A dive light is a key part of any diver’s equipment, and it’s important to make sure that you have the right one for your needs.
How many lumen should a good diving light have is a question that many divers ask themselves especially when they are planning to shop for a new diving LED light.
This is an important question, as it will dictate the type of dive torch that you will buy which will directly affect your overall diving experience (positively or negatively).
In this article we will go over how many lumens you should get for your dive light based on what type of environment you plan on exploring.
How Many Lumens Do I Need for A Dive Light?
The number of lumens you will need for a diving torch will depend on whether you plan to dive in a clear or murky water. Also, will you be diving in the day or nighttime? For a night dive in clear water, 250 lumens is ideal. However, for night dive in a murky water, 500 – 1000 lumens are perfect.
A Few Other Things to Keep in Mind
Apart from the lumen, here are a few other things you need to keep in mind while shopping for a good and reliable dive torch.
Backup Light
As a diver (especially night divers), the last thing you would want is for your flashlight power to die in the middle of your dive.
A backup light is a MUST-HAVE for all divers.
It always come in handy and sometimes in situations or scenarios that you least expected.
So, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Choose ‘Adjustable Light’ if Available
Although not always readily available, make sure to look for an adjustable light so that you can adjust how much light is coming out of your dive torch.
With adjustable lights, you will have the option to switch between spot and flood mode. This is an essential feature in dive flashlights as different divers have different personal preferences when it comes to deciding between flood and spot options.
Also, your diving environment (like diving in wrecks, caverns, or just peering into crevices) may require alternating between spot and flood mode.
Hence the essence of choosing an adjustable LED lights to easily alternate your options as the need arises.
Avoid Using too Many Lumens where Possible
It’s a good to have plenty lumen!
However, that doesn’t mean you should go shinning it randomly.
Remember that too much light can interrupt and scare off sea life as well as blinding other divers.
Conclusion
Depending on the type of water you are diving in and the time (night or daytime), a different amount of lumens is needed.
For murky water at night, 500-1000 lumens would be perfect for visibility purposes.
If it’s just dark out or clear waters during daylight hours, 250 Lumen should d fine to see everything clearly.