This torch wins our Best Buy award!
Giving a Best Buy award takes in a lot of factors. From there we deduce the overall value for money. It may not necessarily be the best item, but it is the best value. Alpkit’s Viper comes into this category.
The Petzl Tikka RXP is much more technical, and the Black Diamond Storm is the most solidly built, but the Alpkit Viper for £12.50 is the best value. It ticks the most important boxes: it’s simple to use, a decent output of 100 lumens, and well built.
The use is very simple. Press once for a 75 per cent output, again for 100 per cent, once more for 50 per cent, and again for flashing. Hold the button down and it switches to flood beam via two LEDs and offers the same levels of output; it’s very intuitive. There’s just one big button on the top that is probably the easiest to use among all those reviewed here — with gloves on too.
The head strap is comfortable and simple to adjust. There’s no red light, but I’d not be overly worried about that. For £12.50, buy two — you’ve a main and a back up here.
