Petzl Tikka XP 2 Headlamp

Pros: Lightweight, incredibly bright, competatively priced. Long battery life, but without added bulk of an external battery pack above your neck. Versatile modes - spotlight, floodlight, blinkers, and red LED for your star chart or secret missions. The recent redesign to a single LED provides for longer battery life in economic mode, and more lumens!

Cons: Witnessed a complaint that the push-button switch (push once, twice, three times to cycle through lamp modes) is annoying, but I didn't find this to be an actual issue for me. Maybe i'm just used to Petzl lamps? Also, some have complained that purple is really lame. This is not true at all. It is a fact that purple is very cool. Petzl does offer the Tikka XP 2 in Graphite (Grey) if purple isn't really your thing though.

I've found that this little headlamp is absolutely superb. Lightweight, burly and bright. In the economic (least bright) setting, the Tikka XP 2 provides 160 hours of burn time. I found the economic setting to be plenty bright for just about everything - reading, pumping water, cooking, hiking at night. The full brightness setting I reserve for times when you really need it - rock climbing, alpine climbing, skiing, spot-lighting something in the distance. I'd go through one set of regular Energizer AAAs in periods of 3-4 months. Maybe longer actually. Anyways, quite a long time.

The Tikka XP 2 is light enough to still be an option for thru hikers and casual backpackers alike, but rugged, efficient and bright enough to be useful in the alpine. Battery life does suffer in the cold (under freezing), and I noticed this on Shasta, Bailey and Mt. Ashland on several occasions. However, this can be easily bypassed by switching regular AAAs for lithium batteries, and this is pretty much true for any headlamp on the market. If you're going Caving or heading on a big trip to the Karakorum, South America, Alaska, or some place where extra batts might be tougher to find, and the cold is more severe - go with Petzl's Myo XP (designed for extreme environments). For anything in the U.S., I feel that this little purple headlamp is perfect.

The Wide Angle diffuser lens flips up easily with one hand when you need a floodlight, and can be flipped back down at a moment's notice to gain the added distance of Petzl's impressive spotlight. I found that I was able to do this with mitts on, even. The small tab on the lens is easy to grab. I definitely noticed that the redesigned single white LED provides a significant increase in both battery life and illumination when compared to the original. I've used both the classic Tikka XP and Tikka Plus, and truly feel that Petzl is innovating, not simply donning new flair.

The Tikka XP 2 is priced lower than most expedition headlamps, but is a little bit more expensive than your entry level lamp - They retail for $54.95.

This is the one headlamp I use for just about everything. I haven't really experienced anything negative about it in the last year. Go Petzl!

See our selection of headlamps here.

Black Diamond Octane Pack

28L, 1,700 cu in.
2lbs 11oz.
(size Medium)

Outside Magazine's Gear of the Year Award Winner: 2010

Pros: Lightweight, but able to carry weight easily. A lack of extraneous features and a streamlined top-loading design makes 28L feel more like 35L - this allows a surprising amount of gear to be stuffed inside. External stretch pocket makes storage of rain jacket/map/snacks very easy. The new ErgoActive suspension system carries like a dream - comfortable, adjustable, even feels good on the rock, over a laden harness. The Octane's simplicity and functionality stood out constantly.

Cons: Not many! The hipbelt sticks out from the pack, and if not strapped around your hips tightly, it can get in the way during casual use (though it is easily removed for storage). The pack doesn't have as many internal organizing compartments as some other models, but this was never a real issue. A friend complained that the shoulder straps needed some additional padding, but I didn't find this to be an issue either.

The Black Diamond Octane is a superb piece of wearable technology. It is large enough to stuff an entire sport rack, your rope, snacks, and water inside - and it carries 25-35 pounds with superb comfort and mobility. The ErgoActive suspension really does feel like an extension of your body - hipbelt and shoulder harness all moving in stride. I scrambled over scree piles and hiked up steep hills with it stuffed, and I really felt the suspension system working. The load is easily stabilized and compressed with external compression straps, and organization is simplified by an external stretch pocket and a small hipbelt pocket. There is a small top zip for your nick-nacks as well. Trekking poles are easily secured to the pack, and there is a small sleeve inside for your hydration bladder.

Though this pack really excells on large day trips and ultralight multi-day missions in a hiking context, it is durable enough to be used for local cragging too, and is even snazzy enough to be used around town. The 210d nylon face fabric is definitely ultralight (whole pack weighs in at 2lbs 11oz, size medium), but it can definitely take a beating, and it is very weatherproof to boot. Don't worry about durability with the Octane - Black Diamond knows how to make their gear. This pack was used all day every day, for three days of Yosemite adventure. It carried a 25 -30 lb mix of supplies and climbing gear, and every person who carried it was incredibly stoked. I consistently found it challenging to pack the thing to the brim! It is deceptively large.

All things considered, The Black Diamond Octane gets a rave review. It is one of the most intelligently designed large day packs on the market. I've used 35L packs that feel smaller than they are, and the Octane is the exception - the most bottomless 28L pack that i've ever used. If you do long day missions, ultralight solo trips, provide day supplies for a group, or need an all-inclusive rucksack for moving over tough terrain quickly, then the Octane is perfect for you.

See our pack selection here!