3 most favorite flashlight UIs (user interfaces)

[MY]

I know that this subject has been asked before but now with some of the new user interfaces on the market, favorites might have changed. It seems that there are basically two schools of thought here: 1: more options and resulting complexity or, 2: simplify but provide few light levels and options.

OK, I will start:

1. Surefire Titan T1A - infinite variable brightness with just a twist of the head
2. ARC 6 - refined 3-level PD
3. Mr. Bulk Lion cub - side push button

Although I do like variable brightness, I also like the KISS principal applied in a well thought out logical fashion. Disclaimer, there are many lights on the market with different UIs, I don't own them so can't comment on their operation.

What are your three most favorite UIs and why?

Regards.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Based on my current lights:

LiteFlux LF2XT and LF3XT UI
Photon Proton and ReX UI
Surefire L1 or NiteCore EZAA (two stage)

Geoff

 

[gswitter]

1. HDS/NovaTac/Ra
2. Surefire Titan
3. Surefire L1/L2 2-stage.

 

[SilentK]

Fenix TK series (10,11,20)

Surefire A2 L2 L1 two stage

Quark Tactical

 

[Toaster]

Big lights: Eagletac M2XC4 (selector ring needs work but closest there is atm)
Medium lights: Surefire L1/L2
Small lights: Liteflux LF2X (not LF2XT)

 

[MY]

Thanks for the replies. It would be interesting to describe in a few words why the UI is particularly appealing to you!

Regards.

 

[fiorano]

Nitecore DX/EX - low low, variable brightness and NO disco modes! :rock:

 

[radu1976]

1. JETBEAM III PRO IBS
2. FENIX TK SERIES and EAGLETAC P/T100C2
3. SUREFIRE E1B

 

[brighterisbetter]

1. McGizmo 'PD' - press for low/flood, press harder for high/throw (depending on model of course)
2. Surefire Titan - infinitely adjustable simple twisty
3. Novatac/HDS/Ra - set the 4 levels how you want them

honorable mention: Quark Tactical & Jet-III M

 

[Lumenz]

1. HDS/Novatac/Ra: 4 easily accessed levels of my choosing
2. Surefire Titan: Infinitely variable output
3. Photon Proton: Ramp up or down to any level; extra flashing functions are out of the way.

 

[CobraMan]

1. Mr. Bulk LionHeart (V2)
2. Surefire U2
3. Novatac

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

1. SureFire A2/L1/L2/LX2
2. SureFire U2
3. Muyshont Aeon/Nautilus

 

[jp2515]

1. Surefire T1/T1A
2. Surefire U2/Fenix TA21
3. Surefire A2/L1/LX2

 

[uplite]

#1 - Zebralight H501


- soft-touch button
- quick tap to turn on in High mode
- slow tap to turn on in Low mode
- hold to cycle thru modes
- double-click for hidden modes


There is no point in me listing a #2 or #3. No other light I own comes close to this good a UI.

-Jeff

 

[hyperloop]

Jetbeam's IBS UI : great flexibility in programming, no disco modes unless i want them, can change from lo-med-hi to hi-lo-med to strobe-med-lo etc etc ad infinitum

Nitecore's EX10 - instantly accessible min - hi and still have the flexibility of ramping up or down as needed

Any twisty 2 mode where i tighten for lo, tighten more for high (also like my LD01 where it comes on in med (most used) then low then max)

 

[MY]

Seems like there are a lot of Surefire UI fans out there!

Regards.

 

[fyrstormer]

McGizmo PD - light press = low, hard press = high, or you can twist.
Nitecore PD - tap once for on, tap again for off, tap+hold for brightness adjustment.
Single-level Twisty - tighten for on, loosen for off.

When I come from, flashlights always had two modes (on and off) and infinite brightness adjustment (dimming due to low batteries). I accept nothing less in my new flashlights.

Seriously though, I have almost no use for multiple modes, and to the extent that I do, it's usually in applications that vary so widely that it isn't appropriate to use the same flashlight -- I would never whip out one of my Gizmos to light the lock on my mailbox or the cables on the back of my computer, for example; for that I use something smaller that I know I'll always have with me, like a Wee or an Eiger. Maybe things would be different if I were a sexy international man of action, but I'm just a 9-to-5 man of reasonable attractiveness.

 

[Oddjob]

McGizmo PD- simple and intuitive.
Ra Twisty - simple and intuitive.

I personally never found any of the UI's I have used in the past to be overly complex but the two I listed are my favourites. What I mean by intuitive is they work like other things such and volume knobs. Turn it for on turn more for brighter. The piston on the McGizmo is the same. Push for on push more for brighter.

 

[euroken]

1) Nitecore Extreme or Nitecore Defender Infinity
2) Nitecore SR3, Jetbeam RRT-2, or other selector ring
3) SF L1/L2

 

[Konad]

1) Nitecore EX10 - cant get any simpler or flexible than that...
2) Jetbeam Jet III w/IBS - any 3 modes you want, any order
3) Olight Infinitum - good for variable output, stobe is a bummer
.