Looking for LED's that will attach to a mask or a good LED flashlight

[johnnyscience]

What are the thoughts on lights attached to masks?

It seems like it would be a good idea?

I plan on doing a night dive or two when I visit cozumel I would like some good light to bring with me.

Should I get an LED lighting system that attaches to a mask? (If so, what do you suggest?) Do you have to get a special mask, or are there some lights that are universal to any mask?

Or a good LED flashlight?

Or both?

I dont plan on doing any cave diving or anything like that. So I wont need huge ones. I just want them bright. (which is the nice thing about LED's.)

 

[DocCarl]

Track down GlenFWB and ask him about his mask light. We did a night dive a few weeks ago, and I think he had an Underwater Kinetics Mini q40 eLED plus on the side of his mask. It seemed to be pretty bright. Additionally, I like the fact that you can use it as a normal back up light.

As far as good all around LED flashlights go (assuming you're not in the market for a canister light) I have been VERY impressed with the products from Intova. I have a Nova wide angle and a 'regular' Nova (IFL660- - narrow beam). Awesome backup lights. Some people use them as backup lights ( folks with big canister lights, mostly) but many others (myself included) have used one of them as a primary, and been very happy. They are small ( 2x CR123 ) and very reasonably priced, too. Best deal I've found is through Cave Adventurers. You can order a set - - one wide and one narrow- -- for right at $100. $50 a light for these is money well spent. I have one of the new Ultra Novas on the way right now, so we'll see how that goes.


Carl

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The Q 40 comes with a mask attachment strap. Problem is you need to be very careful when looking at your buddy. It can blind them when it is shining right in their eyes. I used mine for all of 3 dives and dumped it because of that.

 

[johnnyscience]

Track down GlenFWB and ask him about his mask light. We did a night dive a few weeks ago, and I think he had an Underwater Kinetics Mini q40 eLED plus on the side of his mask. It seemed to be pretty bright. Additionally, I like the fact that you can use it as a normal back up light.

As far as good all around LED flashlights go (assuming you're not in the market for a canister light) I have been VERY impressed with the products from Intova. I have a Nova wide angle and a 'regular' Nova (IFL660- - narrow beam). Awesome backup lights. Some people use them as backup lights ( folks with big canister lights, mostly) but many others (myself included) have used one of them as a primary, and been very happy. They are small ( 2x CR123 ) and very reasonably priced, too. Best deal I've found is through Cave Adventurers. You can order a set - - one wide and one narrow- -- for right at $100. $50 a light for these is money well spent. I have one of the new Ultra Novas on the way right now, so we'll see how that goes.


Carl

Hmm not sure about that mask one. I would think with the invent of LED's becoming more mainstream there would be a nice LED strip/visor to go on top of your mask or something.

I would also prefer the LED light to use 3v Lithium batteries as my other LED flashlight uses those & I have a lot of them. (And feel they're far superior)

Nose Intovas seem pretty nice. Thats more of the style I'm looking for, high quality, great machined aluminum body etc (and I think some of them do take 3v lithium) I'm going to check out your other suggestions now.

 

[DocCarl]

Yes, four of the Intovas take 3v CR123 batteries. The 'IFL660 nova', 'wide angle nova', 'mini', and 'tatical'.

Also, from what I hear their customer service is top notch. They have a rep that posts on scubaboard regularly, and it looks like any problems are taken care of immediately. I did some searching, and there is a lot of info about these lights in this forum.

Have fun!



Carl

 

[dumpsterDiver]

MAKO Spearguns - Detacheable Dive Light

 

[johnnyscience]

Yes, four of the Intovas take 3v CR123 batteries. The 'IFL660 nova', 'wide angle nova', 'mini', and 'tatical'.

Also, from what I hear their customer service is top notch. They have a rep that posts on scubaboard regularly, and it looks like any problems are taken care of immediately. I did some searching, and there is a lot of info about these lights in this forum.

Have fun!



