Photon Torpedo Vs Halcyon Mini Scout Review

[ucfdiver]

Well apparently Gulftex is using illegal labor because they too must have done some serious research to build a light this good and don't charge that much. As I have shown the housing alone is WAY better than "Big H". Honestly I'm miffed that people who analyze stuff as much as you guys do would even accept a light with one O'ring.

Fill me in please, how is the housing "way" better?

From practically all the discussions I've read signaling is THE primary reason for a backup light, as you have pretty much said yourself, so explain to me how brightness isn't important for signaling!?

By the time water diffuses a 21w HID, you can see the xenon scout signal coming from the lead diver.

 

[Ragnar]

Thanks for the light details. Interesting to see the differences in manufacturing.

Note: The older SL4 LED insert is not meant to be driven by only 3 volts (- which drops to less almost immediately you turn the light on), hence the dim output. I'm guessing the upgrade you purchased uses a boost converter to deliver the voltage necessary to drive the R5.

Henrik

Well thank you man, the first post that didn't start with Ummm....

I wonder what saying big H will come up with now that they can't use the old "We don't overdrive the bulb" trick Which was at least actually valid.....

If I wanted to bash Halcyon with my original posts I would have posted Halcyon sucks and gone to bed. I like Halcyon. I own Halcyon. But I don't over pay for gear, especially when it turns out to be inferior gear, that just doesn't make sense. But hey, I use Apple computers which have this cult type of following that you can bang your head against all day, I just happen to be typing from a Dell that runs OS X......there is always an alternative.......

 

[ucfdiver]

I just happen to be typing from a Dell that runs OS X......there is always an alternative.......

Most things are cheaper when you steal/pirate them. I would call that pirating, not avoiding overspending.

 

[Ragnar]

Fill me in please, how is the housing "way" better?


By the time water diffuses a 21w HID, you can see the xenon scout signal coming from the lead diver.

2 O-rings, like all the other premium lights, other than that it is mostly fine.

 

[PerroneFord]

Honestly I'm miffed that people who analyze stuff as much as you guys do would even accept a light with one O'ring.

Miffed? Really? It's just diving. One o-ring or a dozen. I've flooded 3 backups, but never a scout. I bought that thing in 2005 or so and it's been perfect. I would have bought a Gulftex had they had any in stock when I was ready to purchase.

From practically all the discussions I've read signaling is THE primary reason for a backup light, as you have pretty much said yourself, so explain to me how brightness isn't important for signaling!?

?? Primary use for MY backup is to see the line and go home. If I'm exiting on backup, I have practically no need to signal as my buddy is on my ass watching me. What signals does an exiting diver, in the lead, need to give?

 

[ucfdiver]

2 O-rings, like all the other premium lights, other than that it is mostly fine.

I've yet to see a scout flood. The new scout has such tight tolerances it won't even come on at depth, which the PT (to my knowledge) will.

 

[lamont]

Because I don't have one, they wanted $120US 2X Lux and tighter spot, I'd love to see that. You sure it is the same LED that the PT uses now? That would be approaching a laser.

my PTs are about 4 years(?) out of date. if they've updated their LED slug that changes things (kinda really why i wanted to see a new stock halcyon vs. new PT bakeoff). the halcyon LED is not the same as the PT LED, AFAIK.

based on what i saw with the halcyon, i'd be inclined to think the $120 price tag was more than worth it, but i didn't have a new PT to compare to.

 

[Ragnar]

Most things are cheaper when you steal/pirate them. I would call that pirating, not avoiding overspending.

Most of the stuff in your house then is pirated, maybe even your car. The Chinese and Japanese are experts at it. But if it's not an actual patented item it's perfectly legal. And that's a pretty large claim to just throw out there, do you have any specific knowledge that ANY of the components of the PT LED are the same as the Halcyon?

 

[Ragnar]

?? Primary use for MY backup is to see the line and go home. If I'm exiting on backup, I have practically no need to signal as my buddy is on my ass watching me. What signals does an exiting diver, in the lead, need to give?

How does one get in the lead without a signal, or is it always the lead diver who's light fails? I certainly can't debate DIR/Cave with this group, but I'm certain someone will eventually benefit from my posts and that's all I really wanted to accomplish, simply say what I learned while choosing a few lights. I like bright, and bright these are. If I were alone then "Big H" wouldn't have done their Edison impression trying 17 different elements to make an LED.

 

[PfcAJ]

If Scouts were flooding left and right, then maybe the o-ring argument would be a decent one. They aren't though. In fact, I can't recall ever seeing a scout flood.