Handheld Primary Light (Cave)

[tbone1004]

Ian, Ima little late to this discussion but I am neutrally curious as to why your list excludes the Halcyon flare EXP handheld. I’m not sure WHEN the EXP was introduced but I know it was relatively recently and maybe that is why (just noticed your last message was 12/21. I am in discussion mode with self re: the LX20+ vs. the EXP. I have searched SB for a string where the comparison of these 2 are discussed but have come up empty. Am curious as to your opinion, certainly of others here, as well.

LX20+ is brighter, smaller, and $300 cheaper.... It also uses individual 18650's for easy battery replacement either between dives or if a cell fails.
The Halcyon has a better hard goodman option IMO with the folding design, but having owned both, I sold the Halcyon and own 2x LX20+'s.

 

[mr_v]

Any thoughts on Apeks Luna? $699 bites, but is the light worth it? Looking for a decent non-can primary and currently LX20+ is the front runner, but I thought I'd ask.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I use the Dive Rite LX20+ exclusively as a primary cave light.

 

[stuartv]

Any thoughts on Apeks Luna? $699 bites, but is the light worth it? Looking for a decent non-can primary and currently LX20+ is the front runner, but I thought I'd ask.

The Luna is a 20 degree spot beam? That is too wide.

Also, with the current financial uncertainty of Aqualung/Apeks, I probably wouldn't buy anything expensive from them right now.

I know tbone hates Big Blue, but I know several experienced cave divers using Big Blue lights that are happy with them. My shop sells them and I believe we have gotten excellent and fast customer service from Big Blue any time we've needed it. I have been perusing their catalog recently and plan on buying one to try for myself. Sometimes, my can light is just a pain in the butt to deal with.

I'm leaning towards a VTL9000P-Max.

2900 lumens in a 10 degree spot
9000 lumens in a 120 degree flood
500 lumen red light mode for night dives

I think it will work well on a low or medium spot for the caves, and last for many hours. The wide mode will be handy when I want to light up the whole cave - e.g. when I'm shooting video. Or light up the whole reef on a night dive...

If you don't care about a bright flood light, and you want something more comparable to the other lights you're looking at, the TL3800P-Supreme might be worth looking at. Or the TL5200P. I think older versions of those two lights are what John and Amanda use.

 

[mr_v]

@stuartv I got UWLD-40 for my primary and LX20+ for the backup. I am considering TL3800P, too, but proprietary batteries are keeping me on the fence. I've invested in 18650 batteries and multiple chargers. Also, I want to standardize my gear and keep it to the absolute minimum.

I've handled some BB lights and like the build quality. As I understand, there were some issues with quality, but I doubt BB would continue operating had they not resolved those problems.

 

[grantctobin]

but I doubt BB would continue operating had they not resolved those problems.

lol

 

[stuartv]

@stuartv I got UWLD-40 for my primary and LX20+ for the backup. I am considering TL3800P, too, but proprietary batteries are keeping me on the fence. I've invested in 18650 batteries and multiple chargers. Also, I want to standardize my gear and keep it to the absolute minimum.

I've handled some BB lights and like the build quality. As I understand, there were some issues with quality, but I doubt BB would continue operating had they not resolved those problems.

I currently use a UWLD-40 in caves (and elsewhere). With that (or any other serious primary), no way I'm bothering with another big/bulky light for a backup. Not as long as my DGX700 has enough burntime to serve as a backup. I.e. If I'm less than a 90 minute swim back to the exit, I'm using 2 x DGX700 for secondary and tertiary. They are good for somewhere close to 3 hours of burntime each. And, they are somewhat on par with the brightness of the LX20+. Not AS bright - but certainly bright enough to get me out of a cave if my primary dies. I.e. the DGX700 is as bright as the LX20+ on Medium, which is how you would probably normally run the LX20+ if using it as a primary.

The LX20+ is 2.25 hours on High. That is 45 minutes in, 45 out, and 45 in reserve. 45 minutes in is not a very long CCR cave dive. On Medium, it's 3 hours. Even that is only 1 hour in, etc.. If the LX20+ is adequate output for use as a Primary, then it seems to me like a DGX700 (90 minutes full power then 90 minutes gradually dimming) is also totally adequate as a backup.

Stowing/packing/carrying something as bulky as the LX20+ as a backup is just needless - for me and what I'm doing. The DGX700 is short and slim. Clipped to my harness, I don't even notice it's there.

The UWLD is a proprietary battery and has its own charger. The 21700 batteries in the DGX700s have built-in internal chargers. All I need is a power supply and a USB-C cable to charge them.

I have now ordered a VTL9000P-Max. It would be used instead of my UWLD, so just changing one proprietary battery and charger for another. If it works out well and I like it, I'll probably also get a couple of BB video lights to use with my GoPro and big camera. They would use the same batteries, so I end up with spares/redundancy on batteries and chargers.

Simplify and minimize is exactly why I am getting the BB light. It plus 2 x DGX700 could be my new cave light setup (plus video light), and be smaller, lighter, and simpler than my UWLD + 2 x DGX700 setup. Still with one proprietary battery and charger, plus a wall wart and USB-C cable.

If you are emphatic on sticking with 18650 cells, then I would suggest to consider one or two DGX600 twist lights for backups. They use 18650s. They are (practically speaking) just as bright as the 700. They just don't have the burn time because of 3000mAh cells instead of the 5000 you get in a 21700 cell.

 

[mr_v]

I currently use a UWLD-40 in caves (and elsewhere). With that (or any other serious primary), no way I'm bothering with another big/bulky light for a backup. Not as long as my DGX700 has enough burntime to serve as a backup.

I got plenty of other options, including DR BX2. I am testing various configs. UWLD is a permanent member though - I love the tall battery for running heat and I got a good deal on the light.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

And keep in mind, like tbone mentioned in numerous threads, that when you buy a BB 9000 or whatever lumen they say it it, in about 60 minutes your 9000 lumen will be 1000 lumen, which is the same as an lx20 which keeps ~990 lumens continiously.

 

[stuartv]

And keep in mind, like tbone mentioned in numerous threads, that when you buy a BB 9000 or whatever lumen they say it it, in about 60 minutes your 9000 lumen will be 1000 lumen, which is the same as an lx20 which keeps ~990 lumens continiously.

I certainly am aware of the many times tbone has posted about that. But, I have also asked my various cave diver friends that use them if they have had any issues with that. They all say no. That could easily just mean that their eyes adjust as it gradually dims and they just don't really notice that they actually cannot see as much of the cave or see it as well as they could at the start. But, it probably mostly means that, the way they use them, the light does not actually dim that much during a 3 or 4 hour dive.

I also expect that I won't be running it on High very much. I generally run my LD-40 on Medium, at best. A BB 9000 that has a 2900 lumen spot, and I'm running that on Medium, will probably hold its brightness for far longer than an hour.

Anyway, it's just something I will try out. If I don't like it, you'll probably see it in the SB Classifieds in a couple of months for sale at a huge discount off retail...