Caving light recommendations

[Benfool]

The Scurion basic (the one with the plastic battery box) isn't designed for wet caving, so its not super water tight - which is why its not generally for sale in the UK. The Scurion Speleo, with the metal battery box, is completely water tight and very robust and is usually even okay in short shallow sumps (although its not designed for this). There is also a 2cell battery available for the Scurion Speleo, which should reduce the weight for those that want it.

Scurion also has dedicated support and maintenance in the UK, with reasonably fast turnaround times - so lights dont generally need to be sent to Switzerland for repair (not that this happens very often).

B

 

[aricooperdavis]

[...] your headtorch is the second most important piece of equipment. [...]

What's the most important?

 

[Leclused]

My only reason for not getting one is the battery connection looks too exposed for wet trips, what's your opinion Leclused?

I think you ask that for the stoots? Paul (member of our club) did several ducks with the stoots lamp on several occasions.

Just before the duck in Trou Wuinant

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RDcwgrMBOzI/Xe-becmq3gI/AAAAAAAAajs/BEcu1RCGNPMuJ5M7xU_VrnBOPBvWouaNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/PC080317.JPG


https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nO72i0tQ...2214_561632887920228_643998352823812096_n.jpg

Video of the duck made by Paul : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTvDMdJFh7k
Where you can see the way of communication via a "speaking tube"

another video in the same cave : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZIvyS3Mg8

leaving the cave https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-miGOMG-7P7M/Xcqo6504frI/AAAAAAAAaeo/EswU_b9Kx2wc5fm9R-gJjGwT8Um3ydI0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/74211330_2813402675371735_5689160963576561664_n.jpg

 

[David Rose]

As mentioned above, I strongly recommend the Scurion for overall quality, robustness, its range of settings, long battery life and after sales support. Mine is a 1500. Its brightness on full power is quite something. Sometimes I turn it up towards the end of a trip when I know it won't run out and it's almost like being in daylight.

I wouldn't knock any lamp I haven't used, but I did have an El Speleo for about three years that I ended up being quite unhappy with. The cable quality was poor, and eventually it frayed. The mounting was far inferior to the Scurion's, and the battery arrangement was also unsatisfactory. As for after sales: forget it. They may have improved now, but the model I had - if memory serves, I bought it in 2013 - was a disappointment.   

 

[paul]

Another vote for the Scurion from me.

I made a mistake of taking my credit card with me when I visited the caving gear sellers location while at EuroSpeleo when it was in the Vercors in 2008 and succumbed to purchasing a Scurion from Rolf. I use it regularly and it's still going strong although not as bright as more recent offerings, it's still more than bright enough and very reliable.

 

[aricooperdavis]

I've had a very different experience of the El Speleo after-sales - after mine flooded due to a faulty seal they had me post it back to them to be repaired and within a week posted it back to me all at no cost.

I agree that the GoPro mount isn't great, but that was fixed by the addition of a plastic washer.

 

[JoshW]

I had an el speleo and the connector between the lamp and the battery box, whilst making charging less of a faff, became very unreliable so ended up chopping it out and making it a direct system.

Eventually various reliability issues ended in me going for a rude Nora 3 a couple of years back (with aspirations of getting into diving) and I?ve got no regrets, lightweight, bombproof and good battery life.

 

[Leclused]

Take a look at the reviews of Derek Bristol

https://www.derekbristol.com/headlamps

 

[royfellows]

[...] your headtorch is the second most important piece of equipment. [...]

What's the most important?

Helmet. My view anyway.
You can go in anywahere far enough by daylight to split your head open without one.
Yes?

 

[Paul Marvin]

Ha Ha Roy we use cheap chinese head torches and still going strong after 12 years , BUT our back ups are good old trusty mini Q40,s. Having said that we always have a bag of video lights with us .

 

[benshannon]

Thanks guys this has been super helpful 😊😊😊

 

[droid]

I've used cheap chinese caplamps and they are fine.

They haven't got the prestige of a Scurion or a Sten but they work and they haven't got the price either.

 

[royfellows]

I've used cheap chinese caplamps and they are fine.

They haven't got the prestige of a Scurion or a Sten but they work and they haven't got the price either.

