Forward clickie vs reverse clickie (or the opposite one)

BlahHead

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Mar 10, 2011
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Hi torch-bearers,

I was just wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of a forward/reverse clickie would be.
Is it true that forward clickies are hard to make? Then, why do we prefer it?

Cheers!
 

rudy

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Sep 17, 2009
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I prefer the forward clickie, also for it's ability to have a momentary on. I actually hadn't seen a reverse clickie until one of my friends gave me a light with one. In practice they will both work the same, but the reverse does not have the momentary on capability--it has to be fully clicked forward and released before the light comes on.

As for making them, not sure of the differences.
 

madnor

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Mar 10, 2011
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In my opinion, the only advantage of a forward clicky is the momentary-on ability. I like the reverse clicky because I prefer to scroll through modes while the light is already on rather than before I turn it on.
 

BlahHead

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Mar 10, 2011
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Thanks for the replies!

So, from the posts, a forward clickie seems better for momentary on functions.
Can you also scroll though the modes with a half push?
 

whizdumb

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Mar 9, 2011
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This just makes me wonder... Can anyone design a clicky that has the best of both worlds.. Forward momentary but the ability to scroll through modes and features while they are on without having to turn off the light. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.
 

chicken dave

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Sep 8, 2009
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So, from the posts, a forward clickie seems better for momentary on functions.
Can you also scroll though the modes with a half push?

No, the forward clickie does not allow scrolling while on. Scrolling must be done before clicking fully on. I agree with whizdumb, if anyone makes a forward/reverse combo, I'm in!
 

BlahHead

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Mar 10, 2011
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No, the forward clickie does not allow scrolling while on. Scrolling must be done before clicking fully on. I agree with whizdumb, if anyone makes a forward/reverse combo, I'm in!

This just makes me wonder... Can anyone design a clicky that has the best of both worlds.. Forward momentary but the ability to scroll through modes and features while they are on without having to turn off the light. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

I second the motion!

Third!! :D
 

computernut

Enlightened
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Apr 16, 2009
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Canada, eh?
Forward clicky for me. I find Reverse clickies harder to push for some reason. I prefer having momentary so I like forward clickies. I don't like scrolling through disco modes, two modes (high,low or low, high) and then click to lock it in.
 

beerwax

Enlightened
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Mar 12, 2011
Messages
447
forward clickys r a pain for scrolling thru modes. if a torch requires mode scrolling get a reverse clicky. or better still a different torch
 

Lynx_Arc

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Oct 1, 2004
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11,212
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Tulsa,OK
I like forward clickies for some items and reverse for others. Forward clickies sometimes have to be locked out in transport because they can be jammed on without even clicking them while reverse clickies will not turn on at all till they get past the click stage. Forward clickies end up failing more often and are harder to find replacements for. I just replaced a defective forward clicky with a reverse clicky in a 2AA rayovac incan swivel light as it started to get where it would not turn on any more without clicking it a bunch of times. I think forward clickies are more fragile and succeptible to damage. Many smaller lights have digital switches (momentary) that lock on which I am preferring if they are not vampirically hungry. A forward clicky on a lantern is not very useful, nor a fluorescent light or any light with a start up time involved like HID.
 

LEDAdd1ct

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Joined
Jul 4, 2007
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3,557
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Hudson Valley
A few years ago, I would only use lights with forward clickies and momentary on. I was a single mode kind of guy. The Shiningbeam L-Mini II changed that for me. Why? Because the beauty of the reverse clicky in this implementation meant that the light was dead simple to use, click on, click off, with a different mode available if and only if you wanted it, by lightly depressing the switch when on.

The forward clicky with momentary is in my experience the preferred clicky when you want/need momentary and/or are using a single mode light. It would also be the preferred clicky when using a multimode light which changes modes using a mechanism other than the clicky switch itself, i.e. with a head twist or separate switch on the body of the light. For me:

One mode light?

Forward clicky with momentary

Multimode light with mode changing through tailcap switch?

Reverse clicky

Multimode light with mode changing through mechanism other than tailcap switch?

Forward clicky with momentary

...and that's how I like my lights!
 

PCC

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Oct 28, 2007
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Sitting' on the dock o' The Bay...
Almost all of my lights have forward-clickies, even the multi-mode ones. I've learned to simply double-click the button if I overshoot the mark and click it when switching modes. The only reverse-clicky I have in the group is on the light that is installed on my HD shotgun. That's because I absolutely want to make sure that the light turns on when I press the button. A short-stroke of the button will not have the light come on momentarily then turn off again, allowing an intruder the chance to make their move, it has to be clicked before it will turn on and that's what I need it to do.
 

macnoodle

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Mar 14, 2011
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This just makes me wonder... Can anyone design a clicky that has the best of both worlds.. Forward momentary but the ability to scroll through modes and features while they are on without having to turn off the light. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

The LED Lenser MT7 will do this, as well as others from that line (the M14 does it). So it can be done, and has been done.. Why other manufacturers haven't done it, I have no idea.
 
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