Light Handle/Angle?

[Seymour Fisch]

This summer, I've finally done a few dives (night, cenote) with my own lights. From reading here, it seemed like all the cool kids had Goodman handles, but they seemed kind of expensive, so I went with Dive Gear Express's "soft handmount".

However, if I'm in horizontal trim with my hands clasped in front, the handle (on my left hand) points the light off to my right, and more upward than I'd like (vs. I'm usually looking more downward at reef life). So, I ended up just holding the light in my left hand, with the beam coming from the pinky side of my fist -- with my forearm in front of me (positioned like reading a wrist compass), I can shine the beam forward, and by rotating my wrist, I can aim the light easily downward or forward.

So... am I doing something wrong? How do people get a light handle that shines in the direction your fingers point to shine in the direction you want? Do you extend your arm straight out in front of you? Or does anyone make a light handle where the light is positioned across the back of your hand, instead of lined up with your fingers?

Thanks!

P.S. Huge thanks to Scubaboard folks for recommending the DGX 600! My light matched the cenote guide's canister light for both brightness and pattern, and he was really impressed that this was a $50 compact light.

 

[ajduplessis]

Post a pic with the soft handle and light on your hand.

Yes, the DGX 600 make very good backup lights and perfectly suited for recreational diving. Anything else will eventually require a primary canlight, you want the long burntimes for these applications (5hours+ capacity).

 

[RJP]

How do people get a light handle that shines in the direction your fingers point to shine in the direction you want?

Try pointing your light in the direction that you're looking.

Seriously... you won't get any DIRmerits for not having your hands clasped in front of you at all times.

 

[DogDiver]

I have never used a handle for my lights. Was trained to just hold on to the light.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TSandM]

I don't think most people swim with their hands clasped. My light sits along the long axis of my hand, and I point my hand at what I want to see. My light is usually in motion as I look around me.

 

[rongoodman]

I don't understand how anyone can use those soft hand mounts. How do you move the light if you're doing something with the left hand, like unclipping the SPG or using the wing dump? If you don't move it, it's going to be waving all over the place, freaking out your partners. I think you'd be better off just holding the light in your hand and switching when necessary.

 

[Seymour Fisch]

Awesome! Thanks to everyone for the advice. I guess I can finally Free My Hands! Woot!

All joking aside, I've been aiming to never flail my arms around, so I've gotten used to always having my arms folded across my chest, or hands clasped in front, or sometimes tucked behind me. So, it feels awkward to me to have my hands anywhere else. What I'm hearing from you all is that now that I'm not waving my arms around pointlessly, it's time to get used to using my hands/arms with a purpose.

Seriously... you won't get any DIRmerits for not having your hands clasped in front of you at all times.

I thought I was required at all times to look like this:


Again, all joking aside, I noticed that in Ray's photo above, the light head of the leading diver is angled outward a bit, not in-line with his forearm and fingers. This seems more ergonomic. In contrast...

Post a pic with the soft handle and light on your hand.

With the soft mount, the light always points in-line with my fingers. The light is also long enough that it gets in the way of flexing my wrist upward, so I end up having to point my entire forearm to aim the light.

Now, I might have done something very wrong with the handmount -- it didn't come with instructions, and I can be really clueless sometimes...

I have never used a handle for my lights. Was trained to just hold on to the light.

I don't understand how anyone can use those soft hand mounts. How do you move the light if you're doing something with the left hand, like unclipping the SPG or using the wing dump? If you don't move it, it's going to be waving all over the place, freaking out your partners. I think you'd be better off just holding the light in your hand and switching when necessary.

I guess this is what I'll do until I get a proper Goodman handle some day (if ever). The soft handmount was cheap, so not a great loss. And I'll work on being less obsessive-compulsive about my hands...

This is how I ended up holding the light:

which ended up being pretty comfortable.

Thanks! You all are super helpful!

P.S. Hmm... how do you get photos into your posts, rather than thumbnail links?

 

[RJP]

Again, all joking aside, I noticed that in Ray's photo above, the light head of the leading diver is angled outward a bit, not in-line with his forearm and fingers. This seems more ergonomic.

Don't over-think it... his light is pointing where his EYES are looking.

Some things really ARE just as simple as they look.

---------- Post added August 22nd, 2015 at 07:04 PM ----------

P.S. Hmm... how do you get photos into your posts, rather than thumbnail links?

Upload them to your photo gallery... then post a link to the pic. (Rather than uploading directly into your post.)

PS - what do you call that entanglement hazard attached to the end of the light... where the bolt-snap is supposed to be?

:shocked2:

 

[PfcAJ]

Good grief. It's a flashlight. Point it where you wanna look and get on with life.

 

[RJP]

Good grief. It's a flashlight. Point it where you wanna look and get on with life.

But how do I know where I want to look if I can't see because it's dark?