Having just bought this model to upgrade from my MYO XP I could immediately see the advantage.
firstly let me state for the record, the MYO XP positively excels, I love it, there are no drawbacks to it & i'll continue to use it alongside this.
I do use numerous petzls & have NO affiliation with the company, I simply find a good brand & tend to stick with it! ..check out my other petzl headtorch reviews if required.
Ok, some folks have state it's heavy, not really by comparison to similar headtorches, Run time with 3 AA's (I tend to use rechargeables unless out in the extremes) is great, never worried, never been caught short for light if used properly, you don't need it on brightest mode all the time so click through to acceptable levels to eke out battery management & get into the habit!
Which brings me to the reason I now have both models, I actually find that the original LED Myo XP can be too bright, & ever aware of battery conservation (why waste energy)? ..the easily programmable light "steps" offered by the RXP make for a great facility.
To change light settings (ALL settings including strobe / s.o.s. levels) you simply press both the on/off button at the same time as boost & hold them down, till the light flashes then change (& count your settings as you press additionally, it will cycle through constantly till you decide! ..takes a bit of practise, but that's the same with any new item?
from this point you can choose & store 3 settings to dial into requirements for whatever activity / purpose you currently are doing.
THE LIGHT WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE STORING OF THE SETTING (flashing), TURN IT OFF & REPEAT IF OTHER SETTINGS ARE ALSO REQUIRED.
Standard (straight out of the pack) are...10 (brightest), 6, then 4.
It's not rocket science, you will only need to familiarise yourself once or twice, (so don't worry about losing the instructions)
I like to keep mine on a low (1 or 2) with 6 & 8 generally, this way it typically does what I want without any battery angst.
Some folk worry about use in the cold, well I've always used mine on misty nights, in storms etc & very low alpine environments (as well as diy) & if temperature is a concern, get a wooly hat, & wrap part of the excess over the battery compartment to assist keeping it warm, batteries produce heat to a degree when working so you'll be adding a thermal layer without adding bulk, i've used mine in -25 through -40 without problem, if cold i'll be wearing a wooly hat anyway, ..so no problem.
I tend to use rechargeables on my old MYO xp which is unregulated so there is light output decay as the 1.2 volt batteries lose charge, however they do very well.
The difference here is with the regulated system it maintains a constant light till it cannot draw adequately, then flashes you a reminder to either downgrade light levels (& it'll recalculate power times) or change batteries ..soon!
Some less thoughtful folk berate the fact that the charge indicator is on the top & not visible when being worn, well you realy only need to know what charge is when you turn it on to get some idea don't you? ..failing that take it off & check occasionally, or get a friend to tell you, it's a 3 stage colour "traffic light" led so foolproof.
Just checked, it also shrinks down onto my 7yr old daughters head without movement, (no additional strap hanger) ..so much so that she's got her eyes on it for night hikes already! ..you wish kiddo!
Therefore if this is a gift to dad , but for all to use, the program light setting is ideal for general family use, D of E, plumbers, electricians, runners walkers , emergency kit, blackouts etc.
Changing settings with gloves isn't particularly easy, but can be done, it's a knack dependant upon how thick & sausage like your fingers become in gloves / mitts.
The mouldings on both models are the same, the diffusors (flood beam) are the same & very effective & durable) despite dropping mine countless times show no harm, the sit very well within the body & flip as required without faffing.
Great kit, worthy investment, work out what you want to use it for, once purchased you will use it alot I assure you. it's tough, but I would recommend using a cheap neoprene camera case (fit it don't guess) for additional protection & storage.
MY only gripe is that Petzl don't mak a dedicated foam "poche" pouch as they do fro the tikka's / zipka's etc, because I would like to keep this on my karabiner with keys etc.
So if you need more variable light this is for you, otherwise the regular xp will do you proud, I like to know that if i'm awake outside & wanting to read all night I can stick this as low as 8 lumens without seriously affecting my overall battery life for the next few nights of a trip.
Enjoy!