Best tactical UI hypothesis

*Excluding military use

#1
Press for momentary-low
Click on for constant-on high
- As a necessity thumb is already on switch for low, so can instinctively press for full-on high

When on constant-on high press for momentary-strobe


#2
Press for momentary-high
Click on for constant-on high

Click-off and click-on immediately for constant-on low
- Any delay between click off and on will result in high output.

When in constant-on low or high, press for momentary-strobe
- When in low mode, activation and release of momentary-strobe will result in constant-high being applied
In other words, after application of momentary-strobe output will always be the highest


*Please excuse use of word tactical. Couldn't find a better word to describe what I'm thinking

If you can have that put on silicon, try it in a paintball/airsoft/lasertag setting. I can think of no safer way to vet the idea. And, it's an excuse to play paintball.

Anything you mentioned above is fine.

Everyone is going to have a different opinion.

I personally think selector rings are the best type for tactical user interface.

Single mode clicky

I think that interface #2 is pretty good. However, that's going need quite a complex switch to implement. Being able to half press while the clicky is on AND off would be amazing. I guess a forward clicky and a reverse clicky sharing the same boot could work. Two contacts would be necessary as well to differentiate between half-pressed and clicked on, but that shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Something like two rings of unanodized aluminum on the body could work.

I personally believe a tactical light must be single mode as operated from the switch. Put any number of other modes in the light you want, but there better be a way to set the light when off and/or KNOW which mode will come on when the switch is pressed, and ONLY that mode no matter how you press the switch.

That typically means modes are accessed via a 2-position head or selector ring, or a secondary switch.

Chrontius, thats a good idea. I'd love to do that every time I wanted to test something out.

#1 is good if you need a low mode often.

Other then that #2 makes high mode accessible from low, strobe, anytime you're not in high - 1 click, or press or release it's auto-high.

Anytime there's 0.1sec after click-off from high, next time you click-on it's high again.
Anytime you click-off from low, it's always high next. That's just my preference.
I was under the impression that a press from any output on the Novatac 120t is a momentary strobe. Hmmm...

It's getting late, so good night!

On a light with one setting I like;
Press a little for momentary on, press farther for the click for constant on.

On a light with a high and a low setting;
Press a little for low,
Press harder for high.
Twist the head a little for low, constant on.
Twist the head farther, for high constant on.

With this type of light, you can if necessaary, have it on low, constant on, and then press it for full power on.

The novatac 120p has this functionality and can be programmed to have any intensity or strobe in any position. I programmed mine to be momentary medium, click then press hold momentary strobe, click on medium, double click for high, triple click for .3lumen low, while clicked on press for momentary strobe. In my opinion one of the best UI's available today. Wish they would make some new lights or license their UI to someone.

I like the Zebralight UI. If you want it to turn on in high mode, you press and release the button quickly. If you want the low mode to be first, you press the button for a second and then let go. You can then cycle through the levels by holding down the button. I think this UI should be used in other types of lights.

SuperLightMan said:

I personally think selector rings are the best type for tactical user interface.

Click to expand...

+1

on that, especially for multi-mode access.

With this type of light, you can if necessary, have it on low, constant on, and then press it for full power on.

Click to expand...

Excellent - that is the way I like it too. That way you can use low most of the time, but have a quick burst of high ready to investigate that rustling in the bushes. The Gladius almost works that way, but it switches off instead of going back to the low setting when you release the button again. [ This was intentional in the design, but isn't quite the way I would want it - but then again, I'm not in the SAS ]

My newly-acquired Ra Clicky does the constant-low-with-momentary-high very well [using clicks instead of a head twist] and you can program strobe on the momentary high slot if required. Sorted.

Lumenz said:

I like the Zebralight UI. If you want it to turn on in high mode, you press and release the button quickly. If you want the low mode to be first, you press the button for a second and then let go. You can then cycle through the levels by holding down the button. I think this UI should be used in other types of lights.

Click to expand...

It was patterned after LRI's infinitely variable "Freedom" UI, which I also love. The Proton, Rex, and Micro Freedom all use it.

Hmm looks like I would be able to do close to #2 with Novatacs except for "activation and release of momentary-strobe always resulting in constant-high being applied".

I just hate accidentally activating low, or having to wait after turning it off cause I know if I click or press again it's going to be low.

