So just how good is a 10W HID anyway? seriously?

[hebails]

Pete, given our conversations earlier you are most welcome to give my 10w a try.
If you can make Wraysbury next wednesday then we might be able to give it a little test (not like a real dive but it will give you an idea)
Cheers
Paul

[Fiona]

My Halcyon 10w was great

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by incapete

A bit of necromancy going on.... Raising a dead thread here...

I think I've narrowed my choices down to a 24w HID Darkbuster (nicely affordable), a Greenforce umbilical with a Tristar LED head (a bit more expensive) or a second hand Salvo 10w (a little more than I wanted to spend but going to last a long time...right?)

Dont forget the Halcyon

Originally Posted by incapete

I'd rather get an umbilical than a handheld (partly so that I don't have to worry about losing it if I drop it!) and it's mainly for lighting up things in front of me so that I don't get scared when it all goes dark in the lovely UK vis we get but I can see the bennefits of signalling with it so a tightish beam seems good.
Diving is mainly in the 20-40m range on the South Coast with the odd venture down to 50m.

I know that LED is controversial but I don't like the idea of paying through the nose for new bulbs. How fragile are HID's really?

No there not fragile - especially the 10w

Originally Posted by incapete

Is the output on the 10w Salvo really worth the money? I've not used one but wouldn't a 24w Darkbuster be a lot brighter? I'll sacrifice having to hold onto it if I'm getting more light for my cash. I'm worried about buying an expensive Salvo only to decide that it's not bright enough!

I can arrange for you to try the 10w fixed, 10w focus and the 18w Halcyon HID if your planning on coming Portland direction

Originally Posted by incapete

I've read so many threads on here and I still can't decide what's best! I guess I'm suffering from not having actually tried any of them.
Any thoughts would be most welcome!

see above offer! 10w is fine for most UK diving - that is..... until you dive with someone who has a 18m HID and then you find you just have to have one as well

[The Duck]

Salvo 10W HID is a great torch. I'm not exactly gentle with mine and so far I've not had any problems at all with the bulb.

[PeeBee]

I have a 21w salvo and a 21w Darkbuster. The darkbuster is just as bright as the Salvo but the head isn't focusable, the beam isn't as tight and it's a cumbersome lump to carry round by comparison with the umbilical salvo, On the other side it's a damn sight cheaper.
For my money the Salvo is a fantastic bit of kit (best bit of dive gear I own) and I can't believe that I need anything brighter. The 10w would probably have done me but I'm greedy.

[digital_steve]

I've got a greenforce 10w 6degree head and love it... it's fine for all the diving i do
21w is willy waving really... but if you have the cash then go for it

[Scuttler]

I have a 21w Salvo. It's great BUT.....I've gone through 2 battery packs as the run times were getting shorter and shorter and now I've just had to buy a new charger because the old one (which was lost and replaced 8-10 months ago) blew up. The annoying thing is because I don't have time to sort things out before I go to Scapa so I'm having to pay £40 for a £15 charger. Add to that the anderson connectors keep failing on my buddy's torch and there's a rusting problem on some batches of the nielson latches.

I'd expect better from a £700 torch. That said I know Halcyon have had their fair share of problems and from what I understand the warranty is less generous!

All said and done.....the bulb is bulletproof.....doubt I would get that from a Halcyon.....oh and lighting intensity.....i've not been impressed by anything else on the market once in the water

2p

[incapete]

Originally Posted by hebails

Pete, given our conversations earlier you are most welcome to give my 10w a try.
If you can make Wraysbury next wednesday then we might be able to give it a little test (not like a real dive but it will give you an idea)
Cheers
Paul

I think that might be a good idea, thanks! It was actually those conversations (and then me feeling guilty about potentially spending that much money) that made me ask the question.
My twinset's in for 02 cleaning for the next week of so but I could throw a single on my old BCD and have a bimble. My two regular buddies have a Darkbuster and a Greenforce between them so I might try to do a proper comparison.

[hebails]

OK let me know as I will have to sneak away from work early but it should be fine.
Cheers
Paul

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by incapete

A bit of necromancy going on.... Raising a dead thread here...

I think I've narrowed my choices down to a 24w HID Darkbuster (nicely affordable), a Greenforce umbilical with a Tristar LED head (a bit more expensive) or a second hand Salvo 10w (a little more than I wanted to spend but going to last a long time...right?)

I'd rather get an umbilical than a handheld (partly so that I don't have to worry about losing it if I drop it!) and it's mainly for lighting up things in front of me so that I don't get scared when it all goes dark in the lovely UK vis we get but I can see the bennefits of signalling with it so a tightish beam seems good.
Diving is mainly in the 20-40m range on the South Coast with the odd venture down to 50m.

I know that LED is controversial but I don't like the idea of paying through the nose for new bulbs. How fragile are HID's really?

Is the output on the 10w Salvo really worth the money? I've not used one but wouldn't a 24w Darkbuster be a lot brighter? I'll sacrifice having to hold onto it if I'm getting more light for my cash. I'm worried about buying an expensive Salvo only to decide that it's not bright enough!

I've read so many threads on here and I still can't decide what's best! I guess I'm suffering from not having actually tried any of them.
Any thoughts would be most welcome!

I am just putting the finishing touches to a report on the MB SUB 1000 lumin LED Cave. 9.6Ah 9 hour burn (6 on full power)

see below for a side by side with a 10W HID Halcyon

HID is more blue the MB SUB is whiter. I concluded that the MB SUB LED was more powerfull than the 10W Halcyon and its the best LED for signaling I have used so far.

Its Cheeper than the Salvo 10W focusable but no hwere neer as cheep as the Halcyon Protius 3 10W HID with lead acid batery pack


MB SUB LED Cave..............................Halcyon 10W HID



Id say if you have the money and wan't a ruged torch get the LED if you havent got the money get the Halcyon 10W HID


MB Sub torch