Best Caving Light

[potholer]

Huge,
A bit might depend on precisely what you mean by point 4.

Some lights/inserts (such as one of the customduo ones) have what I'd call 'programmed mixing', where there are some predetermined mixes of spot/flood beams chosen to cover what the maker decides are likely-wanted blends for various situations.

If you're talking about what I'd call on-the-fly mixing, ('I want that level of flood with this level of spot') I'm not sure what options there are other than some of the things I (Bisun) make.
(Though saying that might be tempting fate - I never know what John will come out with next.)

On-the-fly mixing can be more complicated in use, since there needs to be a way to control the beams independently and at the same time.
Programmed mixes have the advantage that control can be simplified in some ways (such as making it easy for the light to be rapidly turned off).

With my P51 and the new (Duo) Flexitwin (at least when running in P51-like modes), I can select at will from far more beam blends than would be practical in a programmed-mixing light, but that does come at the expense of having a certain base-level of complexity* in the control, and having a light which can take a few seconds to turn off.

Personally, after >8 years of using an on-the-fly twin beam light, I'd hate to have to use a programmed light (even if I was doing the programming), but I can see how some people might really get on with one, especially if the blends they have been given are largely what they want, or if, like the Scurion, they can edit what the programmed settings are.

(*though to be fair to myself, I only have to know how to control a beam, and I don't have to remember what arbitrary order someone chose to lay out various mode blends in)

 

[potholer]

Huge, just saw the comment re: the complete P51 setups.

For them, you're right, I am pretty much limited by battery box availability, having few in stock and regularly scouring ebay for suitable old Zooms.
Since the large majority of complete setups tend to go to people I know anyway, it seemed easier not to be advertising something where supply is as limited as it is.

 

[Huge]

Cheers Paul. If they came with the battery box for an extra tener I'd have one.

Thanks for your reply Potholer. On-the-fly beam blending would be nice I think but then if the programmed mixing settings of other lights were acceptable then that would be fine too. I suppose you'd only know if the settings were right for you after you'd bought the light and had used it for a little while. I haven't used a twin beam blending light but I don't think I'd be too critical on the actual mixes. The R3 is the light of yours I'd probably be most interested in.

I didn't really want to have to find various bits of lights from different sources (hoping they are OK if bought second hand over the web) and then fitting them all together but it looks like route I might have to take.

 

[pwhole]

I recently got a StenLight after a few years with a Zoom LED conversion (older one, so not that bright), and it's a magnificent experience. No idea on other lights, so I can't really vote on a preference, but it's easily bright enough to light up West Chamber in Oxlow, and that's good enough for me!

I can take close-up photos pretty much without flash at all too, and tripod-based photos have dropped from a 20sec average to about 5sec, so I'm well chuffed. Just have to see how it stands up to my grungy caving/climbing/crawling techniques in filthy old mines now

 

[heavypetal]

I just ordered a Custom Duo Omni something or other. ?75 all in and could potentially pump out 3/400 lumens according to the tackle on the webpage. I have seen the Bisuns and stuff but with respect the build quality isn't really what I'm looking for as an engineer!

Thinking about ordering the new Scurion - if the Custom Duo isn't as impressive as it looks then it's time to get the wallet out I reckon.