How to Choose the Best Dive Torch for Spearfishing and Lobster Diving

January 28, 2026

When you’re diving in open water, caves, under ledges, at night or in low-visibility water, your dive torch becomes more than just a convenience. It becomes a critical piece of safety equipment and a tool that directly impacts your success underwater.

Not all dive torches are created equal, and choosing the right one can mean the difference between confidently lighting up structure or struggling with dim, unreliable light when it matters most.

Here’s what to look for when choosing the best dive torch.

1. Beam Width Matters More Than You Might Think

For general diving, spearfishing, lobster diving and searching for wildlife a narrow, focused beam is far more important than a wide flood beam.

A tight beam:

Cuts through turbid or dirty water more effectively
Reduces backscatter (light reflecting off particles)
Lets you see deeper into holes and crevices
Prevents lighting up unnecessary areas

Wide flood beams can feel bright in clear, very shallow water, but they don’t penetrate the water column properly, will only light up a couple meters in front of you and quickly become blinding in low visibility.

What to look for: A torch like ours designed with a narrow-focused beam optimised for underwater penetration to shine as far as the visibility will let you. Check out our FAQ for more information on narrow beams.

2. Consistent Output Beats Maximum Brightness

A torch that starts bright but fades quickly is frustrating and unreliable.

For real-world diving, you want consistent brightness across the entire runtime, not a short burst of peak output followed by rapid dimming.

This is achieved through quality LEDs, proper thermal management, and regulated drivers.

What to look for: Torches like ours designed to maintain stable output for their whole runtime.

3. Runtime That Matches Real Dive Days Is Crucial

Think about how you actually dive.

Most divers use their torch intermittently throughout a session rather than continuously unless diving at night. This allows us to extend our runtimes by good torch management and only turning on right when we need and switching off as soon as its not needed. However we do sometimes switch them on accidently, leave them on after dives or prefer to turn it them on during breath up sometimes so we always want a torch that will definitely last the whole session. If you dive all day, you will need a torch that offers consistent output and longer runtimes like the Powerhouse and Explorer. A good torch should comfortably handle:

Half to full day dive sessions when used between surface intervals

Night dives of at least an hour or more

Extended sessions with a spare battery available

What to look for: A realistic runtime rating based on practical use and the ability to swap batteries easily. Check out our FAQ for more information on our run times.

4. Battery Type and Quality

The battery inside your torch plays a huge role in performance.

High-quality lithium-ion cells provide:

Stable voltage

Stable output for consistent performance

Longer lifespan with hundred of charge cycles

High-capacity cells for extended run time

Common high-performance formats include 18650 and 26650 cells.

What to look for: Torches like ours that use dependable, high-capacity lithium-ion cells and offer spare batteries. Check out our FAQ for more information on our batteries.

5. Durability for Harsh Conditions

Spearfishing and lobster diving are tough on gear.

Your torch will get knocked on rocks, scraped along caves, and exposed to saltwater constantly.

Key durability features include:

Aerospace-grade aluminium body
Hard-anodised finish
Tempered glass lens
Shock resistance from drops

What to look for: A solid, purpose built construction built for impact and corrosion resistance. Check out our FAQ for more information on our build quality.

6. Simple Controls You Can Use with Gloves

Complicated button combinations and multiple modes sound good on paper but become annoying underwater.

You want:

Intuitive on/off operation
Minimal modes
Positive tactile feedback

Simplicity reduces task loading and lets you focus on diving.

What to look for: Straightforward controls designed for gloved hands. Check out our FAQ for more information on our switches.

7. Size and Mounting Options

Torch size should suit how you plan to use and carry it. We offer 3 different sizes and you can compare them easily by the in hand photos or dimensions listed on each product page.

Smaller torches are ideal as backups or minimalist primary lights. Our larger torches provide longer runtimes and higher sustained output without feeling too bulky in the hand or cumbersome to carry around during the dive.

Good mounting options include:

Wrist lanyard
Snare bracket mounting
Wetsuit pockets

What to look for: A size that fits your style of diving and mounting options.

8. Waterproof Sealing You Can Trust

Most torch failures happen because of water ingress.

Reliable sealing comes down to:

Quality double O-rings on each thread
Clean machining
Secured tempered glass lens
Proper thread tolerances

Regular lubrication and inspection are still important, but starting with good sealing makes a big difference.

What to look for: IPX-8 100m depth ratings with double O-ring sealing. Check out our FAQ for more information on our sealing methods.

9. Why Many Divers Choose Nautilux

Nautilux torches were designed specifically for spearfishing and lobster diving, based on years of real-world use in Australian conditions.

Every Nautilux torch features:

Narrow-focused beams to punch through the water

High quality LEDs, proper thermal management and regulated drivers

Dependable and consistent run times

High-capacity lithium-ion batteries for consistent output

Sleek drop tested housings.

Intuitive switches for simple, glove-friendly operation.

Sized to fit in most wetsuit pockets.

Pressure-tested to 100 metres with double O-rings on all threads

Long term reliability. Real world tested. Proven dive after dive by real divers

Whether you choose The Powerhouse , The Explorer, or The Pocket Rocket, you are getting a purpose built dive torch engineered to perform where it matters most. Check out our reviews to see why customers choose our torches.