n00b ?: Backup Lights: Scout vs. Pelican Recoil

[CompuDude]

Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm slowly trying to ramp on my DIR lore as I slowly move towards a more DIR setup. I did a search for these two (search: scout recoil) and only found one post somewhat on the topic from earlier in the year.

What is is about the Pelican Sabrelite Recoil LED that makes it ill-suited for DIR? Is it simply a plastic vs. metal thing? Light output? Shape? Not cool enough?

Pelican is known (IMO) for making pretty good products, and this three-C backup light seems pretty darn close in specs to the Scout, but the batteries last a lot longer and it costs less.

I currently have a UK mini Q40 LED that I'm looking to migrate to a tertiary status, and get something a little beefer attached in a DIR-compatible way, but the comparison between these two lights keeps bugging me and stopping me from making a final decision.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Never used the Pelican, but have you considered the Photon Torpedo? I've got one and a Scout. I prefer the PT. There is much information here about the PT.

 

[CompuDude]

Yes, looks very nice, but yeouch! $140? That's more than the Scout!

(yes, yes, a small drop in the bucket compared to all the other costs (read: can light) but still...)

 

[headhunter]

I'm not sure what would preclude this Pelican light from being DIR.

Here is a link to the page on the Pelican website that will allow anyone who is in the know to see all of the specs on this light with plenty of pictures from different angles:

http://www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2010

I'm also interested in knowing why this light would or would not fit into the DIR system.

One picture of the light did show a clip that could be considered an entanglement hazard, but I imagine that could be easily removed.

Besides the issue of yes or no, it seemed to be in the same price range as the Scout. The Scout looks like it may be a bit more sturdy, but without doing a side-by-side comparison I couldn't say for sure.

By the way, I have a Scout and have not had any problems with it. I'm planning on replacing my other backup light (a UK SL4 which due to the switch type is not DIR) with a Photon Torpedo because of the dual O rings. As an aside, I've had the UK SL4 actually switch on when travelling to a site and be dead when I depoyed it when the canister light failed. You can read about the Photon Torpedo here:

http://www.cnsales.net/photontorpedopage.htm

Christian

 

[DIR-Atlanta]

I'm also interested in knowing why this light would or would not fit into the DIR system. One picture of the light did show a clip that could be considered an entanglement hazard, but I imagine that could be easily removed.

I used this particular light as a backup for several years before purchasing a Scout. At the time, it was about the only 3 C-cell light on the market with a twist-on head. Oceanic had stopped making their light some years before, and the Scouts were not yet in general production. As a bonus, they used to sell the Pelican light at Home Depot for about half what you could buy it for at a dive shop (rebadged with a different name, and with an all yellow body).

My biggest complaints about this light were:

• The bezel is quite large, making it more difficult to stow and deploy from under the bungee.
• The SS clip does not attach to the middle of the butt end, but off to one side. This tends to make the light hang a little further away from the body than I liked.

When the Scouts came out, I ditched the Pelican light as quick as I could, and bought Scouts instead.

Although not as optimal as a Scout, I think the Pelican is probably a serviceable light for DIR diving. As you noted, the spring-loaded clip and lanyard should be removed if you plan to use it, and a SS clip fastened to the lanyard attachment point.

Just don't complain that you "wasted your money" when you finally buy a Scout (which I'm sure you will, as I eventually did) .

 

[SparticleBrane]

I have a scout, and I'd pick up a PT-LED in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have two pelicans and have removed the clips, left one attachment point and put the ss boltsnaps on with cave line. There are some sharp points on the attachment point that are easily removed or filed down without compromising the light integrity. My buddy who took and passed fundies with the same setups was told that while not scouts or photons there was no problem with the pelicans if modified in this way for DIR.

 

[RobbieTheHun]

Is it simply a plastic vs. metal thing?

.

Dont mean to picky Dude, but the body of the scout is made of Delrin.

RTH

 

[SparticleBrane]

I was under the impression that delrin is a kind of plastic...

 

[cmalinowski]

I was under the impression that delrin is a kind of plastic...

it is. both lights in discussion (well, all of them if you include the PT's) are of some plastic compound. None of the lights are metal. I think that was Robbie's point.

My question on the pelican is how is the spot on the LED? If it's not a tight spot then using it for signalling could be an issue. Anyone compare the spots to that of the PT LED or any of the scout/PT or other zenon bulbs?

Chris