Cave Diving Light

[RGist]

What is the best cave diving light?

 

[PerroneFord]

Best? Can't answer that. There are some EXCELLENT lights out there that seem to capture the majority of this market for one reason or another.

1. Dive Rite
2. Halcyon
3. Salvo

If you are REALLY going to be in cave country, one of these lights should serve you very well. You might also sneak a look at the Green Force light which has some advantages of the others (and some drawbacks too).

 

[Dive-aholic]

It depends on which cave diver you ask

 

[daniel f aleman]

There are several that are used in cave, buy the brand that is easily serviced in your area. In order of my preference (I've used them all):

1 Salvo
2 Manta
3 DiveRite
4 Sartek
5 Gulftex
6 Halcyon

 

[Mark Vlahos]

What is the best cave diving light?

The "best" light is one that will roughly match the ones that the other diver(s) in your team are using. Since in a cave the only light available is the light you bring with you if all the lights match your eyes will adjust equally. If one of the team has a really bright light while the others have comparatively dim lights there will be problems. There is somthing to be said for brighter lights, particularly in some of the caves with either huge rooms or darker walls, but that is a specific situation.

I use a Sartek 10 watt adjustable and am quite happy with it, but there are lots of other lights on the market. Look at all the features and make your choice.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Spoon]

The "best" light is one that will roughly match the ones that the other diver(s) in your team are using. Since in a cave the only light available is the light you bring with you if all the lights match your eyes will adjust equally. If one of the team has a really bright light while the others have comparatively dim lights there will be problems. There is somthing to be said for brighter lights, particularly in some of the caves with either huge rooms or darker walls, but that is a specific situation.



Mark Vlahos

there are only a number of cave divers in the country and they dont even use hids so would my hids pose a problem? also would the requirements of wreck and cave be the same?

 

[Metalsub USA]

The "best" light is one that will roughly match the ones that the other diver(s) in your team are using. Since in a cave the only light available is the light you bring with you if all the lights match your eyes will adjust equally. If one of the team has a really bright light while the others have comparatively dim lights there will be problems. There is somthing to be said for brighter lights, particularly in some of the caves with either huge rooms or darker walls, but that is a specific situation.

I use a Sartek 10 watt adjustable and am quite happy with it, but there are lots of other lights on the market. Look at all the features and make your choice.

Mark Vlahos

I must disagree with you Mark,

Just because you dive buddies/team made bad decisions and bought 10 watt HID’s doesn’t mean you should do the same. You only run the risk of damaging your buddy’s low light vision if you shine your brighter light directly in their eyes. The ambient light from a 21 watt, or 24 watt HID will not over power somebody looking at the hotspot of their 10 watt HID.

On a cave dive, a night dive, or a low light deep shipwreck dive your enjoyment and fun factor will raise with the amount of light you take with you. Also, your safety factor will raise, 10 watt HIDs, because of there small size, are the most fragile HID bulbs on the market. I would recommend buying the best lamp you can afford in the 21 to 24 Watt HID range, they have good light out put and are more robust than a 10 watt HID.

 

[The Chairman]

I agree with Chad... the temp/intensity of YOUR light has little effect on your buddy's enjoyment. I have my ancient 10 W light, but when finances see their way clear I will probably get a 21W or better.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I must disagree with you Mark,

Just because you dive buddies/team made bad decisions and bought 10 watt HID’s doesn’t mean you should do the same. You only run the risk of damaging your buddy’s low light vision if you shine your brighter light directly in their eyes. The ambient light from a 21 watt, or 24 watt HID will not over power somebody looking at the hotspot of their 10 watt HID.

On a cave dive, a night dive, or a low light deep shipwreck dive your enjoyment and fun factor will raise with the amount of light you take with you. Also, your safety factor will raise, 10 watt HIDs, because of there small size, are the most fragile HID bulbs on the market. I would recommend buying the best lamp you can afford in the 21 to 24 Watt HID range, they have good light out put and are more robust than a 10 watt HID.

It is about parity, if my 10 watt is pointing at the line because I really need to concentrate on it for a moment and the diver behind me is pointing his light at a jump line a few inches away I could have difficulty following the correct line because all I can see is what he is illuminating. The human mark I eyeball is a pretty wonderful thing but it will tend to adjust to the brightest light in the absence of other ambient sources.

In a cave almost any light when pointed directly into the eyes will cause problems, that is not what I am talking about. In a cave the light needs to remain in a spot focus for signaling.

If all team members had your lights then it would be great, they would all have the advantage of seeing further into the cave or locating the line from further away, but I still feel strongly that in a cave, which is a specific environment, all lights should be fairly closely matched. They do not need to be the same brand, they can be a mix of adjustable and pre-focused sources, but they should generally match.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Mark Vlahos]

there are only a number of cave divers in the country and they dont even use hids so would my hids pose a problem? also would the requirements of wreck and cave be the same?

With the only HID in the area you would have the advantage of setting the standard.

I am not trained, and do not penetrate wrecks so I can render no constructive opinion on that issue.

Mark Vlahos