Best Dive Light Review Guide For 2022-2023

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Best Dive Light Review Guide For 2022-2023 – Are you a professional diver looking to expand your horizons? Maybe you’re relatively new to scuba diving and want to learn more about the best diving equipment available on the market?

Have you ever considered investing in a good, reliable dive light? Are you looking for something that will light up your diving experience, improve your visibility, and can even be used to signal others about dangerous situations? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the top best dive lights on the market out there in our Best Dive Light Review Guide For 2022-2023! Not only will you learn more about the unique pros and cons of each dive light, but you’ll also be exposed to useful information depending on your personal preferences and choices.

Best Dive Light Buyers Guide For 2022-2023:

Primary & Secondary Dive Lights:

The term primary light refers to the dive light you will mainly use on your night dives. It is typically suited to the type of diving you are doing. A secondary light is one you keep in your BCD pocket in case your primary light runs out of battery, is broken or lost. Secondaries are usually cheap underwater lights in smaller sizes (such as the OxyLED DF20 or the Blue Fire CREE XM-L2).

When night diving, it is recommended to always carry a secondary, in case you or your buddy needs an extra light. Technical, scientific, wreck and deep night diving should not be attempted without a backup light.

Beam: Angle & Brightness

The beam angle refers to the angle of light your beam produces. Bigger lights usually have wider angles and therefore a wider light scatter. Beam brightness refers to how many lumens a light is outputting. More lumens means higher intensity light (brighter).

Battery Type:

Alkaline:

The most likely alkaline batteries you will come across for dive lights are AA, AAA and C batteries. These batteries are great because they are usually easy to find, even while on vacation. However, they do face competition from rechargeable batteries, which save effort and the environment.

Lithium:

lithium batteries excel in long-term use because they have a very low self-discharge rate. This means if you store lithium batteries (in your dive light) between dives, you won’t have to worry about corrosion or dying. Great lithium batteries can work like new even after being in storage for years.

Rechargeable:

Rechargeable batteries, such as 18650s, are about 150% the size of a normal AA. They are great for saving money and time. Their only downside is that they need an outlet to recharge, something that may not be available on smaller dive boats or remote locations. Otherwise, this battery type paired with a rechargeable dive light is fast becoming one of the most popular dive light options.

Bulb Type:

Xenon:

These bulbs contain xenon gas which produces light when electrified. Xenon-produced light is generally whiter than the yellow tinge of halogen bulbs. As long as rating and wattage are similar, xenon bulbs can be switched with halogens.

LED:

(Light Emitting Diode): Underwater LED dive lights have no glass bulb, so they can’t break and do not need replacing. They produce a clean, white light. This type of bulb saves you money on batteries and bulbs over time. The best underwater LED lights provide pure bright, white, long-lasting light (such as the Underwater Kinetics SL4 eLED L1).

HID:

(High-Intensity Discharge): HID bulbs produce more light per consumption than normal tungsten-halogen or tungsten bulbs. HID beams can be made smaller than halogen competitors and put out the same amount of light.

Halogen:

Halogen bulbs have an internal tungsten filament. The halogen cycle can increase the bulb’s lifetime by redepositing tungsten from the bulb back into filament. These incandescent lamps can operate at a higher temperature than a gas-filled competitor.

Light Location:

Hand-held:

These lights are held in the hand. This allows for great flexibility and ease of use in terms of signaling, peering into crevices and maintaining a tight control of where the underwater light beams go.

Wrist-mounted:

These lights are generals smaller and sit on top of the wrist. A wrist-mounted flashlight is great for freeing up hands.

Arm-mounted:

Some larger lights may be too bulky to sit on the wrist (such as the Light & Motion dive lights), so instead they might sit right behind it, along with the forearm.

Goggle-mounted:

Some lights are so tiny they can be attached to goggles and turned into a diving headlamp (such as the ScubaPro Nova 220). These are great for complete hand freedom without any cords attached to the BCD.

