Warning: a cheap harbor light almost got me stuck under a barge in Mobile

I grabbed a $30 backup light for a quick hull check last week, and the thing just died at 40 feet, leaving me in total blackness under the structure. I had to feel my way back to the drop line by touch, which was a real bad time. Anyone have a go-to brand for a solid, cheap backup light that won't quit on you?

3 comments

3 Comments

anna_carter531mo ago

Man, why do we always cheap out on the stuff that keeps us alive? I did the same thing with a bike light once and nearly ended up in a ditch. For backup lights, I just bit the bullet and got a basic Princeton Tec, and it hasn't let me down yet. It's not fancy, but at least it turns on.

grant.margaret1mo ago

My buddy got one of those super cheap headlamps for a camping trip. It died halfway through setting up his tent in the dark. He spent the next hour holding a phone in his teeth just to see his hands. Swore off bargain bin safety gear after that night.

lee_butler20d ago

You said you had to feel your way back by touch, that sounds terrifying. What was going through your head when the light cut out, were you more worried about getting lost or hitting something sharp?