---Fidget Factor---

[Bull-Dozer]

What light is the best for fidgeting? Forget performance, collectability, price, reliability and anything objective. What is flat out the best light to pick up and simply fidget with in hand? I'm going with the Stream Light Side Winder for the adjustable head, lift-and-rotate button, and springy clip.

 

[letschat7]

Good way to wear it out.

 

[ironhorse]

Frelux Synergy 3. Sort of like flipping a Zippo open and shut.

 

[Bull-Dozer]

---letschat7--- No worries, I think I have six of them with at least one still in the original blister pack. Amazing what troops will trade for cheap flashy gas station knives. Anyhow, I only ever use one and I never baby it. If it were to break I might be able to spot a weak point. It has been a handful of years now, none so far.

 

[Bull-Dozer]

---ironhorse--- I had to look up the Frelux Synergy 3. I like that it looks a bit odd. As for Zippos, I forgot their high fidget value. Makes me want one in hand right now, lol.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

Acebeam Rider RX. Purposely built for fidgeting.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I like to flip Mini-Mags in my hand.

 

[letschat7]

The hinge on Zippo wears and the lid is loose if you play with it too much. If you use it as a candle the spring for the flint loses it's springiness.

I think you should treat gear like an SD weapon and only mess around with it for maintanence and actual use. If you play around with stuff it wears out and when you need it things may not work as ideally as you need it.

With lights the switches do wear out, bulbs break the filiment if used to much, and batteries get used up.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

The hinge on Zippo wears and the lid is loose if you play with it too much. If you use it as a candle the spring for the flint loses it's springiness.

I think you should treat gear like an SD weapon and only mess around with it for maintanence and actual use. If you play around with stuff it wears out and when you need it things may not work as ideally as you need it.

With lights the switches do wear out, bulbs break the filiment if used to much, and batteries get used up.

A good excuse to buy a new, state of the art item.

"Oh, Honey, look! The switch on my flashlight broke. Well, I guess I'll just have to break down and buy a new one."

 

[letschat7]

Ha!

 

[Christoph]

It doesn't get any more figgity than this one. Spy 005
Dave has said you can't wear the switch out, something about several 100K operations.

 

[ironhorse]

100,000 operations. If I were to sit in my chair each evening and turn it off and on 100 times, I would wear it out in 2.74 years. Not that I would do that.

 

[letschat7]

Surefire says switches wear out and I hear the weapon light cable ones fail frequently.

 

[Kestrel]

Honestly, the SF Z41 tailcap is what made me a flashaholic - after decades and decades of having all sorts of flashlight switches fail.

 

[M@elstrom]

The Manker Timeback III supposedly features a built in fidget spinner in an unusual looking high output 18650 powered form factor, I'm not familiar with the brand but haven't ever owned a fidget spinner either 😝

Mankerlight Timeback III

Mankerlight manufactures innovative LED flashlight and EDC gear for outdoor enthusiasts etc. Manker are doing something different! Click for more details.

mankerlight.com

 

[Bull-Dozer]

---Fidgets--- I had to look up most of those. The Acebeam Rider RX has a bolt-action clip? How awesome is that! This is why I'm poor, lol. The Spy 005 is a work of art. I love the look but the sticker shock about gave me a stroke. The SureFire Z41 looks to have a solidly pronounced tail cap, I can see the attraction for sure. Google shows plenty of replacement tail caps on offer. If I had that light I would have a few extra tail caps for sure. The Manker Timeback III looks like something straight out of the Star Wars universe. If I could justify the price I would order one right now!

---Wear & Tear Philosophy--- I usually press everything I have into common use as needed. I do not intentionally beat on my possessions but I do not baby them either. If an item holds up well and if I can find that to be the common experience (forums, reviews, word of mouth, etc.) then I usually buy a few more of that item to keep put back for a rainy day. There are exceptions of course such as a thing being irreplaceable, collectible or sentimental.

 

[Brokenarrow]

I am up to about a dozen of the AA/AAA lights in pursuit of the perfect fidgit toy. So far the Tool AA and i3t are my favorites. The Rider is a decent light but just doesn't do it for me. Swap out the alkaline batteries and they are handy for edc.

 

[Bull-Dozer]

---Brokenarrow--- I have a couple of the Tool in AAA. I've always liked them for sure. I don't think they can be beat when it comes to convenience. The times I carry a Tool (AAA) I seem to use it more than anything else in my pocket or in my bag. They may not be the brightest but they're just too easy to keep on a keychain and typically good enough in the moment.

 

[Monocrom]

I'd say best one would be any compact light with an overly complicated U.I. (I straight up forgot that my Fenix right-angle head light had a red LED on it. Oh! I fidgeted with that thing for a long while before discovering how to get to that red light.)