green force

[piling pete]

Hi All
Could you please give me your opinion. I am doing the fundies in april and wonder if you think that a greenforce f2 with a tristar head would be up to the job

[thehappychappy]

I asked this question here: Torches ?


The answer is not clear.

However my interpretation of it was its fine for fundies as its a canister torch you can waist mount and use on a goodman handle with umbilical.


Davie


P.S

hope you can get a clear answer

[Mal Bridgeman]

Best thing would be to check with your Instructor. They will be able to tell you yes or no and if no, then why.

As I understand it the Fundamentals course is less rigorous about certain bits of kit than in later training .... but by then you're drinking the kool aid so it doesn't matter to you

HTH
Mal

[Bardo]

Wot Mal said but, to be honest, I'm sure it'll be fine for fundies providing it's got a goodman handle and the battery pack is mounted on the right hip of your harness. I doubt whether it'll be suitable for further GUE training, however, as the tristar cannot be focused and has a very short light 'throw', making it completely useless for signalling...

My advice would be to use it on your fundies course and if you feel you want to take your GUE training further after that, stick it on ebay and buy yourself something a bit more suitable - a Halcyon or a Salvo, for example.

[Twinsetmad]

Originally Posted by Bardo

I doubt whether it'll be suitable for further GUE training, however, as the tristar cannot be focused and has a very short light 'throw', making it completely useless for signalling...

My advice would be to use it on your fundies course and if you feel you want to take your GUE training further after that, stick it on ebay and buy yourself something a bit more suitable - a Halcyon or a Salvo, for example.

I think this is the bit the question is aimed at.... Would it be suitable throughout or is a change going to be needed...?

So really what Mal is saying is buy a Salvo/Halcyon if you intend to continue down that route.

[Bardo]

Originally Posted by Twinsetmad

I think this is the bit the question is aimed at.... Would it be suitable throughout or is a change going to be needed...?

So really what Mal is saying is buy a Salvo/Halcyon if you intend to continue down that route.

What you have to appreciate is that, to a DIR diver, their torch is a lot more than just something they use to illuminate the inside of a wreck or cave. Far more than this, a torch provides a fundamental method of communicating and staying in contact with your team throughout the dive without having to physically turn around and locate them visually. Instead, DIR divers use their torches to 'project' signals into the viewing area of individual team members.

This is why they tend to use torches with 'light saber' like beams as the tight focusing allows the highly concentrated beam to be placed exactly where the diver wants it with minimal 'spillage'. The more focused this beam is, the greater chance that the recipitant will know where the signal has come from and what is being communicated - if there's too much spillage or the beam is simply too weedy to be projected over a reasonable distance, confusion will soon occur.

This is exactly the reason why the DIR crowd are yet to adopt LED lights for primary light usage. Until the manufacturers come up with a primary light that can be tightly focused and has good penetration, DIR divers will continue to rely on HID technology instead. Manufacturers like Solus are getting there (they're certainly bright!) but they've still got a lot of work to do on focusing the beam. The Tristar, on the other hand, is a long way behind even the Solus - I used to own one myself and it was next to useless for signalling!

[wilbo]

well said young Bardo.. to recap the OP question: take your current torch along after checking with your fundies instructor that it is OK. If you pass fundies and want to go further - then fleabay the GF torch and get a DIR compliant one instead. You *will* need one for Tech 1/Cave 1.

[Mal Bridgeman]

I was advised early on, when I took my first tentative steps down this path, that "your light is not for looking at the fishes, you know". Of course you still do that but it's important to think of the light as your underwater voice.

Held steady and in the eye line of the buddy in front of you, it says "I'm here and all is fine", moved steadily from side to side means "Hey chaps, I am having a spot of bother and if you don't mind, I would really appreciate your help in resolving the problem" whilst moved rapidly and chaotically it means, "Give me gas .... NOW!!"

Once you learn to use the light in this way and dive with buddies who use theirs in the same way, it adds enormously to your underwater comfort and therefore how much you enjoy the dive.

HTH
Mal

[Clare Gledhill]

Pete - the biggest problem with *some* lights at fundies level is the style of goodman handle rather than the light itself. You need to be able to use both hands comfortably, plus switch hands easily during drills. If your greenforce handle permits this then it will be fine.

Bring your light and if you struggle to use it comfortably, I'll lend you another for the course.

[rob lumb]

greenforce now also do a 50 watt eqivalent and a 150 watt equivalent focusable hid head.they also have a new tristar plus led head that has 4 functions built into the electronics
1.dimmable 66 percent power
2.dimmable 33 percent power
3 strobes
4 flashes morse code sos.

rob