Canister light routing

[PEDiver]

I liked the soft handle, but I found it worked best for me on the right hand (leaving the left free to work the hip dump). Yes, care must be taken during longhose donation and during reel operations, but I didn't find it a big deal. I had tried a hard handle early on but found it too loose/floppy (clearly not an issue with the soft handle).

I've switched back to the hard handle on the left hand on the mandate of my CCR instructor who also gave me the solution to it being floppy (a fingerless glove). I stick with the hard/left configuration in open-circuit for consistency.

In my view, both hard/left/easily switched or soft/right/rarely switched work for most things, it's just a matter of getting used to it. The possible exception that my DPV-capable friends have related to me is that the hard/left is much preferred for that use case.

I need to play around with the soft vs. hard handle to see how I like it. I usually run left hand / hard handle with a corded light and having it on my right hand feels weird (unless of course I'm switching between hands to accomplish a task).

My primary corded light is the HP50 from Dive Rite and I have the handheld conversion kit for it. Next dive I might try it handheld and bring the LX20 with me to try with the soft handle (thank god for drysuit pockets).

 

[inquis]

having it on my right hand feels weird

Lol, I can confirm. The fingerless glove that makes the hard handle stable for me didn't make it into the luggage on my last trip, so I reverted to the soft on the right hand. I only made it one day before buying another set of fingerless gloves on the way to the dive site just so I could put it back on the left.

 

[PEDiver]

Lol, I can confirm. The fingerless glove that makes the hard handle stable for me didn't make it into the luggage on my last trip, so I reverted to the soft on the right hand. I only made it one day before buying another set of fingerless gloves on the way to the dive site just so I could put it back on the left.

I'm the only one in my group of dive buddies that wears the fingerless gloves. I bought a second pair just in case I lost one or tore one somehow. Hate diving without them now. They really do help stabilize the hard goodman handle and also provide some protection against cuts and abrasions (usually during kitting up).

 

[SeanW]

I have my can right below my butt plate, inside my crotch strap, secured with heavy duty bungee. I route the cord straight up my spine between the harness and the wing itself using the velcro weight pouches on my K2 to secure the wire. It comes out center top near the dump valve and then routes down my left arm.

I also dive a K2 and am curious what you do to store the excess cable when the light is not in use? It seems like in order for the cable to have enough length over the shoulder to extend your arm, it would have a lot of slack when clipped off to the d-ring. I butt mount mine but have the cable running up the left side under the arm and clipped off to the left dring with the excess tucked in the waist band.

 

[Jens Bölte]

Hello

what you do to store the excess cable when the light is not in use?

I use a similar setup. I secure the cable on the shoulder band with bicycle tire down to approximately the left d-ring. When you clip the light, the loop of the excess cable is about half the distance from the d-ring to your hand. It is too short to be stowed away in the waist band. But it is long enough to clip the light to my helmet when cave diving. So far, I never got caught on anything with the cable.

 

[passedoutwookie]

I also dive a K2 and am curious what you do to store the excess cable when the light is not in use? It seems like in order for the cable to have enough length over the shoulder to extend your arm, it would have a lot of slack when clipped off to the d-ring. I butt mount mine but have the cable running up the left side under the arm and clipped off to the left dring with the excess tucked in the waist band.

I would echo what Jens said above. My orcatorch wire is not very long to begin with so I don't have much slack to deal with. I haven't had any issues mounting to my helmet or stowing. Granted, it stays on my hand 95% of the time.

 

[GF99/99]

Hello,

My canister light is mounted to the crotch strap (xdeep). The cable, made to measure, runs up along the spine over the left shoulder. On/Dimm/Off switch is on the light (Gralmarine).

Best wishes Jens

If I'm not using suit heating I'll buttmount it and run the cable(1.5m with 90degree elbow) up the left side of the spine (XDeep Stealth Tec) and over the shoulder + down the arm.

