Are corded lights a thing of the past?

[billgraham]

Also, if you are side mounting (as several who have mentioned their worry of dropping a light in the cave are prone to do) would you not want to mount your primary on your helmet (in which case the cordless is much simpler)? I see this as akin to why dry cavers now laugh at others who still have head lamps tied to belt mounted battery packs (state of the art 10 or 20 years ago).

The problem there is that the person in front thinks you're trying to tell them something when you move your head.

 

[Wibble]

The problem there is that the person in front thinks you're trying to tell them something when you move your head.

However, the person behind should know they’re using head torches and take that into account.

 

[kierentec]

However, the person behind should know they’re using head torches and take that into account.

By not turning their head or breathing at all throughout the dive? (exhalation bubbles in front of the light head looks very similar to an attention signal)

 

[Wibble]

By not turning their head or breathing at all throughout the dive? (exhalation bubbles in front of the light head looks very similar to an attention signal)

Depends upon the type of diving they’re doing. Head torches are a fine tool if you need or want to be hands free. They’re not so great in crap vis due to backscatter.

 

[billgraham]

I tend to put one backup light on the helmet. I used to have (in the dark ages) a CCR secondary that was a liquid crystal type of display and it was pretty hard to see in total darkness, if you shined a primary on it, the numbers would disappear. I got the cheapest AAA powered back up light I could find and put it on the helmet for that purpose, but it was dim enough not to bother my dive buddies. If I'm in front, I'm trying to look at light spill to keep track of what's going on behind me so I do notice a jiggling light on a helmet and look back to make sure all is well.

 

[mdwalter]

The problem there is that the person in front thinks you're trying to tell them something when you move your head.

I (and I think most others) don't normally shake my head up and down or side to side while diving (just as I would not with my hand). The more important thing is not to look your buddy in the eyes as this will be blinding (as it would be shining a handheld at someone's face), but I can always cover the light with one hand if I do have to look directly at their face. I find this more troublesome in dry caving than cave diving, because everyone is using headlamps and many people feel the need to look at you when they talk to you.

 

[mdwalter]

By not turning their head or breathing at all throughout the dive? (exhalation bubbles in front of the light head looks very similar to an attention signal)

Turning head is no more problem than slowly moving handheld beam to look at stuff. You just can't shake your head violently back and forth or up and down. If you are, there likely is a real problem, like you're having a seizure or something. As for the bubbles, I'll have to think about that, but at first thought I would say bubbles in front of light would appear as blinking rather than waving the light. Blinking is not to my knowledge a legit diving signal, though I will concede it may be annoying. Further, I have not noticed my bubble getting in front of the light, as they typically go past my ears and behind the lights, especially when swimming into the flow or scootering in either direction. I will pay close attention to my bubbles next time to see what effect they have on my light beam.

 

[rddvet]

Depends upon the type of diving they’re doing. Head torches are a fine tool if you need or want to be hands free. They’re not so great in crap vis due to backscatter.

In a cave the exhaust bubbles can stream in front of the lighthead and give you the idea you're being signaled or having a stroke
Head mounted primaries are less than ideal in a cave. I call bs on the people saying you can just slowly move your head and it's just like moving your hand. I like to look at stuff in the cave without annoying my buddy

 

[Wibble]

In a cave the exhaust bubbles can stream in front of the lighthead and give you the idea you're being signaled or having a stroke

Hope that’s not the GI3 meaning of stroke

 

[billgraham]

An OK signal might be a bit of a neck-tweaker.