Recommended torch

[Daydream believer]

The reason I'm prepared to consider it is that about half the cheap and cheerful torches I've bought over the last few years have died already. In many cases they've lasted less than a year, and they've had quite light use, but they're so cheap it's not worth sending them back.

Your luck must be better than mine, since you don't seem to share this frustration.

£ 3-99 is ample & you get a million candles ask rod Gilbert- He knows
Cheap torches

 

[JimC]

I'd prefer one with a switch that was suitable for flashing e.g. SOS.

 

[penberth3]

I'd prefer one with a switch that was suitable for flashing e.g. SOS.

Er, engage brain, mate. You can do that by putting your hand over the front, doesn't need a switch does it?

 

[William_H]

For my experience cheap is best from China. You can just buy many. The tiny 14500 battery with cree are fantastic and tiny in pocket. however 18650 battery just a bit bigger but much longer battery life. For water proof generally you must remove battery for charging. Alternatively charge by micro USB in the torch but then not water proof.
I really detest the multi mode torch. Far better but harder to find is click once full power click again off. Clive I see your post but you can find much cheaper on ebay from China. Re batteries the Chines lithium are terrible. Batteries from Bunnings sold as replacement for garden lights are excellent at $11 for 2. Actually exhibit the capacity claimed. But as I said my 18650 head lamp is my favorite. ol'will

 

[dancrane]

I wouldn't be sure of reliably interpreting Morse code patted out by the hand of a terrified sailor as his boat goes down. But the worst part of torches that strobe or flash code, is having to cycle through those options despite rarely or never needing them.

But one hardly needs to select one torch above all others. Their design is often related to a fairly specific use or portability.

I remember Dylan Winter's scorn for head torches. He seemed to have entirely overlooked the benefit of the light leaving both hands free, and was mostly afraid of resembling a mad scientist or surgeon in a silent movie.

5,000 lumens for £70 seems very fair to me, and the reviews of the model Skylark has suggested, seem very encouraging. Big names like Fenix are substantially costlier for similar output, regardless of fitness for diving. I've never dived, nor have I any plan to.

I bought a 700-lumen torch from Wickes for a tenth that price, to illuminate our dark garage 80ft away, without leaving the flat. The Wickes torch is better than any I've owned before, but I'll definitely consider paying £70 for seven times the brightness, and the much broader flood pattern that the Wurkkos dive torch has.

It's a curious thing that when you experience something leagues beyond what you knew before (like my Wickes torch compared with a 3-volt 1980s cycle lamp), it's very easy to want more...and more. No wonder LED car lights are a wretched nuisance nowadays.

 

[Skylark]

I wouldn't be sure of reliably interpreting Morse code patted out by the hand of a terrified sailor as his boat goes down. But the worst part of torches that strobe or flash code, is having to cycle through those options despite rarely or never needing them.

But one hardly needs to select one torch above all others. Their design is often related to a fairly specific use or portability.

I remember Dylan Winter's scorn for head torches. He seemed to have entirely overlooked the benefit of the light leaving both hands free, and was mostly afraid of resembling a mad scientist or surgeon in a silent movie.

5,000 lumens for £70 seems very fair to me, and the reviews of the model Skylark has suggested, seem very encouraging. Big names like Fenix are substantially costlier for similar output, regardless of fitness for diving. I've never dived, nor have I any plan to.

I bought a 700-lumen torch from Wickes for a tenth that price, to illuminate our dark garage 80ft away, without leaving the flat. The Wickes torch is better than any I've owned before, but I'll definitely consider paying £70 for seven times the brightness, and the much broader flood pattern that the Wurkkos dive torch has.

It's a curious thing that when you experience something leagues beyond what you knew before (like my Wickes torch compared with a 3-volt 1980s cycle lamp), it's very easy to want more...and more. No wonder LED car lights are a wretched nuisance nowadays.

That’s a good evaluation, thanks ?

I think that using a torch to send SOS is a bit of a pointless gimmick, especially while afloat. I say this even though I have competence with Morse and use it regularly over the airways. There are plenty of ways to summon help, probably more recognisable and reliable.

The DL40 has 4 power settings but it also remembers which was in use when switched off, another clever feature.

If you have never dived, you have missed the wonderful “silent world” as coined by Jacques Cousteau. Although it’s a privilege to experience the under water environment, it’s certainly true that it’s not a place for everyone.

 

[cmedsailor]

. I've never dived, nor have I any plan to.

I used to think the same until some years ago. Was reluctant or even scared to dive. Until I realised that diving equipment is useful to have on board. So I did open water…..and realised that the world below the sea level was not that bad….and then completed the advance course….diving deeper and visiting ship wrecks was also interesting. I love it now!

