Choosing a Shiny New Torch!! Help Please

[Skiver]

Hi
This year I plan on doing more dives in the North Sea, probably no deeper than 30m max, and will need to buy a suitable torch. My original plan was to buy a Light Cannon but a little back pay is in the offing and i think I may spend it on this. My thoughts are narrowing down to the Greenforce F2 with the HID 50 head or the Salvo 10w.

I have read everyting on here relating to these units and it doesn't seem I can go too far wrong, was just wondering if anyone may be able to offer any further insight which might sway the decision one way or the other. (I'll be diving single tank / BCD if attaching the battery may also be a factor)

Thanks in advance for your input
Best wishes
John

[Rob Dobson]

There are fanatical followers in both camps so expect a lot of conflicting advice to come along shortly.

Personally I have never seen a Greenforce in the water which I would want to dive with and therefore I have never understood people that buy them. They are modular so it is possible that one day they might bring out something which is worth upgrading to and you won't necessarily have to bin all of the old one.

I strongly believe that the Salvo is much better torch but if you went for a 10W and then decided that yo actually want a 21W then it is ebay for the 10W (not modular).

The best advice is to try as many as you can before parting with your cash.

[Digger]

Get the Halcyon. It's one of only a few of their products I would buy. The Pro3 has done me for all my diving that there is in the world ever.

The only time it has ever let me down was when I broke the cable on it. Which was me abusing the thing, and repaired FOC.

I honestly don't know why they don't sell millions of them.

If you give Brett at Divelife a call he will be able to quote prices and sort you out, with a whole lot of customer service afterwards. I don't really know where Co Durham is, but it won't be all that far. Scuba Diving Equipment in Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire - PADI, TDI & IANTD Diving Courses

I've dived with divers using very very powerful torches and nearly all of them fall short somehow against the Pro 3. I don't understand it, but I won't be selling it any time soon.

Digs.

[rob lumb]

greenforce use the same 10 watt hid bulb as halcyon and the same 21 watt hid bulb as salvo.greenforce have been using the brightstar bulbs for 5 years at least.they used to buy all of there production of 21 watt bulbs.salvo have only been using them for a couple of years,so why rob dobson has not deen a greenforce worth diving with i cant believe as i have probably sold at least 1000 hid 21 watt torches,and have only had to replace 2 bulbs.so it will tell you how durable the bulbs are. salvos are a good torch.because they use the same bulbs.if you need any further help or advise do not hesitate to contact me.obviously there will be greenforce owners and salvo owners replying to the thread but just remember that they use the same bulb on the 21 watt so eveyone will have there own opinions

rob lumb

[Skiver]

thanks to all who have contributed so far, your time is much appreciated.

Digs - thanks for the link to Dive Life, bit of a trek for me, Co. Durham (or God's Country as it is known locally ) is the bit south of Newcastle.

Best wishes
John

[Mark Chase]

Personaly id go for the Slavo 10W for the reasions of compact head nice goodman handle and excelent coustomer care to date.

I have (and used to use all the time) the 10W Halcyon HID and its a fantastic torch. I have the fixed beem lead acid version and the batteries only cost £7 so having spares all charged up and ready to go is no pronlem. Unlike the £190 I paid last time for a NimH battery pac.

I am still on the origional 2004 Halcyon bulb.


ATB

Mark Chase

[DIVE BUDDHA]

hi ya rob and yes there will always be doughters who say that greenforce are

far inferior to many of the far more expensive brands !

i.e salvos!

but thats there choice and there opinion

greenforce have been tried and tested over many years and mine has never ever

let me down !

and guess what i will be staying with !!

yes greenforce !

[Rob Dobson]

Originally Posted by rob lumb

salvo have only been using them for a couple of years,so why rob dobson has not deen a greenforce worth diving with i cant believe as i have probably sold at least 1000 hid 21 watt torches,and have only had to replace 2 bulbs.so it will tell you how durable the bulbs are.

I never said you didn't sell a lot of them (I didn't mention you at all), or that the bulbs are different or inferior - I never said that Greenforce were unreliable either.

What I said was I have never seen one in the water that I would want to dive with. Why? Because I have never seen one in the water that looked any good - either too feeble to be effective or too yellow and unfocused to be of any use for team signalling (my style of diving).

If someone is not using their light for signalling and tracking but wants to light up holes on some dives and then switch to a video light on other dives then a Greenforce might be a good choice. I don't so it's not the torch for me.

[Scubee]

I rather like my greenforce. It is neither feeble nor too yellow.

I can signal my buddy, look in holes, and light up a pic or two.

[Rob Dobson]

Originally Posted by Scubee

I rather like my greenforce. It is neither feeble nor too yellow. [/IMG]

Good example - exactly my point. To me that looks like a reasonable back-up but I wouldn't be happy with it as a primary. I would expect a good back-up light (like a Heser or a Photon LED) to be a bit tighter than the one in that photo. It would be an interesting shot if a Halcyon/Salvo 18W or 21W HiD was in the same frame - pretty sure the difference would speak for itself.