Originally Posted by
js
As much as I love the PD mechanism, I'm with fyrstormer on this one. The McClickie switch inside the C pak is VERY well protected. If you put a McClickie inside a SF LOTC to change it to a clicky, and you drop the light tail first, then you end up giving the switch a good whack. And, in the case of the SF A2 LOTC, this often damages the internals. I don't know how often a McClickie would get damaged in these conditions, but it certainly can't be good to get whacked right on the plunger! Inside the C pak, however, it is protected from anything but a direct poke with a small diameter rod or stick. So, kind of unlikely to accidentally happen. The McClickie switch has a very good record of reliability--on a par with the kilroy spring in use in the PD lights I would guess, although I could certainly be wrong.
But, in any case, the McClickie is a sealed, no maintenance switch that will last pretty much indefinitely for most users. In my first post above I said "arguably less reliable switch" as a con of the 3S lights. But just because you can make the argument in theory doesn't mean that it turns out to be bourn out in practice. Further, the PD lights do need regular maintenance. They really do. They will take neglect and abuse for a while, but eventually it ends up impacting things. If the lube goes away on the o-rings and threads, you'll have wear there and a less smooth action. And, in my experience lube can and does get places where it is not wanted and needed, like on the contact "C" ring for the high level. And without lube, o-rings will wear down over time. If I were giving a light to a friend or family member who was not a geeky gadget flashaholic freak like myself, I would definitely opt for a Clickie pak light over a PD, and I would have a much higher confidence that it would continue to function as advertised, stay water tight, and be as usable as when first given to them. I mean, personally, I LOVE to maintain my lights. It gives me a just a little of that honeymoon feeling I got when first receiving and getting to know the light. But for many people (if not most people) maintenance is a pain or is out-of-sight-out-of-mind. For them, the C Pak is the best and most reliable choice.
Re: The Haiku: why the 3S McClickie lights have surpassed the PD lights!
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Ah well. But if I could EDC two comfortably, I'd go with SunDrop and Haiku! God, wouldn't it be awesome if you could have both those beams, at all three levels, in ONE light, with an easy to use UI? LOL! Sorry. Just dreaming!
The exposed parts of the PD mechanism are very easy to service but they also require service. The kilroy wire wears down over time, and sometimes the solder joints fatigue a bit, both of which change the "gap" between low and high modes; the electronic switching in the 3S lights is unaffected by mechanical age. Replacing the kilroy wire requires soldering skill; replacing a McClicky switch requires essentially no skill at all. The 3S lights also have no moving seals during operation, whereas the PD lights have two. I dislike having to disassemble the 3S light engine to get at the driver, but hey, at least replacement drivers are actually available, unlike the PD lights. The 3S design is more durable and serviceable from several perspectives, even if the bits that actually do the work are pre-packaged.
