Canister dive lights are one of the most popular lights on the market today. If you are looking to invest in a canister dive light, there are a few factors to consider. Although there are a wide variety of canister lights out there, your intent for use will determine which one to go for. A factor that makes canister lights a favorable choice is that they use external battery packs. This way, their burn time is prolonged and the user is able to change the batteries under water. Due to their small head lights, one has the freedom to mount the light at the back of your hand.

Compared to other dive lights, canister dive lights are costly. This is because of their complex design, cost of service as well as the cost of components. Modern canister lights have evolved where it matters most: battery and bulb. You will notice that lithium polymer is now commonly used as a power source.

When it comes to bulbs, LED and HID are also used with this style of dive light, which makes this light even better in terms of performance. 35W and 50W HID canister lights are considered the brightest. However, LED bulbs are preferred because they do not need a lot of time to heat up. They are also more stable and less likely to burn out on you. Upon impact, they will hold up and not break. No matter the type of bulb used, look at the lumen rating, which will guide you on the canister light’s brightness.

Besides the efficiency of the bulb, you should also consider the material of the canister, it’s burn time, and the grip style. With this outline, you should be able to make a smart purchasing decision. Remember, sometimes experience is the best teacher. Testing out a few different types of canister lights gives you first hand experience while sampling different canister style dive lights.