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Review: UK Aqualite S20

The UK Aqualite S20 is an ideal dive light for free divers and video divers of all levels of experience. Light-weight and compact, it doesn’t get in the way and can hold its own for a good distance underwater.

Power

The beam angle is a narrow 20 degrees out of the box. It focuses well and has little to no back scatter, making it ideal as a primary dive light. It’s also great for video shooting underwater. The power has 3 main adjustments via a dial at the base of the light. The lowest power setting is at 80 lumens or 15% of the total power, the medium setting is 200 lumens or 40% of the total power, and the full power setting is 500 lumens, which is pretty bright for such a compact dive light.

Battery Life

The UK Aqualite S20 packs quite a punch as far as battery life is concerned. At the lowest power setting the battery has a burn time of up to 9 hours. At the highest power setting, the burn time is 1.5 hours. The average recreational diver won’t be staying under that long anyway, making the burn time more than enough.

Miscellaneous

This dive light fits into a wrist strap that can easily be configured for either the left or right hand to allow for hands-free diving. The lamp head is replaceable and can be exchanged for a 90 degree head for those looking to get a wider angle.

Pros

  • Most of the controls can be accessed with one hand, meaning the light will hardly be a hindrance during the diving experience. It can also be easily mounted on a wrist strap, allowing the diver to go completely hands-free.
  • It’s very light at 180 grams. Diving with it almost feels like it’s an extension of your own body.
  • It remains waterproof for a depth of up to 150m.

Cons

The 20 degree head lamp is very slightly uneven, with a hot spot in the center.

NightDiver-Scott: Scott first experienced the thrill of exploring the ocean while snorkeling during his senior class trip in high school. After that, he threw himself into diving, working diligently to become a master scuba diver so he could achieve his goal of diving for a living. And that’s exactly what he’s done –a commercial diver by day and a PADI diving instructor by night, Scott loves taking his dips after the sun has gone down, and because of this, he’s super particular about the quality and functionality of the dive lights he uses.