OrcaTorch SD03 Dive Beacon

SD03: SD03 Dive Beacon I'm always looking to increase my visibility and preparedness. The SD03 Dive Marker does both. It can provide a visible strobe for others to see you or can be used as a backup flashlight. Both are important items to have but in this case, incorporated into the same device. I took the SD03 on some cold dark dives here in the Pacific Northwest as well as a week of warm water diving in the caribbean.  Overview: So how did the SD03 Dive Beacon do? In the case: It comes in a box with spare o-rings, a single aaa battery, a lanyard, a user manual and a warranty card. Build and design: The overall quality feels solid in hand. The threading screws together with ease. It came with lubricated double o-rings that should help keep it watertight at 100m depth. Depth Rated 100m Size: 76.15mm (Length)* 30.5mm(Diameter) * Net Weight: 50g without battery Power: It’s powered by a single AAA or rechargeable lithium 14500 battery. I chose to use a Vapcell H10 14500 Purple/White 10A Button Top 1000mAh Battery Max Runtime: 250 hours (Battery dependent) Simple: The light is intuitive and easy to use. Simply twist on and off. It can emit light in 4 different colors and has 8 lighting modes: for each color either constant light or flashing mode. Both color and light modes can be chosen by rotating the body. The mode used for more than 3s will be memorized, when you turn it on, the SD03 will start to cycle from the memorized mode by default Attachment points: There is a single attachment point on the tail of the light. You can use the provided lanyard. My only concern is the plastic used for the attachment point. The plastic could snap under force or if dropped. Metal would be a better option. Finish: The finish shows little wear after multiple dives. Final Thoughts: Pros: -Bright and sustainable output. -Good colors for underwater use. -Good Size. Small enough to travel with. Very lightweight. -Twist On/Off for easy use. -Includes one aaa battery -Long runtime allows for multiple dives before needing new batteries. -Adds safety to any dive -100m rated depth makes this usable to technical and recreational divers. -Good value -Great emergency backup light Con’s: -It should come with a rechargeable 1000 mah 14500 battery. -Flashing pulse speed is not controllable. It is faster than I would prefer. -Im concerned the plastic attachment point will break. Metal would be more appropriate -There should be a white flashing option on the body like the other colors -The light is significantly brighter with a 14500 battery. AA output is dull in comparison.

Last dive season I got cavern certified. One very important lesson in that class was reinforcement of a lesson from Deep diving class, the importance of lights. I had issues. Specifically, dissatisfaction with my primary and back up dive lights as well as with my dive beacon light. Let's talk beacon lights - the light most used on the cylinder & yoke/din primary regulator connection for night dives. In my deep class I invested, at the recommendation of my LDS in a not so inexpensive 3 light kit with a HUGE "primary" that reminded me of a 12-volt camping light, a bulky back up and a puny beacon light. After 3 years of intensive diving, the only one still in my kit was the beacon light. I was in hunt of a replacement for it as it only offered a weak white light with 1 mode, on or off. As a dive master, I am often asked to lead night dives, sometimes with people who are not night dive certified. Again, after months of research, I found a solution, the OrcaTorch SD03 Dive Beacon as it offered solutions to SO many issues that I had with my basic beacon. First 4 light colors; red, blue, white, and green. Additionally, any of the colors can also strobe on and off! This made it PERFECT for a group night dive. Everyone in my group was kitted with the SD03 and we set them all to the same color - blue. As the dive leader, I set my blue light to strobe. Strobe is a strong term here. It gently glows on and off, it's not a manic flashing back and forth. This enabled my dive group to stay together AND follow me as intended. It's compact - shorter than my index finger. Light weight - no noticeable impact on the weight of a dive kit. Long lasting -literature claims of 150 hours on a single AA battery. It's also the perfect brightness, easy to spot if you're staying buddy close but not so bright as to disrupt vision at night. I highly recommend this light to anyone interested in night diving or wanting a great visual aid for dive buddy recognition.

The ORCATORCH SD03 has become one of my favorite pieces of dive gear. For such a small beacon, it puts out an impressive amount of light. The 360° visibility is excellent underwater, and the four color options (white, red, blue, green) make it super easy to use for team signaling, positioning, or just staying visible in low‑light conditions. I really like how simple it is to operate — the rotary switch works smoothly even with thick gloves, and the mode memory is a surprisingly useful touch. The build quality feels solid, and the 150m waterproof rating gives me confidence taking it on deeper dives. It’s also lightweight and easy to attach to a BCD, tank , or backpack. Battery life is another big win. The long runtime means I don’t have to worry about swapping batteries constantly, and changing them is quick and tool‑free. For the price, this is a fantastic little signal light. Bright, durable, easy to use, and extremely versatile. Highly recommended for night diving, safety signaling, or as a backup light.