Device-mounted:

Lights may be attached to camera rigs and GoPros. A GoPro scuba light is a great way to capture your videos in color. A GoPro underwater light should attach to the GoPro housing seamlessly (such as the SeaLife Sea Dragon 2500). When buying underwater lights for GoPro, there are many options to consider, such as filming style, light flood (wide) or spot (narrow), continuous or motion, etc.

Best Light for Lifestyle

Sunrise Diving:

Early morning dives can be an amazing chance to see animals that are still sleeping or are just waking up. These dives work best if you don’t have the brightest light. Too bright and you’ll wake up everything you shine your light on or near. In general, dim your submersible flashlight or shine it near a sleeping animal, not on it.

Photography/Video:

Lights with lesser lumens (less bright) or more focused beams will be good for macro photography. For videos, a light with a wider beam angle will be much better, because you will capture the light of the entire scene, not just a passing focus point. Some lights will also have spot (beam) or flood (wide) functions which you can toggle between while filming.

Hunting:

A lot depends on which animal you are hunting:

• Sandy bottom-dwellers like flounder will be easier to see with a flood or wide-angle light.
• Crevice bottom-dwellers like lobsters will be easier to search for with a more focused beam.
• Recommending lights for attracting fish is very species-specific. As a rule of thumb, smaller fish – those not of hunting size – are usually attracted to the light. Larger fish tend to prefer a stealthy approach in search of a quick meal. Use a wider angle for large fish, the increased arc improves your chances of a neat sighting. However, some species avoid bright light entirely. If you are in the market for a very specific species, be sure to carefully research your proverbial white whale and its unique reaction to light.

Night, Cave, or Wreck Diving:

In these dark environs, you need a light which will brighten up an entire space. Choose a cave dive light with high lumens (brightness) and/or a wider beam angle (wider light scatter). This type of light is also good for alerting your buddies to your location.

Technical, Scientific, or Deep Diving:

For those going deep or for long amounts of time, technical dive lights with excellent battery lives and depth ratings are crucial. Additionally, especially for tech or scientific divers, a wider beam angle and high lumens will light up whatever work area you’re diving in.

Fluoro Diving:

Fluorescence diving is an experience that requires divers to be extremely comfortable diving at night. You wear a lens fitted over your dive mask and use another lens over your light, to see fluorescent animals light up in neon colors. These specially modified dive lights will be provided by your dive shop or charter.

Good Dive Light Etiquette:

Do not shine your light in any diver’s face, including your own. It can cause temporary night blindness. Instead, shine your line at the ground or your hand and move it in a circle to gain a buddy’s attention or point something out.

VOLADOR Diving Flashlight

It has XM-L2 technology, an LED lifespan of more than 50,000 hours, a maximum brightness of 1000 lumens, a magnetic tail switch, four lighting modes, including a “strobe” mode that can be activated easily, and a continuous running time of 1.5 hours.

One of the most durable flashlights out there, it is made of AL-6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and has an underwater lighting distance of 80 meters.

Its packaging includes a 1x 18650 Li-Po battery and a battery charger. If you’re considering a serious investment in a high-quality light, you might want to bet your money on this one!

Product Details:

• Equipped with high quality XM-L2 LED with over 50,000 hours lifespan. The maximum output brightness is up to 1000 lumens, gives you super bright white light underwater.
• Magnetic tail switch, Lighting modes: High>Medium>Low>Strobe (Turn on flashlight and press the button for 2 seconds to entry strobe mode). Suitable for different situations. Continuous run time up to 1-1.5 hours.
• Made of AL-6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum with military regulations III hard-anodized finish, abrasion and seawater corrosion resistance.
• Special sealing design with IP68 waterproof level, available underwater 150 meters. Underwater lighting distance can be 80 meters.
• A professional lighting equipment for scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiast. Also can be used for camping, hiking, trekking, hunting, fishing, etc. Package including 1x 18650 Li-Po battery and battery charger.

