How do headlamps elicit nostalgia?

I’ve owned a lot of headlamps over the years, and without ever thinking about it or knowing why, they’ve all been made by Petzl.

If you served in the latest Iraq or Afghan war, you probably had those things issued to you. You probably relied on them pretty heavily. You probably also “acquired” one or two extras somehow, maybe citing the old adage that “gear adrift is a gift”.

Well those guys and gals at Petzl have been making amazing headlamps long before those wars kicked off. In fact, they’ve been making outstanding products based on their four pillars — or fundamentals — for fifty years! The principals that follow “motivate every decision [they] make:

“Remaining a stable family business; Encouraging innovation to imagine the best solutions; Insisting on industrial excellence with the goal of zero defects; Remaining engaged with our communities by providing global best practices.”

I kind of get it now. It makes sense why every single time I’ve bought a headlamp for me, my kid, or a family member, it’s been a Petzl. I stick with these guys because I trust them. Their work has never failed me, from casual camping with the family to direct action missions against the enemy, when I need a light source, Petzls provides me with light.