Nova - Wide-Angle Beam Torch:

 

                                                   

           

RETAIL COST BETWEEN: $49.95 - $69.95

Manufacturer Specs:

  • Super bright 4.7 watt Luxeon LED lifetime bulb
  • Anodized Aluminum housing
  • Waterproof to 400' (120m)
  • 6-8 hour burn time
  • Compact, stylish and comfortable ergonomic design
  • Magnetic switch
  • Triple O-ring protection Perfect for diving, camping, safety and video
  • 130 lumens bright

    WARNING: Intova will only support warranty on products purchased from authorized dealers. A copy of the purchase receipt must accompany all warranty returns. Purchases from unauthorized dealers will not be supported under warranty program.

Initial Impressions: Very rugged looking construction, contoured handle that feels comfortable in hand, nice lanyard with solid locking clip and a plastic sleeve to make the lanyard a little more comfortable. I like the idea of the magnetic switch, as it limits the number of holes cut into the flashlight housing. The batteries are installed by removing the end cap of the light; the cap utilizes dual o-rings (though the specs mention 3) to limit the possibility of leakage. A quick initial above water test to see how far the light's beam would shine wasn't very impressive. I shined the light from the ground to the top of a roughly 60 foot tree and  illuminated the entire area where I shined the light; however I wasn't able to distinguish any fine details farther than 30-35 feet due to the fact that the light is diffused to cover a wider area.

Above-water Tests: Since the current was so strong at Jackson Blue I had to measure the width of the of the "spot" and "halo" produced by the light above water. All lights were tested from a distance of 37'.

 

In-water Tests: We traveled to Jackson Blue Spring located in Merrit's Mill Pond. We entered the cave ~100ft. to a depth of 40+/- feet. The visibility was around 100 - 150' (meaning that I could see the light from cave divers that far away, as only a bright point of light).We laid out a tape reel stretching another 75' into the cave. The tests were conducted by two divers making their own separate notes. Diver1 stayed at a fixed point (lights out) and Diver2 swam away from Diver1 following the tape reel. Diver2 would check to see how far they could get from Diver1 and still be able to "clearly" tell that Diver1 was a diver and not a boulder or a shadow. After the tests were completed the diver roles were switched and tests were conducted again. When all the tests were over the notes were compared and found to be within 1-2' of each other. The lights were also reviewed making note of how easy they were to turn "on" and "off".

Results: The Intova light was measured to have an in-water light penetration distance of 30 feet, which is less than it's Narrow Beam cousin. This means that up to 30' we were able to distinguish that there was a diver lurking in the dark. However, the light traveled to roughly 35-40' but at that distance we were unable to locate the diver in the dark. The wide beam covered a large area however, in exchange for a wide beam the light travels a shorter distance. Intova uses a magnetic on/off switch to turn the light on/off. This is used to limit the number of holes cut into the housing. We found that the is pretty easy to turn on and off using either bare hands or gloves with grip (3mm Neosport and Akona Adventure Gloves were tested). Note: The light is negatively buoyant, so if dropped it will sink which is normal for most dive lights. The light was easy to handle produced a lot of light. However, I would not feel comfortable using this as a primary light for open water dives, but would suggest this as a good secondary light.

Pros: Nice, small light that's pretty bright. It would serve as a good secondary light for most dives (looking under ledges or nooks and crannies). It could also be used during a night dive in clear water with good visibility.

Cons: Uses the less common and slightly expensive CR123 battery. I'd suggest stocking up on CR123 batteries as they could be hard to find in small towns or remote dive locations. These batteries can be purchased on the Internet for as cheap as $1.00 per battery. However, in local stores they average between $5 - $7+ per two pack. Actually, the local Wal-Mart sells a (2) pack for $9.87. The on/off switch track can attract sand and other debris which can cause the light to be difficult to turn on/off. This site should be flushed with freshwater after dives or in the case of spring diving between dives.

Warranty: Intova offers a 1 year warranty on this light which excludes batteries and bulbs.