HDS Ra Clicky or Twisty: Reliable EDC?

Hey everybody,

I'm new to the forums, am in need of a light for EDC, and have been looking around CPF for information about the best lights available for EDC. I thought I was set on a SureFire, but since reading about the new Ra series of lights from HDS (and the lower prices), I am reconsidering. The size, features, and UI seem to fit my needs.

What I'd like to know is if the Ra Clicky (or Twisty for that matter) are reliable choices for EDC? I know that they are fairly new lights, but I've found people commenting about the lights suddenly not working, for no apparent reason, and having to send them back for service or reprogramming. Are these problems so common that I should not consider the Ra lights for EDC? Also, in terms of build quality, how do they compare to other brands (namely SureFire since that is the only other "high-quality" light I actually have had my hands on)?

I know this is a long list of questions (and perhaps I long-winded thread), but I'd really appreciate any help you guys can provide. For me, ~$150 is a lot of money and I want to make sure that I'm getting a good value.

Thanks in advance,

Michael

Michael,

Welcome to cpf.

The Ra products are designed to be extremely rugged and reliable. Most of the software issues are most likely fixed in the current software version shipping with this next batch of new lights from Henry.

In my opinion, you are getting much more for your $150 than you would from a Surefire product.

:welcome:
The designer of Ra lights - Henry - has been building some of the most advanced LED lights since the Arc 4 light. Many consider the Arc series one of the first high quality LED lights and probably the very first light to use the a real high power LED (Luxeon I at the time) which was far brighter than any 5mm white LED's. So the Ra is actually just a continuing refinement of the Arc design which was many years ago. I still have one of those and it works perfectly. He next designed the HDS series of EDC lights which were and still are incredibly well built by any standards and super high quality in ways no other lights have yet to match. His next design was the Novatac and was sold to the military. The Novatac story is a bit complex but he designed them and is now making his own lights again called the Ra lights. They are very high quality but some bugs have come up in the initial ones released. He has a reputation of good customer service so I expect all those will get taken care of. The latest release has yet to land in the hands of members here but should be within a week I expect so we'll have reports on those soon enough. I personally think a Ra light will take more abuse than most Surefire lights and that's saying a lot. And the Ra is a lot more state of the art in many ways. Given the choice between any Surefire and a Ra I'd take the Ra Clicky. I own both some Surefire and a bunch of Henry's lights so I speak from experience on this. For some Surefire may be better in the absolute simplicity that some of their lights have so if K.I.S.S is your thing you might go with them. But the Ra can be very simple to work if you leave it as is or after you have customized it. Click for on - click for off. Hold on for momentary - release for off. Double click when on to change to another brightness or setting like strobe - double click again to go back to the previous. Triple click gives you low (or any brightness or setting you desire). Click and hold for burst (highest) brightness. Simple and intuitive when you've played with it a few minutes.

+1

Both are reliable, I prefer the Clicky over the Twisty YMMV though.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/199329

Check the above link out, its a compilation of information by Enzo with really great information on both lights

Welcome to CPF btw!

The Ra series of lights are and will be very reliable lights. The are very robust and almost bomb proof. Look at the info on the lights on their website and you can see how well thought out they are. The problems with the Clicky that you have read about were bugs in the programming IIRC and should not be a problem in present and future production models. The previous lights he designed (HDS EDC series) were and still are among the more popular and well tested lights around here. The present day Novatacs are Henry's design but he left Novatac and resumed manufacturing lights on his own under the name Ra. I have owned HDS, Novatac and Ra lights and the build quality of the Ra lights is top notch. I don't want to compare it to Surefire as I have only handled them and do not own a Surefire but I have read that the Ra lights are more than comparable, maybe even superior in build quality.

My Ra Twisty and Clicky are the 2 most overbuilt, tank-like lights that I have ever owned. I have several Surefire's and have had my share of very well built custom's, and these Ra lights are hands down the best of the best. Both of my lights have operated 100% since day one, and I have done some crazy things with my Twisty and it has never skipped a beat :naughty:

There were some issues with some of the early production run Clicky's, but that is to be expected IMO. What is most important is that those issues have been worked out, and the lights that have been shipping out lately have been working great. With that being said, even IF in the slightest chance you had a problem with one of his(Ra's) lights, his customer service is second to none and would get your light squared away no problem.

Do yourself a favor, buy yourself a Ra light now. If you do, you will save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Since my Clicky has arrived, I have no interest in any other EDC format lights as this one is perfect for my needs :thumbsup:

Oh, and :welcome:

When are the new ones going to be sold?

HDS Ra Clicky or Twisty: Reliable EDC? Great Question!