Yes, flashes, strobes, lousy effiency, lighting levels either too bright or too low for undergound use,  etc.
They should come with drain holes in the bottom, and maybe a fire extinguisher to go with the Ultafire batteries and charger

Was that what Steven Seagal put in the microwave in "Under Siege"?

 

[droid]

The one I had was fine. None of the characteristics you mention.

Only speaking from experience Roy. 

 

[Paul Marvin]

The one I had was fine. None of the characteristics you mention.

Only speaking from experience Roy. 

Mine are also ok as for a " light " but way to cold and wrong colour for photos. I think people get way to caught up in the current trend and what everybody else has . The diving world is terrible for this people and paying a grand for a side mount harness they can make as I did for less than ?80.00 

PS I dont use anything though with the word " Fire " in it 

 

[Leclused]

The one I had was fine. None of the characteristics you mention.

Only speaking from experience Roy. 

Mine are also ok as for a " light " but way to cold and wrong colour for photos. I think people get way to caught up in the current trend and what everybody else has .

A bit of topic

A while ago I asked a clubmember what a good lamp would be for photo/video. At the end we came up with the following specs

= Hi CRI (+90)
= color temp 5000 K
= 5000-6000 lumen
= weight max 500-600 gram batteries included
= max 100 ?
= 18650 cells

A lamp that fits these specs is

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/sofirn-sp36s-5200lumen-rechargeable-flashlight-4-lh351d-5000k-leds-quick-charge?fbclid=IwAR0jXl2CM_ljjEcBj7qZmOaXOocXPhMO5PQp8Gz3tpsp9FqVgdcuFLFvPWI

 

[royfellows]

PS I dont use anything though with the word " Fire " in it 

I think the word "fire" should probably be taken literally

 

[Paul Marvin]

The one I had was fine. None of the characteristics you mention.

Only speaking from experience Roy. 

Mine are also ok as for a " light " but way to cold and wrong colour for photos. I think people get way to caught up in the current trend and what everybody else has .

A bit of topic

A while ago I asked a clubmember what a good lamp would be for photo/video. At the end we came up with the following specs

= Hi CRI (+90)
= color temp 5000 K
= 5000-6000 lumen
= weight max 500-600 gram batteries included
= max 100 ?
= 18650 cells

A lamp that fits these specs is

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/sofirn-sp36s-5200lumen-rechargeable-flashlight-4-lh351d-5000k-leds-quick-charge?fbclid=IwAR0jXl2CM_ljjEcBj7qZmOaXOocXPhMO5PQp8Gz3tpsp9FqVgdcuFLFvPWI

Very similar to what we use the kelvins on mine are 5500 

 

[Rob]

... A bit of topic

A while ago I asked a clubmember what a good lamp would be for photo/video. At the end we came up with the following specs

= Hi CRI (+90)
= color temp 5000 K
= 5000-6000 lumen
= weight max 500-600 gram batteries included
= max 100 ?
= 18650 cells

A lamp that fits these specs is

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/sofirn-sp36s-5200lumen-rechargeable-flashlight-4-lh351d-5000k-leds-quick-charge?fbclid=IwAR0jXl2CM_ljjEcBj7qZmOaXOocXPhMO5PQp8Gz3tpsp9FqVgdcuFLFvPWI

I'd say one of the most important attributes of a torch for photo/video would be the lens/spread. Most off the shelf torches are way too spot for video or most photos.

 

[Paul Marvin]

... A bit of topic

A while ago I asked a clubmember what a good lamp would be for photo/video. At the end we came up with the following specs

= Hi CRI (+90)
= color temp 5000 K
= 5000-6000 lumen
= weight max 500-600 gram batteries included
= max 100 ?
= 18650 cells

A lamp that fits these specs is

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/sofirn-sp36s-5200lumen-rechargeable-flashlight-4-lh351d-5000k-leds-quick-charge?fbclid=IwAR0jXl2CM_ljjEcBj7qZmOaXOocXPhMO5PQp8Gz3tpsp9FqVgdcuFLFvPWI

I'd say one of the most important attributes of a torch for photo/video would be the lens/spread. Most off the shelf torches are way too spot for video or most photos.

That's why I use video lights they cover my wide angle lens lovely, a bit of a tip though if you take the reflector out of a torch you don't have a hard edge light