That's funny. I spent dozens of hours in this very forum, beginning 8 years ago, looking for the very lights you claim were around. I didn't find anybody talking about any of them. So, where would I have heard of them if not in a FLASHLIGHT forum? What were these lights you speak of, with side-switches? What brand? What model?
Anyone else glad to see more side switch options?
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That's funny. I spent dozens of hours in this very forum, beginning 8 years ago, looking for the very lights you claim were around. I didn't find anybody talking about any of them. So, where would I have heard of them if not in a FLASHLIGHT forum? What were these lights you speak of, with side-switches? What brand? What model?
I like having more options fot buying a light with a side switch. With heavy snow, a light held at eye level throws back too much reflection, which means lowering the light to waist level where it just seems less blinding. You also don't have to twist the light around to get your thumb on the tail switch to change modes. But there are also situations when waist level use just isn't possible or practicle.
Haha I was thinking the same thing. Not that many quality lights with sideswitches compared with tailswitches. He must be thinking about all those unbranded old incan D and C cell lights that even flashoholics thinks is not worth mentioning. You know those old ones with a switch on one side and a row of magnets on the other
If you try to google "flashlight" and choose pictures, youll see lots of sideswitched light, so he does have a point. But most of them have one thing in common. Cheap crap.
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Haha I was thinking the same thing. Not that many quality lights with sideswitches compared with tailswitches. He must be thinking about all those unbranded old incan D and C cell lights that even flashoholics thinks is not worth mentioning. You know those old ones with a switch on one side and a row of magnets on the other
EXACTLY! Nice to know I am not alone in seeing this.
As I stated, I spent a LOT of time in this forum 8 years ago, only to discover that nary a side-switch light was to be found by the brands preferred by members here. According to TEEJ there was, but I have not yet heard what brand or model it was that I overlooked.
ZebraLight was not around and all the other brands were pushing twisties and tail-end clickies. I thought it was odd at the time, and that my flashaholism was unique in that I very much wanted a higher quality light with a side switch. Now, here it is 8 years later, and you can imagine my delight to see an abundance of lights (real lights, not giant Mag lights) now being made with side switches. It's awesome. I guess my preferences were not so unique after all. It just took time for the tactical light madness to wear off. Makers are now seeing the reason why ZebraLight is so popular, and it's not just for their UI. It's the ergonomics of their lights.
Not alone, but still in the minority. Sorry, but even on the biggest flashlight forum on the internet, some brands just don't get a lot of discussion at all. Even though they make reliable, excellent-quality, lights. Best example of this would be Streamlight. And yes, Streamlight has quite a few models out there with side-switches. Had them available for years before Zebralight even came on the scene. TEEJ is right. If you want a quality light with a side-switch, those have existed for years now. They just haven't been discussed much at all by fellow CPFers. Doesn't mean they're not quality lights. Just means they're not exciting enough to create enough buzz to get discussions going, or to sustain those discussions long enough to not get buried underneath other (more popular) topics.
You keep saying that flashlight companies are putting out all these new models with side-switches now. All thanks to Zebralight. Yet, you haven't mentioned any specific, newly-released, models with side-switches. Please share with us which specific new models you've seen, and where we can get them. I wouldn't mind adding a couple of good LED lights with side-switches to my collection. Especially one that might replace my Enercell 2AA model in my BOB. It's nice overall, but the balance makes it too head-heavy.
Actually, I was a HUGE Streamlight fan for years. They are a very fine quality light at a very reasonable price. I don't recall any LED side-switch models from the past though. I loved their 4aa ProPoly light but it had a tail switch. What models HAD a side switch?
If you want to see all the new side-switch models just look at the running ad at the top of this site's main page. Just about every brand now has one. I'm surprised you haven't noticed. Olight, Nitecore, Sunwayman, Klarus, ZebraLight, Xtar, Eagletac, Fenix, they are all making them now. And not just making them, but giving them MUCH attention.
