Xtar D26 1600 light review

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I have both, the turn lock gets bumped easily and the electronic lock of the newer one works well but you have to remember how to use it but most of the time I have a cheap ebay light clipped off that I find more useful, these are very short have a slide switch that hits a few different brightness settings and can be bought for a bit over $20 with a 26650 battery. Not as bright as the x-tar but for me as bright as I usually need, in lower viz like Monterey brighter often is worse the not.

Link?

I love my Dive Rite CX1. Was about to buy another one and just realized its discontinued now. Sad, its an amazing light just was a bit pricey at $159

That's too expensive (for me) for a handheld dive light. When it gets lost (for me) the tears would be a little bigger than if it was a $50 light. A lost $50 hasn't killed my dive....I think a lost $159 would!
 
So if making a Goodman would you recommend the 1100 still over the 1600? I could maybe try to design a cover to print/share for the 1600...

Personally I can't see a difference (maybe slightly) between the brightness of the 1100 vs the 1600, I'm sure it's there, but not enough (to me). I have a review somewhere on SB that has a DR, the 1100 and the 1600 with pictures of each lit underwater. (Pictures are subjective, but at least some insight).

The only downside to using a goodman handle with the 1600 is it's impossible to stow (because of the defective switch). I can not do so with out it at some point turning on. My local quarry is dark and dingy enough that I never really stow, so it works for me. I know how it locks, I lock it, and more often than not it's on when I don't want it to be.

IF you make a cover, please share. As long as it doesn't easily fall off, it'd be worth it.
 
Personally I can't see a difference (maybe slightly) between the brightness of the 1100 vs the 1600, I'm sure it's there, but not enough (to me). I have a review somewhere on SB that has a DR, the 1100 and the 1600 with pictures of each lit underwater. (Pictures are subjective, but at least some insight).

The only downside to using a goodman handle with the 1600 is it's impossible to stow (because of the defective switch). I can not do so with out it at some point turning on. My local quarry is dark and dingy enough that I never really stow, so it works for me. I know how it locks, I lock it, and more often than not it's on when I don't want it to be.

IF you make a cover, please share. As long as it doesn't easily fall off, it'd be worth it.
I tried making something, never worked out, the lock is fine except it unlocks by holding the button down which in many situations is easily done by accident.
 
I agree with Rob. I have the D26 1100 and the 1600.

With the 1600 locked, you just have to hold down the power button to unlock it and turn it on. That invariably happens to me if I try to dive with it clipped off on my shoulder D-ring and the head bungeed down to the shoulder strap.

If I remember to do the 1/4 turn on the 1100 power button to lock it, I have never had it come on by accident.

The 1600 is a little brighter, but, like Rob, I don't find the difference to be enough to outweigh the constant turning on by accident. If I'm doing a dive where I know I'm going to have it on the whole time anyway, then I'll take it. Otherwise, I take the 1100.

For a Goodman handle, the Oxycheq Raider soft Goodman (aka light sock) works perfectly with either D26 or the DGX 600. For my recent tech classes, I have been carrying the DGX 600 clipped off as a backup. It's more compact than the D26 and works great when a backup is needed. And I already had batteries for it. If I had no lights and were buying from scratch, I would just get 2 x D26 1100s and a supply of batteries, though, so I only had 1 type of battery to deal with.
 
I agree with Rob. I have the D26 1100 and the 1600.

With the 1600 locked, you just have to hold down the power button to unlock it and turn it on. That invariably happens to me if I try to dive with it clipped off on my shoulder D-ring and the head bungeed down to the shoulder strap.

If I remember to do the 1/4 turn on the 1100 power button to lock it, I have never had it come on by accident.

The 1600 is a little brighter, but, like Rob, I don't find the difference to be enough to outweigh the constant turning on by accident. If I'm doing a dive where I know I'm going to have it on the whole time anyway, then I'll take it. Otherwise, I take the 1100.

For a Goodman handle, the Oxycheq Raider soft Goodman (aka light sock) works perfectly with either D26 or the DGX 600. For my recent tech classes, I have been carrying the DGX 600 clipped off as a backup. It's more compact than the D26 and works great when a backup is needed. And I already had batteries for it. If I had no lights and were buying from scratch, I would just get 2 x D26 1100s and a supply of batteries, though, so I only had 1 type of battery to deal with.

You think the oxycheq is better than a printed hard goodman? It looks nice...
 

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