ScubaBrucie

For cave diving you require a primary umbilical torch, usually HID with a rechargeable battery, and two backup torches which must have non rechargeable batteries. Recently these have moved over to being mainly LED because of the far longer burn times and far higher reliability.

I have used a wide variety of different backup torches, none designed specifically for the job and decided that it was time to get 2 matched torches and so set out to get the best tools for the job.

Here are the Halcyon backups http://www.halcyon.net/lights/scout.shtml

And here are the Salvos http://www.salvodiving.com/backup_lights

However I read lots of articles, posts on forums and technical specifications and concluded that the Peli Sabrelite 2010 was the light for me. This is a very well engineered professional torch designed for the emergency services. It is made of Xenoy polymer and is rated to 150 metres. It uses 3 C cells which give 50 hours of light, enough to get out of most caves!

Where it scores over the competition is the “recoil” technology which overcomes the problems of converting LED light into a good beam. What they do is to hang the LED over the middle of the reflector, in the manner of a lighthouse. This gives a far better beam for a given power of LED.

A big advantage fo me is that I have been using one for a while for recreational diving so only needed to buy one more. To convert it for cave diving I need to remove the pocket clip and lanyard and to tie on a stainless steel boltsnap.

You can buy them in yellow or black. They have one interesting option, a photoluminescent shroud round the reflector so you can find one in total darkness.

One final plus point, they are very good value for money!

http://pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2010
http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/torches.htm