Ok, so now it is time for your night dive. Taking that giant step in the black unknown. Seeing marine life that only comes out at night. Pretty scary for most. One way to help overcome that fear is to have a really bright light and a good backup.

For years divers have relied on the incandescent light with either C or D cell batteries. But new technology has produced LED(light-emitting diode) and HID(high-intensity discharge) lights. My light is a Princeton LED Miniwave, and my backup is a Princeton Tec-40. LED & HID light not only produce more lumen power, but also burn last longer and cooler.

A good handheld LED light can run about $50-100, but they produce a much greater lumen power than the old incanddescent lights. If you want even more lumen, you might want to consider the high-end HID. These lights with run you anywhere from $300 for a handheld to over $700 for photography lighting.

Regardless of which type of light you have or buy, it is important to take good care of your light. After diving, remove all the batteries, wash your light with clean water and store it in a cool dry place. Underwater your light can be used for both illumination and emergency.