Dive Light Roundup
Hole hunting in Northern California demands powerful illumination. Fin + Forage wanted to make sure our community is prepared with the best tool for the job, so we rounded up a few of the most popular flashlights on the market for a head-to-head comparison.
Light #1: Genesis Rechargeable
General Specifications
Name of product: Genesis Rechargeable
Manufacturer: Princeton Tec
Place of origin: USA
Lumens: 1000
Battery: One 18650 Rechargeable Battery
Construction material: Aluminum and plastic
# of settings: 3 Modes
Accessories: Cord Lanyard and Split Ring, Neoprene wrist mount, Charging Cable for 18650 rechargeable battery
Size and weight: 5.5 oz
Warranty: 1 Year
Available Colors: Black and Grey
General feedback on quality and ease of use
Quality of construction and materials:
I have purposely put this light through the ringer over the past few years - scratched and hit it on rocks to lure in curious fish, used it to brace against rocks as surge pushes me into urchins and generally showed no regard for treating it as gently as I would most other gear. I even use it as a fulcrum to pry stubborn scallops off rocks. The light has shown no sign of harmful damage on the metal, lens or functionality.
Switch style and how easy it is to operate
Easy “no-hold” magnetic push button with power indicator light. 1 push and it turns on to high mode, then low, then SOS then off.
Does it come with a leash and is it safe/useable?
Comes with an unsafe chord wrist strap (non-elastic) which should be immediately changed out for elastic wrist strap.
If it has rechargeable batteries, does it come with a charger. How expensive/easy to find are the batteries if not?
Comes with a micro-USB charger that plugs directly into the battery.
Is it compact and maneuverable?
This light is one of the of the most compact form factors on the market. The whole light nearly fits within the palm of your hand.
How is it sealed? Does it look like it will hold up over time? Does it come with extra o-rings?
Double O ring after threads. No spare O rings included.
Does it come with a storage case?
No, but based on my aggressive treatment of it, it doesn’t at all need one.
How bright is it on its various settings?
On low, it is bright enough to hole hunt with. On high, you could communicate with people on the moon.
In water test
Is it compact, light and easy to dive with?
Very easy to dive with - compact and durable.
Is the switch easy to operate with one hand?
It is very easy to operate with one hand. Of all 3 lights, it is the easiest. I do generally line up the button with my thumb before the dive just to make sure turning it on is easier.
How does it perform when maneuvering in tight spaces?
If my hand fits, it fits. There are no significant protrusions to catch on rocks and it maneuvers easily in the water.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in poor visibility?
Spotlight is extremely bright on the high setting and the beam reaches deep into the caves. It does cause some light scatter in poor visibility.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in good visibility?
It works extremely well in good visibility, low light scenarios.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects on its low setting?
At ~330 lumens on low, it takes the eyes a brief moment to adjust but is still fully effective as a hole hunting light.
Does it last on high for an entire day of diving?
I typically dive 4-6 hours per session. I did two back to back sessions without charging it, always using it on high (but turning it off during breath ups) and it did not die or show signs of weaker luminosity. I recently went on a night dive on scuba and after 1.25 hours of diving with it on high, it showed no loss of luminous power.
Would you use this as your primary light of choice?
This is by far my favorite dive light that I’ve used, and I will continue to use it as my primary light. My favorite feature is that with a simple push of a button (not needing to hold it for it to turn on or depress the button multiple times), it turns on to it’s highest setting. The breath up process is meditative and relaxing – I don’t want to have to think about holding a button down or pushing a button several times to turn it on. A simple push and I’m ready. To turn it off, you have to cycle through low, then spot flash (SOS) – a total of one push to high, and 3 pushes to off. This is no issue for my diving style as I turn it off on my way back up to the surface.
Score Card
Construction and durability: 5/5
Included accessories: 4/5
Brightness: 5/5
Battery life: 5/5
Size and weight: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Warranty: 3/5
Total: 32/35
Eric Keener’s Notes:
This is Eric’s new favorite dive light. With its small form factor, high quality components, durable casing, lumen rating, power indicator and battery life, it’s easily one of the most recommendable lights for our type of diving in Northern California. While it does have 150 less lumens than the V11, it does not lose any points here because 1000 lumens is plenty bright enough to light up dark or murky spaces. In fact, in a side by side comparison, the light beams and brightness appeared identical except the V11 had more of a bluish tint. It did lose points (as all the lights in this review did) for including a braided, non elastic wrist strap. This should not be the standard in our industry because of how dangerous it is if the light gets snagged. It also lost points for the warranty time period when compared with other brands, but other than that this light is top notch.