Carl

I'm not sure if I want a wide angle or a narrow... Suggestions? Generally the narrow gives you a very bright spotlight on whatever your shining on it and wide just floods light to illuminate stuff. But perhaps with the LED wide it's actually still very bright?

Are there any other companies that compare to Intovas? They are a pretty Impressive as a dive light, are made out of quality materials and are reasonably priced. ( I spent $150 on my surefire defender, so $50 for a similar quality dive light is a no brainer)

On another note that Mako setup that attaches to you wrist seems like a great idea.

Perhaps I could get a smaller Intovas light and a wrist strap for it? Seems like it would be an upgrade from the Mako light while still staying to the concept of a wrist light?

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

The point made about looking at your buddy with a light on your mask is a good one. Something else to consider though, is unless you are in absolutely clear water, you will get backscatter obscuring your vision and it will annoy you. Its sort of like if you've ever seen a picture taken with the built in flash. You see all kinds of specks that make the picture blurry. But, if you use an external strobe, the light doesn't reflect directly back at the lens. Same thing with a light.

And one last consideration, you can't signal your buddy with it attached to your head. you'd have to give the ok signal by twirling your head in a circle, and that's just plain silly looking.

 

[DocCarl]

I'm not sure if I want a wide angle or a narrow... Suggestions? Generally the narrow gives you a very bright spotlight on whatever your shining on it and wide just floods light to illuminate stuff. But perhaps with the LED wide it's actually still very bright?

Are there any other companies that compare to Intovas? They are a pretty Impressive as a dive light, are made out of quality materials and are reasonably priced. ( I spent $150 on my surefire defender, so $50 for a similar quality dive light is a no brainer)

On another note that Mako setup that attaches to you wrist seems like a great idea.

Perhaps I could get a smaller Intovas light and a wrist strap for it? Seems like it would be an upgrade from the Mako light while still staying to the concept of a wrist light?

Wide vs. Narrow:
Honestly, I have both and I would buy one of each again. In clear water ( Coz. . .) the wide angle will illuminate everything. I recently dove the wide (didn't have the narrow yet) as my primary at a local site, at night, with a ton of muck in the water. Viz was about 8'. I was ecstatic with the wide angle. The narrow would be a little bit better for signaling- - it looks like a light saber under water, whereas the wide just kind of washes out evenly at distance. The narrow does a much better job of 'punching' through backscatter.

I currently carry both on night dives. During all of my day dives, the narrow beam goes with me as my crevice / deep diving light.

Like I said, (especially with the wide/ narrow 'package' price) I highly recommend both. Besides. . . . You're not doing night dives with just one light, anyway! However, If i just HAD to get only one, I guess I'd go with the narrow beam.


I agree that the Mako deal with the wrist attachment is cool. . . I do the same thing with my intovas. There are several goodman handle style accessories for lights. Here's what I have:

This is my wide angle in the OxyCheq "Raider I light sock"

ScubaToys has them for $20.
I got mine with I ordered the 2 light deal at cave adventurers. There is an option to add the sock to your light order for $13.80. Here's the Link
It's super easy to put on, very comfortable, and very secure on the light.

Here is my Narrow beam in the goodman handle by Big Blue. ($20 @northeast scuba supply)

Between the two, I prefer the OxyCheq. The double velcro on the Big Blue is kind of a pain to put on with gloves and wetsuit. However, my Fiancee' has claimed the Big Blue is her favorite. . so, YMMV.


Carl

 

[johnnyscience]

Yeah you make good points on have both for night diving.

I don't know if I'd like that on my hand like that. I think I would prefer the big blue as I think it's much more secure than the other one.

But either one would keep it from rolling around your wrist if it was just a strap. Neoprene is probably the bestthing to have it made out of. And I'm not sure if I'll be wearing gloves so maybe it won't be as cumbersome as it is for you. The flashlights fit securely though?

Any other high quality dive flash lights like the Intovis?