I used to think a cheap backup dive light was fine until a night job in the Gulf

Spent about $150 on a no name light that looked solid, but the switch failed 30 minutes into a salvage op near Pensacola. I was stuck in zero viz with just my primary, which felt way too risky. The supervisor had to pull me up early and we lost half a day's pay covering the delay. Now I carry a proper secondary light that cost over $400, and I don't even think twice about the price. Has anyone else had a piece of gear fail at the absolute worst moment?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren65216d ago

My buddy's cheap BCD inflator stuck open at 60 feet. That's like @lilychen's regulator story, pure panic. You just can't cut corners on life support stuff.

lilychen16d ago

Oh man, do cheap regulators count? Had one start free-flowing at 90 feet during a night wreck dive. That sudden noise and burst of bubbles in the dark just about stopped my heart.