If I am using heating I've taken to mounting it between my drop D ring and the hip D-ring that I attach my RH tank to.
This lets the E/O cord connect to my thermovalve without issue/strain, I can manipulate the switch easily (Ammonite thermo battery) and then route a standard length umbilical underneath my wing bungee/inflator hose(s). I saw Anton Zhuchkov mount his inflation bottles + Cans this way and thought I'd give it a whirl.

Ideally, I'd extend the E/O cord on my thermovalve or buy a separate extension cord but it's working well at the moment.

I am doing the same but run it under my armpit. I don’t like the cable over my shoulder, to exposed to damage. A while ago I postes some pictures from another used here xDeep Stealth 2.0 Tec Canister Light Position?

 

[MSargeant]

I am doing the same but run it under my armpit. I don’t like the cable over my shoulder, to exposed to damage. A while ago I postes some pictures from another used here xDeep Stealth 2.0 Tec Canister Light Position?

View attachment 836885

View attachment 836886

View attachment 836887

Fair enough, I'm not grinding through anything where my umbilical would be exposed to damage in such a way. Maybe that will change in the future.

Also removed the bottom attachment of the wing in favour of a bungee loop. Less clutter on the crotch strap that way.

 

[halocline]

A quick take on the canister-vs-handheld argument. As usual, there are pros and cons for each. I switched to a handheld shortly after switching from BM to SM, basically all my diving these days is in Mexican caves. So, long dives, nice clear water.

The handheld is more convenient, there’s no doubt about that. You can use it in any gear configuration, you never have to worry about trapping the long hose or a stage hose, you can move it from hand to helmet to any D ring without any concern. And I think the light quality in terms of the beam is comparable to the canister, and that’s switching from LM to big blue. And the light was almost exactly 1/3 the price. How long will it last….that’s a different story but so far, so good.

The pros of canister are much better burn time, very consistent powerful beam, you’ll never drop it into the abyss, and one unsung advantage is that the light head on your hand or helmet is small and lightweight. I actually tip a little to the left when I’m holding my hand held light out a little to the side. It’s a small thing, but something.

With a stage, I frequently do long enough dives (2.5-3hrs) so that I have to either switch to a back up primary or choose a lower light setting. Fortunately, buying and carrying a back up in my pouch still ends up costing half what a good canister costs, and it’s a very nice back up light! Still, I do miss the rock solid 5 hr burn time of my LM and the fact that once you buy it, chances are good you’ll never have to buy anything else. The cord management stuff is extra task loading but not terrible.

 

[Bald Wookie]

A quick take on the canister-vs-handheld argument. As usual, there are pros and cons for each. I switched to a handheld shortly after switching from BM to SM, basically all my diving these days is in Mexican caves. So, long dives, nice clear water.

The handheld is more convenient, there’s no doubt about that. You can use it in any gear configuration, you never have to worry about trapping the long hose or a stage hose, you can move it from hand to helmet to any D ring without any concern. And I think the light quality in terms of the beam is comparable to the canister, and that’s switching from LM to big blue. And the light was almost exactly 1/3 the price. How long will it last….that’s a different story but so far, so good.

The pros of canister are much better burn time, very consistent powerful beam, you’ll never drop it into the abyss, and one unsung advantage is that the light head on your hand or helmet is small and lightweight. I actually tip a little to the left when I’m holding my hand held light out a little to the side. It’s a small thing, but something.

With a stage, I frequently do long enough dives (2.5-3hrs) so that I have to either switch to a back up primary or choose a lower light setting. Fortunately, buying and carrying a back up in my pouch still ends up costing half what a good canister costs, and it’s a very nice back up light! Still, I do miss the rock solid 5 hr burn time of my LM and the fact that once you buy it, chances are good you’ll never have to buy anything else. The cord management stuff is extra task loading but not terrible.

I would add to the canister - if you spend a little more there is the opportunity to have heat added, if required for your dives/wanting to make your diving more comfortable.