UWLD for mid-Atlantic diving?

[Manatee Diver]

I received a healthy discount, so it was literally slightly more than half of what I would have paid for a comparable previous-gen UWLD. So on a curve, still happy. But at full price? I would recommend purchasing the UWLD, even at a 30% premium.

This is part of the problem with Dive Rite's new pricing on the EX35. When I bought my EX35 last year, it dropped to $1k for the sidemount version. I felt that at $1k it is a great starter option, you still get a ton of light with a long burn time. But at the nearly $1,300 that it is currently priced out, it isn't much cheaper than their competition from the likes of Light Monkey, UWLD, and Halcyon.

 

[Tracy]

As a reasonably happy owner of a Dive Rite HP50, I have to agree. Leaving out the wideish spot, I’ve had two build issues: first, the early rotating switch would jam *easily*. This was replaced with a newer design at no cost. Second, the gland at the canister has ripped. Still water tight, but now there’s no strain relief.

I received a healthy discount, so it was literally slightly more than half of what I would have paid for a comparable previous-gen UWLD. So on a curve, still happy. But at full price? I would recommend purchasing the UWLD, even at a 30% premium.

Just an FYI, they have updated the cord gland as well. The new style holds up better.

 

[Bobby]

I would go with the LD40. I started with the LD20, upgraded to the 35, and now have the 40 which I finally got to use the other day. IMO the 40 is light years better. I've always disliked the beam angle on the 20 and 35, it's too wide and leads to quite a bit of backscatter. My buddies jokingly call it the underwater silt dude. The 40 is so much better. The tighter beam angle gives it more punch similar to an hid, but it still has good spillover. It's also significantly brighter (more than I expected). But the decreasae in backscatter is very significant. Go with the 40 no questions asked. I always say buy once cry once. Buy the cheaper light and you'll want to upgrade.
One thing I don't like on the new 40 is the light ring around piezo. In the caves I found it distracting. In OW it may not be. I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it annoyed me enough I spun the light head around. I wish there was an option to shut it off.

If you hold the piezo button while plugging the canister cap into the battery you will go into "program mode". You can then adjust the brightness of the LED battery status ring. When you get to the setting you want simply hold the piezo button down until the light shuts off, then the setting will be retained. Even if you disconnect the battery cap again the setting you set it at will be retained.

 

[stuartv]

I’ve been reading threads here and saving for a canister light. Most of my diving will be mid-Atlantic quarries, rivers, and ocean diving on recreational OC, but I don’t have a good idea of the lumens required in these environments.

I have read the advice here and listened to others who recommend UWLD if it’s in the budget. The LD-20 (2,000 lumens) is on the upper end of what I can afford right now, but will I be disappointed not to have 4,000 in this area?

I love my LD-40. But, I don't have it because I need the light. I have it because I got a good deal on a used one and I DID need the battery canister to use for a heated undergarment setup. The light itself was just a bonus. It IS an awesome light. And, for any plan to spend the kind of money that a good can light costs, I would not cheap out and buy any light that doesn't maintain constant brightness. The UWLD lights do maintain constant brightness.

For the diving you described, my opinion is that you really have no need whatsoever for a canister light. Your dives are simply not going to be long enough to need all that battery. And you don't need 4000 lumens.

I mean, I HAVE an LD-40 and I only use it when I'm also using the heat. The rest of the time, a good cordless light will be plenty bright enough and have plenty of burn time. Wreck dives don't last long enough to need a ton of burn time. Even if it's a 2 hour runtime, most of that will be doing deco, where you don't need a light. Cave dives are where you can advance to the point of dive times that require a can light.

If I'm diving where I expect to need a light the whole time, I carry an Xtar D26 Whale. It's spec'ed at 1100 lumens and it's plenty. With a good 26650 battery, it easily lasts something like 2.5 hours on High (and much longer on Med or Low). Honestly, I've never run out of battery in one day, if I started the day with a fully charged battery. These lights run around $70-80. I have 2 of them and they've been rock solid for 2 or 3 years now?

If I'm diving where I don't expect to need a light the whole time, but I want to take one for just in case (like, shining into a hole, or for a wreck swimthrough), then I take a DGX 600. It has the same LED emitter as the Xtar light, so I think it is pretty much just as bright. But, it is more compact, so a little nicer to just have clipped off to my BCD. It only uses an 18650 battery, so it won't last as long as the Xtar light - but that's partly why it's more compact. These are only about $60, from Dive Gear Express. My 2 of these have been rock solid for something like 5 years now.

Bottom line: If you don't have a good cordless light, you should have one anyway, to use as a backup when you do eventually get a can light. So, my recommendation would be to get that first and dive with it until you find that you actually NEED more.

 

[stuartv]

If you hold the piezo button while plugging the canister cap into the battery you will go into "program mode". You can then adjust the brightness of the LED battery status ring. When you get to the setting you want simply hold the piezo button down until the light shuts off, then the setting will be retained. Even if you disconnect the battery cap again the setting you set it at will be retained.

Thank you for posting that, Bobby! I have now done this with both my light head and my heat controller. Both were VERY bright. I figured you would build the same adjustability into the heat controller and it appears I was right. I set them both to the lowest brightness, which still seems plenty bright.