Underwater Kinetics Sunlight UKD8 Dive Light

...went pop.

Underwater Kinetics Sunlight UKD8 Dive Light

This is my main torch and has been with me since I started diving in the UK. This is a sturdy dive light with a pistol grip. The main body of the torch is made from tough, non-corroding ABS and polycarbonate plastic construction. The lens is surrounded by a thick rubber overmold to provide drop protection.

Behind the lens there are two bulbs a 30 watt ...
...alter the brightness and also providing redundancy if one bulb pops you switch to the other one, this is achieved through the dual action switch that is on the underside of the torch and this is lockable to prevent accidental switching on. The power can be provided by either 8 disposable alkaline D-cells which provide a burn time of 8-10 hours or to save the pennies a rechargeable NiCad pack which provides about 3 hours of burn time however it does ... more

Due to the fact that Ciao only allow you to write one review in a category all you lucky readers will be getting two product reviews for the price of one today.

In diving one of the key concepts you teach all trainees is the concept of "redundancy" this is not the fact that one day you will lose your job rather the concept that wherever possible you should have a second source or a back up for all your major pieces of equipment. Most divers carry an alternate supply of air after all without air we are like a fish out of water, a dead fish out of water to be exact. The ability to breath is a key requirement of diving, also key is the need to know how deep you are, how long you have been under the water and in the deep dark waters around the UK you need to be able to see a bit further than the end of your nose otherwise you might as well go and sit in once of those sensory depravation chambers.

Given that a torch relies on a number of not very sturdy components that are prone to breaking having a back up torch is essential. In over 100 dives I have had need to use my backup torch on three dives, once because I had the battery around the wrong way in my main torch (for which I was fined a round of beers by my fellow club members), once because the charge ran out while on a night dive in the Red Sea, and the third time was when the torch flooded and the bulbs went pop.

Underwater Kinetics Sunlight UKD8 Dive Light

This is my main torch and has been with me since I started diving in the UK. This is a sturdy dive light with a pistol grip. The main body of the torch is made from tough, non-corroding ABS and polycarbonate plastic construction. The lens is surrounded by a thick rubber overmold to provide drop protection.

Behind the lens there are two bulbs a 30 watt bulb and a 14 watt bulb so that you can alter the brightness and also providing redundancy if one bulb pops you switch to the other one, this is achieved through the dual action switch that is on the underside of the torch and this is lockable to prevent accidental switching on. The power can be provided by either 8 disposable alkaline D-cells which provide a burn time of 8-10 hours or to save the pennies a rechargeable NiCad pack which provides about 3 hours of burn time however it does take about 16 hours to fully charge from flat.

This is a very good torch which provides a clear yellowish light and I have used it in such places as the Clyde and Stoney Cove on a bad day and it has never failed me. I like the fact that there is a locking switch to prevent accidental operation as dive lights burn so brightly they cannot be operated for any length of time on the surface however I still take the extra precaution of turning the battery around while on dry land.

If I have any criticism it is the fact that you have to remove the battery from the case to be able to charge it, increasing the risk of flooding the torch if the front is not sealed properly of if the o-ring becomes dirty. Many of the current range of torches have the re-charge socket on the outside of the torch removing this problem however many of these models retail upwards of £500 as opposed to the £120 for the D8. My second minor criticism is that this is a heavy torch with the weight coming from the re-chargeable battery increasing the likelihood that you will exceed the pathetic 20kg baggage allowance when traveling abroad.

Ikelite PCa Lite

This is my back up torch and as such is small enough to fit in my BC pocket. It comes in a range of colours and I opted for the bright green version mainly because it was that or pink and I already a pink knife which is the butt of many a joke.

The PC Series is an innovative new design with a unique clamp system for ease in opening and closing. Brilliant intensity is provided by Halogen bulbs specially designed for Ikelite and the power source is provided by six AA batteries which provide a burn time of between 1.5 to 2 hours.

The PCa provides incredible intensity and beam pattern for shorter periods of time and is an excellent small torch which punches well above its weight. I have used this torch on night dives in the Red Sea and it has provided more than adequate light for spotting the reefs smaller inhabitants.

I have two small criticisms, the first is that the locking switch is rather small and hard to operate with 5mm gloves on in UK waters and also while very secure it is rather difficult to open up the torch to replace the batteries.

Retailing at £23 this is one of the best value back up torches on the market today in my humble opinion.

I hope you have enjoyed my review and thank you for reading it.

 

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