Pros:

• Special sealing design with IP68 waterproof level
• AL-6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum with military regulations III hard-anodized finish
• Seawater corrosion resistance
• Magnetic tail switch
• XM-L2 LED with over 50,000 hours

Cons:

• Some people may experience inconsistent lighting modes

ORCATORCH D520 Scuba Dive Light

If you’re a fan of innovative technology, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the 5000K LED color temperature, which gives you amazing color rendition.

Also, we love the fact that this dive light is compatible with a 18650 battery, two 16340 batteries, or two CR123A batteries, making it very versatile in that department.

A maximum underwater range of 150 meters, a waterproof mechanism, and 4mm tempered glass make this product a steal in our eyes.

Product Details:

• Super bright: using CREE XM-L2(U4) neutral white LED, the maximum output can reach 1000 lumens. Meanwhile, the 5000K LED color temperature provides superb color rendition.
• Rotary switch: the professional mechanically head twist switch offers high reliability underwater.
• Power source: this dive torch is compatible with one 18650 battery, two CR123A batteries, or two 16340 batteries.
• Underwater 150 meters: 4mm thickened tempered glass as well as triple waterproof O-rings, makes the D520 can withstand pressure of 150m depth under water.
• Responsive & helpful customer service: If this dive light didn’t meet your expectation when you received, please feel free to contact the seller directly for replacement or refund. Your satisfation is our ultimate goal.

Pros:

• Compatible with multiple batteries
• A rotary switch makes it easy to use
• 4mm tempered glass
• Good color rendition

Cons:

• The instruction manual states that the light must be turned on before entering a body of water.

ORCATORCH Upgraded Version D550 Dive Light

Just like the other ORCATORCH dive lights, this torch is considerably bright with a maximum output of up to 1000 lumens.

One of the best features we noticed was that this light has a wrist strap with which you can attach the torch to the back of your hand! It’s a seemingly small feature, but it matters a lot once you’re underwater.

It comes with 3400 mAh batteries and three operable brightness modes depending on your needs. If you want a dependable light that you can attach to your hand and forget about, choose the ORCATORCH D550!

Product Details:

• Super bright: Utilize high quality Cree LED, the maximum output is up to 1000 lumens.
• Wrist strap: The scuba diving torch standard included wrist strap fastens the flashlight to the back of your hand and diving freely underwater. The wrist strap is available for both of your hands. In addition, please make sure to attach the light securely to the wrist strap with a lanyard. The wrist strap is to free your hand, while the lanyard is to prevent the light from falling off the wrist strap.
• Light and portable: This diving light is a small and light weight tail magnetic switch diving light, which won’t take up your space and weight.
• Three modes: The backup flashlight has three modes and it allows you to adjust the brightness according to the underwater environment, save power.
• Good diving backup light: Included upgraded full-capacity 3400 mah batteries, makes the D550 has long lasting and high brightness. This underwater led flashlight is qualified for both recreational diving as a primary light and deep diving as a backup light. “Outdoor Equipment Expert” store is an authorized dealer of OrcaTorch, please choose us to ensure you get the quality product and worry-free customer service.

Pros:

• Very light and portable
• Amazing construction and build quality
• Wrist strap for better handling underwater

Cons:

• None

Wurkkos 5000 Lumen Dive Flashlight

This is an amazing dive light that promises a maximum brightness level of 5000 lumens.

It comes with a four-piece Samsung LED with a beautiful white tint that provides good visibility even in dark underwater conditions. Also, it has a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90, which is pretty good in terms of what’s available on the market.

It comes with four modes, low, medium, high, and turbo. What we liked most about this dive light is that it was built with mode memory, which makes the dive light “memorize” the brightness level you last used in the general modes.

