XTAR D06 1600 Dive Torch

If you want one reliable primary torch for Australian night dives, wreck holds and bringing colour back at depth, the XTAR D06 1600 punches well above its roughly $120 price. It is a focused-beam primary light aimed at recreational divers who want genuine output and a tough alloy body without paying canister-light money. It will not replace a dedicated video light, but as a do-everything beam it is hard to fault for the money.

## Overview

The D06 1600 is XTAR's updated take on a popular mid-budget dive torch, now running a Cree XHP35 D4 emitter for 1600 lumens on full. It is built around a single 18650 battery, with a 3500mAh cell included in the kit, an aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium body and an anti-corrosive finish that shrugs off salt water provided you rinse it properly. Rated to 100 metres, it sits comfortably inside recreational limits and then some.

What sets the D06 apart from cheaper lights is the magnetic slide switch. Rather than clicking through fixed modes, you slide a collar along the barrel to ramp brightness smoothly between 10 and 1600 lumens. In Australian conditions that flexibility matters. You can wind it down to a low glow while poking around pier pylons, then ramp it up to cut through the green, plankton-rich water that NSW and Victorian divers know well. The tight beam throws a long way, XTAR quotes 430 metres on land, so it is at its best as a spotting and penetration beam rather than a broad wash of light.

Where the budget Wurkkos DL70 throws a huge, cheap flood and the pricier ORCATORCH D710 leans on a tank-like build, the D06 carves out the sensible middle: enough output to matter, a genuinely useful dimmer, and a body that will last seasons of salt water for roughly half the price of a premium light. In practice it earns its place across a range of Australian dives. On a temperate shore dive at somewhere like Bare Island or Rye Pier, the tight hotspot lifts colour out of the gloom and picks out the macro life southern divers chase. On a tropical night dive it is bright enough to work a reef without washing everything out, and the low end is dim enough not to spook skittish critters. For wreck divers, the focused beam reaches into holds and under overhangs where a flood just bounces back at you. The one job it does not do is wide-angle video, the beam is simply too narrow to light a scene evenly.

A couple of practical notes for Australian buyers. The 18650 cell is the same format used by countless torches and head lamps, so spares are cheap and easy to find, though airlines cap loose lithium cells in carry-on, so check the rules before you fly to a liveaboard. And because the slide switch is magnetic, keep the light clear of your compass and any sensors when you stow it.

## Key Features

- 1600 lumens maximum output from a Cree XHP35 D4 LED - Magnetic slide switch with smooth variable brightness from 10 to 1600 lumens - Depth rated to 100 metres, IPX8 waterproof - Powered by a single 18650 lithium cell (3500mAh included); also runs 2x CR123A or 2x 16340 - Runtime from 1 hour 30 minutes on full to around 75 hours at 10 lumens - 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium body with anti-corrosive coating - On-land beam throw up to 430 metres - Compact at 152mm long and 185g without the battery

## The Good

- The variable slide dimmer is genuinely useful: you set exactly the brightness a dive needs instead of cycling through preset steps - Strong, focused beam cuts through low-visibility temperate water and reaches into wreck holds and overhangs - Solid alloy construction and a proper 100m rating, this is not a throwaway light - The single 18650 format means cheap, widely available spare cells you can carry on a boat - Compact and light enough to clip off or stow in a BCD pocket as a backup once you upgrade

## The Bad

- A single 18650 gives only about 90 minutes at full output, so you will dial it back on longer dives or carry a spare cell - The narrow, focused beam is great for spotting but too tight to use as a video or photography light - Magnetic slide switches can nudge out of position against gear or a sandy bottom, worth a glance mid-dive - Some kits ship without the battery, so confirm what is included before you buy

## Verdict

For around $120 the XTAR D06 1600 is one of the easiest dive torches to recommend to an Australian recreational diver who wants a single capable primary light. The variable slide dimmer, focused beam and tough alloy body deliver most of what divers actually want, and the universal 18650 battery keeps running costs low. It is not the light for underwater video, and the runtime on full means you will manage your brightness on longer dives, but neither is a dealbreaker at this price. If you want one torch that handles night dives, wrecks and gloomy temperate water without fuss, this is a smart buy.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)