Secondary Lights for Tec divers

[sink-er-swim]

This question is for Tec divers who dive in cold dark water. I have gone through several cheap backup lights in under a year and it's begining to get annoying for both myself and the shop I buy them at. What brand lights are you guys using? Are there any popular models that are recognized as good backup lights? When I first priced out my kit, I had looked at the "Rat JR" but I recall it was pricey. So what options are out there? I'd like hear from those who have tested lights, before I go spending my money foolishly!

 

[LiteHedded]

you just gotta bite the bullet on backup lights. it doesn't take much searching on the forums to find tons of stories of cheap backup lights failing. often before they even make it to the water.

 

[Tug]

I dive with the 3 cell LED Light Monkey backups. I love them and will often take them instead of my can light if I'm just doing an easy shore dive as they pretty much live on my harness. I've also been hearing great things about Halcyons new scout head.

 

[PerroneFord]

By the time you buy a bunch of cheap backups and have them fail, you could have bought a decent backup. There are plenty of decent one's these days. When I got mine, you either bought a Scout, a Rat (Salvo), or a Gultex Photon Torpedo.

If I was picking today, It would be either a Scout, or a Light Monkey. Pick one and be done with it.

 

[TSandM]

Peter and I bought the Dorcey Penetrators from Piranha about a year ago, and we've been very pleased with them. I have learned not to use anything with a switch. The Dorceys are twist-on/twist-off and tolerant of flooding -- their one downside is that they do tend to be pressure-sensitive, and you have to be careful of how they are set so that they don't turn on underwater.

 

[PfcAJ]

The new XP scout is serious business. I use that and a trusty halogen scout. They always work and cut through murky water.

 

[Sas]

Well I've heard people bag OMS Vega 3wt torches out a bunch though I have been very happy with mine. I got one brand new for $100 and the other second hand at $60, I have had them for a long time, treated them like rubbish (because they were cheap and I did not expect much out of them) and they still work fantastic. The main pain is that they take CR123 batteries and the rechargable ones I get only last about 65mins (normal batteries last almost four hours in my experience). But I have a heap of cheap ones I got off ebay so it's no big deal.

If they fail though I would replace with OMS Vegas again or possibly Light Monkey lights as I have been very happy with the Salvo/Light Monkey lights I have used as well as the service when I bought my main torch from them.

 

[kathydee]

I have a pair of Halcyon Scouts - great lights!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

The Dorceys are twist-on/twist-off and tolerant of flooding -- their one downside is that they do tend to be pressure-sensitive, and you have to be careful of how they are set so that they don't turn on underwater.

@TSandM: On your next dive, at max depth (preferably on one of your deeper dives), take out your Dorcey backup light, twist it on...and then twist it just enough to turn it off. After you finish your post-dive rinsing/drying of gear, take out a paint pen and make two marks: one on the body and one right across from it on the bezel. Now when the marks are lined up at the surface, you can be confident that the light won't turn on inadvertently at depth. I did this with our dive team's backup lights years ago. Since then, I haven't had to turn off someone's backup light that was accidentally turned on. (Oops, just saw that this was in the tech diving forum. Sorry about that.)

 

[dl348]

I have a pair of the old Salvo Rat Jrs. They are a little pricey but I was able to get them for $75.00 each. I'm glad I bought them, they have served me well.