Looking for a small "always-on" light head-mounted

[DareDevil]

Hi,

From time to time I do night dives; I have an Aladin Air Z Nitrox and a console (manometer/depth meter/compass) as backup.

To check the computer data, I have either to switch on the built-in light or to focus the beam of my primary light on the display: both methods require the use of two hands which I would like to avoid.

What I was thinking and I do not know if is a good idea or not is to have a small, light (as in not heavy , narrow-focused light to strap on the side of the head and keep it always (or almost always) switched on.

With this solution, in order to check the computer or any other instruments, all I have to do is to look at it, keeping free the right hand.

Moreover, since the light does not need to be powerful (just to create a little spot of light less than one meter away) it should not represent a problem for my fellow divers...

What do you think? Any idea about the model and some way to fix it?

Thanks,

Paolo

 

[Vie]

UK makes small lights (Mini Q40 & Mini Q40 eLED) that has a built in clip for your mask strap.

www.uwkinetics.com

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Your dive buddies still won't like you though as a mini Q40 is still very bright even outside the central spot. It's really annoying to have your buddy look at you when they are wearing a head mounted light

The ability to use the built in backlight is one of the arguments for a console because, as you have discovered, with a wrist mounted unit it is effectively a 2 handed operation.

A primary light with a goodman handle helps as it frees up the hand, but this is limited almost exclusively to cannister lights. But I suspect a mini Q 40 could be used in this fasion if an elastic strap were added and used in conjunction with the existing rubber strap on the light itself.

I have also seen small glow sticks designed to secure to consoles with a piece of surgical tubing and this idea sould also work with your Aladdin given it's design and shape.

 

[DareDevil]

UK makes small lights (Mini Q40 & Mini Q40 eLED) that has a built in clip for your mask strap.

www.uwkinetics.com

Thanks, it was exactly what I was looking for...

 

[DareDevil]

Your dive buddies still won't like you though as a mini Q40 is still very bright even outside the central spot. It's really annoying to have your buddy look at you when they are wearing a head mounted light

...

I have also seen small glow sticks designed to secure to consoles with a piece of surgical tubing and this idea sould also work with your Aladdin given it's design and shape.

Many thanks for those details! I think I will try both solutions (active light such as the mini Q40 and passive glow stick) to look for the best solution.

Cheers,

Paolo

 

[weremermaid]

Would a single mask-strap mounted UK mini Q40 be sufficient light as primary light during night dives? Or if I attach 1 per side of my mask strap, would that be enough to make a primary light? Have never used this light so have no idea how bright it is UW.

I am a 1-legged diver and part of the time I do need my hands to breast stroke, turn or slow down. Very difficult and annoying to do while clutching a largish primary divelight in a night dive.

Or am considering rigging together a Petzl-like head strap and tying a single UK SL4 to the top strap as the primary light permanently on, with a UK mini Q40 as secondary on a mask strap, to turn on if when needed?

I am doing my advanced open water training this weekend in a tropical country and do not like night diving in general for fear of bumbling into sea urchin/fire coral encrusted coral/etc because I can barely see where I'm going. Help?

 

[Charlie99]

A Q40, or even one mounted on each side of your mask, would probably work for you, even though it has a tightly focussed beam rather than the broader beam of most primary lights.

You might also consider some compromise like a mask mounted Q40 and a normal primary that is handheld, but always clipped onto your BC. If you find one that is negatively bouyant and hangs with the beam pointing down, then you could just drop your primary whenever you needed to use your hands. In clear tropical waters, you might even consider using just the tiny 2AAA light from UK as your always on mask-mounted light. It should be enough for you to avoid coral head, etc, while at the same time not being so bright that you could inadvertantly blind your buddy by looking at him.


BTW, there is an LED version of the Q40 out now that has very long battery life.

Good luck.

 

[RonFrank]

I have a duel matrix I believe. I has both LCD, and Halogen inserts. The light can be focused. It is very lightweight, and water proof to depths no living human will accomplish.

I has a burn time that will outlast any diver on a single tank in Halogen (brightest) mode, and the LCD burn time on a set of batteries is like days.

I think the thing cost all of $30 at an outfitter (I purchased it for Hunting).

I believe LeisurePro sells these, but other places have better deals.

Keep in mind that if this is on full time, you may blind you buddy every time he looks at you. It's easy enough to turn off however as it's on/off with a twist of the hand.

Good Luck

Ron

Hi,

From time to time I do night dives; I have an Aladin Air Z Nitrox and a console (manometer/depth meter/compass) as backup.

To check the computer data, I have either to switch on the built-in light or to focus the beam of my primary light on the display: both methods require the use of two hands which I would like to avoid.

What I was thinking and I do not know if is a good idea or not is to have a small, light (as in not heavy , narrow-focused light to strap on the side of the head and keep it always (or almost always) switched on.

With this solution, in order to check the computer or any other instruments, all I have to do is to look at it, keeping free the right hand.

Moreover, since the light does not need to be powerful (just to create a little spot of light less than one meter away) it should not represent a problem for my fellow divers...

What do you think? Any idea about the model and some way to fix it?

Thanks,

Paolo

 

[MyDiveLog]

Unless you dive solo at night, or are into technical diving, it probably presents more of a problem than a benefit. I've dove at night with people that set up their lights like this ... every time they looked at me the light shined into my eyes, blinding me.

 

[weremermaid]

You might also consider some compromise like a mask mounted Q40 and a normal primary that is handheld, but always clipped onto your BC. If you find one that is negatively bouyant and hangs with the beam pointing down, then you could just drop your primary whenever you needed to use your hands.

Thank you Charlie99, that's a great idea, clipped to the BC. I'll clip both ends to the BC and it will be easy to switch the big primary light on or off when needed. I really need my hands free most of the time.

The LED version of the Q40 isn't available in the Philippines yet but will keep an eye out for it.