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I just had a look at the CX2. Looks very nice and I prefer to leave the battery in for charging. How easy to use is the button? Does it switch on accidentally? Does it show how much battery time is left? And this is probably a stupid beginner question, but what is strobe and what do I need it for? When I google it I find little lights you'd attach to an exit point or the like. On a dive light, is it the same as an SOS function?
I'm pretty impressed with the CX2, but I have not yet dived with it. I'm a bit concerned about the button getting accidentally switched on when traveling, but don't know how much of an issue it is. I've thought about rigging up a piece of PVC pipe to slide over it to prevent actuation. In casual handling it's not an issue at all, however. The button has a battery indicator around it that lights green, yellow, red depending on charge. The strobe is just that--it flashes full intensity on/off for signaling. The SOS feature is similar, but flashed dots and dashes.
Ok, so if a dive light has strobe but no SOS function, you'd use strobe as emergency signaling?
What seems like a match for what I want (I'm based in the EU) is:+1 for the CX2. Traveled with mine in the case it came with, no issues of accidental turning on, unless it also accidentally turned itself off too and I wasn't aware of it
That being said there are other good options out there, especially at that price range (or cheaper).
The Sofirn SD05 does not have a battery indicator. It has dual o-rings on each end, so should be pretty resistant to flooding. It does not have a strobe or SOS, either. I estimate the beam angle at ~12 degrees--definitely wider than the CX2. You'd have to rig up an attachment to a handle.
