What is the best dive light on the market

Welcome all. This is my first time to post since I found you.

I did a search but didn't find anything right off hand.

I am going diving in the Grand Cayman on spring break this year and we are planning a night dive. I have an OK light to use but I was wondering how makes the best dive light, bar none. The brightest/clearest and longest lasting.

Thanks for your help.

Phil

Maglite Just kiddin, I don't know. Got a Pelican SuperSabreLight, use it for water rescue...

Welcome!
Underwater Kinetics makes a wide assortment of cool Dive lights!

Amplite

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by alex cooper:
Maglite

Just kiddin, I don't know. Got a Pelican SuperSabreLight, use it for water rescue...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why not use a Sure-Fire for that purpose?


Greetings,
Velcro

According to Al, N sertified SFs are waterproof to 30m(about100ft).

Velcro, what if I drop it?
I will cry like a baby

I use the UKE 2L's a LOT diving. I origionally got them as backups, but now I use them as my main light. I usually carry 3 or 4 on me for night dives. If you want more light I would look at the UKE SL6, but for travel it is quite large and heavy.

How about this one? http://www.fa-mi.com/ray_ing.html

Don't ask me, it just look cool

Alan

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
I use the UKE 2L's a LOT diving. I origionally got them as backups, but now I use them as my main light. I usually carry 3 or 4 on me for night dives. If you want more light I would look at the UKE SL6, but for travel it is quite large and heavy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What about a Surge? Never have been diving myself but I would think it has the attributes to make it an excellent diving light or is it too big?

Hey, ya, I hadn't thought about it but it is dive rated and really darn bright. I haven't been diving since I got my Surge, all the water up here is frozen, and I am not cutting a hole in the ice to try it out

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
Hey, ya, I hadn't thought about it but it is dive rated and really darn bright. I haven't been diving since I got my Surge, all the water up here is frozen, and I am not cutting a hole in the ice to try it out

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
...quit the act Brock, we all know you have an indoor pool...;> )

The PT Surge is a lot smaller and still brighter than the 6v lantern battery U.S. Divers light I use to dive with. Do think more than one light. The PT Surge along with the UK mini-Q40 mask strap light with another spare in the BC pocket sounds good and uses common AA batts. I've heard good things about the UK2L, but the 123 cells could be hard to find or very expensive in the boonies.

Also, use a marker light attached to yourself in case your light fails or you drop it, to let your buddy know where you are until you get your spare running. I still like the chemical light sticks for this - less to go wrong.

I did try the Surge in the pool and it didn't leak, but I don't have much to really look at in there and it's only 10 feet deep.

It is a good idea to have some sort of marker lights. I modified some of the small UKE lights with the cone to be constant on, blue and red, but also always carry the chemical light sticks at night, can't be to safe.

I have four Peli lights and I am very impressed with them.
I would recommend taking a look at the Super Sabre, it has a very powerful tight beam making it able to penetrate murky water.
Some people don't like the fact that you have to screw the head to turn it on, although this has never bothered me, in fact sometimes when my fingers are frozen I find it easier to grab the head and twist than to use a switch.
Even going outside with some moisture or fog in the air the Sabre looks more like a laser than a flashlight.
Sorry I'm getting a bit carried away, it probably doesn't look like a laser, just a flashlight with a very tight beam, but anyway it's quite remarkable.
The tight, Xenon beam also makes it my first choice for looking at things far away.
I'm sure the PT Surge is also a very good light although I am still waiting for my one to arrive.
Grummond.

Most divers I know use Pelican or Underwater Kinetics. However, if you want the brightest (and most expensive) you should go for Technosub. Professional divers in Norway use Technosub when working on oil rigs etc.

where do one find technosub? url?

Tis true brightnorm, I guess I am just more used to being in the dark then most. I grew up and live "out of town", not many streetlights. I like it that way. It's funny, when I run at night my wife will ride her bike and I will point out something out with the Photon and she say she can't see anything at all, oh well. I also work in a big dark theatre so it comes in really handy to be able to see well in the dark.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PhotonRanger:
Also, use a marker light attached to yourself in case your light fails or you drop it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

And let's not forget that ol' Darell has a Pelican LED blinky light that's rated for 300' that he wants to trade for something interesting.Darell's Blinky trade

Thanks for all the good advise so far. now that you told me what to get I will also need to know were to get it.

My family has a condo in the Cayman Islands so I know how expensive it can be. We used to have our own 24 foot boat down there but we sold it So now we go with a few different dive boats.

This will be my 6th night dive and as of yet I have not found a really good light but with your suggestions I should have one of the best on the boat.

We do use the chemical light sticks attached to the back of our BC's they really help keeping track of your buddy.

Thanks all.

Phil

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brock:
I use the UKE 2L's a LOT diving. I origionally got them as backups, but now I use them as my main light. I usually carry 3 or 4 on me for night dives. If you want more light I would look at the UKE SL6, but for travel it is quite large and heavy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brock,

Using 2L's as your main dive lights makes me marvel once again at your night vision. I remember in one of your previous posts you mentioned that your main nighttime running light was a Photon Microlite!

I apologize for this post, which doesn't really contribute toward answering 2thehilt's question. It's just that with poor night vision myself, I'm truly amazed at your visual acuity, and felt I wanted to comment on it.

Best regards,
Brightnorm

2thehilt,
You should really try the Fa&Mi lights that Alan suggested.

I have two of them, and they are REALLY NICE. The build quality is like a surefire. But they are waterproof to 200m (660ft). They are rechargable, and they are REALLY bright. They are kind of expensive, but like any good light, they are worth the money.

If you're intersted, I can give you the web site where you can order them from.