Wanna find a good main torch - but can't break the bank.

[DanTam1]

I'm looking for a good torch under £50, been looking on various websites and have gotten all confused as to whether to buy a normal bulb torch, an LED, a HID (what ever they are). And should I go-rechargable?

I have a cheap torch that was given to me (thanks MartinS) to start me off, and would like some advice as to what one would be suitable.

Look forward to your advice.

Dan

[Mark Sydenham]

Hi,

I started out with a UK SL4.
Nice and bright for it's size and will serve you well as a back-up once you get something bigger. I still take mine everywhere
It should be plenty bright enough for the sort of dives you'll be doing to start with.
It's certainly within your budget (£24) and you could get 4 x NiMH C cells and a charger as well for not too much more.

They also pop up on ebay on a regular basis so you may get one even cheaper here. In fact there's one on just now for a fiver, with an hour to go (item no: 130002755811)

There are may similar torched to this (Beaver etc that would probably all just as good.

If you could push your budget a bit higher (~£80) - the UK D4R is a perenial UK divers favourite that I would also recommend.

Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Mark.

[DIVE BUDDHA]

i think u need to say to yourself what kind of diving will i be doing and then get the best u can afford as it is a big investment in the long run !!!!

most torches nowadays are good but u will see people rave about torches like salvos and green forces and the like !!!!

what did u say ur budget was ???? and what realisticly will u be able to stretch to ???

[Digger]

Depends what you want. If you want a big ligh sabre you need to face the relity that you won't get it for £50.

What you will get for £50 is a very good LED handheld torch, which will be more than adequate for 90% of recreational diving in the UK.

I recently got a TekTite torch from Divelife which I'm using as a backup, it has a pretty tigt beam, but I know Brett has a larger torch which would probably be the best you'll get for that money.

I suggest LED as you don't need to buy lots of batteries, if any, ever, and they're very compact as a result. You don't want a big lantern if you can avoid it, as they're bulky to stow away and personally I find them a pain to hold for a long dive.

If you gte a smaller torch get an elastic strap attatched to the back and you can put this around your wrist. Means if you need to use the hand you won't lose the torch, and also you can attatch it by this when you put it away.

Ebay isn't the place to get a good deal in reality, check out the personals here or on Divernet.com and you often find backup/small torches going cheap.

You won't get HID for your budget. Normal bulbs are fine but you don't get as long a burntime as LED, and the light isn't very white in my experience.

If you don't go LED, get rechargeable. Battery cost does add up, and disposing of batteries isn't good for the environment (see, I can be a kelp hugger!) but also means you end up taking a bag of batteries away for a longre trip, or having to find somewhere to buy them, which isn't always easy with C or D cells in some resorts.

I also have a couple of SL4s in stock brand new, and probably a couple of Ikelite PClites, which are both accpetable options and will do for poking in holes and looking under things, but I'd say are probably a little underpower for low viz and/or night dives.

Hope this helps.

Digs.

[divingniknaks]

OK then Knickers off agian.

How about this, seriously. 7.5 watts output, bloody tough little light and focusable.

divingniknaks : 7.5 watt backup light Salvo, Backup Lights

All for 26 quid !

Cheers

[Mick F]

Originally Posted by divingniknaks

OK then Knickers off agian.

How about this, seriously. 7.5 watts output, bloody tough little light and focusable.

divingniknaks : 7.5 watt backup light Salvo, Backup Lights

All for 26 quid !

Cheers

Yep, gotta say they're a lovely torch.

[DIVE BUDDHA]

never seen one of these before mmmmm shiny stuff !!!! mite have to invest in one of t hem ???

[DanTam1]

I took advantage of the Lidl's deal and bagged their cheap (I think it was £4.99) 4 LED torch as a backup. I have a ScubaPro handheld (bulb one) at the moment (I'll have to have a look in my dive bag what it is), and really looking to upgrade to something better (if possible).

The diving Ii'll be doing is mainly boat dives around the Uk, with some muddy puddles for my training dives. I'm still only a noob to diving with only 10 dives to date.

Basically, I've just bought a cylinder and have some spare cash available, and rather than the Mrs spend it on clothes/kitchen utencils I wanted to invest in a replacement main torch.

I can stretch to £100 if I hide the money, and wait until next month.

Dan

[Woz]

Wait until you can afford it and get a UK HID Light Cannon. Just come back from a week in Scapa and let's face it, if you are going to need a torch anywhere it's there. My 21W HID lit the place up like daylight, a 10W HID light cannon did a very admirable job but the Tektites were barely adequate for the job. They were ok, and you can poke in holes with them, and they are brighter than an SL4, but you get what you pay for. And at the moment the Light Cannon is the most bang for your buck. £169.

[David Pye]

I don't actually have any money, and I don't really want a torch either. But still..

I like the look of the light cannon myself - personally, I've got one criteria though that it doesn't seem to meet - I want the rechargeable one, and I want banana plug sockets or similar so I can recharge it without dismantling it.

The more times I take it apart, the greater the chance that something may go wrong with the seal. I'd rather have the torch body permanently (ish) sealed.

David