What light for night diving

[aelred]

Being fairly new to diving, i hope to do some night dives next month.
Can someone inform me what lights will i need? Not quite sure if lumen number mean a lot or wattage. I see led lights are low wattage but i am sure power output will be good.
Is there such a thing as good value for money? Any recommendations?
Thanks

 

[rolling rapids]

Go for the force...GREENFORCE you will not be left in the DARK,mabye the last Torch you will ever buy!! good luck ....

 

[USCScubaboy]

If you're just doing basic recreational night dives, you'll need a primary light, a backup light, and a tank light. Something like a Dorcy 220 is a very solid light that can be used as a primary light in the beginning and then can serve as a backup light if you get something bigger later on (like a can light). As for tank lights, I have yet to find a decent one myself.

 

[SandyRobinson]

I prefer a low wattage light on night dives. I used my 10W DR on a night dive once and it was too much light. Now I carry a UK c8 led(5w) and a Photon Torpedo LED(3w) I normally use the photon though. I have also used intovas but do not like using the push button switch in salt water. It needs to be rinsed thoroughly if you do.

 

[driftwood]

What light you need depends a lot on your dive conditions. Clear carib waters, most any light will do. With a full moon, less by be better than more. If you get into more cloudy water, then you need more "umph" from your light to punch through the murk.

Bang for the buck (or pound), I am happy with the SST-850. Diving Series - Novae: Your #1 source for HID and LED flashlights!

 

[eelnoraa]

for recreation night dive, you really don't need multi-hundred dollar light. For high viz clear water, I will take one wide angle beam (Intova 4.7W wide angle) and a narraow beam light. For low viz, I will take 2 narrow angle beam light.

My choice for narrow beam light start from most expansive: Hollis LED5, Hollis LED3, Intova Ultra Nova, UK SL4 eLED, Intova 4.7W narrow, dorcy 220. I don't like piston grip light, they are big and hard to stow. Novae product is attrative, but reliability is questionable. So I will stickwith major brand.

 

[driftwood]

I understand the reliability issues with the earlier Novae lights. It took a few dives with my P7 to get the bezel seal right. They have changed the bezel design on the current SST-50's to fix that issue.

There are two things I really don't like about the current SST-50's. The big one is the "ring" switch, liquid smooth with no positive "click". Feels very wrong to me. The second is that extra batteries are expensive.

Given the problems, I would put the light up against most lights selling for 4x's more.

 

[ScubaDubr]

i have the Princeton Tec LED Pack and WOW is it bright. there is a huge diffrence between the older style incandescent bulbs, and these. the LEDs are very bright and white. not yellow and dim. you can definitly spot me first before anyother divers using the other lights.

the kit came with the Shockwave LED, Impact XL, ECO Flare, Gadget Gear, and a few other straps. i picked up the kit i thinkfor like $170 cant remember.

Product Overview Page - By Use - Scuba | Princeton Tec

oh and all my lights are neon yellow, they have two other colors too.

EDIT: amazon has it pretty cheap right now. http://www.amazon.com/Princeton-Tec-Pack-Light-Piece/dp/B000EIDUUU

 

[Scared Silly]

For a first light I suggest that new divers buy a light that will be descent enough for night dives in clear water but can also double up as backup light later on. In addition, that backup light can be come your day time primary light. I personally have very good luck with UK SL4 and now their SL3. Both are small enough to fit in BCD pockets while throwing a descent beam (an often just as good as some of the large 6-8 C cell lights).

If you find yourself doing more night dives then having a bigger more power light will be in your future. But for now keep it simple.

For a second light many just put glow in the dark sticks on their cylinder or bcd.

 

[ajduplessis]

Intova LED and Halcyon Scout