LED Lenser Frogman torch £39.95

LED torches are nothing new. The concept is simple - use a highly efficient light-emitting diode to produce the light source. These diodes consume a fraction of the power that is used by a filament-type bulb and also have incredible longevity, typically around 100,000 hours - that's more than 11 years of continuous use. However, the problem in the past has been that while they can be bright to look at, they rarely emit enough light to be used as a diver's primary torch.

At Go Diving! - the spring outdoor show at Birmingham's NEC - Mike Calder of Mike's dive stores persuaded me otherwise, with this new torch from LED Lenser. I've just had the chance to test it and it's stunning. I took it for several dives, including a penetration dive inside the wreck of the Scylla. We compared it with a popular halogen torch. With the halogen set on half power, the Frogman was certainly as bright, if not brighter than the 20-watt torch. This is remarkable, as the light is coming from a single LED. The burn time is a massive 50 hours from four AA batteries. And, all this comes in at less than £40. My only criticism is that it is turned on by rotating anti-clockwise, which is the opposite to nearly all other manufacturers' models - it takes a little time to get used to.

This torch is certainly the best back-up torch on the market I have seen to date, and could even be used as a main torch on the majority of dives.

Verdict

Durable and very bright
Value: 9 out of 10
Performance: 9 out of 10

Contact: Mike's 020 8994 6006 http://www.mikesdivestore.com