I was just thinking this very thing my self

My Ra Twisties are very dependable, and they are the lights I go to when I have to carry a dependable light, for my safety. If a problem did arise, I have every confidence that Henry and his colleagues would fix the problem. I recommend Ra lights to you without reservation.

From my brief experience in ownership of a Ra Clicky 140C (now known as a Ra Clicky Executive) I can say that it is the most well built light I have ever handled. The threads are robust, the machining well done, and the light just feels so.. Well, solid. You pick it up and you just feel it say "beat me up, I can take it!" I am one who enjoys a complex and versatile UI. The RaLights/HDS creations are the best of the best when it comes to a versatile UI. If you do not like such a UI, you should go with a Surefire producut. For the most part, they are designed to be KISS in nature and reliable. RaLights give you more bang for your buck IMHO. If you are intent on spending $100 on a light like I was, a Ra Clicky or a Ra Twisty is the way to go without a doubt. Mine is excellent in every way, and its perfectly tailored for my needs.

Good luck!

m16a

As soon as I'll have my Clicky back in mint condition it'll be the light I'll have in my pocket all the time. It has just been built for that! No other of my lights give me that feeling.

You can leave the programmation like it ships, it's not bad. If you want to, you can customize it to your special needs, everybody has a slightly different idea about what output should be set to the different modes and of the functions that are usefull. The Clicky does it all, it only takes a little playing with the light and the manual.

A Surefire has a tough feeling, no doubt, but a Ra is tougher. A Surefire has simplicity, a Ra can be programmed to your needs and once that's done, it can be as simple as you want it to be.

LLCoolBeans said:

Michael,
In my opinion, you are getting much more for your $150 than you would from a Surefire product.

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Seconded! :twothumbs


I only have a RA Twisty 85Tr, been in my pocket since day one - no problems at all yet. Very robust. Bought the 17670 battery pack and I now have great flexibility and runtime options too. I will probably get a clicky this year as well knowing me!

Kudos to Henry.


Be lucky...

MJ1622 said:

...I thought I was set on a SureFire, but since reading about the new Ra series of lights from HDS (and the lower prices), I am reconsidering. The size, features, and UI seem to fit my needs....I've found people commenting about the lights suddenly not working, for no apparent reason, and having to send them back for service or reprogramming. Are these problems so common...

Click to expand...

I have several Surefire lights, and HDS U60 (predecessor to Ra) and a Ra Clicky.

Any light can fail, especially due to "infant mortality". Once a light works for a few hours or few days, failure is less likely. No matter how reliable the light, nobody should rely on a single light source for critical situations. That understood, it doesn't matter so much whether a light has 99.99% or 99.999% reliability. Anything can fail and you must have contingencies for that.

The Ra click interface can be user-programmed for simple one-level on/off operation. Or you can program it for momentary use. You can also program it to have only two levels: high and low. You can program it to start on low or high. It's very flexible. Once programmed you never need to change it if you don't wish.

Both Surefire and Ra are excellent lights, about the best you can get. Ra lights are designed to use both rechargeable and primary (non-rechargeable) cells, whereas most Surefire lights are designed only for primary cells. Some of those Surfire lights can be modified for rechargeable cells, but that's extra cost and parts.

My first Surefire U2 was defective, since replacement it was perfectly reliable. My HDS U60 and Ra Clicky have always been reliable with no glitches or problems.

It's ironic that Mag owns the advertising phrase "a work of art that works". That phrase applies more aptly to Surefire and Ra products.

Hey everybody,

First, thank you for the warm welcome to the forum. Second, thank you for the information. It's just what I was looking for and I think I'm convinced, the Ra Clicky is the light for me, especially with the new batch.

Now, my only question is the Executive or the Tactical (I've already excluded the EDCs because I want better efficiency/runtimes). Any suggestions?

Thanks again,

Michael

MJ1622 said:

Hey everybody,

Now, my only question is the Executive or the Tactical (I've already excluded the EDCs because I want better efficiency/runtimes). Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I think this part of the decision is going to be up to you. Personally, I think the main difference between the two is the tailcap button. I prefer to have the option of tailstanding my light if need be, so in my case I would need the Executive. The Tactical model will offer easier activation of the light as the tailcap button protrudes out from the cap. If this light was to be used in conjunction with a handgun for possible self-defense situations, the Tactical would be the way to go. Both lights are set-up differently as far as output options go, but either could be easily reprogrammed by the user to suit your needs.

With that being said, I do like the darker bezel on the Tactical model. I wouldn't be suprised to find the bezels for sale as an option down the road.

I'd like to offer my thoughts for the Ra Twisty.