Light #2: Dark Water V11
General Specifications
Name of product: Dark Waters V11
Manufacturer: Dark Waters Dive Co.
Lumens: 1150
# of settings (high-low, spot/wide, strobe etc.): 3 settings-- High, low & S.O.S. strobe
Warranty available: 2 year warranty under normal usage
Colors Available: Black
Included accessories: Comes with an inexpensive foam-lined plastic case
Battery (rechargeable? Battery life etc): One rechargeable Samsung 18650 battery. Run time 1.5hrs on high; 8hrs on low.
Construction material: Aluminum
Size and weight: Very compact light. Similar in size and weight to Princeton Tec Genesis.
General feedback on quality and ease of use
Quality of construction and materials:
This light is well built and so far has held up to 6 months of heavy use with no considerable wear on the casing or lens. When compared with the Genesis by Princeton Tec, which is a very similar design, the V11 seems to have a thinner aluminum body and lower quality of plastic button etc. So far this has not caused any problems.
Switch style and how easy it is to operate:
The switch is an easy to use button. It does need to be pressed and held firmly for 2 seconds to turn it on, which can be a little confusing to get used to if you have used other lights. Pressing again will cycle through the low and strobe functions. A second press-and-hold will turn the light off.
Does it come with a leash and is it safe/useable?
The V11 comes with a braided cord that should be swapped out immediately for an elastic band.
If it has rechargeable batteries does it come with a charger. How expensive/easy to find are the batteries if not?
The light is sold with a rechargeable battery and micro-USB cord for charging.
Is it compact and maneuverable?
This light is extremely lightweight and compact.
How is it sealed? Does it look like it will hold up over time? Does it come with extra o-rings?
The seal is a double o-ring design. The light is sold with extra o-rings. They are heavy duty and should last a long time.
Does it come with a storage case?
It comes with a padded plastic case.
How bright is it on its various settings?
On high the light is blinding and can easily illuminate any hole. On low it is still extremely powerful and could certainly be used for hole hunting.
In water test
Is it compact, light and easy to dive with?
This is the type of light that you almost forget about when you are diving. It feels nearly weightless in the water. It boasts the smallest diameter of all 3 lights.
Is the switch easy to operate with one hand?
The switch can be easily operated with one hand. The press-and-hold function takes some getting used to, but it does not create any serious problems while diving other than possibly throwing off your breath up/duck dive rhythm.
How does it perform when maneuvering in tight spaces?
This light is so compact it can fit into nearly any space you want to look and be maneuvered into any position.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in poor visibility?
It cuts through the murk well, but like any light source creates some backscatter on floating particles.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in good visibility?
In good visibility this light will shine as far back into a hole as you want to see.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects on its low setting?
On low the light can still be used for hole hunting. This setting may be favorable for extremely clear visibility and/or skittish fish.
Does it last on high for an entire day of diving?
I have used this light on its high setting for multiple 2-day dive trips diving 3-5 hours at a time without any noticeable loss in brightness. I switch the light on before diving and off again when I reach the surface.
Would you use this as your primary light of choice?
Currently this light is my primary and has replaced my previous primary as my light of choice. My favorite things about it are its lightness in the hand and how well it illuminates the deep-dark spaces where big lingcod and cabezon tend to hide.
Score Card
Construction and durability: 3/5
Included accessories: 4/5
Brightness: 5/5
Battery life: 4/5
Size and weight: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Warranty: 5/5
Total: 30/35
Charlie Robinton’s Notes:
The Dark Waters V11 dive light is a joy to dive with and I have taken many solid fish while using it. It gets top scores from me for brightness, size and weight and the 2 year warranty which is the best I’ve seen in the industry. The light lost points when compared with other lights in the construction, battery life and ease of use categories. When you hold a light like the Princeton Tec Genesis in your hand next to the V11 you can appreciate the heft of the thicker walled aluminum construction in the Genesis. The plastic used to form the switch is also clearly a different quality. Although when field testing the V11 it did not lose any noticeable brightness during dives, 1.5 hours of runtime on high is much lower than the 6hr runtime boasted by competitors. In addition, operating the switch can be a little awkward. With cold hands at the end of the day, sometimes I find I don’t hold the button long enough and the light doesn’t turn on, which can be distracting to deal with. I also took a point away for accessories because all dive lights should come with an elastic lanyard rather than a solid braided one. This is purely a function of safety. You need to be able to pull your hand free if the light becomes snagged under water. I will say that none of these minor issues are deal breakers for me, and I will continue to use this light as my primary light, I’m sure for many years. The Dark Waters V11 is a solid choice and in my opinion one of the best lights on the market for our style of diving in Northern California.
