Just got this link from BDub ... Jeanna took some video of our Lake Washington dives a couple weeks ago. At about one minute into the video you'll see me swimming toward her with my 21W Salvo in my right hand and the DRIS backup light in my left ... makes for a nice comparison. This was at about 80 FFW on a day with reasonable (~20 foot) vis ...
Just about what I would expect. I tried the light on land the other night. Illuminated very well. My hope is to be in the water soon so I can try it there as well. Probably will be too bright for tropical water. But, we'll see.
The only box you have to think outside of is the one you build around yourself.
I ordered one of these (because of this thread) and its a nice backup light.
I didn't even get the lanyard with it :( but wasn't planning to use it anyhow. Mounted on a split ring to a retractor.
Its a fine light and will work perfect as a backup light or a loaner to someone.
FlyinV wrote:I ordered one of these (because of this thread) and its a nice backup light. I didn't even get the lanyard with it :( but wasn't planning to use it anyhow. Mounted on a split ring to a retractor.
Its a fine light and will work perfect as a backup light or a loaner to someone.
By golly they do listen to their customers! Good on them!
The only box you have to think outside of is the one you build around yourself.
Another +1 to the company. Ordered this light, took it on my first night dive and it immediatly flooded at about 20ft.
The next day I called them, let them know what had happened and the response was: no problem we've had this happen to a few send it back to us and we'll get you a new one asap. So i did, assuming it would be weeks for the thing to get inspected, processed, and the new one to be sent out.
I had a new light on my door step 4 days later.
A note on the battery life - I noticed minimal dimming after two hour long dives and replaced the batteries after 4hours of divetime. Haven't made the forray into rechargeables yet.
For my back up I always use alkalines because they tend to sit allot and not be used allot. Rechargeables loose power over time so they aren't a good choice unless you are well organized and actually recharge them regularly. For me a back up light is like your flash light at home. It's just there for emergency's and tends to just be forgotten till I need it and then dead batteries are a very bad thing. Since I don't use it often I use good ole Duracell's because they have a long shelf life.
I just got mine in the mail this week:) Lookin' forward to takin it out. Been borrowing the same light for a few dives and as a new diver, its been a fantastic cheap option for a main light!
oh, and I got a sweetbadassawesome lanyard with mine too that i plan on never using ever
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
Grateful Diver wrote:Spec on the battery life says up to 5 hours. I'm gonna order some NiMH batteries and see how well it works with rechargeables ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Hey Bob have you tested the NIMH batteries in this light yet. I have the 500 lum and the 1000 versions and was just waiting to get your review before i invested on rechargeable
Thanks
Herb
Herb,
I have a small stockpile of NiMH C-cells. If you want to borrow a few for a test dive, just swing by the house sometime. They're on the desk in the dive room and the house key is in it's usual spot.
I do not believe in taking unnecesary risks, but a life without risk is not worth living.
-Charles Lindbergh
FlyinV wrote:I ordered one of these (because of this thread) and its a nice backup light.
I didn't even get the lanyard with it :( but wasn't planning to use it anyhow. Mounted on a split ring to a retractor.
Its a fine light and will work perfect as a backup light or a loaner to someone.
Thanks for reminding me of the split ring. I've done that before with lights that had too small a diameter laynard hole. I've found the split ring was durable than at least one of my back-up lights...
I do not believe in taking unnecesary risks, but a life without risk is not worth living.
-Charles Lindbergh
So figured people may be curious, made up a cheap goodman handle for my DRIS light just now. It was quick and dirty, but I just wanted to see if it'd work. I think I'll try it again and take a little more care with the bends and cuts next time. All in all, took me about an hour messin around in garage. It's a piece of 1/8" AL bent to shape on my vice with a mallet, hooked to a 2" piece of 1 1/4" PVc. I cut a strip out and then taped it into the bottom to use as a spacer and it seems to for pretty well! I think with a little extra TLC and a pain job it could look decent...
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
Just ordered mine - hopefully it will be here in time for a good back up light for Sitka!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT "Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix "Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it
Tom Nic wrote:Just ordered mine - hopefully it will be here in time for a good back up light for Sitka!
Tom if your light does not arrive you can borrow mine. I have the 500 the 1000 and now the 1000 shorty and you just might find that you want the shorty for a primary rather than a backup. I have been very impressed with my light
Herb
Tom Nic wrote:Just ordered mine - hopefully it will be here in time for a good back up light for Sitka!
Tom if your light does not arrive you can borrow mine. I have the 500 the 1000 and now the 1000 shorty and you just might find that you want the shorty for a primary rather than a backup. I have been very impressed with my light
Herb
Thanks Herb - I really appreciate it and am interested in comparing the lights. I am assuming that the shorties are identical except for shorter burn time?
Again, I just want a good back up - my Dusty light will be happily doing the duty of my primary!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT "Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix "Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it
I like your idea, mind if I copy it and do something along those lines for mine? I got my light for my birthday but have had a chance to dive it yet. I will admit I tried it out in the hot tub though. I couldn't help myself...I had to get it wet. I pointed it at the bottom of my tub which is a light blue color and it completely lit up the brown canopy overhead like it was daylight. I can't wait to get it in the water on a dive.
These are great lights. We did a night dive here in Cozumel and someone else on the boat said they saw our light and just decided to follow us around. And battery life is good. I've never had a light that I could really see in the daytime in the Carribean, but you can this one.
I was showing this setup to a buddy of mine and he came up with a suggestion I thought I would run by everyone here. He was asking about putting a bigger piece of PVC on the aluminum bracket without cutting it and filling the void with something like foam pipe insulation. The type you would wrap around your water pipes in the winter time. What do you guys think? Would the foam insert cause any issues or be degraded by salt water.
That is a beefy little light - it would make a great weapon!
And mine had a little lanyard!
I will take it for a spin or two this week!
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT "Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix "Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
The foam filler wouldn't be a very good idea. That stuff compresses really quick with depth. How much clearance is there? How about using bicycle inner tube. It's non slip and not effected by saltwater.
I just got my DRIS 1k shorty yesterday, and diving it tomorrow. My usual backup light is a light-for-me backup tec XML which so far has pretty much outshown anything (other than canisters) I've tested against until now. The DRIS light has a brighter hotspot, but does have more spill then my lfm light w/6d beam. The dris is specd at a 9.5d beam which I think is probably close. Runtime will be the interesting part. It's been suggested to get the Sanyo Eneloops (2500ma) for this light.
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- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it
Dusty2 wrote:The foam filler wouldn't be a very good idea. That stuff compresses really quick with depth. How much clearance is there? How about using bicycle inner tube. It's non slip and not effected by saltwater.
Dam!!! That falls smack dab in to the, "No $h*t Sherlock" category doesn't it Dusty? I should have thought of that huh? I don't have the PVC yet so I will think this one out a bit more.
