DIR- Generic What are people using for backup lights now?

[tbone1004]

Sheesh...everyone knows an IPA and salted peanuts are a better choice.

You should be banned for passing on sloppy diving practices. This is up there with teaching from the knees.

The nerve...

this is an important criteria when picking a dive buddy, right @mer?

 

[mer]

Sheesh...everyone knows an IPA and salted peanuts are a better choice...

Woah now! IPAs -- some are hoppy, some are not. No standardization. Unacceptable. Stouts are pretty consistent that you know what you're gonna get within a pretty predictable range of nuances.

Thus stouts are the DIR of beers! (ducks and runs away, WTF am I doing on SB)

And I agree @tbone1004, beer compatibility is an important criterion when choosing a teammate. Having to brave encounters with Floridaman during a Winn-Dixie beer run and having to select TWO different six-packs, inefficient.

 

[rjack321]

In over 45 years of diving I have yet to have a switch on a backup or primary light fail.

Everything/anything can fail, even the O-ring on the twist on/off lights can fail.

I've had a primary switch boot leak and the light was toast

Needed new battery, new cord, new switch after that

 

[rjack321]

@rjack321 sump diving makes sense, though I'm surprised that came up in a DIR forum and also surprised you don't have different light choices for the dry portions

For handhelds with good 150-200+m depth ratings there aren't alot of twist on option. Switches suck

If you are willing (or need to) to dive with a helmet that opens up alot of additional options but 1) this is the DIR forum and 2) you end up with anything but a simple setup. Especially if you add CCR, gag straps and other option which conflict with helmets.

This is why the DIR forum is dead. You get terrible advice here. Push button lights have failure risks that are not necessary to take, particularly for a backup. They will never be DIR. same for over volted bulbs. Yes it makes them brighter but it increases the risk of a failure when you turn it on. A bad decision for a backup light. Both risks are low but completely unnecessary to take.

The battery issue is more nuanced. It is less about testing now. Alkaline batteries are extremely reliable. The Lion stuff has a wider range of quality issues. For your true backups no need to take that small risk.

For dives where you really need the light if the primary fails most carry a second backup primary such as a handheld that does have lithium battery. Would I bother to do that on a dive with a 30 minute swim to exit no. But, for 2 hours on trigger to exit - yes.

If you are asking questions on a forum your diving is probably at a level where two scouts are all you need. Scouts, hesser, etc cost more because they are built like tanks to survive tons of abuse and just work. Highest reliability possible for the needed burn time is the goal of a backup not brightness, size, favorite color or other made up preference.

Well I did say most of my actual dives were not "DIR" or suitable for that.

But otherwise I agree with you even in alternative scenarios, switches are a poor choice if you can avoid them (and you can for normal backmount and most side mount swimming cave dives) then go with the tried and true twist on.

I am willing to use the CR123 disposables myself and I think they are nearly ideal for me due to the combination of shelf life, energy density and weight. The LM 2w wins for me and isnt too far off from an ideal DIR light too. I think its a bit small for holding while scootering and its a bit tiny in a dry glove hand

 

[tbone1004]

@rjack321 I do love my helmet for sidemount, but as you said, this is the DIR forum.

One thing that does concern me is the future availability of C-cells and CR123. Where else are they used in normal life these days? They've all been displaced

 

[_Ralph]

@mer @tbone1004




Three GUE divers walk into a pub....


_R

 

[mer]