Big Blue marker strobes. Anyone using them?

[Andy in Gap]

Need to add a strobe or 2 to my collection and am considering Big Blue. They have a 450 lumen model for $80 and a 1300 lumen model for $180. I’ve previously used tektite strobes but want something else for various reasons (Plastic construction, leakage, they’re floaty). We use them for navigation, marking anchor lines, and keeping track of buddies in poor viz. Is the cheaper option “enough” and comparable to the tektite models? Anyone out there use both and have an opinion to share?

 

[beldridg]

I have both.

I got a Big Blue strobe about a year ago and it is now my "primary" strobe. I use it on every dive here in SoCal. I wrote a quick review when I first got the strobe along with a video showing how bright it is:

Equipment Review : Big Blue Strobe

Strobes are a useful (I would call them essential) tool for divers. I never conduct a dive without at least one strobe and I usually have 2-3 on a dive. I think of strobes as the proverbial “…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

I still carry a Tektite or two as a backup and/or I've used them as markers inside wrecks, but I always put the BigBlue on the downline. This past week I had it on a 275' dive and was pretty far away from the downline in limited visibility and could see the strobe just fine.

Mine is the 1300 lumen version.

- brett

 

[Andy in Gap]

I have both.

I got a Big Blue strobe about a year ago and it is now my "primary" strobe. I use it on every dive here in SoCal. I wrote a quick review when I first got the strobe along with a video showing how bright it is:

Equipment Review : Big Blue Strobe

Strobes are a useful (I would call them essential) tool for divers. I never conduct a dive without at least one strobe and I usually have 2-3 on a dive. I think of strobes as the proverbial “…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

I still carry a Tektite or two as a backup and/or I've used them as markers inside wrecks, but I always put the BigBlue on the downline. This past week I had it on a 275' dive and was pretty far away from the downline in limited visibility and could see the strobe just fine.

Mine is the 1300 lumen version.

- brett

Excellent write up, thank you! I’m leaning towards getting one of each and doing my own comparison. I love the metal case and rechargeable battery.