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The Princeton Tec Vizz provides solid beam brightness, but for $50 it faces some stout competition from models that deliver more performance. The most direct competitor is the Black Diamond Storm, which scored higher and also has a $50 list price.
REASONS TO BUY
Well built
Reasonable battery life claims
REASONS TO AVOID
Competing lights offer better value
New Vizz Summer 2018
Princeton Tec is rolling out an update to the Vizz that is significantly brighter at 420 lumens versus the 350 lumen version we tested in this review. We'll look forward to testing it in the next review cycle.
A premium priced product that falls short of the competition
You can't go wrong with the Storm, high performance, quality optics, and durable design
Offering excellent optics, a bright wide beam, and strong performance for the price, the Spot is one of our favorites
A good value that offers basic functionality, slightly better than average performance, at a good price
The $20 Tikkina is a great light around the campsite, for general use, in your thingy drawer, or car glove box
Rating Categories
Princeton Tec Vizz
Black Diamond Storm
Black Diamond Spot
Yalumi LED 140-Lumen
Petzl Tikkina
Trail Finding(35%)
5.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
5.0
Close Proximity(20%)
3.0
8.0
9.0
5.0
4.0
Battery Life(15%)
6.0
6.0
4.0
6.0
7.0
Weight(15%)
5.0
5.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Ease of Use(15%)
3.0
6.0
6.0
9.0
10.0
Specs
Princeton Tec Vizz
Black Diamond Storm
Black Diamond Spot
Yalumi LED 140-Lumen
Petzl Tikkina
Measured Beam Distance
69 m
91 m
94 m
94 m
62 m
Claimed Distance
78 m
85 m
80 m
90 m
55 m
Measured High Mode Run-time (ANSI)
3.7 hrs
5 hrs
2.9 hrs
4.3 hrs
3.5 hrs
Claimed High Mode Run-time
1 hrs
40 hrs
30 hrs
Not specified
60 hrs
Measured Low Mode Run-time
129 hrs
42 hrs
9.7 hrs
47 hrs
223 hrs
Claimed Low Mode Run-time
6 hrs
120 hrs
175 hrs
100 hrs
220 hrs
Measured Weight
3.4 oz, 96 g
4 oz, 112 g
3.1 oz, 89 g
2.7 oz, 77 g
2.9 oz, 83 g
Battery Type
3 AAA
4 AAA
3 AAA
3 AAA
3 AAA
Water Resistance
IPX7 waterproof to one meter
IP67 waterproof to one meter and dustproof
Splash proof (dubious IPX8 claim)
IPX4 splash proof
IPX4 splash proof
Manuf Claimed Lumens
205 lumens
350 lumens
300 lumens
140 lumens
150 lumens
Beam Type
flood/spot
flood/spot
flood/spot
flood/spot
flood
Red Light
yes
yes, red/green/blue night-vision modes
yes
yes
no
On Switch Lock
no
yes
yes
no
no
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Princeton Tec has a long history of making headlamps. Petzl, Black Diamond, and Princeton Tec represent the companies most recognized in the outdoor world for their headlamps. As compared to these other manufacturers, Princeton Tec has fallen behind lately. Generally, they have a great foundation, but the products seem to be overpriced for the performance.
Performance Comparison
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Trail Finding
The trail finding score of 5 of 10 is about average overall, but disappointing for a $50 light.
Beam Distance Photos
Princeton Tec Vizz
Black Diamond Storm
Close Proximity
The Vizz disappointed us in close proximity testing with optics that has a hot spot in the middle which makes it harder to see everything in your nearby wide field of vision.
Battery Life
Our tests showed the Vizz offering even better battery life, for both high mode, and more so in low mode, than the manufacturer claims in their marketing. We found it to perform a bit above average on battery life.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
At $50 list, the Vizz is a premium priced light that faces some tough competition. The Black Diamond Spot, which scored higher overall, sells for $10 lower list price. The BD Storm offers even more performance, for the same list price.
Princeton Tec has announced in summer of 2018 a new 420 lumen version of the Vizz that may offer a more compelling value.
