Maglight brand flashlight any good at depth?

[junior diver]

My maglight is a AA, it has a O-ring at each end where you put in the batterys and a O-ring at the lighthead. The button is at the end where you enter the battery and SEEMS to be water tight.

 

[hantzu701]

While the mag-light design seems like it should hold up underwater, my experience is that it does not stay water-proof. I was on a kayaking trip and the flashlight got dunked a few times. The light got flooded and I was left without light during the trip.

Now imagine reaching for your backup light at 60ft and it doesn't turn on.

 

[archman]

While the mag-light design seems like it should hold up underwater, my experience is that it does not stay water-proof. I was on a kayaking trip and the flashlight got dunked a few times. The light got flooded and I was left without light during the trip.

I had almost that exact problem... with a Princeton Tec dive light. It was old and grit got in the o-ring I suppose. Fortunately I had a non-dive rated (but weather-resistant) headlamp with me that survived the dunkings just fine.

I figure if the light's got o-rings and is kept clean, it should be watertight at least in shallow water.

 

[hantzu701]

I had almost that exact problem... with a Princeton Tec dive light. It was old and grit got in the o-ring I suppose. Fortunately I had a non-dive rated (but weather-resistant) headlamp with me that survived the dunkings just fine.

I figure if the light's got o-rings and is kept clean, it should be watertight at least in shallow water.

I agree.. even a little grit of sand will foil a "waterproof" light... however.. this was a new maglight... almost indestructable... except in a puddle of salt water..

 

[fmw625]

Pelican lights that say waterproof work pretty good.

 

[archman]

Remember, there's no such word as "watertight" in the commercial vocabulary. They'll all say "water resistant to...____ depth". I think it's a legal scruple the manufacturers must adhere to. You can throw out "watertight" and "waterproof" only loosely for marketing purposes.

I've seen one mag-lite used on an actual dive and several others dunked. Haven't seen one leak yet. I occasionally see other non-dive lights used in diving capacities too. Stuff made for military or civil use is pretty "watertight". I guess they're okay for at least shallow stuff, but I wouldn't recommend them as primaries.