| Here's a few comments from a Greenforce user, 100 odd dives with it, and to put in context, only 150 dives altogether.
I bought the GF 35W pro-head halogen with the F2 battery pack, which I belt-mounted (using two jubilee clips to hold a piece of belt (verticall) to make a belt loop. Changed the bulb for a 50W domestic halogen. Excellent light giving perhaps 90 minutes burn, which is more than enough for a day's diving for me.
Upgraded to their 21W HID head - so-called 100W equivalent (a fleabay semi-bargain). It is somewhat brighter but to the extent of being a luxury rather than a necessity. It's also a bit big to handle, though not excessively so. Lasts much longer burn-time, but this is of no consequence to me as there's plenty of electricity coming out the wall-socket for the next day ! I've seen in use, but not used myself, their 10W HID (50-watt equiv) and think it's perhaps a better size / cash / brightness compromise. Mine's non-focussable, though does have a beam. The signalling thing isn't that important to me, so bow to others' experience on that, but I'd still thought it would be OK if not the best necessarily. I believe they may do a focussable one if that's a big thing for you.
All in all I'm happy with the greenforce in halogen and HID configs , and would certainly consider their 10W (50 equiv) HID if buying again, though Halogen's still got a lot to be said for it in the value-for-money stakes and if you need the burn-time get a bigger battery. LED is probably the future, but perhaps not there yet. In my other sport of caving (non-diving), LEDs have now won the "battle of the bulbs", so it can't be long for diving too.
I've seen being used, but not owned the Halcyon 10W HID, and at a little over £300 seemed a good unit and good value too (what a thing to say about Halcyon !).
I've seen on the page, but not in real-life, the Salvo all-in-one rather than umbilical 10W HID. The whole thing looks similarly sized to the lamp unit on my 21W head, albeit bigger than the 10W, so it's perhaps questionable to bother with an umbilical at all ?
If I was personally buying again I'd budget £300 to £400 tops, and probably get one or other of the 10W HIDs, with GF, Salvo, and Halcyon (at least) all being contenders. Mind you halogen is still better value, and I would check the state-of-play in LED land too as my Salvo RAT2 backup light is stunning for what it is.
Hywel  |