What's the best hand held light available - need opinions.

[Eric Sedletzky]

I'm just wondering what is the latest and greatest hand held light available these days in a small package. I'm not looking for a pistol grip style, I want a smaller back up style for bug diving and one that is bright enough to work as a primary. There has been some vast improvements in LED technology I know, so where is the level now.

I bought a Raider 1 when they first came out and that seemed like a great little light (still have it). Then the Raider 3 came out so I jumped on that with the idea in mind of how I liked the Raider 1. The R3 turned out to be a disaster (for me anyway).

So along those lines, price being no obstacle (I'm looking for the best) what is the brightest, most reliable, most durable option in a hand held back up these days.

 

[Dantheengineer]

You could do worse that having a browse around the Intova web site. I have a couple of their 4.7 watt lights that i'm very happy with. They are remarkably bright! Actually, painfully in the wrong hands!!!
I believe they've brought similar model(s) out that you feed AAA batteries. Mine's on the more expensive CR123's that are also less widely available. They do seem to last a good while tho!

To be fair i've found this company's products excellent. Their inexpensive range of cameras are really rather cool too. And if they bring out that "APP" and water proof case for a dive computer on yer "I phone" and make the rest of that industry obsolete they'll only impress me further!


Do keep the sales receipt tho. They wont warranty with out it, i found to my cost.
Although, truth be told, i wouldn't to return a $50 flashlight to Hawaii from the Bahamas even if they did!!

I got mine through Diverite express, if memory serves.

Best of luck.

 

[luckydays]

I agree with Dan about the Intova light. I have the one with the slide switch (uses CR123 batteries). Its a nice light to use as a backup or primary light for just looking around. Its bright and has a narrow beam spot light which is a lot brighter than the rest of the light. I got mine from Fill Express in Pompano Beach FL for $50 but Dive Gear Express as them on sale. There is another light for a little less with a beacon light and a push button switch.

Diving Back-Up Lights - Dive Gear Express

Its a great handheld light and I have it on every dive (except might dives).

 

[gearhound]

If price is no object, have a look at the Light Monkey 9w handheld. I have the Salvo equivalent. It's bright enough to be used as a primary for cave diving. Rechargeable floodproof battery compartment. It's size is great for travelling when you don't want to bring a cannister along.

 

[RJP]

I'm just wondering what is the latest and greatest hand held light available these days in a small package. I'm not looking for a pistol grip style, I want a smaller back up style for bug diving and one that is bright enough to work as a primary. There has been some vast improvements in LED technology I know, so where is the level now.

I bought a Raider 1 when they first came out and that seemed like a great little light (still have it). Then the Raider 3 came out so I jumped on that with the idea in mind of how I liked the Raider 1. The R3 turned out to be a disaster (for me anyway).

So along those lines, price being no obstacle (I'm looking for the best) what is the brightest, most reliable, most durable option in a hand held back up these days.

Your asking for two different things, which are somewhat mutually exclusive:

Smaller back-up style...but bright enough for a primary

That said, I use the 3-cell version of the Halcyon Scout, upgraded with the UK eLED module. ($100 cheaper than the Halcyon LED version.)

In Truk recently had my can light died during a deep engine room penetration on the Heian Maru. Switched to my backup and finished the dive with the Halcyon. After the dive the guide found out my can light died he said couldn't believe I did the dive with the Halcyon, as he didn't really notice any light difference when I switched.

Of course it's not as bright as a can light, but it does what it needs to do.

 

[ptyx]

A third vote for the Intova (mines are the compact version).

They have a very tightly focused beam, so are perfect for communication/punching through green water.

For $40, it's worth trying one.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The light I'm looking for doesn't have to be as bright as a can light. I have a Halcyon 18w can light.
I'm looking for a light that has enough peripheral flood to light up an area about equivalent to the Raider 1, but I want something much brighter.
I'm going to use it for night bug diving so it needs to be smallish and handy. Having a cord isn't the most convenient thing to have in the way when I'm trying to bag and measure a lobster. There are people who do it, but I'm trying to see if there's a better option out there to eliminate the whole can/cord thing.
RJP, it sounds like one of the higher line back ups like the Halcyon or Salvo might be the solution provided the beam isn't too tight. Tight beams are great for signaling and penetration, but flood is better for what I'm going to be doing.
Another thing is reliability in the switch and water intrusion. Depth rating isn't really a factor, but I'm sure any of them will suffice. I only go to a max of 70 to 80 feet to bug dive and most of it in the 30 to 40 foot range. It also needs to be fairly rugged because they do get banged around,
I'll keep the Raider 1 as a small back up clipped off somewhere.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If price is no object, have a look at the Light Monkey 9w handheld. I have the Salvo equivalent. It's bright enough to be used as a primary for cave diving. Rechargeable floodproof battery compartment. It's size is great for travelling when you don't want to bring a cannister along.

I'm going to look into this light as well.
Thanks.

 

[Deep South Divers]

A vote for the Heser Backup light here: Heser Tauchtechnik

Light color and brightness almost equal to my Halcyon 10w HID, but with a slightly smaller "hot spot."

...But the coolest thing about the light is that it'll run nonstop for about 60 hours on 1 set of "C" cells. For us, that means that we only have to change the batteries once a year or so - which really means that when we need the light, it works. None of this, "Great light, but needs batteries" business. Keep in mind that every time you have to open the light to change batteries, you risk improper assembly or a pinched O-ring and a flood.

We find cannister lights to be kinda a pain - they're fragile (especially the Halcyons) and finicky, and never seem to be ready to work when we are. Sure, they're necessary on some dives, but we don't use them all the time.

LED "backup" lights, on the other hand, ALWAYS work. The Hesers are machined from one piece of delrin (actually a solid delrin rod that's been drilled out at one end) with a solid acrylic head (covered in rubber) that holds a solid-state LED module. The light head is cooled by a thick marine-grade aluminum sleeve inside the light body that surrounds the batteries. I can't imagine a more sturdy, durable light, and holding one in your hands makes it very clear how solidly the thing is built. There is only one seal on the entire light - where the head meets the body - and that is double-O-ringed (great for silty environments that will contaminate single O-rings) and is activated by twisting the head on and off. The single-bulb design (I see a lot of multi-LED lights in the marketplace) create a cleaner, more crisp spot that's easier to signal with, focuses light better, and works better in low-vis or silty waters than a multi-bulb pattern does.

The downside, of course, is the cost of the light - around $250. But I can tell you that my company owns several, and is the only light we take on working dives. They have worked flawlessly for hundreds of hours' submerged work.

 

[mbsub]

So along those lines, price being no obstacle (I'm looking for the best) what is the brightest, most reliable, most durable option in a hand held back up these days.

If these are the real criterials for you, you should have a look to the X1-VB:
mb-sub.com: X1 - VB LED-flashlight

Michael