For six months of the year, many of us commute in the dark at one end of the day or both. A good headlamp is one of the most useful bits of kit for that. It lights wherever you look, makes you visible at junctions, and comes in handy when you're fixing a puncture on an unlit street.
Petzl is one of the best-known headlamp makers, alongside Black Diamond and Fenix. All three make lamps that last for years. This guide looks at Petzl's range from a commuter's point of view.
A bit of history
Petzl's story goes back to 1936 and Fernand Petzl, a caver and inventor, who began producing climbing equipment in 1968. The first Petzl headlamp for mountaineering appeared in 1973, and the company took the Petzl name in 1975. In 2000 it launched the TIKKA, one of the first LED headlamps, and the TIKKA name is still in the range today.
Petzl is still family-owned. In 2019 it had over 750 staff, three factories in France and one in Malaysia, and backed most products with a five-year guarantee; check the current terms when you buy. It also has a reputation for long-lasting products and spare parts: you can buy a new headband or buckle rather than a new lamp.
First: a headlamp is not a bike light
If you ride, a headlamp should add to your bike lights, not replace them. In most countries, bikes ridden at night must have a white front light and a red rear light, and often a red rear reflector, fixed to the bike. Rules on helmet-mounted lights vary, so check your local road rules.
What a headlamp adds is light where you're looking. You can point it at a driver waiting at a side road, into a dark corner, or at the lock and the keys. Never point a bright beam straight at drivers' eyes, though: dazzling someone is unsafe and, in some places, illegal.
For runners and walkers, a headlamp is often the main light, and a red light or reflective strip at the back is a good addition.
What to look for
Brightness (lumens)
Petzl measures brightness to the ANSI/PLATO FL 1 standard, so models are comparable. As a rough guide for commuting:
- 100–200 lumens: fine for walking and running on lit streets
- 300–600 lumens: good for running on unlit paths, and for riding with the headlamp backing up a bike light
- 1,000 lumens and up: trail running and mountain biking
Higher brightness drains the battery much faster. Most lamps let you choose a lower setting for most of the trip, and a boost when you need it.
Beam type
- Flood (wide): even light close up. Great for camping and walking, less useful at speed.
- Focused (spot): a narrow, long-reaching beam that helps you see further and lets drivers see you.
- Mixed: both at once, focused in the centre with a wider spill. For commuting, mixed is the one to look for.
Batteries: HYBRID CONCEPT
Many Petzl lamps use what Petzl calls the HYBRID CONCEPT. They run on Petzl's rechargeable CORE battery pack or on three standard AAA batteries, so you're not stranded if you forget to charge. The lamp detects which you're using and adjusts its output. Petzl says one CORE battery replaces about 900 disposable batteries over its life, which is good for your wallet and the bin.
Some higher-end models (such as the SWIFT RL and NAO RL) use built-in rechargeable batteries instead. They're brighter and smarter, but you can't swap in AAAs on the go. Make sure you can charge one at work.
Reactive lighting
Petzl's REACTIVE LIGHTING models ("RL" in the name) measure the light reflected back from what you're looking at, and adjust their brightness automatically: brighter when you look into the distance, dimmer when you look at your hands. That saves battery and avoids glare. Some people find the constant adjustment distracting on busy, well-lit streets, and prefer a steady setting; most reactive lamps let you switch it off.
Mounts and extras
Look for compatibility with helmet mounts (Petzl sells adhesive plates and clips) and with BIKE ADAPT 2, Petzl's handlebar and seat-post mount. A reflective headband, a red light mode and a weather-resistance rating of IPX4 or better are all useful for commuting. Red light is for the back or for close-up work, not for facing forwards on the road.
Petzl's range for commuters in 2026
Petzl's range has grown and been renamed since this article was first written. These are the models most relevant to commuting, with figures from Petzl's own site; check there for current specifications, burn times and prices.
ACTIK CORE: our pick for most commuters
- 625 lumens, mixed beam, red light
- About 88 g (3.1 oz) including the rechargeable CORE battery
- HYBRID CONCEPT: CORE battery included, also runs on three AAAs
- Reflective headband; compatible with Petzl's helmet and bike mounts
Bright enough for unlit paths, light enough to forget you're wearing it, and with the AAA fallback for the day you forget to charge it. It's the commuter all-rounder.
ACTIK
The same family as the ACTIK CORE, supplied with standard AAA batteries rather than the CORE pack (which you can add later). A good choice if you'd rather buy the rechargeable pack separately, or already have one.
TIKKA CORE and TIKKA
- TIKKA CORE: 450 lumens, about 84 g (3 oz), wide beam, HYBRID CONCEPT with the CORE battery included
The TIKKA range is simpler, with a wider beam. That's ideal for walking to the station and for tasks like fixing a puncture, but less useful at cycling speeds. A good choice for walkers and easy runners.
SWIFT RL
- 1,200 lumens in the sport version, REACTIVE LIGHTING, built-in rechargeable battery
Much more light than a commute needs most of the time, but excellent if your route includes unlit trails or long dark country roads, or you also run or ride off-road at night.
NAO RL
Petzl's high-output reactive lamp for trail running, with a rear battery pack. A specialist choice, and overkill for most city commuters.
TIKKID
A low-powered lamp designed for children. Not for commuting.
The 2019 line-up, for reference
If you're buying second-hand or already own an older Petzl, here's how the range looked when this article was first written in 2019, with the figures Petzl quoted then:
- ACTIK CORE (2019): 450 lumens, mixed or flood beam, CORE battery included. Burn time: 2 hours at 450 lumens, 12 hours at 100 lumens, 130 hours at 6 lumens. About 75 g. Our favourite commuter lamp at the time. An earlier version was 350 lumens.
- ACTIK (2019): 350 lumens, mixed or flood beam, AAA batteries supplied. Burn time: 2 hours at 350 lumens, 12 hours at 100 lumens, 120 hours at 6 lumens.
- MYO: 280 lumens (370 in a short boost mode), focused or flood beam, three AA batteries in a rear pack. Burn time: 5 hours at 110 lumens, 13 hours at 60 lumens.
- TIKKA (2019): 300 lumens, flood beam, red light, 82 g. Burn time: 2 hours at 300 lumens, 9 hours at 100 lumens, 120 hours at 6 lumens.
- TIKKINA: 250 lumens, flood beam, no red light.
- REACTIK: 220 lumens, reactive, mixed beam, red light, 115 g. Burn time: 3–4 hours at 220 lumens, about 6 hours at 130 lumens. Optional AAA battery pack.
- NAO (2019): 700 lumens in reactive mode, 500 lumens constant for 1–2 hours or 120 lumens for 8 hours. Flood, mixed or focused beam. 185 g, built-in battery, no helmet or bike mounts.
- e+LITE: 50-lumen emergency lamp on CR2032 coin cells, waterproof to 1 m for 30 minutes (IPX7). A handy spare for the bottom of a bag.
- The CORE battery (2019): 1,250 mAh, 28 g, about 3 hours to recharge.
Our take
- Cycling, as a backup to bike lights: ACTIK CORE, ideally on a helmet mount
- Running on unlit paths: ACTIK CORE, or SWIFT RL if you also run trails
- Walking or easy running on lit streets: TIKKA CORE
- A spare for your bag or puncture kit: any small, cheap lamp, even an old one
Whatever you choose, charge it on Sunday night, keep a set of AAAs in your bag if it's a HYBRID CONCEPT model, and add a clip-on red light at the back if you're running.
This article is a 2026 rewrite by Cole of Mark's 2019 original, updated for Petzl's current range. The original's shop links have been removed.