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ArcticDiver

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I'm doing this critique/feedback publicly because it is by and large positive.

I have a new LED500 light with the optional extension. I didn't use the extension on the last trip, mainly because the flap on the pouch the setup comes with has the cord cutout on the wrong side. When mounted on the right side of the body, where I usually carry my can light, the cutout is to the rear thus forcing the cord to the rear and over the flap. In surface tests the cord distorted the flap and in one case tore it loose enough I feared losing the light. If the cutout were to the front the setup would be perfect.

As for the light itself: It is the best LED light I've ever used. Now, I own an LED700 that hasn't been in the water yet so maybe it will be better. But, this LED500 is very good. LEDs by and large have trouble penetrating obsurations like all the stuff one finds floating in the water. The LED500 handles obscurations very well. Not as well as a HID light; but very well.

I'd heard comments that battery life was poor. That wasn't my experience at all. After about 10 hours use the light appears as bright as the first hour. Of course how the light appears to the eye isn't a true measure. But, for this purpose it is good enough.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the light. Change the cord cutout on the pouch and, as far as I'm concerned you have the best LED on the market.


(Why both the LED500 and the LED700? I upgraded my old 10W HID to the LED700. But I wanted a light that didn't need a recharger for some of my trips where adequate electricity isn't available. With AA disposable batteries the LED500 fit the bill)
 
Hey ArcticDiver,

Thanks for the feedback. I have forwarded your post to R&D, especially the note regarding the pocket cord cutout.

Glad to read about your experience with the LED penetration. We have particulate matter here in the Florida caves and we found the same as you...it does a good job cutting through the haze.

For anyone who might be out there having poor battery life, that shouldn't be the case. We plunked an LED 500 in a bucket of water before Thanksgiving, left it for a week and when we came back, it was still burning! If anyone IS getting a poor burn time, give us a call. We'd like to take a look at your light and will fix it if there is a problem.

Thanks again,
Kathleen
 
I have used a 10W HID extensively and used a corded LED 500 alternately with it on my last cave dive. The two compare very well in terms of overall light, although differently.

The LED 500 offers the advantage of a slightly wider and much more even and satisfying beam in clear water while the 10W HID (MR11) has better penetration in poor viz due to the very bright but very narrow center spot. The difference became very noticeable in dark tanic stained water with suspended particles and I have to say I was also mildly dissapointed with it on offshore wrecks in limited vizibility - it just does not cut through silty water as well as the 10W HID.

I had intended to have my MR11 upgraded to an LED 700 but I got a really good deal on a new LED 700, so I bought it largely for comparison purposes.

The LED 700 is significantly brighter than the LED 500 with a similar width but much brighter and hotter (whiter) beam. In comparision to the 10W HID, the central portion of the beam is very similar with only the very narrow central hot spot (maybe 3" in diameter at 10 ft), being slightly brighter than the LED 700 when the two beams are overlapped. I suspect that will significantly close the penetration and signal gap that exists between the LED 500 and MR11.

I chose not to use the pouch on the corded LED 500 as it made more sense to mount it can light style using a loop of nylon webbing as on a can light, but with heavy duty zip ties rather than hose clamps - although hose clamps would work fine too. The knurled surace of the LED 500 body creates enough friction that the zip ties won't slide off during a dive, but can be worked on and off without cutting them if you switch between hand held and corded operation. That works well given that I bought it for use as a hand held back up light and as a can light for use in travel situations where I do not want to drag along a charger.

Rather than spend all the R&D effort on modifying the pouch, consider including the same nylon webbing loop with the corded version that you include on your other can lights along with small hose clamps or large zip ties.

I also added a snap on plastic goodman handle for corded use (but purchased one by Salvo because it was available) with another zip tie around it and the head to ensure it stays in place. Including a snap on goodman handle, or at least suggestively selling one would be a welcome addition. Ideally, thread the light head for a cantilever base version of your current elastic goodman handle to allow it to mount farther back on the non rotating portion of the head while leaving the handle in a normal forward position under the rotating part of the head.

I want to dive a bit more with it in a cave environment but if the LED 700 lives up to it's current potential I will get my MR11 upgraded to an LED 700 as well.
 
Thanks Kathleen for your response, Dive Rite's responsiveness is one of the reasons I own several pieces of DiveRite gear.

Pouch vs. No Pouch that is the question. I tried the no pouch mount. On balance this pouch works so well, if the cut out were reversed, that I couldn't see going to the effort of jury rigging something.

Now some folks are just genetically programmed to the DIY route. For them, blessings and have at it.

That is the beauty of this hobby; there is something for everyone.
 
I think their responsiveness is one of the reasons underlying the frequency at which they actually develop innovative new stuff.
 
Hi DA,

Thanks for your review as well. I've taken all feedback to R&D to peruse. We really appreciate it and will respond.

Best,
Kathleen
 

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