I just remembered as I was pondering all the Streamlight lights I had from the past. There was a TaskLight that I had back in 2004, which did indeed have a really nice side switch. The problem was that the light output was so useless that I ended up selling it. In fact, this was what got me going on my quest to find a better light with the same switch. I never found it, until years later.
Streamlight was the closest to my "perfect light" but even though they were one of the few who made a great quality light with a great quality switch, their beam came up short.
I had forgotten about that light.
Streamlight was the closest to my "perfect light" but even though they were one of the few who made a great quality light with a great quality switch, their beam came up short.
I had forgotten about that light.
I think monocrom is right about other lights with sideswitches. I can think of Streamlight and Pelican.
But I also get that feeling jbrett describes about many new lights with sideswitches.
Fenix, EagleTac, jetbeam. Nitecore and/or Thrunite (I'm on my smartphone right now, can't check it).
The lights I have got since I found CPF have except for my ZL sc30 been lights with tailswitch.
Not because I wanted tactical/tacticool lights but because they where lights that seemed good for outdoor/edc/around the house lights.
I'm looking forward to a sc52w and maybe that new EagleTac SX25 light with 6 x AA.
But I also get that feeling jbrett describes about many new lights with sideswitches.
Fenix, EagleTac, jetbeam. Nitecore and/or Thrunite (I'm on my smartphone right now, can't check it).
The lights I have got since I found CPF have except for my ZL sc30 been lights with tailswitch.
Not because I wanted tactical/tacticool lights but because they where lights that seemed good for outdoor/edc/around the house lights.
I'm looking forward to a sc52w and maybe that new EagleTac SX25 light with 6 x AA.
Sunwayman C20C, Nitecore Explorer series and Klarus RS11 to name a few.
Yeah, I won't knock the quality of Streamlight or Pelican, but they just do not compare, in light output, to all the other brands that are discussed in this forum.
Of all the brands I have seen and owned, Streamlight has been the one that I have always held dear. I loved their quality and I loved their side switch, but I couldn't resist the far brighter output of lights from Fenix, JetBeam, etc.
For years I was favoring output over switch location, but I was never satisfied. I was always hoping for lights with great output AND a switch at the thumb, but it seemed makers would make only one or the other, but not both combined. Now, the wait is over and there are plenty of options beyond Streamlight and Pelican.
Of all the brands I have seen and owned, Streamlight has been the one that I have always held dear. I loved their quality and I loved their side switch, but I couldn't resist the far brighter output of lights from Fenix, JetBeam, etc.
For years I was favoring output over switch location, but I was never satisfied. I was always hoping for lights with great output AND a switch at the thumb, but it seemed makers would make only one or the other, but not both combined. Now, the wait is over and there are plenty of options beyond Streamlight and Pelican.
Yep, and there are plenty more. For anyone who has not already, just go to GoingGear and do a filtered search for "side switch" flashlights. There are DOZENS that were non-existent prior to this past year.
It's nice to have all these choices. I feel that my "perfect light" is finally within reach. The new SC600 MkII perhaps? or some other brand.
LOL
I did what you advised, and while there WERE lots of side switched lights, and SOME that were new...I did the same thing for the tail switched lights' filters...and saw EVEN MORE tail switched new lights.
IE: There are simply a LOT of new lights....and some had side switches....and some had tail switches.
A lot MORE new lights had tail switches though...so, I can't say Going Gear's filter searches support the impression that there's a flood of new side switched lights and a waning of tail switched lights.
I still think that the non-tactical crowd is better off sometimes with a side switch, and that at least some makers are making them in response to that.
Its just the GG search doesn't support side switches as now dominant, or even there being more new sideswitched lights than tail switched lights....GG says there's more tail lights.
I don't recall ever saying that there were MORE side-switched lights than tail-switched lights. The discussion was never about that. It wasn't a competition. Not sure how you perceived it that way, but you clearly have taken my original words to another direction. I was merely pointing out the INCREASE in side-switch lights, to which I am grateful. And I was curious if anyone else was as well.
