More GITD switches please!

[PayBack]

As this forum is watched by most of the manufacturers of the lights I buy, I'd like to ask you put out Glow In The Dark switch options.

One thing I loved and miss on the new Zebralights (apart from the smooth flood) is the GITD switch cap option. Custom lights offer this a lot, but why not mainstream? 🙁

When do you need a light? When it's dark. What makes the light hard to find? It's dark! Sure I usually know where a light is, but as often as not I knock it over as I don't know it's exact location. With my Pocket Rocket I do, because of the faint glow it gives off.

Just wondering if anyone knows why this is so rare, and if anyone else wishes it was more common?

 

[ico]

Many advertise their light as "tactical" so the gitd boot would give away their "tactical"-ness

 

[Imon]

Many advertise their light as "tactical" so the gitd boot would give away their "tactical"-ness

Not to mention that your light should be on your person so I'm not so sure a GITD switch would be that useful. Particularly if you're familiar with using your flashlight you know how it feels in your hands and how to activate it.

Which reminds me of a handgun I own. It has GITD sights - not tritium sights. Which I find completely useless because this particular handgun is mostly locked up, in the dark I might add, making the GITD sights useless.
Just keep in mind that GITD materials have to be "charged up" in order to actually have any use.

 

[PayBack]

Many advertise their light as "tactical" so the gitd boot would give away their "tactical"-ness

True, though many of these also have the option to replace the black with orange or similar, so why not GITD.

As to carrying it on you Imon, I do have one or two EDC's, but when I go to bed, I don't. I know where they are, but as I said, in a hurry you can knock it over etc. With GITD, you know where it is. The charging isn't such a problem as my Pocket Rocket spends all day inside next to the bed, but always gives of enough to see it out of the corner of my eye (best way to see in the dark).

It's similar to Trits I suppose (just saw another thread on those) where finding the light is a practical use for them, not just being shiny.

 

[nbp]

Many advertise their light as "tactical" so the gitd boot would give away their "tactical"-ness

I believe the correct term is "tacticality".

:hahaha:

 

[ElectronGuru]

Custom lights offer this a lot, but why not mainstream? 🙁

Just wondering if anyone knows why this is so rare, and if anyone else wishes it was more common?

These are two sides of the same issue. The appeal of GID is about 20%. Mass producing features with less than 50% appeal means fewer sales. Mass producing sales (i.e., dealer network) means not being able to offer small release editions.

Custom lights are generally built to order, making such concerns mute.

 

[RedLED]

I wish I could have the locator option, like HDS has, in all my lights.

 

[Imon]

....As to carrying it on you Imon, I do have one or two EDC's, but when I go to bed, I don't. I know where they are, but as I said, in a hurry you can knock it over etc. With GITD, you know where it is. The charging isn't such a problem as my Pocket Rocket spends all day inside next to the bed, but always gives of enough to see it out of the corner of my eye (best way to see in the dark).

It's similar to Trits I suppose (just saw another thread on those) where finding the light is a practical use for them, not just being shiny.

I still have issues with the GITD feature. I'm not saying they're completely useless but I don't think they come close to being a useful solution. I do agree however that the option to include GITD switches is a nice thing but going back to my handgun issue - they need to stay "charged".
My experience with GITD objects, whether it is the sights on my handgun, the needle on my compass, or the switch on one of my cheap DX lights is that they don't stay bright for a long time and they diminish in brightness at an exponential rate.
I think chances are when you wake up in the middle of the night and you search for the glowing tailcap of your light you'll be disappointed to discover that it has lost most if not all of it luminescence.

This is merely my personal opinion but I think the time and hassle that it takes to make sure your GITD tailcap is properly charged before going to sleep or taking it on as your EDC is more trouble than it is worth. Before I fall asleep every night I make sure to place my light consistently in the same spot so that I can reach it even with my eyes closed. If that fails then I have a seldom used lantern that hangs above my bed. When I'm out and about I carry two lights with me - my primary EDC and a backup light on a neck lanyard.
Perhaps I go overboard but I do acknowledge that different people desire different features in their lights and I hope you find the light that's perfect for you OP.

 

[krevo]

Instead of using a GITD boots over your switch, you could choose a light that can be outfitted with tritium markers. Works much better than GITD.

 

[PayBack]

Imon although my 40 year old eyes seem to need more and more light as time goes by 🙁 I guess I'm lucky with GITD as I alwasy seem able to spot the slight glow from poorly charged caps etc.

Krevo true but Zebralight don't have them etc... I'm just pining for either option to be more widespread.

Oh and who said only 20% of the market wants GITD? I say it's 60% unless you have proof! ;-)

 

[TEEJ]

GITD should include tritium, and for a light that's in a pocket much of the time...well, you don't LOOK into your pocket to find it...same with a holster, etc.

This means most EDC's don't need, or want, the equipment to glow. For the ones that DO, they can glue some trits on, etc...or some GITD doflickies.

I have some lights I slip some GITD O-rings onto, and hit them with the UV light...and they'll be "findable" for quite a few hours, til daylight, etc.

As I use a lot of lights, I put them down, and pick up others as I'm working...and its EASY for me to forget how many are where before relocating, etc...and leaving one behind in the dark is not that hard. Similarly, I keep a few in a bag, and need to reach in to get one...and, its just easier if there's something that glows to home in on..and with the O-rings, the spacing of the rings is like a bar code...I see the fat bezel and where the tail is, etc...I know which light I'm grabbing.

😀

 

[ElectronGuru]

Oh and who said only 20% of the market wants GITD? I say it's 60% unless you have proof! ;-)

20% is not calculated, but I ship upwards of 2K boots a year. From this sample, any of 3 flavors of black are more popular that GID.

Imon although my 40 year old eyes seem to need more and more light as time goes by 🙁 I guess I'm lucky with GITD as I alwasy seem able to spot the slight glow from poorly charged caps etc.

Check out the 'For Best night vision' section:

http://stlplaces.com/night_vision_red_myth/

 

[PayBack]

Well I wouldn't go for red anyway. I'm slightly red deficeient so it would look brighter to everyone but me. 🙁