Dive Rite EX35 Primary Canister Dive Light

Dive Rite EX35 Primary Canister Light: A Serious Primary Light for Technical and Cave Divers

The Dive Rite EX35 is a canister-style primary dive light. That means the battery lives in a separate canister unit that you mount to your body or stage, connected by a cord to a handheld light head. This is the configuration serious technical and cave divers use when they need a powerful, long-burning light that a compact handheld simply cannot provide.

If you are doing cave, cavern, or technical wreck diving and you need a primary light you can trust for the duration of a long, complex dive, this is the category of light you are looking for.

What You Are Getting

The EX35 is built from aluminum, both the canister body and the light head. Aluminum is the standard material for canister lights at this level. It handles pressure reliably, dissipates heat from the LED, and holds up to the kind of repeated hard use that technical diving puts on gear.

The light source is an LED. This matters because LEDs draw less power for a given output than older lamp technologies, which directly extends your burn time. They also do not have a filament to shake loose or a bulb to blow mid-dive.

Power comes from a battery canister, which is the defining feature of this class of light. The canister is what separates a primary canister light from a handheld backup. You get significantly more battery capacity, and therefore significantly more burn time, than any comparable handheld unit. For cave diving in particular, where you plan your dive around the rule of thirds and need a light that genuinely lasts, that capacity is not optional.

This specific configuration comes with the standard lid, which is the canister's end cap. Dive Rite offers different lid options to suit different battery types and configurations. If you already know you need a specific lid for a particular battery setup, confirm the standard lid suits your intended battery before purchasing.

Who This Light Is For

The EX35 is aimed squarely at technical and cave divers who are running a primary light as part of a full light kit, typically alongside one or two smaller backup lights.

If you are a recreational open-water diver looking for a light to carry on reef dives, this is more light than you need. A quality handheld is simpler, less expensive to maintain, and perfectly adequate for recreational depths and durations.

If you are moving into overhead environments, doing long penetrations, or running decompression dives where you will be in the water for an extended period, a canister primary is the appropriate tool. The EX35 fits that context.

A Practical Note on Canister Lights

Canister lights require more setup and maintenance discipline than handhelds. You are managing a cord, a separate mounting system for the canister, and O-ring seals on both the canister and the light head. None of this is complicated, but it is part of your pre-dive routine.

If you are new to canister lights, get a proper briefing from an instructor or experienced cave diver before your first use. The system rewards divers who treat it methodically.

Before You Buy

Confirm lumen output, beam angle, burn time, depth rating, canister capacity, and compatible battery specifications directly with Dive Rite or a dealer before purchasing, especially if you are planning dives with specific light requirements.

The EX35 carries Dive Rite's part number LT6800. Use that when speaking with a dealer or contacting Dive Rite support to make sure you are discussing exactly this configuration.