Primary Light Recommendation - Rec Night Diving

[ScubaGil]

Hello,
Looking to purchase a primary light for recreational night diving. I have it narrowed down to these 3 but I'm definitely open to suggestions to anything under $200. Each of these has their pluses and minuses so I'm having some trouble deciding.

• Dive Rite CX2
• Orcatorch D710
• Sealife Sea Dragon mini 1300S

Any recommendations / opinions / experience notes will be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks,
G

 

[Kimela]

Dive Gear Express has good lights at good prices. My one recommendation is that you choose one that is push-button. It's a PITA to have to use both hands to screw/unscrew the head to turn it on and off.

 

[scubadada]

Dive Gear Express has good lights at good prices. My one recommendation is that you choose one that is push-button. It's a PITA to have to use both hands to screw/unscrew the head to turn it on and off.

Everyone in my family uses this light from DGX. It has high, low, and strobe setting. The low setting is almost always enough for most night diving without being blinding

 

[boulderjohn]

The low setting is almost always enough for most night diving

I general, it makes for a better night dive with lower settings. If you get in the right situation, using no light at all for part of the dive can be very nice.

 

[PR_SMITH]

Dive Gear Express has good lights at good prices. My one recommendation is that you choose one that is push-button. It's a PITA to have to use both hands to screw/unscrew the head to turn it on and off.

I disagree with the push button thing. The button itself can be a failure point. Much easier to twist the light to come on. No button to fumble with, especially if wearing gloves.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I disagree with the push button thing. The button itself can be a failure point. Much easier to twist the light to come on. No button to fumble with, especially if wearing gloves.

I agree. No "PITA" at all to twist. What would one's other hand be occupied with that one could not easily use both hands to twist?

The potential downside to a twist-on/off light that I have heard is that you could inadvertently twist it the wrong way when turning it off or twist it too far when turning it on and flood it. I can see how this might happen if the diver is not used to the light; say, they are renting it.

One more thing I'll add, @ScubaGil . You use the term "primary" light, but for recreational night diving I like to take two lights that are identical. The one currently in my hand on the dive could be called the "primary," and the other is stowed somewhere as the backup. The compact and inexpensive Dive Gear Express lights and equivalents of other brands are great for this. I think the term "primary" is more commonly used in the tech diving realm, where the diver carries one large powerful light for use, and carries one or two smaller backup lights to use in case the primary light fails.

 

[ScubaGil]

@Lorenzoid - Thank you for the correction in terminology, you are 100% correct in that I will probably purchase 2 of these one as a backup.

 

[boulderjohn]

I once had a twist on/off light that would not twist deeper than about 30 feet below the surface. It just would not turn under that little bit of pressure.

 

[scubadada]

...You use the term "primary" light, but for recreational night diving I like to take two lights that are identical. The one currently in my hand on the dive could be called the "primary," and the other is stowed somewhere as the backup. The compact and inexpensive Dive Gear Express lights and equivalents of other brands are great for this. I think the term "primary" is more commonly used in the tech diving realm, where the diver carries one large powerful light for use, and carries one or two smaller backup lights to use in case the primary light fails.

I always carry a light. During the daytime I usually only have one and use it occasionally for looking under ledges, into cracks... I usually carry 2 at night, just in case.

 

[boulderjohn]

I always carry a light. During the daytime I usually only have one and use it occasionally for looking under ledges, into cracks... I usually carry 2 at night, just in case.

This is an example of how common sense is behind the supposed "rules" safe diving. To extend this point, in a cave you need at least 3 lights, because the "in case" factor is so much more important. I have far too often seen people misstate such common rules, and when challenged, they don't know why and fall back on it just being a rule.