The three-stage twisting-switch design is relatively new and can be prone to non-catastrophic failure in the event of repetitive level switching and extreme tail-end impacts. Non-catastrophic in the sense that you will never be left in the dark in the event that the switch fails. The Twisty will always activate and emit light, you will only lose access to one or two levels intermittently.

I've been carrying a Twisty for roughly 7 months. I've had to send it in for repairs twice because of intermittent switch failure. This third Twisty had a more securely soldered switch mechanism and has worked flawlessly since. No matter what I've thrown at it, or thrown it at, it continues to work.

If you want a light that keeps on giving, grab a Twisty.

The Ra Clicky has Twisty blood, and appears to be a completely rock solid light too. The earlier issues are being beaten to submission, and likely once they are all resolved there will be nothing to get upset about. I ordered a 100-WWCN from Ra Lights and it is flawless. I'm carrying it every day, using it throughout the evening and night, every night. So far everything is working as it should. As time passes, more data will accumulate about usage concerns. For now, those of us who have them will continue to use them, and be sure, if any of us have a major problem, everyone will know about it!

Go ahead and buy one for yourself. You just may never need another flashlight again..... Until Henry comes out with his next offerings.

Enzo Morocioli said:

The three-stage twisting-switch design is relatively new and can be prone to non-catastrophic failure in the event of repetitive level switching and extreme tail-end impacts. Non-catastrophic in the sense that you will never be left in the dark in the event that the switch fails. The Twisty will always activate and emit light, you will only lose access to one or two levels intermittently.

Click to expand...

I've spoken to Henry about this. He said this was due to an assembler not using enough solder on the joints where the U-bars are attached to the PC board. This situation has been remedied and only effected certain early Twistys.

LLCoolBeans said:

I've spoken to Henry about this. He said this was due to an assembler not using enough solder on the joints where the U-bars are attached to the PC board. This situation has been remedied and only effected certain early Twistys.

Click to expand...

Excellent LLCool! I knew he was working on the issue, hadn't realized that the later runs of the light were already improved. That means that the Ra Twisty is an extremely reliable EDC solution.

Enzo Morocioli said:

No matter what I've thrown at it, or thrown it at, it continues to work.

If you want a light that keeps on giving, grab a Twisty.


Go ahead and buy one for yourself. You just may never need another flashlight again..... Until Henry comes out with his next offerings.

Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more Enzo My Twisty is my main work EDC(line service at local airport). It hangs from my neck on a lanyard and as such is exposed to the COLD conditions as I work outside for hours at a time. I recently realized that my AW RCR123's were starting to act up when the temps got below zero. I switched to Surefire primaries, and no more problems.

Anyways, back on topic. My Twisty has taken ALL SORTS of abuse at work. I have literally thrown it across the runway to a fellow workmate who needed a light. He was a good 60+ yards away and the light landed on the concrete and proceeded to roll and flip a good 15ft past him....barely a scratch on it. I have used it as a hammer numerous times, dropped it into a 5gal bucket full of jet fuel twice, have had it covered in glycol based de-ice fluid, had a friends pitbull pick it up and proceed to chew on it, used it many times to pry open fuel caps on airplanes that won't budge, etc.... My point is, this light in my eyes is indestructable. I think I have used it almost as much as a multi-tool as I have a light :devil: And after all that abuse, my Twisty still operates just the same as it did day one.

Strauss said:

Couldn't agree more Enzo My Twisty is my main work EDC(line service at local airport). It hangs from my neck on a lanyard and as such is exposed to the COLD conditions as I work outside for hours at a time. I recently realized that my AW RCR123's were starting to act up when the temps got below zero. I switched to Surefire primaries, and no more problems.

Anyways, back on topic. My Twisty has taken ALL SORTS of abuse at work. I have literally thrown it across the runway to a fellow workmate who needed a light. He was a good 60+ yards away and the light landed on the concrete and proceeded to roll and flip a good 15ft past him....barely a scratch on it. I have used it as a hammer numerous times, dropped it into a 5gal bucket full of jet fuel twice, have had it covered in glycol based de-ice fluid, had a friends pitbull pick it up and proceed to chew on it, used it many times to pry open fuel caps on airplanes that won't budge, etc.... My point is, this light in my eyes is indestructable. I think I have used it almost as much as a multi-tool as I have a light :devil: And after all that abuse, my Twisty still operates just the same as it did day one.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding , you threw your $100 + light 60 yards over concrete.....are you crazy? Thats a pretty impressive throw and even more impressive that it didn't break. I hope my clicky is half that resilient.....though I won't be tossing it across the runway at my local airport.