havand said:
...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.