle does not adjust.

General Impression: The overwhelming virtue of the Zipka Plus is its size. Smaller than 2" in every dimension and mere ounces has allowed me to take it everywhere; I rarely leave home without it. Fits comfortably in (men's) jeans pockets and in the palm for use as a hand light. I've used it on my bike, around the house, on the trail, and to read in a variety of circumstances (bed, buses, parks, and walking on the street). It's only a few times bigger than a keychain LED, and 100 times as useful.

Headband: The pull out headband grips very well, and will only slip during hard running or otherwise high-impact activities. Even then, I've never had it come off. The pad that sits on the forehead helps it stick a bit, and is pretty comfy. After six months of regular use, I see no wear on the string (which one might expect from friction with the reel).

Additionally, the thin string looks slightly less dorky than a full band (although I've still had some funny things yelled at me while biking through Harlem with a flashing light on my head).

Brightness: As advertised. I was surprised to find that in a living-room test the Zipka Plus was brighter than my roommate's Black Diamond NightRay, although certainly less diffuse (no parabolic mirrors on the Zipka). One interesting note is that the different brightness settings are achieved by dimming all bulbs, rather than turning any off. The lowest setting is perfect for reading without disturbing others, while the flasher is useful for biking, running, or impromptu raves.

Zipka Plus vs Zipka: I chose to spend the extra few bucks for the computer controlled settings, extra LED, water resistence, and because the other one just looks cheaply made. The rubber button is intuitive and preferable to pushing plastic back and forth. The case has been dropped plenty, with little to no damage to show for it. The water resistance of mine has (thankfully) yet to be tested. I recommend shelling out for these features.

Conclusion: I think this is the best light on the market for general purpose use. For outdoor use, there are obviously more powerful, more penetrating lamps for serious moonless night hiking, but the Zipka Plus will let you see around camp and keep you from walking into a ditch, and then some.

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