What's the best hand held light available - need opinions.

[Deep South Divers]

Yay! I found one. It's on my girl's Facebook: Login | Facebook

Of course, not that it helps much - since they're stowed, all you can see is that they're clipped off to my chest D-rings.

I'll get a better photo today.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Been out of the water for the past two days - stomach virus. I'll get photos ASAP. Sorry, all.

 

[JasonG]

Jay,

If you have a moment, I would be interested in a pic showing how you have your back-up lights clipped and mounted on your rig, and secured with the bicycle inner tube.

Thanks in advance.

Jason

 

[gcbryan]

Jay,

If you have a moment, I would be interested in a pic showing how you have your back-up lights clipped and mounted on your rig, and secured with the bicycle inner tube.

Thanks in advance.

Jason

Not to speak for him but since he hasn't been around for a few days...I don't have a picture but a picture and description is probably available on any DIR oriented website.

The bicycle tube is put on at the time of originally threading the shoulder straps on a BP/W. Cave line is used to tie a bolt snap to the rear attachment point of the backup dive light. This is then run under the inner tube and the bolt snap is then snapped on the shoulder D-ring. The inner tube is there as it's smaller than the head of the light so it keeps the light snug against the shoulder strap.

To use it you turn the light on and then unclip it or if you need to use it hands free you can leave it attached and at least have some light.

If you don't want to have to redo the shoulder straps to thread on the inner tube you can just use a loop of 1/8" bungee material to do the same thing.

I'm sure a picture is clearer than my post but maybe it's better than nothing.

If you don't use a BP/W then the method he is referring to may not work for you. I have a BP/W and use this method but with my old BC this wouldn't have worked because the shoulder straps were adjustable and were always moving and there was no fixed D-ring. Maybe on some newer BC's it will work but this is just a warning.

 

[ptyx]

If you have a moment, I would be interested in a pic showing how you have your back-up lights clipped and mounted on your rig, and secured with the bicycle inner tube.

http://gue.com/files/page_images/equipment/Config/Eclipse20MC_0005.jpg

(from Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers)

Scroll down to "The Harness and Backplate".

 

[Deep South Divers]

Thanks, ptyx... Sorry, guys... Been busy with three very large commercial boats, and haven't had the chance to take photos.

Here's the photo that ptyx is referring to:

This is what it looks like, stowed on the rig while diving:

A closeup of the inner tube securing the light "head." (Ignore the canister light.):

Like gcbryan says, if you're diving something other than a backplate and wing, the inner tube thing may not be possible... But this is the reason why the Halcyon Scout, Photon Torpedo, and Heser Backup are designed the way they are with a screw-to-light head, no switches, and an attachment point on the back of the light for a bolt snap attachment.

In this configuration, with disposable alkaline batteries, a pair of lights (one on each side) can sit on a rig, unused, for years and still fire perfectly every time, with the insane runtimes that we've mentioned... With excellent performance from the LEDs (plus or minus what you'd expect from a 10w HID, but without the recharging issues, short burn time, and bulb frailty associated with HID canister lights).

That said, we still enjoy our 21w can lights for cave and wreck work - but they're not what we use every day.

 

[JasonG]

GCBRYAN, PTYX, Jay,

Very helpful, thanks. Being a bit new to the DIR philosophy, please allow me a further question or two on this aspect of the rig.

If the light is stowed and you want to use it, the proper procedure would be to keep it clipped to the shoulder D-ring and take the head out of the inner-tube "holster"? Do you find it difficult to get the head of the light through the inner tube (ie is it a struggle to disengage the light from the inner-tube)?

How often do you find it necessary to unclip the light from your harness? Doesn't this present a risk that you will drop the light and loose it? Any solutions to mitigate this risk?

Thanks in advance,

Jason

 

[Deep South Divers]

Hey, Jason!

There's two ways to deploy the light - one, the simplest method, is to grab the light head and pull away from the body. The inner tube will slide up the light body and over the bolt snap on it's own (zero effort). Twist the light head to make it turn on, and then you can either use it with the bolt snap connected to the D-ring (if you're worried about dropping it), or remove it from the D-ring completely at that point (if you really need the light to be free). The idea is to have the light on before unclipping the D-ring, just in case you drop it. That way, if you lose the light, it'll at least be "on" so it should be easier to find and if it was "off."

An alternative method for deployment is to run the backside of your thumb (same side - right hand for right light and left hand for left light) down the light body (from the bolt snap to the light head) so that it catches the inner tube. This will work with all but the very heaviest of gloves. Once you catch the inner tube, you can pull it out and over the light head (I use my fore and middle fingers of the same hand to push upwards on the light "head"), which will allow the light to drop out and dangle freely on it's bolt snap. Twist the head to turn on, then unclip the light or use while connected to the D-ring.

Both methods work equally well - when I'm in a hurry or feeling lazy or need a light NOW, I just pull it away from my body, which slides the inner tube up the light body. One twist, and it's on and I've got light.

Restowing is simply a matter of untwisting the head to turn it off, then sliding the inner tube down the body to make it sit flush against the webbing - or using two hands (one to open the inner tube and the other to stow the light) if I used the second method of deployment.

(Don't tell my DIR buddies, but sometimes I get lazy and just worry about restowing the light after the job is done and I'm either headed out of the water or back on the boat/dry land. )

These actions, while textbook GUE/DIR mantra, aren't really something that I bother to think about... It's more like, "Hey, I need a light. Gimme a light," not, "Let's practice the right method of light deployment."

Interestingly, after you do it a few times, it gets to be pretty much second nature... And either light can be deployed by either hand pretty easily, which is really great when you've already got your hands full with a scooter, reel, tools, buddy, fossils, dead bodies, etc.

For the same reason, I keep my cutting tool (I find a knife more useful than scissors) in the center of the belt portion of my harness. It's easily accessible with one hand... And either hand.

 

[lsorenson]

I have a question for you guys....

Instead of using a inner tube could you not use a piece of Velcro (double sided) to hold the light in place...? This is probably how I will attempt to secure the light using a couple of stitches to attach the Velcro to the webbing. I use this method to secure my knife and it has worked quite well...

SeaJay... fyi, I did order the Heser last week and hope to have it here in the next week... Thanks for the insight!

lee

 

[JasonG]

Jay,

Excellent description; now I understand the photos a bit better. Thanks.

Lee's question about velcro (above) is interesting. I am anxious to hear views from members on this.

And regarding the attachment of the bolt snap to the end of the light, do you always make this a tight attachment or do you sometimes add a bit of additional line in the attachment to give the light a bit more "play"? Adding the additional line (maybe just a few inches) might mean the difference between completely unclipping or not when the light is in use. The risk is that the extra line could get tangled, but if it is only a couple of inches, maybe the risk is low. On the other hand, completely unclipping the light has risks too.