clicky cap is my choice!

[Rusty Joe]

I gotta ask a question now that I have experimented with both the clicky cap and the twist cap type lights; why do so many big tactical light companies like Surefire and Streamlight make the twist type? I have gotten to hate them. A clicky cap is much better all round.

Why would anyone prefer a twist type when it takes two hands, and more time, to activate? I can't see why anyone would want them. I'm fixing to get rid of all mine that are not click-activated.

 

[GeorgePaul]

Well, the twist type is much harder to turn on accidentally, so you're less likely to drain your batteries inadevertently. I like clickies with the LOTC feature.

 

[Rusty Joe]

Well, the twist type is much harder to turn on accidentally, so you're less likely to drain your batteries inadevertently. I like clickies with the LOTC feature.

I have heard that said, but every damn one of them I have ever had was turned on accidently anyway being pressed against my pants in the pocket.

The clicky caps prevented that by themselves. I have to be in a real awkward position to accidently get the thing to "click" on in your britches.

Just recently I ran down a fresh set of batteries because the button was slightly pressed. I have tried to see what people see in those things, but I just can't.

 

[GeorgePaul]

I have heard that said, but every damn one of them I have ever had was turned on accidently anyway being pressed against my pants in the pocket.

I really don't see how pressing the light against your pants could turn on a twisty. But that's just me.

 

[Lobo]

If the twistie isnt completely turned off, you can turn it on by pressing on it, that's how they can be turned on in your pocket.

And to the original question. Twisties are much more reliable, since there hardly is any mechanism, nothing can fail (logically, even though I NEVER EVER had a clickie fail on me).

 

[Sig229]

Lobo is correct. Less moving parts in a twisty thus less to fail. More reliable in the end.
Bill

 

[65535]

It would be very hard, but since SF lights are tactical lights a twisty makes more sense, for the exact same reason a twisty is hard to turn off its also inherentally hard to turn off, which also means its much less likely to hit something and flicker off than a clicky, can you imagine raiding a warehouse or enemy building and hitting your tailcap turning your light off? Well chances are against that happening to a twisty.

 

[Rusty Joe]

Nope, again, every time i have used the twisties (unless they were set on permanent off) they were too easily pressed on in the pocket--every time without fail. I have never had a push button come on that way, not even once.

As far as repair, again, the two that went out for me were twisties.

Hu'uh. I ain't convinced.

 

[jumpstat]

Nope, again, every time i have used the twisties (unless they were set on permanent off) they were too easily pressed on in the pocket--every time without fail. I have never had a push button come on that way, not even once.

As far as repair, again, the two that went out for me were twisties.

Hu'uh. I ain't convinced.

Hi there,

Do you mind telling which twisty lite that you are referring to?. My edc of choice is Surefires. I rarely lock out my L1 when I carry it. And I usually put the lanyard round my neck and it rides on my shirt pocket, LED down. So far not much a problem.

On the other hand. My KL1/E2e/E2dTC combi, since it has got the E2d TC, this I never lock out at all. But this TC has a firm clik on it.

Personally, I prefer clickies to twisties, but then I am basing this minly on the lites that I have....

 

[ScooterBug]

i like twisty on my work light. push it's on. let up, it's off. if i happen to drop it, it will not come on. if i push too hard on a clicky, in the heat of the moment, then i drop it.....the light is still on. i don't want that...YMMV.

 

[mossyoak]

Nope, again, every time i have used the twisties (unless they were set on permanent off) they were too easily pressed on in the pocket--every time without fail. I have never had a push button come on that way, not even once.

As far as repair, again, the two that went out for me were twisties.

Hu'uh. I ain't convinced.

but i bet it wasnt the twistie/momentary tailcap that needed the repair.

 

[Rusty Joe]

Hi there,

Do you mind telling which twisty lite that you are referring to?. My edc of choice is Surefires. I rarely lock out my L1 when I carry it. And I usually put the lanyard round my neck and it rides on my shirt pocket, LED down. So far not much a problem.