Product Details:

• Ultra-Bright Scuba Light: Utilize high quality 4pcs Samsung LEDS,maximum output could reach 5000 lumen. Beautiful cold white tint and high 90 CRI, offer you a good vision of diving.
• Powerful IPX8 Waterproof Diving Light: Adopt high quality aluminum alloy material with anti-abrasive coating for waterproof, strong shockproof& anti-craft.Two o-rings ensure excellent resistance, special sealing make sure the professional dive light works well underwater or out.
• Adjustable 4 Light Modes: Turbo/High/Medium/Low all be controlled by a magnetic side switch.The diving light make you easier to adjust brightness according to the underwater environment by one hand.
• Long Running Time&Rechargeable Flashlight: Power by 2pcs 5000mAh high capacity 26650 rechargeable battery, convenient for daily use. It last 3 hours on turbo mode to 28 hours on low mode.Ideal light for fishing, diving, swimming, hiking, sailing, caving etc.
• Mode Memory& Down-Step Automatically: The submarine light adopt advanced design, mode memory make the light memorize the last brightness level used in the general modes; Advanced Temperature Regulation (ATR) technology, avoid the light overheating when the the driver temperature reaches 50℃, extend its lifespan.

Pros:

• Very lightweight
• Rechargeable battery
• Can be operated with one hand
• Remembers the last setting
• Waterproof and shock-free

Cons:

• The battery may be unstable
• Not suitable for saltwater diving at times.

ORCATORCH D530 Dive Light

If you’re looking for one of the most compact lights out there, this should be your pick!

It’s rugged, sturdy, and does not break easily. With a maximum brightness of 1300 Lumen, it’s good but not the best for dark places and night diving. It can be used at a maximum depth of 150 meters underwater.

What’s most impressive about this dive light is the amount of effort that has been put into its construction. It is crafted with an aircraft-grade aluminum material with diamond grade hard-anodized seawater-corrosion-resistance finish, which is incredibly durable.

If you’re looking for a compact dive light, check this product out!

Product Details:

• Ultra-compact & powerful: OrcaTorch D530 is a well-built dive light with novel design. It’s a rugged, reliable, and compact light with a powerful output. The maximum brightness level is be up to 1300 lumens. This scuba dive light is made of aircraft-grade high strength aluminum material with the lastest diamond grade hard-anodized seawater-corrosion-resistance finish. Double waterproof O-rings and 4MM tempered glass lens ensure this light can be used in a maximum depth of 150M underwater.
• Long-range spot beam: It has narrow 8° beam angle, which provides a concentrated long beam shot of 291 meters on land. The narrow beam focuses the lumens of the light into tighter areas, that is ideal for pointing out objects of interest and to see into holes, caves, and cracks, covering long distances to illuminate your dive.
• Easy to operate: The side button switch is made of titanium alloy which is good for corrosion resistance, you can hold the side button for 5 seconds to switch modes among high, low, off. You can long press the side button to make the light turn into a state of safety lock, then you could double-click the side button to unlock the switch, which avoids mistakenly touching.
• Battery indicator: The built-in remaining battery indicator at the side switch of the light can show the real-time battery level. When the light is turned on, the battery indicator would show status of battery power. When the battery power is over 70%, the indicator is green; when the battery power is between 30% to 70%, the indicator will turn orange; when the battery power is between 10% to 30%, the will be in red and keep flashing when battery power is less than 10%.
• 3400mAh USB large-capacity rechargeable battery: The new style 18650 battery has a built-in USB charge port, you can simply plug in any microcable directly to get it charged. The regular style cable let you can charge in any way. It won’t take up too much space of your diving pack, it’s very convenient and easy to carry.

Pros:

• Long-range spot beam
• Rechargeable battery
• Easy to use
• Very durable
• LED technology
• Waterproof and shock-free

Cons:

• None

Conclusion:

The primary goal we had in mind when writing this Best Dive Light Review Guide For 2022-2023 was to help both novice and professional divers understand the market and their equipment in a better way.