Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

[xxo]

And here we already see the problem. Convoluted and impractical interfaces. To turn the light on, it is not simply enough to press the button all the way like it would be on a forward clicky, instead one has to double press it, and then triple press for 2nd mode. Not something I'd consider actually usable, or practical. I'm sure many will be fine with it, but I'm a person which is very particular regarding flashlight interfaces. If I can't pick it up and figure it out right away, If I need to look up how to use the light, there is something wrong with it. To me such lights are toys or gadgets, rather than functional tools. And having to lock-out a light to stop it from draining the battery is not a good look. Imagine needing it in a critical situation, just to find it not turning on, because you forgot it is locked-out.

The Maglite ML50 and ML300 work great, very easy to use and not complicated - press and hold for momentary or a quick double tap for high or triple tap for low. Standby drain is a disadvantage with electronic switches, but it takes many months or even years before the cells get drained - not something that you notice if you are using the light frequently.

 

[busseguy]

Forward clicky all the way, I love having the option of momentary on. Reverse clicky sucks.

 

[archimedes]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

I prefer the forward mechanical clicky. I like immediate output when first activating the switch.

E-switches can be ok, but some have better or worse ergonomics, in terms of responsiveness and tactile feedback.

 

[mickb]

The Maglite ML50 and ML300 work great, very easy to use and not complicated - press and hold for momentary or a quick double tap for high or triple tap for low. Standby drain is a disadvantage with electronic switches, but it takes many months or even years before the cells get drained - not something that you notice if you are using the light frequently.

Different taps and durations fall into the category of complicated interfaces for some of us. If you are using lights under pressure, it can be unworkable. There are different switches marketed as being for cops or security etc but the majority select basic forward clickly and momentary. Thats only a part of the market of course, not trying to say it trumps how other hobbies or professions use lights.

 

[staticx57]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

Cannot stand forward clickies. I almost never use momentary on and changing modes and programming lights is far easier with reverse clickies. Also much nicer to cycle modes while the light is on if you need to change what you are doing, you just half press rather than having to cycle the switch.

Also contrary to posts here, you can most definitely momentarily flash your light with things such as strobe or SOS, you just need to think I want my light momentarily off rather than momentarily on.

 

[Beamhead]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

Forward, why no option for side switch?

 

[lightfooted]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

Cannot stand forward clickies. I almost never use momentary on and changing modes and programming lights is far easier with reverse clickies. Also much nicer to cycle modes while the light is on if you need to change what you are doing, you just half press rather than having to cycle the switch.

Also contrary to posts here, you can most definitely momentarily flash your light with things such as strobe or SOS, you just need to think I want my light momentarily off rather than momentarily on.

Because momentarily turning your flashlight OFF...is a natural and instinctive thing to do. Like pedaling backwards to go forward on your bike or driving your car in reverse to get to where you want to go.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

Because momentarily turning your flashlight OFF...is a natural and instinctive thing to do. Like pedaling backwards to go forward on your bike or driving your car in reverse to get to where you want to go.

Now that's a hyperbole if I've ever seen one. So you don't use a computer because typing on a keyboard is not instinctive like doing finger painting on stone walls? :nana:

A quick enough half-press and you won't even register that your torch is off. No instinct to it, only conditioning to the tool you have.

 

[Lou Minescence]

Reverse clicky switches are best to switch brightness levels when the light is already on.
Forward clicky is best for everything else.

 

[prof student]

Electronic. You can get best of both, that way.

I don't think I have ever heard of that. What are some lights that have such a thing?

 

[prof student]

If your light does NOT have memory mode, what do y'all prefer then?

So having a forward clicky gives you a temporary option, that a reverse clicky can't do?

 

[bykfixer]

Reverse clicky can have a momentary yes, but after it was clicked to on. At least in some cases after you've clicked to on you can half press off/on.

Actually my favorite switch is the side switch slider with a mid point for signaling but those went by the wayside when the clicky proved reliable enough to replace them as the switch to use.

Old incan Bright Star lights had fabulous slider switches. Anything Don Keller designed also had good sliding switches. The most reliable switch is probably the tailcap twisty. If done well they could be easy to activate for signaling or constant. But like the slider the clicky replaced those too. Not a bad thing really. Kinda like inflateable rubber tires replacing the more reliable solid rubber but the convience is worth the trade off.

Which is best? That's simply a matter of preference.
Which do you prefer prof student?