If you have nothing to offer the discussion, in light of the OBVIOUS increase in side-switched lights, then one must wonder, what is your intent?
If you cannot see the clear evidence that there most certainly is an increase in makers going to side-switch lights, then I must also wonder, can you see?
I am guessing you can see, so then, why are you unable to see what is so very clear? and why would this cause you strife?
If you have nothing to offer the discussion, in light of the OBVIOUS increase in side-switched lights, then one must wonder, what is your intent?
If you cannot see the clear evidence that there most certainly is an increase in makers going to side-switch lights, then I must also wonder, can you see?
I am guessing you can see, so then, why are you unable to see what is so very clear? and why would this cause you strife?
markr6
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It would be really nice to do everything with one switch, but for me this usually isn't possible since momentary on is very important. But the new Nitecore EA4 shutter style switch finally acheives this. You still have to cycle thru the 4 low modes but you can do it very quickly. It's a really nice UI all in a side switch.
The Zebralight side switch is nearly perfect IMO. Even though it doesn't have the momentary on, you can get to the three main brightness modes from off. In headlights, I'm fine without momentary but this prevents me from trying their torches. I don't see any way they can incorporate a momentary function into the current UI.
Overall, I like both and I'm glad to see more side switch options.
The Zebralight side switch is nearly perfect IMO. Even though it doesn't have the momentary on, you can get to the three main brightness modes from off. In headlights, I'm fine without momentary but this prevents me from trying their torches. I don't see any way they can incorporate a momentary function into the current UI.
Overall, I like both and I'm glad to see more side switch options.
I also think you're missing the point. It was never stated that there are more side switches then tail end switches, but there are more side switches then there were 5 years ago on high end lights. How you misconstrued the OP into thinking it was being stated that there are MORE side then Tail switches. But that seems to be what you've done, and it'd be nice if we could get back to the OP without the Original Poster wasting time trying to explain to you what this post is about.LOL
I did what you advised, and while there WERE lots of side switched lights, and SOME that were new...I did the same thing for the tail switched lights' filters...and saw EVEN MORE tail switched new lights.
IE: There are simply a LOT of new lights....and some had side switches....and some had tail switches.
A lot MORE new lights had tail switches though...so, I can't say Going Gear's filter searches support the impression that there's a flood of new side switched lights and a waning of tail switched lights.
I still think that the non-tactical crowd is better off sometimes with a side switch, and that at least some makers are making them in response to that.
Its just the GG search doesn't support side switches as now dominant, or even there being more new sideswitched lights than tail switched lights....GG says there's more tail lights.
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Thanks Stilt. I appreciate you paying attention to detail. You are right on when you said "It was never stated that there are more side switches then tail end switches, but there are more side switches then there were 5 years ago on high end lights".
I tend to agree about the ZL side switch and I don't even have a light with the newer switch. I only have the SC51 which has the accidental turn-on problem. But assuming the newer switches do not accidentally turn on, they must be fantastic.
Are there any things you don't like about that Nitecore shutter-style switch?
You just proved the point. Read the topic of the tread.
It's not about how many % of the worlds light is sideswitch vs rearswitch. It's more about: We are enjoing the fact that we got more than 5-6 quality side switch lights to choose from today.
And the last year or so, the nubers of lights/brand/sizes to choose from is growing rapidly. Today we got more than the 3-4 good old ones aleredy mentioned.
Some years ago we had.. hmmm mentioned so far: (mag) Pelican, streamlights. Oh, and i remember the sunlite had some side switches.
There was not mutch to choose from if you wanted a quality led light with a sideswitch. Now we can choose from lots of brand/sizes. Open your eyes and ull see the side switches is growing in the marked.
The ZL accidental turn on can be avoided quite easily by twisting back the tail cap until the light doesn't turn on. Haven't read about the new switches, but I hope they need a little more pressure to use.
EXACTLY!
