Petzl Zoom

Review Date
August 19, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: wayne_chan(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Luleå, Sweden

Price Paid:  $25.00 at Mountain Equipment C

Summary:
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.

Similar Products Used:
None

Review Date
January 1, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: doughboy(Unregistered User) ,  Climber

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
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!

Similar Products Used:
Some other dodgy looking torch by someone I can't remember.

Review Date
November 28, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Nabhan (Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from London, Ontario, Canada

Price Paid:  $50.00 at Novacks

Summary:
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

Similar Products Used:
None

Review Date
November 24, 2001

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: Trevor (Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Tasmania, Australia

Price Paid:  $25.00

Summary:
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.

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

Review Date
September 8, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: MTNhi(Unregistered User) ,  Climber

Price Paid:  $35.00 at REI

Summary:
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.

Similar Products Used:
Petzl Tikka (No long range light)
Black Diamond Lunar (Another great headlamp)