Do you prefer 'Normal' Clicky or Reverse Clicky?

[Spordin]

For camping and emergency lights, I prefer twisties. For tactical lights, I prefer normal clickie. For other lights, I don't care.

 

[xiaowenzu]

I'd also like to add that reverse clickie switches won't go off in your pocket accidentally if the switch is depressed.

Actually on the contrary, reverse clickies are more likely to drain the batteries when left in pocket because they generally take less effort to click on permanently due to the short travel of the switching mechanism. Therefore with an accidental bump your reverse clicky will be permanently ON.

However with FORWARD clickie, such as Maglites, I pretty much have the depress the button quite far to activate the 'click' which locks the light permanently on. It takes more effort to fully engage the light, which is a good thing. Forward clickie switches have longer travels because it's designed for tactical signaling... and you DON'T want the light so easily to lock on during crucial signalling moments - it can mean life and death for the user.

I like reverse clickies. They allow us to have those cool U.I. which are not possible with forward clickies.

hmm, the Surefire L1 is essentially a forward clickie with different levels of brightness. Off my head I can also think of the HDS 85 and Photon Microlight which are forward clickie with 'cool' U.I too. Anyways, as somebody here said, the U.I circuit board doesn't know if the power was interruped by the use of a reverse clickie or a forward clickie. Both implementations can have 'cool' U.I

 

[HarveyRich]

As mentioned, unfortunately this is a flawed poll since it doesn't allow a choice for "either." Personally, I don't care; both are fine. I like the fact that the L2D-CE has a neat multi-level interface and does it via a reverse clickie.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

I have always liked the normal Clickie on my lights as I like the momentary on feature

 

[VidPro]

i would give the reverse clickee a reprive in ONE condition, it was usefull to run a UI (user interface) once the light is already on.

 

[xiaowenzu]

I have always liked the normal Clickie on my lights as I like the momentary on feature

Very true. Another thing is that normal clickie allows you to turn on the light SILENTLY, since you don't have to fully CLICK it. I heard a CPF'er complain that his reverse clickie wakes his wife up everytime he use it to 'peek in the night' or go to the toilet. The sound of reverse clicky can be quite loud especially when you sleep with a partner.

With Forward clickie, I can activate the light to go toilet at night without making sound.

As far as I know ALL Chinese made lights are reverse clicky.
Fenix, Lumapower, Huntlight, Ultrafire, Jetbeam, Liteflux, Rexlight & Dealextreme lights are ALL reverse clickies.

 

[ukmike]

Given the choice of EDC light I prefer a twisty.(P1D-CE) If I had to choose a clicky it would be Normal. Saying that I do own a Huntlight cree. Also ordered Elly crees for friends.....

 

[riffraff]

I'd also like to add that reverse clickie switches won't go off in your pocket accidentally if the switch is depressed.

Ah, I was just going to say that. I carry a TLE-5'd mini-m@g with a TerraLUX reverse clickie around at work, in my back pocket. I can sit down, etc., and it's never accidentally come on. I can also shove in down into the original m@g pouch hard and it still doesn't come on.

Not sure that would be the case if it was a normal momentary clickie.

 

[EVOeight]

Normal clicky.

And, I HATE twisties too!

 

[Mash]

Given the general dislike for reverse clickies (me included), apart from the mentioned price factor, is there any reason they are still used in simple (ie no UI requirements) lights?

 

[TorchBoy]

Given the general dislike for reverse clickies (me included), apart from the mentioned price factor, is there any reason they are still used in simple (ie no UI requirements) lights?

I think you already have it. Call it price or simplicity of construction, it amounts to the same thing. No other reason I can think of.

 

[2xTrinity]

Does anyone know of a source for forward-clickes that could be retrofitted into lights that use the reverse style? I'm approaching a point where I'd rather not buy many new flashlights, but instead want to improve the ones I already have (new reflectors, lenses, switches, LED upgrades etc), and upgradings switches to foward clicky in a few of my lights would be great.

Flashlights should use electronic clickes, like the ones used in keyboards, a tap for constant on and holding the clicke for more then 1 second is momentary on(and I've never seen a electronic clicke break).

Absoltuely agreed. Those switches are essentially variable capacitors, and there are no breakable components in them. They can aslo be made to be absolutely silent as well as there's no "latching" mechanism needed. Finally, I love the feature of the Photon Freedom where click and hold (while off) causes it to start up dim and gradually increase in brightness, or clicking and holding while it's already on causes it to dim. A twisty-switch, or one of those magnetic dials (again -- no mechanical contacts to break) to act as a permanent "lockout" though may be a good idea with that sort of interface, to prevent accidental turn-on. Or simply clicking the button a few times fast to switch between momentary and static on/off would work as well.

 

[xiaowenzu]

Reverse Clickies come on too easily in my pocket. I don't like 'em!

 

[TorchBoy]

Flashlights should use electronic clickes, like the ones used in keyboards, a tap for constant on and holding the clicke for more then 1 second is momentary on(and I've never seen a electronic clicke break).

Don't electronic clickies have a small leakage current?

 

[ringzero]

Don't electronic clickies have a small leakage current?

Yes, lights with electronic switching do have a small standby current.

With proper design, this current is so small as to be negligible. Even this very slight drain can be eliminated by adding a lock out tailcap, which is a good idea in any event for safely transporting the light.

The two big advantages of electronic switching:

Switch reliability - these switches are often rated in millions of cycles before failure

Ease of use - turning the light on and off and switching between levels can be very quick and nearly effortless.


.

 

[VidPro]

Given the general dislike for reverse clickies (me included), apart from the mentioned price factor, is there any reason they are still used in simple (ie no UI requirements) lights?

from what i understand it is because china is on the OTHER side of the planet, so things are reversed there toilets swirl in the other direction, channel changers go down instead of up, and speakers are phase reversed .

 

[TorchBoy]

You do realise that only American toilets swirl, eh. We can't give people swirlies here. (They just come out looking flushed.)

 

[jlomein]

Reverse Clickies come on too easily in my pocket. I don't like 'em!

Ummm...don't you mean the opposite? A normal clickie with momentary on would turn on if only slight pressure is applied. A reverse clickie needs to be clicked all the way before you get light.

Personally I like normal clickies. HOWEVER, for pocket carry I would rather have a reverse clickie than a normal clickie with a lockout tailcap. It takes too long to screw the lockout tailcap back into position.

 

[FASTCAR]

I have had Clickies since 1988 that STILL work great.
I have never had a single clickie issue..ever


I HAVE had 4 Twisties fail..including 2 brand new P1dce


I will never own another twistie

 

[xiaowenzu]

Ummm...don't you mean the opposite? A normal clickie with momentary on would turn on if only slight pressure is applied. A reverse clickie needs to be clicked all the way before you get light.

Actually... reverse clickies are more likely to accidently turn on PERMANENTLY, thus drain the batteries when left in pocket because they generally take less effort to click on permanently due to the short travel of the switching mechanism. Therefore with an accidental bump your reverse clicky will be permanently ON.

However with FORWARD clickie, eg Maglites, Surefires,.. I pretty much have the depress the button quite far to activate the 'click' which locks the light permanently on. It takes more effort to fully activate the light, which is a good thing. Forward clickie switches have longer travels because it's designed for tactical signaling... therefore the light won't 'LOCK ON' so easily on during crucial signalling moments - it can mean life and death for the user.

My point is reverse clickies are more likely to stay on PERMANENTLY in pocket because of shorter switch travels.

Forward clickies can become momentarily on, but it's much difficult to 'lock on'. This is because of the inherit design - they are meant of tactical signalling.