The 8 Best Dive Lights

For most night and reef dives, the OrcaTorch D530 gets the balance right: a tight, bright spot that reaches far into murky water and picks out life tucked under ledges. One rechargeable cell runs it, and it charges through a port in the body. The side button works with gloves, and holding it down locks the light so it can't turn on in a bag. Out of the water it heats up fast, so keep checks on deck brief.

Turning the head of the OrcaTorch ZD710 MK2 slides its beam from a pencil-thin spot to a wide flood, so one torch can probe a wreck passage and then light a reef for a camera. A large rechargeable cell keeps it going through long dives, and it takes a wrist strap or a hand-mounted grip. It has a solid record of surviving knocks and drops. Its brightest setting lasts about a minute before it steps down on its own.

Divers who need both hands, for lobster hunting, line work or a camera, find a wrist mount packed with the OrcaTorch D550. The strap holds the light on the back of the hand, and a push button on the tail turns it on with a thumb. It's slim enough to clip to a vest as a spare. On high, one charge lasts about two hours, so a long night dive may call for the lower setting.

Instructors and dive guides point things out with the OrcaTorch D570-GL 2.0, a bright white torch with a low-power green pointer built in. The green dot stays visible in sunny shallows, so it can mark a tiny sea slug for a group or catch a buddy's eye from a distance. One side button runs both lights, gloves and all. Never aim the green beam at anyone's eyes, and expect barely an hour of full white light per charge.

Snorkelers and new divers on a tight budget get a lot of light from the Wurkkos DL30, a short torch with a wide head and three LEDs behind one lens. The broad beam suits reefs and night snorkels more than long-range spotting. Turning a ring near the head changes brightness, which is simpler with gloves than a tiny button, and it charges by USB-C under the tail cap. Its specs come only from the seller, and reliability reports are mixed.

A spare should be small and stubborn, and the OrcaTorch D580 is both. It turns on by twisting the head, so it can't switch itself on against a vest and drain before it's needed. It runs on a rechargeable cell or three AAA batteries, and a set of AAAs comes in the box. The narrow beam carries well for its size. Output is modest, so it's meant for getting back to the boat, not for exploring.

Divers who travel or hate charging can load the Underwater Kinetics C8 eLED with eight ordinary C batteries, sold almost everywhere, and leave lithium cells out of the dive bag. The California maker's lime pistol grip is easy to hold in thick gloves and easy to spot if it's dropped, and it's rated far deeper than any recreational dive. It's big and heavy for a handheld, though, and it won't ride on a wrist strap or fit a pocket.

Underwater photographers get several lights in one with the Wurkkos DL08: a very wide flood for filming, a narrower spot for finding a subject, plus red and ultraviolet modes. Red light is meant to bother shy fish less at night, and the ultraviolet setting makes some corals glow. A ball joint lets it sit on a camera tray, and it can double as a phone charger in a pinch. Battery life draws mixed reports, so plan to charge between dives.