Recreational Light

[kradatzke]

I am looking at buying a light for recreational diving , primarily on the Pacific West Coast for winter day diving. As much as I would like to get the Sola 800 , I am going to have to scale back some. I am considering both the Gobe 500 and also the DRIS 1K . I plan to use a wrist mount for which ever I choose . One major difference is the Gobe is rechargeable and the DRIS take AAA's . I only dive about a doz times a year in the winter so battery replacement will not be a deal breaker . The Gobe does have different power setting which would lengthen battery time . From what I can get the Gobe on sale for it would still be just about double the DRIS 1K . And according to the specs it looks like the DRIS would be double the brightness plus has a slightly wider beam pattern 11 degrees vrs 8

Just wondering if anybody has used or compared the two lights ?


Kelly

 

[Ken T]

I have the DRIS 3 C-cell version.
Excellent light.

If going for the shorty AA version - get some rechargeable batteries if you will be diving more often.

I also have the Sola 500, not a bad light with a compact form.
However, in the colder mountain waters I have for local diving the battery in mine drains pretty fast.

Worked well in Hawaii though.

 

[tbone1004]

https://www.divegearexpress.com/lights/backuplt.shtml#4087

I'd grab one or two of those and call it good. It's a tight beam for signalling, but can't argue with the price

 

[rhwestfall]

The 1k is really awkward as a wrist mount. The 1k "shorty" is really a nice option at a really friendly price point. Keep in mind, rechargeable batteries are somewhat "temperamental" with infrequent use. I have the original 500, the 1k & 1k "shorty", and for a hand mount the "shorty" is it. the longer ones are best as a back-up on a harness as they are just too long (IMHO) for back of hand mounting.

I also have the one referenced above by T. Nice for the price, but not quite as bright of a beam.

 

[tbone1004]

they are also rated for use on land and they make good general use flashlights. I use my dive backup lights pretty regularly and the li-po's are a lot less cranky than the nimh and nicads were

 

[LowDrag]

I am looking at buying a light for recreational diving , primarily on the Pacific West Coast for winter day diving. As much as I would like to get the Sola 800 , I am going to have to scale back some. I am considering both the Gobe 500 and also the DRIS 1K . I plan to use a wrist mount for which ever I choose . One major difference is the Gobe is rechargeable and the DRIS take AAA's . I only dive about a doz times a year in the winter so battery replacement will not be a deal breaker . The Gobe does have different power setting which would lengthen battery time . From what I can get the Gobe on sale for it would still be just about double the DRIS 1K . And according to the specs it looks like the DRIS would be double the brightness plus has a slightly wider beam pattern 11 degrees vrs 8

Just wondering if anybody has used or compared the two lights ?


Kelly

Two questions for you:

1) Are you diving dry?

2) Are you diving up around Seattle when you do dive? (This one is out of curiousity.)

My wife has a Big Blue that is wrist mount. It is about the size of the 1K shorty. She found it to be a bit annoying because it kept bumping into the wrist rings on her dry suit but she does have smallish hands. I have the full length DRIS 1K I really like. It tucks away in my harness when not in use and it is easy to take out and put back. The DRIS 1K makes it really easy to see in cracks and crevices looking for critters.

 

[kradatzke]

Two questions for you:

1) Are you diving dry?

2) Are you diving up around Seattle when you do dive? (This one is out of curiousity.)

My wife has a Big Blue that is wrist mount. It is about the size of the 1K shorty. She found it to be a bit annoying because it kept bumping into the wrist rings on her dry suit but she does have smallish hands. I have the full length DRIS 1K I really like. It tucks away in my harness when not in use and it is easy to take out and put back. The DRIS 1K makes it really easy to see in cracks and crevices looking for critters.

Yes on the West Coast ( Vancouver BC ) I do dry suit dive. As of now I have been using wet gloves but think I may move onto to dry gloves also . I think my hands would stay dryer and warmer plus they would be easier to do things such as photograph.

Any thoughts on the fairly narrow beam pattern of the 1K , 11 degrees . Also how do you find battery life on your wifes? What does the Big Blue use for batteries ?

Thanks

 

[LowDrag]

Yes on the West Coast ( Vancouver BC ) I do dry suit dive. As of now I have been using wet gloves but think I may move onto to dry gloves also . I think my hands would stay dryer and warmer plus they would be easier to do things such as photograph.

Any thoughts on the fairly narrow beam pattern of the 1K , 11 degrees . Also how do you find battery life on your wifes? What does the Big Blue use for batteries ?

Thanks

What is your water temp up there? I have a pair of Oceanic 3 mil gloves that really keep my hands toasty. My dry gloves are bulky and not form fitting at all. On a side note, I am somewhat jealous of where you are at in terms of diving... My wife and I have plans to try to make it up to Vancouver Island sometime next fall. You guys have some cool diving up there!!!

I know with my 1K, anything I light up and shoot video with my GoPro gets completely wiped out by the light so it does not do a good job as a video light. My wife's Big Blue is a 350 lumen light that takes 3 AAA batteries. We have only had it out on one dive so far so I don't have any good info on her light yet. We may be going to Edmonds Underwater Park in the early part of January so I could tell you something then but that is a ways away yet. We will get plenty of use out of it there. Lots to look at in many cracks and crevices. I do like the light for brightness but not too bright if that makes sense.