PETZL Reactik Headlamp

Product Information

With all the learning curves and warnings aside, the reactive lighting feature is revolutionary and performs well in a range of situations. I tested the Petzl Reactik Plus from November 2016 to February 2017 throughout the White Mountains region of New Hampshire. The temperatures ranged from the mid-50s to -10 degrees Fahrenheit with clear, mist, rain, and snow conditions all experienced. I found the different selection options to be a little confusing to work at first but once I figured out the button combinations I was able to cycle through the modes to find the desired option. From 0% to 100% takes a number of hours, so when needed, I would plug the light in overnight and it would be ready to go by morning. Typically, I would charge the battery when it was between 33-66% full. This recharge only takes 1 to 2 hours. The first thing you should know about the Petzl REACTIK+ is that it’s part of Petzl’s performance line, a set of headlamps that features REACTIVE LIGHTING technology that automatically adapts light intensity to user needs. These lamps (the REACTIK, REACTIK+, and NAO+), all have a sensor in the front that analyzes ambient light and adjusts brightness on the fly. If you hit your light on an object right in front of you, it dims; throw it further out and it brightens. This obviously conserves precious battery life, the most important of all commodities during a dark night on the trail.

The diffuse and spot setting provides a soft light so that you can see around your general area while also providing a spot light to see far in the distance. The spot only setting provides a beam that allows you to see far into the distance but is not the setting for soft light around your general area. Additionally, if you are running at a really fast clip (i.e. sub-7:30), the REACTIVE lighting does take a moment to adjust. This could be off-putting when running down a steep downhill, so you may want to switch to constant mode in those situations. The Reactik Plus is powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The light comes with a USB power cord and can be connected to a computer, solar device, or wall adapter.You’re also able to add sport profiles (a number are pre-loaded by Petzl), or even create a customized one to fit your lighting needs. This is a pretty incredible feature because you can essentially set each mode to be exactly the amount of lumens you need. You want 6 hours on max power mode and 12 hours on max autonomy mode? Just tailor it and it’ll apply the settings to your headlamp.

I have found that measuring distance with a headlamp beam is a “soft” science. For all applications while using the Petzl Reactik Plus I was always able to see as far as I needed to see. With that being said, I’ll give some more detail. The Petzl REACTIK+ is a headband torch that provides a luminous flux of 300lm, making it suitable for various outdoor activities. With a weight of 115g, it is light enough to be carried during long hikes or runs. The torch comes with a rechargeable battery that has a capacity of 1800mAh and takes approximately 4.5 hours to recharge fully. The indicator light on the side of the headlamp changes color to help give a general idea of how much battery life remains. Green is 66-100%, Yellow is 33-66%, and Red is 0-33%. This helps give you an idea of how much time you have before you need a charge. Additionally, when the light is paired to the app there is a display indicating the exact amount of battery life left. If you’re used to using a constant-beam headlamp, the Reactive technology can take a bit to get used to. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just different. None of the varied weather conditions New England had to offer had any impact on the headlamp. I was intentionally hard on the light during the last few weeks of testing because we had some of the coldest and snowiest weather. I left the light exposed to temperatures down to 10 degrees below zero with blowing ice and snow and there was no effect on the battery life or the performance.

Rawlings Running Cap

I found the distances in these profiles to be accurate representations of how far the light reached at a given setting. The Petzl REACTIK+ is a headlamp with everything a trail runner needs in a nighttime guide; a rechargeable and programmable light source with a good range of output options and just the right amount of technology.

This rechargeable and versatile headlamp is perfect for all nigh time outdoor activities and features Petzl's own Reactive Lighting Technology. This clever feature allows the headtorch to adapt it's lighting to the users surroundings and according to the activity. During the activity, the Reactik analysesthe ambient light and adjusts the brightness instantly, meaning battery life is optimisedand the less you need to concentrate on your torch. If that all sounds a bit too complicated then you can run the Reactik on Constant Lighting if you prefer. Standard: which has an increased lumen output but reduces the level of autonomy and adjustment. This setting reduces battery life by half.The top button controls the overall power and the REACTIVE lighting. Hold it down for 2 seconds to turn on, then press again to cycle through the power modes. It always starts in the max autonomy setting of the REACTIVE mode. I used the REACTIK in several dusk to dark and straight-up nighttime runs, up to 2 hours in length, as well as on a weekend camping trip.