Light #3: GoBe 800 Spot FC
General Specifications
Name of product: GoBe 800 Spot FC
Manufacturer: Light and Motion
Lumens: 800
# of settings: 4. High, medium, low, extended, SOS.
Colors available: Grey with black casing or white with grey casing.
Included Accessories: Charging cable, lanyard, body and light head.
Charge time: 180 Minutes
Depth Rating: 120 Meters
Beam Angle: 12 degree spot light
Battery: Rechargeable, enclosed
Construction material: Plastic, rubber and aluminum
Size and weight: 6.2 oz and 4.9" x 1.9" x 1.9"
General feedback on quality and ease of use
Quality of construction and materials:
The heavy duty casing is high quality and I love the use of rubber and non-cylindrical shape for increased grip and orientation.
The switch style makes this light very easy to operate. It features a magnetic button covered in rubber which is very easy to find in the hand. It also has a power indicator that shows when the battery is full, medium and close to empty.
Does it come with a leash and is it safe/useable?
Like most lights, it comes with an unsafe, braided cord wrist strap.
If it has rechargeable batteries does it come with a charger:
The batteries are enclosed and not accessible. The unit charges directly from the rear of the case with a special charger.
Is it compact and maneuverable?
Ergonomically, it fits extremely well in the hand. Due to its non cylindrical shape, it is easy to position in the hand and find the power button. The rubber is very helpful with gripping as well. This light slightly wider than both of the other lights.
How is it sealed?
It is completely sealed and waterproof.
Does it come with a storage case?
No.
How bright is it on its various settings?
800 L (high), 400 L (medium), 200 L (low), 75 L (extended), 100 L (SOS)
In water test
Is it compact, light and easy to dive with?
Absolutely.
Is the switch easy to operate with one hand?
The switch is the easiest to find (without looking or spinning the unit) of the 3 lights in this review.
How does it perform when maneuvering in tight spaces?
It is slightly bulkier than the other 2 lights, but still easy to maneuver.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in poor visibility?
Very well.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects in good visibility?
Pretty Well.
How well does it illuminate holes and objects on its low setting?
Doable, but not recommended.
Does it last on high for an entire day of diving?
Yes, if turning off during breath ups.
Would you use this as your primary light of choice?
No.
Score Card
Construction and durability: 3/5
Included accessories: 3/5
Brightness: 4/5
Battery life: 3/5
Size and weight: 4/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Warranty: 3/5
Total: 22/35
Eric Keener’s Notes:
Gobe is a great back up light and is super customizable. It has various interchangeable heads for night diving, spot lights, IR, wide beam, etc. as well as body types that include different colors and charging speeds. They also boast a regulated lumen output which means you will never lose luminosity. There are options for various mounting setups like wrist, loc-line, ball, ys, bar, etc. It is by far the most ergonomic light and the rubber makes gripping very easy. The button is also very easy to locate even when not looking at it. There are a few reasons it got the lower score. The button controls to switch between various settings is pretty convoluted and takes some serious getting used to in order to remember what Morse code of pushing and holding for various times to get to the setting you want. If you happen to lose or damage your charger, they require a specific Light in Motion charger, so you can’t just go to your spare micro USB bin and grab another. The battery life is not as good as the other two lights, and is rated 200-350 less lumen than the two competitors. I might also be slightly jaded, because I’ve owned 4 different Gobe’s and 3 out of 4 have had to be sent back for various repair/charging issues. They are a great company, easy to work with, local to Monterey Peninsula and they make some seriously impressive lights for above water use, photography and such, but overall the Gobe 800 takes 3rd place.
Final Thoughts
#1 Princeton Tec - 32/35
#2 Dark Waters V11 - 30/35
#3 Light and Motion GoBe 800 Spot FC - 22/35
Genesis
V11
GoBe
Overall, the Gobe was the most comfortable to hold but the most complex to use and least bright. The Dark Waters V11 is the smallest and “brightest” but compared with the other two scored lower in general material quality. The Genesis had the easiest button press and most quality build. It was as bright as the V11 at the cost of having a slightly larger diameter at the bulb area. For these reasons, the Genesis wins with the highest overall score, with the V11 coming in at a close second.