A dive light is a must-have tool for any certified scuba diver, regardless of the type of diving that you’re doing. There are many circumstances where a flashlight is required when diving and you always want to make sure that you have one that’s easily accessible at all times.
In this article, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about the different types of flashlights for diving and which one may be the best fit for you. Let’s get into it!
How bright should a dive light be?
The brightness of a dive light is determined by the number of lumens that the light has. Lumens are a form of measurement for how bright a bulb is. With a higher number of lumens, the brighter the light will be. With a lower number of lumens, the dimmer the light will be.
A typical dive light should be around 800-1,000 lumens. Anything lower than that really won’t be bright enough for you. Please keep in mind that 1,000 lumens from one brand of light might be way different than 1,000 lumens from another brand.
The best practice would be to test out the different lights at your local dive shop. If you don’t have a dive shop near you, then read product reviews on Amazon and check dive forums, etc.
What is the best dive light?
Here are our top choices for the best dive lights today:
Why does the light of a flashlight look less bright underwater?
Any form of light will look dimmer underwater than above water due to the color spectrum and the effect that water has on it. Water absorbs certain colors within the spectrum much faster than others – particularly the colors red and yellow.
Red is the fastest color to leave the light spectrum, therefore, fish that are red will appear a greyish color when diving underwater. This typically goes into effect once you’re 20-25 feet underwater. A lot of fishermen use red braided lines as they believe the fish will not see it since it leaves the light spectrum so quickly underwater.
How do I choose a dive light?
There are many factors to consider when choosing a dive light. These are things like:
- The number of lumens the light has
- How deep you’re diving
- The type of diving you’re doing
- The type of battery that the light uses
- Whether the light has a wide-angle or not
The most important thing to consider is the type of diving that you’re doing. Keep in mind that the deeper you dive, the darker it’s going to be. Therefore, you’ll want a really strong bright light if you’re diving anywhere past 100 feet deep.
This would be the same if you’re doing any sort of cave diving, as it’s very dark in there and you’ll need a light with a minimum of at least 1,000 lumens.
Conclusion
After reading this article you should have a good idea of what flashlight may be the best for your style of diving. You’ll never know when you’ll need to peek underneath a ledge to spot a fish or to help get yourself out of a hole or cave.