 

[trbt]

5,000 lumens for

Just curious -- what do you use these 5000 lumens for?
I can understand the attraction when diving, but on a boat?

 

[dancrane]

For dazzling (and possibly scaring off) the trash that attempts to break into our garages under cover of darkness. Not primarily a boat application in my case.

But as I said above, once you realise that a modern torch means you can see objects 300m away, the availability of increased power that can pick out something a full mile away or more, and which is still perfectly portable, is appealing.

God forbid that any of us should need such power - or wish (while we float and shiver in a lifejacket) that someone looking for us, was so equipped...

...but if you do need to identify the orange of an LJ in the dark waste of the open sea at night, all those lumens may well spell the difference between life and death.

 

[Wing Mark]

For dazzling (and possibly scaring off) the trash that attempts to break into our garages under cover of darkness. Not primarily a boat application in my case.

But as I said above, once you realise that a modern torch means you can see objects 300m away, the availability of increased power that can pick out something a full mile away or more, and which is still perfectly portable, is appealing.

God forbid that any of us should need such power - or wish (while we float and shiver in a lifejacket) that someone looking for us, was so equipped...

...but if you do need to identify the orange of an LJ in the dark waste of the open sea at night, all those lumens may well spell the difference between life and death.

You would be better off spending the cash on a light on the LJ.
Or a tether.

 

[Daydream believer]

Just curious -- what do you use these 5000 lumens for?
I can understand the attraction when diving, but on a boat?

I regularly come into Bradwell marina at night- In fact 50% of my entries are in the dark.
I have to pick out 4 red cans followed by a Stbd hand mark. Then turn sharp right & navigate through some tight moorings & clear a short slipway before turning left between 4 poles into the marina
It can be a bit awkward on a really dark night & I often push my luck coming over the entrance with less than 300mm under the keel. I have to stick dead to a compass course coming in. Sometimes I feel a decent torch would help. But i would never spend £70-00 for it especially If i had forgotten to charge the batteries after removing them then forgotten to put them back again.

 

[dancrane]

I certainly can't see why it wouldn't be helpful to have a more powerful torch than one which proves unequal to a task...

...I don't think it's reasonable to believe that a modern torch needn't be expected to shine any further than, let's say, one could throw a pebble...as was the case in the last century.

I often use torches, and it's a moment of familiar resignation when it isn't powerful enough to see what I'd hoped I could pick out at a distance. If it had more power or better design, maybe I could have.

Various factors apply, and not having enough power is one of them...until you do have enough. There are plenty of different torches for different uses.

 

[trbt]

IMHO the torch in the OP is quite unsuitable for spotting far away things from a boat in the dark, be it navigational buoy or a MOB.
Looking at the review video, that much flood will light up nearby objects (deck, sails, stanchion posts, etc) and kill the night vision., so you don't really see the far objects very well. Much of the lumen power is spent on blinding the uer, not reaching what you''re actually trying to see. On the other hand, it's way too powerful and clunky for close up work.
Beam pattern matters a lot, not only raw emitted power. The 5000 lumens (OP torch) only gives beam intensity of 38kcd and can reach <400 meters.
Compare that to e.g. a Marinebeam, that only has 300(!) lumens, beam intensity 120kcd and can reach 690 meters.
Or a Noktigon K1 with an Osram Led, that has 900 lumens, but the beam intensity at the center spot is 650kcd and it can reach >1600 meters.
Power is good if you're trying to light up the whole garden or a shipwreck underwater, but I don't see the use on a boat.
It's no doubt a good torch, just made for different usecase.

 

[Skylark]

IMHO the torch in the OP is quite unsuitable for spotting far away things from a boat in the dark, be it navigational buoy or a MOB.
Looking at the review video, that much flood will light up nearby objects (deck, sails, stanchion posts, etc) and kill the night vision., so you don't really see the far objects very well. Much of the lumen power is spent on blinding the uer, not reaching what you''re actually trying to see. On the other hand, it's way too powerful and clunky for close up work.
Beam pattern matters a lot, not only raw emitted power. The 5000 lumens (OP torch) only gives beam intensity of 38kcd and can reach <400 meters.
Compare that to e.g. a Marinebeam, that only has 300(!) lumens, beam intensity 120kcd and can reach 690 meters.
Or a Noktigon K1 with an Osram Led, that has 900 lumens, but the beam intensity at the center spot is 650kcd and it can reach >1600 meters.
Power is good if you're trying to light up the whole garden or a shipwreck underwater, but I don't see the use on a boat.
It's no doubt a good torch, just made for different usecase.

You’ve gone to great lengths to disparage my recommendation ?

