How To Choose a Night Snorkeling Light For Your Next Adventure
Just like the surface world, the underwater life that you can see while snorkeling changes in the day and in the night. But if you are planning to go snorkeling in the night, you are going to need a night light. Buying once can be tricky if you do not have the experience.
In this post, we will tell you about the different features of snorkeling lights so you can pick the best one for your night adventure. We’ll cover stuff like how much power the light should have, the angle of the beam, and the battery type that is best for this kind of trip.
Let’s take a deep dive into different things you should consider before you buy a night snorkeling light.
How Much Power Should the Light Have?
Here is a rule of thumb, the more the value of lumens (power) of the light, the brighter it will be. But here’s the thing, often time the brightest is not the best option because it depends a lot on water conditions, the angle of the beam and how you are going to use it.
For instance, a narrow beam torch can have less power but still appear bright because it isn’t lighting up a wider area in front of you. If that is the thing you are looking for, go for a light having at least 300 lumens. For more power, 500 lumens is recommended.
For wider torches, it is better to go with 500 lumens, or for best results, at least 1000 lumens. However, if the light is too bright, it can make it hard to see things when you are close to the reef, so you’ll need to manually adjust the power when this happens. Thankfully, a lot of snorkeling lights will give you the option to lower the light by default.
What Should be The Beam Angle?
Night snorkeling lights come in vast varieties of beam angles that are typically measured in degrees. For instance, a spotlight will have a range of 8-20 degrees and it will shine farther in murky water but will not be good enough for your surroundings.
Similarly, a wide beam having an angle of 40-100 degrees will end up taking more power but will light your surroundings better. At the same time, it may not be a good choice for murky water.
Although both of the angles will help you see the underwater life in the dark, it really comes down to whether you will be shooting videos or taking photographs underwater. If you are not taking any photos or shooting videos, go with the spot beam torch.
Size and Weight Matters
Last but not least, the size and weight of the light should also be taken into account because you want to cut down on the weight of all your equipment to make it as physically easy as possible for you to snorkel.
We highly recommend keeping your night snorkeling torch small and lightweight but make sure it has enough power and strong battery to give you a good vision in the water.
Not Sure What to Do?
If you don’t like searching for the perfect night light or snorkeling gear, come take a snorkeling tour with Blu Chi Charters. We provide you with all the necessary gear and light you’ll need to create a memorable experience in Key West. Snorkeling is better with us, give us a call today and book your private tour.