How much light for night diving?

[tbone1004]

@sinistar but why the pistol grip in the first place? and they aren't that much cheaper.... $65 plus batteries vs $85+ batteries

I do remember my first night dive, but it was with a handheld Piranha Penetrator light and was glad that I didn't have a pistol light like some of the guys I was diving with because I could still use my hands....

 

[lionfish-eater]

One tip no one has mentioned is to turn the light on during entry and exiting the water, so it can be retrieved if dropped.

 

[ggunn]

@sinistar but why the pistol grip in the first place? and they aren't that much cheaper.... $65 plus batteries vs $85+ batteries

I do remember my first night dive, but it was with a handheld Piranha Penetrator light and was glad that I didn't have a pistol light like some of the guys I was diving with because I could still use my hands....

What do you need your hands for?

 

[tbone1004]

What do you need your hands for?

retrieving things out of pockets, adjusting things, grabbing your buddy in an emergency, writing things on a slate, etc. I don't like dangling things either and the pistol grips require letting go to use both hands where it dangles and turn off if there isn't a trigger lock

 

[ggunn]

retrieving things out of pockets, adjusting things, grabbing your buddy in an emergency, writing things on a slate, etc. I don't like dangling things either and the pistol grips require letting go to use both hands where it dangles and turn off if there isn't a trigger lock

I was being facetious, of course.

 

[halocline]

Why would you buy LM?

I bought one because I wanted HID. Now you can really ridicule me for buying 'old technology'. I just like the character of HID light more than LED.

 

[tbone1004]

I bought one because I wanted HID. Now you can really ridicule me for buying 'old technology'. I just like the character of HID light more than LED.

the only objections I have for LM on the HID's is how they are trying to skirt the UN38.3 rules with the big battery packs and using multiple size packs in the same light which is really not healthy for the small pack in particular. If you want HID for whatever reason, I have no objections to their lights for that and they are really nice HID's. Still a lot of things they could do to improve on the canister side of those lights, but as the only game in town outside of Halcyon, there really isn't anyone better.

Outside the battery, the objection is really on the LED side where the rationale is listed above

 

[cvchief]

I borrowed a nice pistol light for my last night dive. It was nice. Then I shot a lionfish, dropped the light which only had a lanyard on it in a hole in the reef while changing hands and had to fish it out with the spear while it was shining in my eyes. Thankfully I think there were no witnesses. Got the lionfish though....

Good thread though. I didn't change the batteries in the my UK 4 c battery LED. They seemed to last for every, but it crapped out last month and when I cracked it, acid had eaten something important and cleaning contacts and new batteries didn't fix it. So I get to shop for a NEW light. Its like Christmas.....

 

[tbone1004]

@cvchief so with a small backup type light on the sock, you have free access with both your hands the whole time and it always points at whatever your fingers are pointing at, which usually isn't your eyes....

 

[cvchief]

I was caring my day time back up light which hangs nicely off my BC. At the moment in question I needed less light....