Winter is fast approaching, days are getting shorter, and my children lost my old go-to headlamp (Petzl Tikka+2). While the Myo RXP really wasn't purchased with general backpacking in mind (I don't use much light for that, sometimes even leave it at home), it's mainly going to be my trailrunning/fastpacking lamp. I wanted something brighter than the Tikka, consistent (regulated), with good battery life.
Initial impressions:
I got this in the mail today and just came in from an 8 mile trail run in which I used it for about an hour. This lamp can really light it up, no issue whatsoever running technical singletrack, navigating stream crossings, etc. Seems like a good light for my needs so far. Time will tell after I put it through the paces and try using for 12-14 hours straight (should be very soon).
Certainly not a weight weenie headlamp, though for the power, not too bad either; only twice the weight of a Tikka+2. I was most interested in the fact that it boasts a 23 meter minimum setting with ~95 hours of life. As opposed to the Tikka+2, with a 15 meter economy mode. The Tikka +2 boasts 160 hours in economy, and while that's probably true, I've noticed a pretty serious drop off in output over time. The Petzl site claims output is roughly halved at 30 hours…whereas the Myo RXP has regulated output throughout the majority of battery life.
The programmable feature is nice; you can adjust the three preset lighting levels to your needs. One small thing that's always bugged me about other lights is that the default setting scrolls from brightest to lowest. I don't like turning on a light and immediately blinding myself and friends, especially when it's got ~160 lumens. The RXP allowed me to set it in reverse; starting at a low level and getting brighter.
The flip-up diffuser lens will be good for camp/chores/work, while the spotlight is good for running. On higher levels, I'm certain it's bright enough to MTB by (if not going stupid fast on technical stuff).
Should also mention it's virtually bounce-free…great for running. Rear battery pack is comfortable. Actually feels far more secure than a Zipka does when running.
Also takes standard, rechargeable, and lithium batteries.
I realize much of what I'm reporting here can be found in the Petzl specs on it…Just wanted to share what (so far) appears to be a good light for fast, all night activities.
