do you like tailcap switches?

[peteybaby]

My new light has one, and after several days of use, I'd say I prefer the switch to be elsewhere. I find it awkward to take the light out of my pocket, and then re-grip it to click it on, and then re-grip it to hold it. And then re-grip it to change modes, and then re-grip it to hold it again. and so on and so on.


If I grip the light so that my thumb can press the tailcap switch, then when I let my arm and hand hang freely, the light is pointing behind me. I sometimes try to press the switch with my pinky, but the switch is just stiff enough to make that a little bit difficult.

I don't what I might like better though. A body side switch can take a couple of seconds to find. I don't love some twist heads either (takes 2 hands). I dreamed up an idea for a rotating collar switch about a month ago, but then shortly afterward, Fenix's new light with the rotating collar was announced. :) And then a buddy told me that Surefire has had a rotating collar switch on one of their lights for a while. I might like that, but I've never tried one.

It just surprises me that tailcap switches are so popular. My new light is my first one with a tailcap switch. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[TKC]

I like McGizmo's tail cap switches. It is clipped in my pocket bezel down, so when I pull it out, it is in position.

 

[peteybaby]

I can visualize that. But after you've turned on the light, do you hold your arm up in the air the whole time you're using it, or do you re-grip the light and let your arm hang down? If I use my light for more than 30 seconds, I want to let my arm hang down, so I re-grip the light, and if I'm holding something in my other hand, I have to sort of twirl the light with my fingers, and there's a small chance that I'll drop it.

 

[Size15's]

For those new to TailCap switches it may take a while to learn how to use it - how to pick-up and grip a flashlight so that it becomes second-nature.
This includes the 'new' way of holding them - so your elbow is bent - often so the flashlight is out in front of you or up by your head etc.

I don't have a clear idea of which flashlight you have but it does seem strange that you're having to change grips so often.

I have plenty of experience with SureFire flashlights and they are mostly single-handed operation with a few notable exceptions such as the U2 & K2 that have selector dials on the bezel as well as TailCap switches.

Several flashlights have TailCaps that integrate multi-mode switching along with a push button - the Gladius being perhaps the most obvious example.

I suspect that if you use and get to know your flashlight for a bit longer you'll become accustomed to it's operation and it'll feel more natural to you.

Al

 

[peteybaby]

You're right that I am getting accustomed to it, but I still find it a little bit awkward at times. The other night when unloading my car's trunk, I had a bit of difficulty because I was holding stuff in both hands. Using my fingers to flip the light around wasn't working, so I continued unloading the trunk with my light pointing backwards. That wasn't much help. :laughing:

So Al, you're saying that most people who use tailcap-switch lights hold their lights up near their shoulder? I guess if all I had to do was click the light on, re-grip it, and then go for my walk, that would be fine, but I like to play with the different output levels, which are activated by half-pressing the tailcap switch, and I turn the light off and on fairly often too, so I'm re-gripping quite often.

A rotating collar would be much easier to manipulate when holding the light facing forward with your arm hanging down. How come so few lights use this idea? Cost?

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I hate tailcap switches. Arthritis takes the fun out of it.

Having said that, I DO own one. It's a love thing. I have one light with a tailswitch that I love so much that I will overlook the switch. Needless to say, I don't use it much -- but the rest of it is perfect. I keep it. I look at it. I hold it in my hand. Mmmmm. I am blown away by it. I just won't use it, that's all. The switch sucks.

 

[scottaw]

I was just like you when I started getting into lights, i haven't thought about it in years until this post. Just turn it on, find your grip and turn it off as it gets clipped back to your pocket.

I use "cigar grip" a lot as well. Hold it between your index and middle finger, and use your thumb for the button. Works great with a novatac.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Don't mind them much, but one of the reasons I really like the Proton Pro is the side switch. Not many of them around, except the big Mags.

Geoff

 

[brucec]

I like tailcap switches. But I'm not picky and I don't have anything against side switches either. It's just that nearly all of the good lights are all tailcap switched. Maybe a tailcap switch is more reliable or replaceable or compact? :shrug: For short uses, I use the bent elbow-light up near shoulder method or cigar grip. This works well for me around the house. For outdoor or longer uses like walking, I will use arm down-light pointing forward. This does necessitate a grip change, but in these cases, I nearly always use a wrist lanyard. When I started using Surefires about 10 years ago, I don't remember the change to tailcap switches to be too difficult. It just seemed kind of natural to me.

 

[LowBat]

On small lights, yes. On big lights I prefer the clicky on the side near the head.

In my book the twisty isn't a switch, more of a lack of. It's one less thing to wear out, but a problem to operate, especially one handed.

