Idiot question of the day: What is forward vs reverse clickie?

Sorry for the newbie question, I've read a lot of mention/rants/etc about reverse vs forward clickies and was just wondering what is the difference. I am guessing it means at what stage the light turns on... i.e. a "forward clickie" can be used in momentary-on by pressing the button lightly when it is off, while a "reverse clickie" wouldn't do that, but can be used for momentary-off when the light is in the on position? Am I close?

Also, what are the pros/cons of each?

You're exactly correct.

The forward clicky is for moving toward your target. The reverse clicky is for moving away from your target. They both are designed to compensate for the Dopler Effect!

Kelmo!

Pros and Cons have been discussed quite a bit--if you do a search you might find a lot of good information here. I personally like forward clickies--let's me light things up briefly without having the light all the way on. Also, it just makes more sense to me. Others like reverse, or don't care. On discussion thread did consider reliability issues--but I don't have enough knowledge of that to say anything.

I've about decided that it's just a matter of personal preference for most of us. I like forward clickies (which are often used for tactical lights--you can see why) and I like twisties. Reverse clickies do not make me happy; but if the rest of the light was ok, I'd be able to live with one.

I hope this helps. Again, there are several good threads on this topic, with posts by people with lots more experience than me.

It's not a "dumb" question. Nobody is born knowing all these terms. After you hang out here for awhile you will learn alot of things, not all necessarily about flashlights either. Have fun!

I never knew what those terms meant exactly, now I do..

Well thanks everyone for the answers, and I'm glad it helped more than just me.

I have a LM31 with a reverse-clickie and a gigantic family of inovas with twistie/push and a T2 with forward-clickie then. I do see the tactical merit of the forward-clickie and can see why people would like it.

Personally, I am pretty indifferent about the two modes.... And bonus, the LM31 can be used as a twistie from the head end, so best of both worlds?

LOL, Kelmo!

jdong, a light with a reverse clicky doesn't come on until after the click, so it is slower into action than a forward clicky, which lights up immediately it is pressed. That is not the whole story, but it is probably the main reason why most people (including the prof and me) seem to prefer forward clickies.

I suddenly have a strange feeling that this is going to develop into a heated "forward vs. reverse" thread, lol.

DM51 said:

I suddenly have a strange feeling that this is going to develop into a heated "forward vs. reverse" thread, lol.

Click to expand...

Forward clickies are better than reverse clickies, but reverse clickies, by their very nature, are better than forward clickies. This nature of the reverse clickies does in fact make forward clickies more suitable, however. So as you can see, reverse clickies are better.

FlashCrazy said:

Forward clickies are better than reverse clickies, but reverse clickies, by their very nature, are better than forward clickies. This nature of the reverse clickies does in fact make forward clickies more suitable, however. So as you can see, reverse clickies are better.

Click to expand...

The scary thing about the above quote is, I understand it! Umm, I think! :huh:

I like em both. It depends on the light. If it's a simple On/Off type light, I like the momentary On function of a forward clickie. If it's a multi-mode light, like most of the Fenix clickers, I prefer a reverse clickie for the mode switching.

i have a recently purchased fenix, my first "real " light, and it has a reverse clicky that i mostly find annoying. partially because i've grown accustomed to forward clickys, but also i often only need a couple seconds of illumination, but i have to completely turn the light on, and then off again for that. BUT....i think in a tactical situation, particularly using it with a pistol, i think the reverse actually makes more sense.on top of holding and aiming the pistol, one must also hold the forwrd clicky tight to see,and therefore aim and/or fire the pistol. where as with the reverse clicky, there is no extra effort and task loading,that hand is relaxed while all attention is now on holding/aiming the pistol with the needed illumination, and a small amount of pressure can kill the light in an instant as needed.

Yet another question answered in the Welcome Mat. Here's an excerpt:

Q: How do I choose a switch?
A: The "reverse clickie" is very commonly available in inexpensive and general use household and outdoor flashlights. It has a button which must be fully pressed until it clicks and then fully released in order to get light. Once the light is on, a soft press will momentarily turn the light off, and once the button is released, the light will reactivate. This is a very inexpensive (and hence popular) switch type, but it is not suited for signaling or momentary operation.

A "forward clickie," however, can be gently pressed from the Off position to momentarily activate the light, and it will turn off once the button is released. The user can also push the button until it clicks to keep the light on. This is available in some Maglite, Streamlight, Inova, and Surefire models.

Another type of switch is the Lock-Out Tailcap, or LOTC. Such a switch has no clicking mechanism. It can be "locked out" (prevented from turning on, useful for storage and transport) by unscrewing the tailcap to some degree. If the tailcap is tightened enough, pressing down on it turns the light on until it is released. If it is tightened further, the light turns on and stays on. This type of switch is most common in tactical Surefire models. Some lights have a switch similar to this that cannot be locked out, such as Streamlight's TL-2 and TL-3. They are still suited to tactical use.

The simplest switch is the twisty. In such a flashlight, two components (usually the body and head) are tightened together to close a circuit and turn the light on. These are highly valued for their perceived reliability, but thread quality and frequency of use are a large factor in the system's longevity.

There are several other types of specialty switches, including magnetic reed switches, Hall effect switches, membrane-covered electronic contact switches, and more, but they are best discussed in conjunction with the lights that use them.

What about the Surefire L4? It can be both forward and reverse.

FlashCrazy said:

Forward clickies are better than reverse clickies, but reverse clickies, by their very nature, are better than forward clickies. This nature of the reverse clickies does in fact make forward clickies more suitable, however. So as you can see, reverse clickies are better.

Click to expand...

I was trying to disagree with this, but cannot figure out how, or what exactly I would be disputing. Damn you !!!

LOL !!!