Help please with head torch

[thewanderingwebster]

Hello

My dad has just discovered night-time snorkelling. It's his birthday soon and I'd like to treat him to a snorkelling/diving head torch. Can anyone recommend an affordable but decent torch? He bought himself a hand torch from decathlon but it's a bit pants. I know some torches are in their hundreds of pounds but I only have £50 absolute max. Ideally it would be a head torch but a good hand held torch would probably impress him just as much. :)

Thanks for reading!

Nic

[scubaclogger]

You could go for a UK mini Q40 led torch (http://www.divelife.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=39_108&products_id=435) that come with the mask strap or this head torch on Amazon. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Depth-Scuba-Diving-Head-Torch/dp/B0013G9J9I)

[thewanderingwebster]

Hi Kevin

Which out of the two do you think is best? Would the one from amazon be better for visibility in the water due to having more leds or is there not much difference?

thanks

[Matt-75]

I use 2x Mini Q40's mounted either side of my mask for low viz and wrecks, so whatever im looking at is illuminated, but they offer a pretty narrow beam. I dont use the LED version, as the original version seems to give more light.

He might be better with something like a SL6 clipped off to his arm on a lanyard, or maybe bungeed to his arm. So he can point and look, but with an absolutely powerful beam to illuminate everything.

[thewanderingwebster]

Hello

Thanks for everyones help with this. I'll be honest this is all a bit alien to me so I'm grateful for your advice.

So, I quite like the look of the SL6. Does that give a good beam, I've found a few reviews on the net that say it's a narrow beam but would it be alright for snorkelling at night?

Thanks again!

Nic

[Mike Halligan]

Hello

Thanks for everyones help with this. I'll be honest this is all a bit alien to me so I'm grateful for your advice.

So, I quite like the look of the SL6. Does that give a good beam, I've found a few reviews on the net that say it's a narrow beam but would it be alright for snorkelling at night?

Thanks again!

Nic
I bought an SL6 as back-up for my UK800 and found it an excellent torch, far too good for simple back-up. So, I started taking it overseas when I didn't expect to need a torch too much. That worked, too.

I'd say it is probably as good as you will get, dead simple, tough as old boots and with plentiful spares worldwide.

[garethwoodruff]

My vote is for a mini Q40, good bit of kit, I've had one for 8 years and keeps going strong, for short bursts of snorkeling I would go for a normal bulb and not the LED.

It attaches to the mask and is really good :)

[Ari]

My vote is for the saxo (http://en.petzl.com/petzl/LampesProduits?Produit=252)

[Ben Panter]

I've actually got a saxo, and have used it diving a couple of times. Unfortunately the angle is all wrong - it is designed to point down to a patch of ground a few meters ahead of someone walking with their head angled so that the eyeline is slightly lower than horizontal. It was perfect for reading guages, but pretty rubbish for actually using on the dive.

Cheers,

Ben

[Ari]

Thats a shame .. I was kind of hoping it would be good (not had a chance to try it in dive yet). Thanks for the feedback ..

[Ben Panter]

You could try bolting it to a helmet. The problem (for diving) with most of these options is that if they are pointing in the right direction to be useful they are also pointing right into your buddy's eyes when they want to communicate!

cheers,

Ben

[Richard Whitcombe]

I use an SL6 as a backup torch. Its a good torch but i suspect a bit too heavy and large to fit on a mask.

[chrispatterson]

I also use an SL6 as a backup torch, yes it does have quite a narrow beam, but it does have quite a small reflector. Still a very good torch and quite bright.
I still use mine on night dives if it's a shore dive and not to deep.

[thewanderingwebster]

hmmmm I thought I'd made my decision and then you all go giving me good suggestions :p I'm all confused now - there's so much choice!

I'm still thinking the SL6 would be a good choice. If he can't use it as a head torch then fair enough. However, it's the narrow beam that's bothering me. I know he's only snorkelling but he likes diving down about 1.5/2m and really enjoys having a good look around.

He recently went night snorkelling in the Maldives and from what he's said he had a proper diving torch. He said it weighed a ton but was fantastic as he saw everything.

I guess in hindsight I would rather get a decent hand held torch than a headtorch. The problem I'm having is that when I look on diving websites there's almost too much choice. I'm unsure of what brands are reliable/cheap etc.

Thanks for all your help guys - I just hope he lends the torch to me when I go on my hols :D

[PeteM]

hmmmm I thought I'd made my decision and then you all go giving me good suggestions :p I'm all confused now - there's so much choice!

I'm still thinking the SL6 would be a good choice. If he can't use it as a head torch then fair enough. However, it's the narrow beam that's bothering me. I know he's only snorkelling but he likes diving down about 1.5/2m and really enjoys having a good look around.

He recently went night snorkelling in the Maldives and from what he's said he had a proper diving torch. He said it weighed a ton but was fantastic as he saw everything.

I guess in hindsight I would rather get a decent hand held torch than a headtorch. The problem I'm having is that when I look on diving websites there's almost too much choice. I'm unsure of what brands are reliable/cheap etc.

Thanks for all your help guys - I just hope he lends the torch to me when I go on my hols :D

I have an SL4 (same reflector slightly smaller body than SL4). These torches have a small central spot but quiet a wide halo round it so you can still see lots and your peripheral vision is still OK. This is a good thing! The only thing you are heavily illuminating is the thing you are looking at, so you are not scaring everything else off within a 200 yard radius. I see so many divers taking huge torches on night dives, swimming in a virtual dessert, everything that can move has done so. They also have no night vision left.

The SL4/SL6 is a great torch for night diving, but for snorkelling I would go for the 4 as it is a third less weight

[ChristianG]

Hello

Thanks for everyones help with this. I'll be honest this is all a bit alien to me so I'm grateful for your advice.

So, I quite like the look of the SL6. Does that give a good beam, I've found a few reviews on the net that say it's a narrow beam but would it be alright for snorkelling at night?
I gather that you're neither a diver nor a snorkeller yourself?

Torches usually have very tight beams, which allows them to penetrate further and that, with a torch, is the whole point since torches are designed to be moved around to display another scene.

I would, entirely personally, avoid head torches because they are severely limited to where your head is pointing. There is something to be said for a handheld (think Goodman handle (http://www.mantaind.com/green_force/light_heads_goodman_handle.htm)). This allows for a rapidly moving object to be illuminated with a flick of the wrist, much more effective than a head. I'm not saying that you should buy a Greenforce, probably beyond your budget anyway, but that handle is pretty good and needn't be expensive.

[Woz]

If your budget stretches to it I would get a handheld Tektite Expedition LS4 5W LED.

I've just got a few I've bought for people and they're all over the moon with them.

[/URL]
[url]www.lumbbros.co.uk (http://www.lumb-bros.co.uk)

[Ben Panter]

Seconded. My one is absolutely marvellous.

Ben

[John Bantin]

What about this:
http://www.divernet.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?id=6001&sc=2016&ac=d&an=6001:+LIGHT+OMS+Ultra+Bright+Head+Lamp+...