How to Choose the Best Dive Light: Primary vs. Backup and What to Look For

A good dive light improves visibility, safety, and communication. Whether you are diving at night, exploring wrecks, or restoring color at depth, the right light makes a noticeable difference. This guide explains primary vs backup roles, canister vs handheld options, and the features that matter for recreational divers.

Understanding Dive Lights

Dive lights generally fall into two categories:

• Primary lights - High output, durable lights for extended use. These come as handheld or canister models.
• Backup lights - Compact lights carried as redundancy if the primary fails.

I personally own several OrcaTorch lights and carry both a primary and a backup, clipped to D-rings for quick access. Trial and error led me to a simple, reliable setup that works across conditions.

Choosing a Primary Dive Light

A primary light should be bright, long lasting, and easy to handle. I use the OrcaTorch D720 because it is bright, fits a soft Goodman handle, and has an adjustable beam.

Key features to look for:

• Brightness (lumens): 1000+ lumens suit most recreational and technical dives.
• Beam type: Spot for signaling, wreck, and cave penetration vs flood for wide, even light and photography. Most divers prefer a spot for primary use.
• Battery life: Aim for at least 1.5-2x your planned dive time.
• Durability: Depth rating at least 100 feet beyond typical dive depth.
• Switch mechanism: Push button, twist on, or magnetic. Push and twist are reliable with gloves or drysuits.
• Mounting: Handheld or Goodman handle for hands free control.
• Power: Rechargeable Li ion cells reduce long term cost vs disposables.

Canister Lights vs Handheld Lights

When selecting a primary, choose between canister and handheld. Both work, but most recreational divers are better served by a handheld.

Canister lights

A separate battery canister connects by cord to the light head, often mounted on a harness. Popular with technical and cave divers for long burn time and high output.

• Pros:
  • Very long battery life, often 4+ hours on high.
  • Higher peak output than most handhelds.
  • Secure mounting with Goodman handle and harness routing.
• Cons:
  • Cord management can snag and adds risk during gas sharing.
  • More complex setup and maintenance.
  • Often overkill for recreational diving - extra power and burn time are rarely needed.

Recommendation: Choose a canister light for technical, cave, or long wreck profiles that demand extended burn time and specific signaling needs. Recreational divers usually do not need the added complexity.

Handheld lights

Self contained lights with integrated batteries. These are the most versatile choice for most divers.

• Pros:
  • Simple operation with no cord to manage.
  • Lightweight and travel friendly.
  • Plenty of brightness for night, wreck, and reef diving.
  • Good balance of cost, power, and ease of use.
• Cons:
  • Shorter burn time than canisters.
  • Some models have lower maximum output.

Recommendation: For recreational divers, a handheld primary with 1000+ lumens, adjustable levels, and a narrow beam for signaling is a strong default.

Situational Awareness and Light Etiquette

• Avoid blinding your buddy. Use the beam edge rather than the hot spot when signaling.
• Mind your position in a group. Do not shine at a teammate's back; it adds glare with no value.
• Team diving tip: When behind the leader, aim your light at the ground in front of them. This confirms your position without forcing them to turn.
• During ascents and safety stops, keep movements slow and deliberate for clear signals.

Redundancy and Failure Scenarios

• If both primary and backup fail, stop, stabilize, and ascend safely if conditions allow.
• Function test before every dive. A prior success does not guarantee a new success. Batteries die and switches fail.

Positioning and Usage Tips

• Reduce backscatter in murky water by angling the beam slightly downward.
• Signal with calm, deliberate movements rather than waving; this prevents confusion.
• Secure your light: Clip to a D ring or stow in a pocket. A soft Goodman handle lets you release the light without dropping it.
• Turn the light on before unclipping. If dropped, a lit beam is easier to recover.

Selecting a Light: Quick Checklist

• Primary role: handheld spot beam, 1000+ lumens, burn time 1.5-2x plan.
• Backup role: compact twist on light, fresh cell, secured on a bolt snap.
• Depth rating: at least 100 feet beyond typical depth.
• Controls: glove friendly switch and a mount you can manage one handed.
• Power: quality Li ion cells and a charger you trust.