DIR Tec Diver
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I have both the Helios 9 10w HID and the 9 18w HID. If you do any cave diving, you will need the 18w, if you don't do cave but only wreck then the 10w will be sufficient.
Light or Tanks?
- Thread starter Tekkie
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You don't think a 10W hid is sufficient for cave diving? I see alot of them in caves.
Aquamaniac
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WHAT??????????
Trolling, trolling, trolling, keep them doggies trolling, keep them doggies trolling RAWHIIIIIIIIIIIIDE!
The 50W halogen was the best thing since sliced bread prior to the HID. Side by side the 10 W HID does much better than the 50 W halogen. There will always be something bigger and better, I understand that aircraft landing lights are real bright too but nobody (except O-Ring) wants a 747 strapped to their waist.
Nothing wrong with a 10 W HID. You will love it.
Dave D
DocRCH
Guest
I would vote on a light. You might also look at the Abysmal and Sartek lights.
Robert:doctor:
Robert:doctor:
Unless you have specific tank requirements that are not easy to fufill renting, get the light before the tanks. You reach a break even point for buying a dive light over renting one far faster than buying a tank vs renting a tank.
Also consider what the benefits are for owning a tank... It's really easy to rent tanks. Most of the time, the additional cost of a tank rental is usually only a few dollars more than an air fill of your own tank anyway. If you don't have a fill station, then you still have to go to your LDS to get the fills, which might actually be slightly less convenienf then just picking up a rental tank if the LDS has a slow fill station. If you don't fill your own tanks, then the best reason to buy a tank is so that you can have an H valve or doubles, both of which can be very hard to find a place that rents them. If you can fill tanks at will, especially custom mixes of gas, then buying a tank becomes much more attractive for convenience/cost reasons.
What are the benefits of owning a cannister light? Well, it's hella hard to find a place that rents cannister lghts, and the ones that do rent cannister lights have such a low rental rate for lights that they usually charge a bundle to rent so that they can still recoup investment/make some semblance of profit within the expected service lifetime of the light, counting maintanence/repair costs for the light.
Also consider what the benefits are for owning a tank... It's really easy to rent tanks. Most of the time, the additional cost of a tank rental is usually only a few dollars more than an air fill of your own tank anyway. If you don't have a fill station, then you still have to go to your LDS to get the fills, which might actually be slightly less convenienf then just picking up a rental tank if the LDS has a slow fill station. If you don't fill your own tanks, then the best reason to buy a tank is so that you can have an H valve or doubles, both of which can be very hard to find a place that rents them. If you can fill tanks at will, especially custom mixes of gas, then buying a tank becomes much more attractive for convenience/cost reasons.
What are the benefits of owning a cannister light? Well, it's hella hard to find a place that rents cannister lghts, and the ones that do rent cannister lights have such a low rental rate for lights that they usually charge a bundle to rent so that they can still recoup investment/make some semblance of profit within the expected service lifetime of the light, counting maintanence/repair costs for the light.
Quest
Guest
When you have a choice between something that will allow you to dive more often versus something that will just enhance a type of dive.
Well i choose the tanks...
Well i choose the tanks...
GearHead
Contributor
After reading this thread I think I've noticed a recurring theme from the Florida divers (i.e. You and Wendy) - that a light isn't a tool that's used on all dives. Well, I haven't dove in New England, where Tekkie is from, but I'm guessing his Vis is probably closer to the soup we have up here in the PNW, than the Martini-style water that you guys dive in down south. 
For conditions like ours where the visibility is less than 15', you pretty much want a light at all times, and the brighter the better. BTW, Runvus makes a very good point regarding canister lights and availability.
Just my $.02
For conditions like ours where the visibility is less than 15', you pretty much want a light at all times, and the brighter the better. BTW, Runvus makes a very good point regarding canister lights and availability.
Just my $.02
divegary
Guest
For what it is worth, buy the tanks, and I have never found the idea of doubled aluminum tanks reasonable. Take a look at the E7 series Pressed Steel Tanks.
Quest
Guest
GearHead once bubbled...
After reading this thread I think I've noticed a recurring theme from the Florida divers (i.e. You and Wendy) - that a light isn't a tool that's used on all dives. Well, I haven't dove in New England, where Tekkie is from, but I'm guessing his Vis is probably closer to the soup we have up here in the PNW, than the Martini-style water that you guys dive in down south.
For conditions like ours where the visibility is less than 15', you pretty much want a light at all times, and the brighter the better. BTW, Runvus makes a very good point regarding canister lights and availability.
Just my $.02
Dont get me wrong, there are wonderful uses for a light. And for all we know his type of diving could very well be "cave diving".
And so the style of diving could very well change the importance of one item over another.
And sure florida has fantastic vis. But, im a new england diver where i once thought 20ft vis was an awesome dive and 5ft vis was sometimes to often.
But, 5ft vis even though not ideal for most styles of diving is still manageable without a light. But, if you have no tank then you pretty much have no dive.
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