On the other hand. My KL1/E2e/E2dTC combi, since it has got the E2d TC, this I never lock out at all. But this TC has a firm clik on it.

Personally, I prefer clickies to twisties, but then I am basing this minly on the lites that I have....

Both were Inovas XO and XO3. However, my SL TL-3 and Surefire G2 got hot in my pocket because they were accidently activated.

 

[falconz]

In general use, I do agree clickie is more convenient.
But I did face this situation where I dare not switch on my flashlight due to this:
The clickie was too loud and it might give away my position.

It was an Inova XO3 fitted with a T3 tailcap. At that moment in time, how i wished I did not change away the twistie tailcap.

 

[Rusty Joe]

but i bet it wasnt the twistie/momentary tailcap that needed the repair.

Yes, it was. I got the XO3 to work, but it is quircky. Regardless of why, it is the mechanism requiring two hands to activate I hate, not to mention they keep getting lit up in my pocket! I thought I was on fire one day because of those things!

 

[Rusty Joe]

i like twisty on my work light. push it's on. let up, it's off. if i happen to drop it, it will not come on. if i push too hard on a clicky, in the heat of the moment, then i drop it.....the light is still on. i don't want that...YMMV.

Yes, but that is a very bizarre situation to me, and rare. The clickies have a push-on, click-on effect as well (I am only referring to those that can be tactically used here). I just don't see a disadvantage with them.

 

[Rusty Joe]

In general use, I do agree clickie is more convenient.
The clickie was too loud and it might give away my position.

Very, very unlikely. In truth, it is far more likely that a bad guy spooks you when you are not ready and you don't have time to use both hands to activate the light to see from whence the attacker comes.

For every slight advantage a twisty has, the clicky beats it hands down in my book.

 

[Lobo]

It would be very hard, but since SF lights are tactical lights a twisty makes more sense, for the exact same reason a twisty is hard to turn off its also inherentally hard to turn off, which also means its much less likely to hit something and flicker off than a clicky, can you imagine raiding a warehouse or enemy building and hitting your tailcap turning your light off? Well chances are against that happening to a twisty.

I'm no member of a SWAT-team, but I'm pretty sure it's the other way around. Even have a recollection of reading some rules about what Surefire thought was a tactical light, and momentary on/off was a must in their doctrine. You must be able to light up a target immediately or turn of the light immediately so you don't give away your position, or if you drop the light, it must go off, so you don't give away your position.

In general use, I do agree clickie is more convenient.
But I did face this situation where I dare not switch on my flashlight due to this:
The clickie was too loud and it might give away my position.

It was an Inova XO3 fitted with a T3 tailcap. At that moment in time, how i wished I did not change away the twistie tailcap.

Don't think the insanely bright beam of light would have given away your position.
Just kidding, and is the X03 a twistie?

 

[tussery]

I can turn on a twisty tail cap with one hand and I killed the batteries on my E2L by accidentally turning it on in my pants and it has the Z57 clicky at least with the twisty cap I know it's not going to stay on unless it is fully twisted. I also like the convience of a clickie cap also so I keep both.

 

[Rusty Joe]

I know it's not going to stay on unless it is fully twisted.

I don't see why people keep getting logically hung up here; if a light is already activated to the continuous "on" position (be it clicky or twisty), if it drops from there, it's going to be on when it falls out of your hand or not.

I am talking about two tactical lights that have the ability to shine on and off tactically, so they have the same abilities here.

 

[tussery]

Evidently you missed my point. If you put a light with a twisty cap in your pocket and it is not locked out the most that is going to happen is it will momentarily turn on, because the twisty is not going to turn itself the rest of the way to constant on. Where as you put a clickie cap in your pocket and it is not locked out you run the chance of unknowingly clicking it on to the constant on position.


That is the point I am making and it has happened to me with my E2L that has a clicky and my 9P with a twisty never turned itself on and drained the batteries like the E2L did.