 

[Kestrel]

In my book the twisty isn't a switch, more of a lack of. It's one less thing to wear out...

+1. In my life before CPF, all of my flashlight switches gave me trouble at some time or another, and some completely failed. After CPF, none of my twisties have ever given me trouble. (knock on wood)

 

[nerdgineer]

Side switches are nice ergonomically, but they add a lot more length to a light than a tail switch (which in turn adds more than a twisty), so I'd take compactness over ergonomics and prefer a tail switch.

The old style external side switches (like on the old 2D lights) were the best of both worlds in that they added no length to the light and were very ergonomic including having a side momentary. However, they couldn't be waterproofed, so here we are...

I'd like tail switches even more if they could get over the (to me...) useless tail standing feature and make tail switches that protruded. Backwards, forwards, whatever, just make it stick OUT and I'd be happy.

 

[deranged_coder]

I have no problems with using tailcap activated lights but if you dislike them there are alternatives.

The Photon Proton Pro has been mentioned as a nice light with a side switch. There are lights such as the Fenix L1T, L2T, TK10, TK11, TK20, EagleTac lights and JetBeam Element E3P (to name a few) where activation is done via a tailcap switch but selecting the light level is done via twisting the bezel. Not quite going away from a tailcap switch altogether but it would at least address the issue of being able to adjust levels while still holding the flashlight in a hammer grip. And you have lights which are fully controlled by twisting the bezel e.g. Fenix P1D, Muyshondt Aeon, etc. If you are open to custom lights the McGizmo LunaSol 20 can be activated either by pushing the piston in the tailcap (momentary on) or twisting the bezel (constant on).

 

[Moonshadow]

The great thing about a tail switch is that it's always in the same place ! In the dark, the last thing you want to be doing is turning the thing around trying to find the switch ! Some, like the Proton, have a clip or something to help you find it but that's still not as good as having it on the end.

 

[carbine15]

I'm working on a neural interface for my flashlights so I can turn them on by thinking about them. Until then the best switch location is the tail cap unless the light is too big to carry in the overhand grip like a mag lite (non-mini type).

 

[65535]

I like tailcap clicky switches. Never had one fail that I couldn't fix. Never had one fail after I fixed it. (U2 stock tailcaps.)

 

[sORe-EyEz]

not with long & heavy lights? :rolleyes:

as long as the center-of-gravity is not far out either end its fine with me. btw, the longest light i own is a 3AA celled Gerber LX1 at 7.5 inches. :whistle:

 

[Oddjob]

I don't mind tailcap switches although I do have a preference towards twisties. I tend to change my grip on a light very often regardless of the switch. I think for me it is part of the fun of using my lights plus it's probably good for your manual dexterity. I may use a tactical grip when first turning on a clickie and then if I have to use the light for a longer time I change to a pencil or cigar grip to point the light in many different directions. When I am walking my dog I hold my light in more of a traditional grip with my hand at my side. After a while using a light especially the same one becomes so second nature that it becomes a non issue to me.

 

[Moonshadow]

That's one of the reasons that I like the Gladius so much. It just seems perfectly balanced, and it's clear that a lot of thought has been put into the handling. Very easy to turn and hold in different grips, the tailcap and switch are easy to operate with one hand, and the tactical ring means that it doesn't slide through your hand as you operate the switch (which works with a lot less force anyway).

Unlike some other lights, it never feels as though you are going to drop it.

 

[RGB_LED]

I can see why having the switch on the body helps with positioning but you still need to be able to carry it and take it out to use which requires you to change hands anyway. A long time ago, I had a 4-D M*glite that I carried in one of those belt loops. I would pull it out of the belt loop by it's bezel, hit the switch with either my third finger of pinky, then spin it on top of my palm (sort of cocktail/bartender style) until the bezel faced outwards, then the light was ready and aiming in the direction that I pointed. I practiced this quite a bit until I could do it with one fluid motion. :grin2:

Now that I have many compact LED lights, I actually prefer tailcap clickies even though you would have to change positions to hold it with your arm hanging down. But, to me, it really doesn't matter since I usually do a cigar hold or I hold the light in my right hand just above my right ear. Btw, I don't miss the 4-D M*glite days but that spinning of the light was pretty fun... :D

One suggestion though: if you are doing anything where you need both hand's free, you may want to think about getting a headlamp as I find them much more convenient to use than trying to carry a light in my hand while also using my hands to carry or do other things. I can't believe that I used to go camping chores with a M*glite... these days, I have several compact headlamps (1AA / 1RCR123) that free up my hands and are way more convenient. :thumbsup: