A brilliant design..even the barrel tie serves a double function as a whistle...but the light itself is very low lumens and therefore doesn't serve very well as a primary light.
Pros: Light-weight,Functional,Compact, excellent switch
Cons: very low lumens, Uses cell/button batteries that may be hard or expensive to replace
I have owned many headlamps, but the best and longest-lasting have come from Petzl. When I saw this innovative design, I knew I had to have one (or two or three). I have both the zip-cord and fixed headband styles.
Switching from one beam to the next is very easy, intuitive and distinctive from other types of headlamps. It cannot be turned on by accident as easily as other headlamps, so it can be stowed with little worry.
The fact that it also has a red light was a must for me, since I work on a ship and need to preserve my night vision during watches. Just as important, the lever can be set to the off position at the bottom, so you don't have to run through the white light to get to the red light each time. Even the barrel-tie serves double-duty as a whistle.
If only they were fully waterproof.
The eLite is also serves best as a backup or emergency light and not as a primary light, as it is quite dim. This is its greatest limitation.
The other downside is the battery...more expensive to replace and not as easy to come by as AAA's...however, use of a button battery is what keeps the weight and size down, so it's just what it is.