What to look for in a diving torch?

Hi All,

I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying
some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for
some dusk snorkelling on holiday.

What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these
things go for?

Thanks
Alastair

Alastair wrote

> I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying
> some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for
> some dusk snorkelling on holiday.
>
> What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these
> things go for?

Very hard to say. Preferences vary by so much.

For simply looking under rocks, small C cell and even AA cell lights can be
just fine and are good for signaling after dark. They're not much use
otherwise.

For night diving, I prefer something with a broader, diffused beam. Decent
lights can be found that use C cells, D cells and rechargeable battery
packs. Last time I bought something like this, it was more than $50 US and
less than $100. Prices are probably higher now.

For caves and more extreme conditions, it's hard to beat some of the HID
cannister lights. They tend to be brighter, have longer burn times, and
some have adjustable beams, allowing you to decide whether a broader or
narrower beam is right for what you're doing at the time. They're at the
upper end of the price range. As far as I know, all of them are over $100
US, most by a considerable margin.

Best advice is give some thought to just what you want the light to do, the
conditions in which you'll use it, and then talk with some people doing the
same kind of diving.

Lee

In article <1176384293.279015.131450@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups .com>,
Alastair <AlastairScarlett@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying
>some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for
>some dusk snorkelling on holiday.
>
>What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these
>things go for?

For occasional use then this:

http://www.uwkinetics.com/products/d...ductID=4&cat=6

I have one as my backup torch... The new LED ones are bomb proof and
seriously bright, and for occasional use, you'll only change the batterys
once a year too.

Please don't attach it to your mask though - you'r buddy won't thank
you for it when you look at them...

If doing more night diving then you might want something with a broader beam
though, but these are great for peering under rocks, etc. Even through the
day when snorkelling over reefs, etc.

Gordon

On Apr 13, 10:17 am, gor...@drogon.net (Gordon Henderson) wrote:
> In article <1176384293.279015.131...@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups .com>,
>
> Alastair <AlastairScarl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >Hi All,
>
> >I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying
> >some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for
> >some dusk snorkelling on holiday.
>
> >What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these
> >things go for?
>
> For occasional use then this:
>
> http://www.uwkinetics.com/products/d...ductID=4&cat=6
>
> I have one as my backup torch... The new LED ones are bomb proof and
> seriously bright, and for occasional use, you'll only change the batterys
> once a year too.
>
> Please don't attach it to your mask though - you'r buddy won't thank
> you for it when you look at them...
>
> If doing more night diving then you might want something with a broader beam
> though, but these are great for peering under rocks, etc. Even through the
> day when snorkelling over reefs, etc.
>
> Gordon

Thanks Gordon, that's just the sort of thing I had in mind....

And thanks to Lee for replying too.

A

> What features should I look for

Being waterproof ?

I bought the Lenser Frogman torch after good advice here & elsewhere ....
it's small enough for BCd pocket, and as it has hi intensity LED it gives a
very good quality light - not yellow which many torches are.
On night dives I take a larger beast as well, but this small torch is easily
a match for it .... the only thing is that it does not have a very wide
'flood' type beam.

Used it on 5 night dives so far - and really pleased with it.

take at these reviews of it;
http://www.divemagazine.co.uk/news/a...0&v=1&uan=2122

http://www.glowgadgets.co.uk/ledlenser-frogman.shtml

I got mine for £26, plenty of places selling them on-line .... or if you
want to spend loads got to Tony Brakhurst site and spend £39 on one. :-)

Ebay is your friend. Torches break/get wet. At £50 a time for a good
second hand torch it's not to much of a problem. I've only ever bought 1
torch new.

	#1
Alastair	What to look for in a diving torch? Hi All, I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for some dusk snorkelling on holiday. What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these things go for? Thanks Alastair

	#2
Lee Bell	Re: What to look for in a diving torch? Alastair wrote > I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying > some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for > some dusk snorkelling on holiday. > > What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these > things go for? Very hard to say. Preferences vary by so much. For simply looking under rocks, small C cell and even AA cell lights can be just fine and are good for signaling after dark. They're not much use otherwise. For night diving, I prefer something with a broader, diffused beam. Decent lights can be found that use C cells, D cells and rechargeable battery packs. Last time I bought something like this, it was more than $50 US and less than $100. Prices are probably higher now. For caves and more extreme conditions, it's hard to beat some of the HID cannister lights. They tend to be brighter, have longer burn times, and some have adjustable beams, allowing you to decide whether a broader or narrower beam is right for what you're doing at the time. They're at the upper end of the price range. As far as I know, all of them are over $100 US, most by a considerable margin. Best advice is give some thought to just what you want the light to do, the conditions in which you'll use it, and then talk with some people doing the same kind of diving. Lee

	#3
Gordon Henderson	Re: What to look for in a diving torch? In article <1176384293.279015.131450@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups .com>, Alastair <AlastairScarlett@gmail.com> wrote: >Hi All, > >I am tempted to pick up a diving torch of some sort as I fancy trying >some night dives this summer, and was also thinking I could use it for >some dusk snorkelling on holiday. > >What features should I look for and what sort of prices do these >things go for? For occasional use then this: http://www.uwkinetics.com/products/d...ductID=4&cat=6 I have one as my backup torch... The new LED ones are bomb proof and seriously bright, and for occasional use, you'll only change the batterys once a year too. Please don't attach it to your mask though - you'r buddy won't thank you for it when you look at them... If doing more night diving then you might want something with a broader beam though, but these are great for peering under rocks, etc. Even through the day when snorkelling over reefs, etc. Gordon

	#5
Rick Hughes	Re: What to look for in a diving torch? > What features should I look for Being waterproof ? I bought the Lenser Frogman torch after good advice here & elsewhere .... it's small enough for BCd pocket, and as it has hi intensity LED it gives a very good quality light - not yellow which many torches are. On night dives I take a larger beast as well, but this small torch is easily a match for it .... the only thing is that it does not have a very wide 'flood' type beam. Used it on 5 night dives so far - and really pleased with it. take at these reviews of it; http://www.divemagazine.co.uk/news/a...0&v=1&uan=2122 http://www.glowgadgets.co.uk/ledlenser-frogman.shtml I got mine for £26, plenty of places selling them on-line .... or if you want to spend loads got to Tony Brakhurst site and spend £39 on one. :-)

	#6
ron macrae	Re: What to look for in a diving torch? Ebay is your friend. Torches break/get wet. At £50 a time for a good second hand torch it's not to much of a problem. I've only ever bought 1 torch new.