The world's most in-depth and scientific reviews of outdoor gear

Princeton Tec Vizz Review

A light that doesn't offer compelling performance for the price point
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Price:  $50 List | $19.98 at Backcountry
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  Well built, reasonable battery life claims
Cons:  Competing lights offer better value
Manufacturer:   Princeton Tec
By RJ Spurrier ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  May 28, 2018
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45
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#25 of 27
  • Trail Finding - 35% 5
  • Close Proximity - 20% 3
  • Battery Life - 15% 6
  • Weight - 15% 5
  • Ease of Use - 15% 3

Our Verdict

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.

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.


Compare to Similar Products

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



Trail Finding


The trail finding score of 5 of 10 is about average overall, but disappointing for a $50 light.


Beam Distance Photos
Beam photo of Princeton Tec Vizz
Beam photo of Black Diamond Storm

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.



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.


— RJ Spurrier