How to choose the right torch

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Sbiriguda

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Ok this is what all the Lights section is about...But my question is more specific. How do you choose the right torch for a specific usage?
For example, I want to buy a new torch. I will need it especially for lake diving, occasionally for sea dives and also night dives both in the sea and in the lake. I don’t do wrecks unless they are very easy. I don’t do cave diving unless again very wide caves (so it’s just ‘plain’ non cave diving). Lake waters are very muddy compared to the sea. One day I would like to start technical diving but right now I am PADI AOW + deep - 40 meters. If possible I would avoid getting a 1000 euros torch since I want to invest more in the drysuit
Thanks
 
https://www.makospearguns.com/1000-Lumen-Dive-Light-p/m1000dl.htm

This light should do very well for your application.
dive-light-1000-wrist-holder-on-arm.jpg
 
Ok this is what all the Lights section is about...But my question is more specific. How do you choose the right torch for a specific usage?
For example, I want to buy a new torch. I will need it especially for lake diving, occasionally for sea dives and also night dives both in the sea and in the lake. I don’t do wrecks unless they are very easy. I don’t do cave diving unless again very wide caves (so it’s just ‘plain’ non cave diving). Lake waters are very muddy compared to the sea. One day I would like to start technical diving but right now I am PADI AOW + deep - 40 meters. If possible I would avoid getting a 1000 euros torch since I want to invest more in the drysuit
Thanks

Not at all saying anything about the lights that are listed above as I'm sure they're great. I have one of these;
Amazon.com : XTAR D26 Whale Diving Flashlight Cree XM-L2 U3 LED 1100 Lumens Professional Scuba Waterproof Torch Safety Lights Underwater 100MDive Torch : Sports & Outdoors
I think it's a great light. If you make an offer on ebay you can get them down in price to around $50 shipped, just be willing to wait ~ 3 weeks to get it. I've bought 2 now and so far no issues. The 1st one has been on 25 or so dives. @stuartv wrote a review about it on here somewhere. You can also look at the new model, I think it's the 1600 as opposed to 1100. I do not have that one (stuartv also wrote about that one).

If I'm not mistaken @JohnnyC was supposed to be doing a review on a bunch of lights. Try searching his stuff.

Hope that helps.
 
. . . One day I would like to start technical diving but right now I am PADI AOW + deep - 40 meters. If possible I would avoid getting a 1000 euros torch since I want to invest more in the drysuit
Thanks

Then defer getting the 1000 euro light until "one day." For now, any of the lights in the class others have been referring to would be fine.
 
Are you doing dives with bottom times longer than 1 hour? No, so you don't need a canister light (because you don't need burn time that is that long).

So, what you need is a cordless light, that you would use for illumination and for signaling. Signaling is a very important aspect of light usage when you are in low viz and night diving. For signaling, you want a light with a spot beam that is somewhere in the 6 to 12 degree range. Tighter is generally better.

What you do NOT want is a video light/flood light, which have beams of anywhere from 70 degrees and up.

A lot of people (myself included) prefer to mount their light on the back of their hand. Cordless lights in particular mate well to a soft Goodman handle - aka light sock.

If you are going to mount your light on the back of your hand, I would suggest something that is no longer than what is required to hold 1 battery. A light that holds 2 batteries end to end is so long as to be annoying on a hand mount. And, it is not necessary, as you can get lights that are 1 battery length that are more than adequate brightness and burn time for dives with 1 hour or less of bottom time.

The standard in cordless lights for a little while has been ones that use the Cree XM-L2 LED emitter. That is rated for around 1050 lumens. With a single 18650 rechargeable battery, most lights with that LED can give 90 - 120 minutes of burntime (roughly). With the same emitter and a good 26650 battery, they will go 120 - 150 minutes (or more).

LED tech is improving all the time and there are now cordless lights with the newer Cree XHP35 emitter, which is rated for around 1600 lumens. With that emitter, an 18650 is probably not going to give enough burn time, With a 26650, you can get 120 minutes or more.

Once you've considered the basic size, level of brightness, and burn time you want, you can consider whether you want things like a twist on-off, a push button, or a rotating ring. And whether you want multiple brightness levels.

I don't like twist on/off because it takes 2 hands to turn it on or off.

And MOST twist lights only have one brightness level. Multiple brightness levels are very handy for at least a couple of reasons. One, you can run it on less-than-High and it will burn a LOT longer. And, two, on night dives a lower brightness level is often preferable because it is less scary to the critters. And also, in water with a lot of particulate, a light that is too bright actually makes it harder to see because of all the glare reflecting back off the particulate. So, I personally highly recommend a light that has multiple brightness settings.

The Xtar D26 Whale is my favorite XM-L2 light. The Xtar D26 1600 is my favorite XHP35 light. They both have all the features I talked about. And, they have push button on/off, which CAN be a problem - you don't want them to turn on accidentally. But, both of these lights have a way to lock them, so they don't turn on accidentally.

When you get to the point of doing dives with long bottom times (2 - 3 hours or more), then you might need a canister light. In which case, if you buy a good cordless light or two now, they will become excellent backups for the canister light you buy later.

I hope that helps.
 
If I'm not mistaken @JohnnyC was supposed to be doing a review on a bunch of lights. Try searching his stuff.

Hope that helps.

Got delayed with some family stuff over Labor Day but hoping to get in the water this week or early next. Results will be posted sometime shortly after.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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