OPINION: How do you prefer a light to turn on?

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Side button.

 

[Concept]

I like switches on my larger lights but prefer twisties on my smaller ones because of course this allows them to be smaller.

 

[karlthev]

voice command

I believe you've got it!!

Karl

 

[McShawn]

Button is still the best, IMO

 

[NutSAK]

I like twisties for reliability and buttons for convenience.

I see no benefit in regular or reverse thread in a twisty, as any good o-ring will keep dirt out of the threads.

 

[Sable]

I'm evenly split between side button (hides from thrown bricks) and Surefire's dual-output button/twist action. I just don't like twisties, especially twisties that use that for a multi-level (e.g. level-off-another level-off-a third level-off, etc.)

 

[GregWormald]

I really like the switch on my HDS42. Tailcap, button, programmable.
Greg

 

[drizzle]

One more vote for twisty for small light, side clicky for large.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Tail Clickie for the AA and 123 lights, Twist head for AAA lights,
front Clickie for the larger D, C cell lights

 

[EsthetiX]

Thumb ID Scanner.

 

[Macaw]

I like the twisty with a momentary button on the rear like on the PD or Streamlight. I do prefer twisty head for easy one handed use. The reliability of the twisty is the selling point with me also.

 

[wojtek_pl]

I prefer a side mounted body switch like a full size Mag or a Bulk ,LH/LC.

Exactly.
All this 'tactical' type switches are... unnatural... for me.
This type of gripe with your thumb at the tailcap switch IS good for tactical purposes... But for normal use I do prefer side mounted switch.
It is best for bigger flashlights, because you hold it near the center of gravity.

That said I like tailcap switch like this: press for momentary, click for constant-on.

For small flashlights turning bezel in for ON is OK, as long as you can do this with one hand.

 

[ringzero]

How does everyone prefer their lights to turn on?...I'm talking about for rugged outdoor camping/hiking style use?

For serious outdoor use I much prefer lights with a switch mounted just behind the head. The other switch locations just don't work well for me outdoors.

Waterproof slide switches with separate momentary contact buttons are the ideal for me, but are getting hard to find nowdays. I suspect that industrial quality slide switches may be more expensive than button switches, but whatever the reason, button switches are more common. A decent, reliable, waterproof button switch, with momentary contact capability, is about as good as a slide switch for me.

I detest 'tactical' switches, or any type of tailcap switch, for outdoor lights. Tail clickies are OK for general utility lights, but not for my outdoor lights.

For keychain or true pocket lights, I prefer a twist head switch, because the lights are smaller and less prone to accidental activation in the pocket.

 

[mdocod]

I prefer tail mounted clickies for smaller flashlights (up to 2C, like the Taskforce 2C with it's tailcap clicker)... because in that size category I prefer to hold the light with my thumb on the tail anyways....(wish I could get a 2C mag with tailclicky for some mods i have in mind)... anything larger, the side clicky is the best comprimize for me... I'm not a big fan of twist type switches for any situation, because most of the time I use a flashlight, I am using it with 1 hand while the other hand is busy. (usually driving or holding a tool or something)

 

[Dijon]

Twistie. I like the reliability and have gotten my muscle memory used to them.

 

[joema]

...I assume most people would want a twistie for reliability reasons?...Opinions?

Re reliability, remember you're interested in actual, real-world overall reliability of the overall light, not theoretical reliability of one switch type vs another.

E.g, a twisty incandescent might be less reliable than a clicky LED light. If you chose the twisty incandescent, believing switch type was the primary factor in reliability, you may have chosen the less reliable light.

The type of click switch can greatly affect reliability. E.g, a number of Surefire tail click switches have failed, as have Kroll switches as used on the Arc LS. But how many HDS tail switches have failed? I don't recall seeing many such reports. You could argue those aren't the same switch type, one is mechanical and the other is an electronic tail switch going to the driver, but both are the same general type: pushbutton tail switches. Both compete as design choices with twisty switches.

While a twisty switch is conceptually simple, that doesn't mean it's free from problems. As they say, "the devil is in the details". Actual implementation, manufacturing and materials selected can play a big part in reliability. E.g, I've had to clean the contacts on my twisty switch Fire~FlyIII several times, but I've never had to clean anything on my tail click HDS U60. If I was deep in a cave using only my FF3 and it flickered and went out due to oxidized contacts, imagine that situation.

You could argue that's ridiculous: in a situation such as caving, wilderness camping, etc. where reliability is critical, you should never rely on a single light anyway, even if it's a twisty LED direct-drive light. Exactly. And for that reason, I question arguments about the supreme importance of twisty switches in super-critical situations. Exactly why would you be in such a situation with only one light? Backups are vital, and that lessens the impact of the first light failing or requiring maintenance, regardless of switch type or whether the switch itself caused the failure.

There is also "actual usage reliability". Many people who pick up a twisty switch light with their non-dominate hand get confused about which way to twist it. That confusion may only last a few seconds, but that is a form of non-availability that could be critical in some situations.

OTOH, a significant "actual usage reliability" advantage of most twisties is the automatic lockout. If a clicky light in a suitcase or backpack gets clicked on and runs down, that is a form of nonavailabilty even though the light or switch didn't fail. Most clickies have lockouts, but this must be invoked in a separate step, whereas simply turning off the twisty makes accidental activation less likely.

 

[Dijon]

I agree Joema.

I guess I should say that I am more reliable with a twistie since I have owned and carried one for about 15 yrs. My left hand has gotten used to the twistie so that is more reliable for me (I can already see this thread degrading about what hand I use for twisting my tailcap:laughing: ). I have an L4 with a clickie that I have used for about a month with no issues so I can't say that one is more mechanically reliable than the other. I do carry more than one light at a time but my primary is used in conjuntion with the weapon that I am carrying. I hope to never have to draw my weapon, but if I do I need to know that the flashlight that I am carrying will work reliably for me... and that is a twistie.

That being said, all things are subject to change. I am currently teaching my right thumb to work a safety on a Kimber 1911 after carrying a Glock 19 for 4 yrs. I have heard that it takes 10k repetitions to build muscle memory so I only have about 9.5k to go:lolsign: One day I may find a clickie more reliable for me.

 

[pathalogical]

Based on my current lights, I like the clickie style. When the light is on, it's 100% on. When my Mag AA is twisted on, the head becomes wobbly. It now has a NI drop-in and NI clickie. My G2s, when using momentary, if I don't apply firm pressure from my thumb, the switch 'lifts off' the contact giving you the impression of a dim light, unless I fully twist, in which I use both hands. Twisting a small light with one hand with your thumb and first finger can cause you to drop the light. I am considering a SF clickie for one of my G2s and probably a lanyard too.

 

[AndyTiedye]

What about option #5 - slide switch (forward = on, back = off) ??

:thumbsdow Those are always getting turned on accidentally.

 

[Illum]

like the A2...

+1, but I prefer twistie with momentarily on/off function when i travel...just for dependability