I am a professional instructor and often teach and go night diving. I saw the SD03 and had to try it out. This little guy is GREAT! Everyone needs a tank light - even if you don't think you do. Diving at night - or at dusk - is always an additional risk. Tank lights let everyone know who is where - even if they don't have a primary light on. The problem with so many of these solutions is that they aren't very bright and they all seem to be one color. Roll credits for the SD03- this little masterpiece gives you 3 colors and 3 colors of "blinking" light - so you can have 6 divers all independently marked on a dive. This is the perfect solution for instructors and general divers. The bonus of the SD03 is that it has a utility light built in- just in case you need an emergency light. What I love about this light: 1) size- it's not much bigger than a very small light - watch my video and compare it to the typical tank light - the one DAN still sells. That one is great - but this one is smaller - the same price - and much more versatile - with the multiple colors 2) Battery - it's a AA battery - easy to change and replace 3) Bonus utility light - i've never seen this feature - and everyone should have this option! Whether you use it as a tank light or merely a pocket light as a backup - it's terrific. 4) Design - it fits right in your pocket - it loops right on your hose or tank - and it's easy to pack with you on a trip. The traditional "dot" lights - they have a small pressure clip -that never every stays put - they float away. This light has a secure loop -and stays in place. This is the most versatile tank light i've seen. I going to have to retire my others and get a set of these SD03s! See my video for the hands-on review...

Clever idea, the color changes as you twist the head, and there is a blinking/strobe feature for each color. Also a tiny backup light if needed. I like the idea overall, it's somewhat small to handle with gloves considering you need to twist it for it to function, and it's a little unclear exactly how far to twist it each time to activate the switch, so I almost feel as if I'm going to open it up and flood it. If it's being used as a tank marker for a night dive or a line marker though, clever idea. Would like to see it a tiny bit more easy to handle, especially with gloves.

I bought the Orcatorch light for a few key reasons. My dive instructor recommended having a reliable light for our certification dives in a local lake with decent but not exceptional visibility. I needed something recognizable, highly visible, affordable, and durable. As a fan of DiveTalk on YouTube, where Orcatorch lights are frequently praised, I already trusted the brand. I’d also purchased an Orcatorch DC710 during Prime Day, which impressed me with its brightness and quality, so sticking with Orcatorch was an easy choice. During our two-day certification dive at Lake Pleasant in Arizona, the light performed flawlessly, ticking every box on my wish list. It was bright, reliable, and perfect for the conditions. However, during a fun dive in Mexico over Labor Day weekend, the light began acting up. It worked intermittently, wouldn’t change colors on command, and occasionally turned on randomly. Thankfully, during a guided night dive, it stayed on and glowed green for the entire dive, saving the experience. When I got home, I contacted Orcatorch support, sending photos and videos of the issue. Their team was responsive, quickly coordinating with their Amazon seller, who shipped a replacement within a week. Overall, I’m a big fan of this light (and my DC710). It’s bright, easily visible underwater, stylish, and reliable enough to serve as a backup if my primary light fails, ensuring a safe return to the boat or shore. I highly recommend this Orcatorch light—or any of their products—to anyone seeking a robust, budget-friendly dive light.

Reliable, Bright, and Compact Beacon— Great for Any Dive The ORCATORCH SD03 has quickly become one of my favorite beacons I have owned. It’s small enough to clip onto a BCD, tank, or dive flag without getting in the way, but super bright and easy to see underwater. You get 4 colors in one light (blue, red, white, green), and each one has both steady and flashing modes. I use different colors to mark gear or communicate during night dives — super useful. The flashing red especially stands out in dark or low-vis conditions. It runs on one AAA battery and lasts longer than expected. No issues with flooding — the build quality feels solid and dive-ready. I’ve taken it on several dives now, including deeper ones, and it’s held up great. Overall, a great little dive beacon that adds safety and visibility without taking up space. Highly recommend for recreational and night divers alike!

The cool thing about this light is the ability to change the colors and make them solid or flash. It has has a built-in low lumen flashlight. In m video, I compare it to one of my other tank lights. I've been told my other light can be seen pretty far away. This light is almost as bright. My other light can't flash and the mfg doesn't make them anymore. I can change colors on it, but it's a pain. With the Orca light, switching modes is pretty simple. It took me a second to figure out how to change the mode. What you do is tighten the light until it turns on, loosen till it turns off and tighten it again back on right away. If you do the off/on switch fast enough, it will switch modes. I didn't try switching modes underwater on my first dive with it. I attached it to my flag reel so that I could compare it to my other light. Another huge advantage of the Orca light is that it requires a single AA battery. My other light requires 4 AAA batteries. This requires charging 3 fewer batteries! It doesn't sound like much, but when I have to charge flashlight batteries, strobe batteries, camera batteries, etc., any reduction in the qty of batteries required to charge is a bonus. I also own the Orca SD01 tank light, but I attach it to my dive flag. It's small and light. This light would be a little too heavy to put on my dive flag. If I could request one feature, it would be that it be positively buoyant. Most lights aren't though.

This is a must have for night dives. You and your buddy will know where you are at all times. Having different colours to identify each buddy pear. You shouldn’t lose them with this.

Desafirunadamente mi opinón es mala al producto ya que tenía buenas referencias por lo que hice la compra, desafortunadamente no funcionó la lámpara por lo que la valoración es mala. Ojalá que sus estándares de calidad mejoren.