Two headlamps worth lining up side by side. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Black Diamond Astro 300 | Petzl Tikka | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 72✓ | 71 |
| Max lumens | 300 lm | 350 lm✓ |
| Weight | 2.6 oz✓ | 3.0 oz |
| Beam distance | 55 m | 65 m✓ |
| Max runtime | 140 h | 120 h |
| Price | $20✓ | $35 |
| Battery | AAA | AAA |
| Water rating | IPX4 | IPX4 |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Astro 300 in blue, Tikka in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Runtime is shown for context and is not scored, since makers publish it at different brightness levels. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full headlamp comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
The Black Diamond Astro 300 and Petzl Tikka take different routes to the same job. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The Astro 300 is 12 g lighter and $15 cheaper. The Tikka is brighter (350 vs 300 lm) and a longer beam (65 vs 55 m). Their GearScores land within a couple of points (72 vs 71), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the Astro 300 if you care most about low weight and price, which makes it the better call for counting grams on long miles. Pick the Tikka if brightness and longer throw matter more to you, or you are focused on your priorities.
The Black Diamond Astro 300. It is 12 g lighter than the Tikka.
The Petzl Tikka. It is brighter (350 vs 300 lm) than the Astro 300.
They are nearly tied at 72 and 71 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Astro 300 for low weight, or the Tikka for brightness. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.