No point countering your opinions.

I really like the idea of using a torch to illuminate something 1.6km distant while on a sailing boat at night. That’s a great practical example ???

 

[Daydream believer]

You’ve gone to great lengths to disparage my recommendation ?
No point countering your opinions.
I really like the idea of using a torch to illuminate something 1.6km distant while on a sailing boat at night. That’s a great practical example ???

I think trbt does have a point & the 1.600M was just an example & not an item for mockery.

I have a torch with a wide beam & used it on the boat for the first time at the end of the season. As trbt suggests it caused reflective glare from the bulkhead in the cockpit & I had to hold it at arms length over my head to prevent that. A narrow beam would have aided finding buoys when entering the creek far easier. For close up work the small cree pocket torches are excellent & £15-00 buys several so one can always find one in the pocket of ones oilies
You highlighted the subject of torches & opened an interesting debate. For that you could be applauded. But perhaps you should not get upset when your recommendation could be considered ( by a few) to be rather poor, when used in a different situation to the one that you use it

 

[trbt]

You’ve gone to great lengths to disparage my recommendation ?

I just wanted to point out that there's more to a torch than lumens and how you actually intend to use it plays (or should play) a big part in how you choose one.
DL40 is a nice torch, but "It would make a good boat torch." is IMHO incorrect.

 

[Skylark]

I think trbt does have a point & the 1.600M was just an example & not an item for mockery.

I have a torch with a wide beam & used it on the boat for the first time at the end of the season. As trbt suggests it caused reflective glare from the bulkhead in the cockpit & I had to hold it at arms length over my head to prevent that. A narrow beam would have aided finding buoys when entering the creek far easier. For close up work the small cree pocket torches are excellent & £15-00 buys several so one can always find one in the pocket of ones oilies
You highlighted the subject of torches & opened an interesting debate. For that you could be applauded. But perhaps you should not get upset when your recommendation could be considered ( by a few) to be rather poor, when used in a different situation to the one that you use it

I’m happy to debate and pleased that you find interest within the thread. The OP torch does not have a wide beam, it’s misleading or disingenuous to suggest otherwise. Like many of us, I have a dozen or so £10-£20 small crew pocket torches - my second post confessed to my torch owning OCD. The OP torch is not a £15 pocket torch so forgive me if I fail to see the relevance.
To say that the OP torch would be “rather poor” on a boat is complete and utter nonsense. I think that any sensible debate has now drawn to a close. I’m very happy with my new purchase and it’s primary use will be underwater. It will also serve me well on my boat, that’s why I opened the thread to recommend it to others. We are all free to make our own choices. Fair winds.

 

[Stemar]

For dazzling (and possibly scaring off) the trash that attempts to break into our garages under cover of darkness.

Many ambulance crew I knew back in the day carried a big D cell Maglight. It gave a great light when needed, but the fact that it was quite heavy, well balanced and almost indestructible was not altogether irrelevant for those going into bad parts of town...

I think my perfect boat torch would be something waterproof that can live in my pocket at all times. I have a baby searchlight that clips onto the sprayhood for use as a headlight when needed. though if I did a lot of night sailing, I could be tempted by something mounted on the pulpit to illuminate pot markers before they disappear into the prop, but doesn't dazzle

 

[dancrane]

The disagreement, or the inclination to differ on this subject, is fairly funny. If I said I'd found a nice cheap bit of rope online, it would scarcely have needed saying that while the rope might be perfect for one or several jobs, it couldn't possibly do everything, everywhere.

Torches, like ropes, are broad in their range of designs and particular strengths. A boat with only one type/size of rope would be a curious and impractical vessel.

I'd definitely like a two-mile pencil-beam torch for certain uses, and a much gentler head-light for dealing with stuff near at hand; but for distant purposes when it would be better not to feel I was looking down a long narrow cardboard tube, I'll keep a powerful wider-beam/flood handy too.

Skylark, you persuaded me, I'm ordering one.

 

[trbt]

The OP torch is not a £15 pocket torch so forgive me if I fail to see the relevance.

It's not about the price, but intended use. Like tools.
I admit at least 3 of the lights on my boat are more expensive than the OP torch, but for boat use at night, especially in fog or rain, they are all beaten by a 3x cheaper convex lens zoom. And they are not weak lights by any means.

To say that the OP torch would be “rather poor” on a boat is complete and utter nonsense.

The most excellent hammer is still rather poor for driving screws. I'm sure the OP torch is excellent for your primary use (underwater), dazzling bad guys or for someone standing at the bow on a clear night.

We are all free to make our own choices.

Yes, and if someone told me a few years back what to look for in a "boat" light, I might have a few less of them now.