Few things are as important as being able to see while hiking or working in the dark.
A good head lamp is often superior to a flashlight because it illuminates where your head is pointed and keeps your hands free.
Petzl, which manufactures quality head lamps, is a brand I have trusted for years to provide lightweight and reliable illumination while I am camping, hunting and on the trail.
The company has its roots in mountaineering. In this kind of dangerous and thrilling activity, it is important to have a reliable source of light and keep your hands free to perform tasks. Petzl was founded in Crolles, France, in 1975 and has been a world name in head lamps ever since.
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My family and I currently carry the Petzl Tikkina 2. It weighs less than three ounces and comes with a comfortable headband and three-year warranty. The head lamps are water sealed and weather resistant.
The Tikkina’s bright setting creates a wide beam for close-range vision, while the dim setting ex-tends battery life and avoids blinding others.
The light pod also has a lockable hinge to better control the angle of illumination.
You may position it horizontally when viewing short distances ahead of you or point it down when working on something comfortably within arms reach.
The head lamp uses three AAA batteries and has an easy to read display on its current level of charge.
It may also use a rechargeable Ni-MH pack, which I use for cost savings and extended use. The rechargeable pack comes with a USB cable to charge off a computer or mobile charger.
A quality head lamp would make it easier to work around the farm during twilight or night, in dim buildings or on machinery.
Our Tikkinas makes nighttime camping a better overall experience for my family.
As well, being able to see and keep our hands free when field dressing game taken just before dusk goes a long way to getting the job done quickly and safely.
I sometimes wear my Tikkina when making knives in my shop. The extra illumination goes a long way when doing detail work.
Head lamps are not the most fashionable things to wear, but they are incredibly useful. If anyone makes fun of you while wearing one, just do what I do and look them straight in the face with the beam.
The Petzl Tikkina costs around $30. Petzl manufactures other head lamp models that cost up to $120, depending on the features you want.
Kim Quintin is a Saskatoon outdoor enthusiast and knife maker. He can be reached for column content suggestions at kim.quintin@producer.com or 306-665-9687.
