WalMart Divers Light?

[Mike Newman]

Where do you get free air? - I usually have to pay about $5US for mine!

 

[d33ps1x]

Your life is worth more than $8.95. Much more. Respect that.

Last time I checked the chemical cost involved in making a human was somewhere around 80 cents US. Interesting concept though.

So when I am back in a cave and my HID light is strapped to me using 30 cents worth of 2 inch webbing and 2 stainless pipe clamps worth a dollar a piece, like most cannister lights are, then I should consider this inadequate? Should I spend $200 on the same rig just to assure myself that it is valuable enough for my life?

Not that these lights do the job but that certainly does not prohibit another light at $8.95 fitting the bill.

Some dive lights out there in the $100-120 dollar range are certainly not revolutionary, are worth no more than $30-40 dollars at a fair market value, and use the same parts common to many cheaper lights. Certain companies are making a killing on them to be certain. Do I own two of these? Yup.

There is a difference in cheap and a good deal. It is possible to find the latter and not have it be the former.

 

[Groundhog246]

Where do you get free air? - I usually have to pay about $5US for mine!

I get free air at my LDS. I do have to pay when I travel and need fills.

 

[mempilot]

Should I spend $200 on the same rig just to assure myself that it is valuable enough for my life?

Uh, yes. It's called Halcyon. $180 for a Halcyon AL BP and webbing from Brownie's. Riggghhhhtt. How about $60 for the plate from DR or OMS and $0.60 per foot of webbing from Reef Scuba. When I questioned Brownie's about the price of the piece of AL with webbing, they asked "Don't you value your life enough to pay $180?" So I says, "Your right man, here's $180, and I'll throw in another cool $200 on my life." That ought just about guarrentee that the BP doesn't cause my death on the next dive and that the webbing doesn't spontaneously unravel and fly apart due to all the stress. I think the embroidered H is what drives the price up and actually provides some degree of extra strength. All kidding aside though, I did buy an Explorer wing, so now I can do a taste test with my other wings. We'll see if $350+ is better than $225. But I heard WalMart has a wing for $19.95. What should I do?

As for the light, I'll stick with my more expensive model, and after borrowing the Halcyon 10 watt HID the other night, I think one of those is in my future.

 

[Kevin R]

Some of you amaze me. It's really really simple folks, you use the best piece of equipment for the required job and it will work under any condition. There is no need to have one set of lights for shallow dives and another for deep or a cheap set set for daytime and a good set for night. You don't cheap out on life support. I can't believe this thread has gone on as long as it has.

 

[mempilot]

Some of you amaze me. It's really really simple folks, you use the best piece of equipment for the required job and it will work under any condition. There is no need to have one set of lights for shallow dives and another for deep or a cheap set set for daytime and a good set for night. You don't cheap out on life support. I can't believe this thread has gone on as long as it has.

Kevin,

Lighten up my man. The threads a fun poke at a light subject. I don't think anyone is really going to advocate using the Wally light for serious diving where the light is a piece of life support equipment.

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

Last time I post a question then not get back on line for the rest of the week. I can't believe this thing has gone on for seven pages.

Thanks to everyone for their concern for my welfare and well being. I promise not to use the lights when I hit the Edmund Fitzgerald, or my next 1500 foot penetration of Wakulla Springs.

They don't sell those lights in the US, so I figured I'd ask the question in a forum where they are sold and I'd get feedback from other folks who were likely to have seen and maybe even tried them. Thanks for the replies from the three people who have actually tried them with varying success and could give informed and factual comments.

When I get some time, I'll take a few pictures of the light and a SabreLite and do a side by side comparison. I've flooded out a couple lights in my time, but invariably it's been due to user error, and not light design. (waddya mean I got to grease those o-rings once every few years?). I'll also let everyone know how they stand up to their intended task. I've needed a new small light after my daughter flooded out my prized Princeton Surge two weeks ago when she changed out the batteries and didn't grease the o-ring.

Anyone who wants to come down and see how I risk my life using small lights to peer under coral ledges on daytime 60 foot dives in 80° water is welcome. Just bring some real beer with you - preferably some Upper Canada Lager.

Marc

 

[Kevin R]

I guarantee you there are a couple of divers headed for Walmart right now trying to find these things based on this thread. You would think that the mathmatical skills required to work the tables as taught during OW training would have weeded out these simple folk, but there are always a few 10%ers who make it through. I'll bet I can even put names to the faces.

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

Embrace the one who admits not knowing and avoid the one who knows everything.

Words to live by Kevie.

At least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you were right when we all go out and kill ourselves with Wal-Mart's complicity.

Marc

 

[KrustyTheClownFish]

Your kidding, right? No math skills are required to work the tables (unless you consider addition as a higher math skill). That's the whole point of using tables - no math or formulas required.

I think these "wizards" that can manage to grasp the tables can probably make a smart decision about a dive light.

You would think that the mathmatical skills required to work the tables as taught during OW training would have weeded out these simple folk