 

[lightfooted]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

Now that's a hyperbole if I've ever seen one. So you don't use a computer because typing on a keyboard is not instinctive like doing finger painting on stone walls? :nana:

A quick enough half-press and you won't even register that your torch is off. No instinct to it, only conditioning to the tool you have.

No I get that for switching modes, but my point is that I don't usually want to only switch the light off momentarily in case I want to use it again in a few seconds. I just feel like reverse clickies would be like throwing all the paint up on a stone wall and then wiping off what you don't want there to make your drawing/painting. That is kind of a thing...but anyways.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Electronic. You can get best of both, that way.

Usually no momentary (unless there is a dedicated, secondary switch for it, which has other disadvantages). No travel. Parasitic drain. They just feel worse (my personal opinion).

Firmware, such as Anduril, has momentary for the electronic switch. You just have to set the light into momentary mode. Works fine. Momentary isn't really my thing, but I can see it useful for security.

I have only 2 lights with a mechanical forward-clicky tail-switch. (1 is a 4sevens quark.) I hate it so much, I glued a tube onto the end of it, so I can at least tail-stand the light. If forward-clickies were recessed (probably some are), maybe I wouldn't hate them so much.

 

[xxo]

Different taps and durations fall into the category of complicated interfaces for some of us. If you are using lights under pressure, it can be unworkable. There are different switches marketed as being for cops or security etc but the majority select basic forward clickly and momentary. Thats only a part of the market of course, not trying to say it trumps how other hobbies or professions use lights.

It sounds more complicated than it is. As for momentary operation, you can forget the modes and just press/release the button as needed. This type of switch is near ideal for tactical use since there is no coil spring to compress and decompress to turn it on and off. When you want it on, it's on, instantly and off instantly when you want it off and there are no issues with pressing too hard under stress and clicking it to constant on. And there is virtually no spring pressure to fight and make you slip off the switch unintentionally. I can't think of a simpler set up for a tactical light with modes except for maybe a gas pedal switch.

 

[nbp]

Re: Forward vs Reverse clicky & why?

....changing modes and programming lights is far easier with reverse clickies. Also much nicer to cycle modes while the light is on if you need to change what you are doing, you just half press rather than having to cycle the switch.

I agree with this and like reverse clickies for this reason but have gotten used to having to choose my mode right away since most lights are forward clickies. I would prefer to start low and just tap it up in brightness to the next level if needed and this is much simpler with reverse clickies.

 

[aznsx]

The shortest response is: Both. Application-dependent.

With all due respect, (and I do mean that in a positive way): In my opinion, this question is roughly analogous to someone inviting me to dinner, then asking if I'd prefer to eat dinner with a fork or a spoon. The only 2 properly valid possible responses would be: A) "What are we having for dinner?", or B) "Both". Any other responses would be from someone who generally only eats one type of food, or one who eats everything from pea soup to M&Ms with chop sticks (not that there's anything wrong with either).

The two interface types are fundamentally different, with each being fundamentally superior, and in some instances absolutely mandatory, depending upon the application. Anyone who believes either is fundamentally superior for all uses lacks a fundamental understanding of all the different uses / applications people have for their flashlights. I have a wide variety of applications, and thus a broader perspective. I buy and use both, and while one is an absolute requirement for me in several of my highest priority applications, the other is also superior in other applications. There is no single 'correct answer' to which is best, and thus why each enjoys a large and sustained market share in different user segments.

We could probably just ask 'Exactly how do you use your flashlight', and predict the answer to your question from those results. What's in your refrigerator?

Edit: Line spacing

 

[lion504]

Anyone who believes either is fundamentally superior for all uses lacks a fundamental understanding of all the different uses / applications people have for their flashlights.

I seek this fundamental understanding.

 

[bykfixer]

Some like Coca Cola, some like Pepsi. Neither are wrong.

 

[wraith11]

Personally I think it's a bit six of one, half a dozen of the other. If I was going to split hairs (and, well, this is an enthusiast forum... splitting hairs is kind of what we do), I'd say I probably have a preference for forward clicky. That's probably just down to how I use them: pick up light, illuminate something over there, turn it off again. On the flipside, that could well be down to my first decent lights having been forward clicky, so it's what I adapted to. Thinking about it though, anything that comes on low first, I kind of like a reverse clicky, as I'm probably wanting light for a little longer. That, or I'm poking around in an engine bay or something, in which case it's easy to cycle up to high... or it's forward clicky which, for the lights I have, tend to come on high anyway so happy days.

So yeah, slight preference for forward clicky. However, in actual use (that I use them for), I personally find the functional difference so miniscule that I really don't notice one way or the other.