Low would be best activated only if intentional. Double click with no break in between would almost take phase out unintentional activation of low.

- The problem with a selector ring is that it takes 2 hands most of the time.

Ra Clicky/novatacs similar am I correct? I admit I haven't read the nitty gritty of the manuals, too much for one sitting!
There should be a pared down version for the non-technical.

Testing tactical products in Airsoft of Paintball would be a very bad idea. One can go outside and throw the light around many different ways to test strength. However, one of the biggest problems is creating a product an Operator could use that allows extreme ease of use under high stress.

No offense to Paintball, but the stress isn't there. I've never played Airsoft, but don't have to. I'm not dissing the sports, or games, but it's very different.


Having a light with a selector ring or twisting head to change modes (TK11 or TA30 for example) would be positive and negative. It would allow one to adjust output to suit the environment if needed.

Fast paced situation means one mode because there is no time. Slower paced situations would give one time to change modes.


One of the old Reserves had a Novatac with forward clickie. It worked well because you could hold the button momentarily when needed. However it was terrible because if you needed the light on for more than two seconds (which happens all of the time) you couldn't stop strobing everything.

There is no good way to incorporate strobe or anything into a button cycle. It's pretty impossible actually.

Even if you had to press it to a certain point, when motor skills go out of the window, you just lost the ability to differentiate. Unless you're some superhero it's not asking for good things.


It's much safer to keep things simple. A good solid forward clickie would do everything just fine.

However, tools don't make the person, don't forget we make the tools. Use them to help get an edge, not to be the edge.

For a light to be used under stress, as on a GUN, or being used as a hand held light such as a SF Combat Light, simpler is better.

On a hand held General Purpose light, "bells and whistles" are OK.

And can be useful.

But on a Combat Light, keep it simple.

Yeah that's true. But I did say *excluding military use. That's a whole different thing.
Hypothetically - and I'm considering but haven't joined the military I'd want a light where I could not accidentally hit high or strobe ever.

In an urban setting, it'd be the opposite - I wish I could have a low, but hide it in that there's only one clear way that requires complete intent to activate it (#2).
- And anytime I release/click-off/click-on from low, strobe, high - it always goes back to high

Because...anytime I press for momentary-high and release and press again, I want momentary-high.
But I get low.

Everytime I click-on for high, click-off and press/click-on again I want high.
But I get low.

Everytime I click-off and click-on intentionally for low - I do it too fast and get high again!

Frustrating!

sfca said:

Yeah that's true. But I did say *excluding military use. That's a whole different thing.
Hypothetically - and I'm considering but haven't joined the military I'd want a light where I could not accidentally hit high or strobe ever.

In an urban setting, it'd be the opposite - I wish I could have a low, but hide it in that there's only one clear way that requires complete intent to activate it (#2).
- And anytime I release/click-off/click-on from low, strobe, high - it always goes back to high

Because...anytime I press for momentary-high and release and press again, I want momentary-high.
But I get low.

Everytime I click-on for high, click-off and press/click-on again I want high.
But I get low.

Everytime I click-off and click-on intentionally for low - I do it too fast and get high again!

Frustrating !

Click to expand...

The Military has taken a role in current times that is not unlike that of LE. Throwing out Grenades and Flash Bangs one might find small Tac teams of both to be very similar. Depending on the mission or encounter, the Military might be a little less cautious of shooting though.

When we train we incorporate a lot of Military tactics.

There isn't a difference in urban and rural when it comes to strobe. If it's on a "Tactical" light, then it's not a "Tactical" light.

Many will argue, but it's a theory that isn't practiced so to say.

If you have to press for low and press again for high or vice versa then it's in no way a "Tactical" light. Unless it's mission specific, I'm talking in a broad sense.

Using low light techniques, having multiple light modes when cycling the tail cap is a very, very big don't. It's impossible to use momentary to keep the opponent from getting a dial on you when your light keeps strobing, going into low and high and the works.

If you are considering the Military and are issued a weapon light it's going to be a single mode (I'm not saying the company name) for a reason. In Iraq (which is seeing less activity) you're going to be in a lot of urban. You wouldn't want strobe there unless it was a general light and not a weapon light (that even includes hand help paired with a gun). If it's Afghanistan then it's some urban with a lot of rural and still, you don't want it around a weapon.

It's just simple to say that using the tactics that are tried and true, you can't have a light that is going to change into every mode thought of when trying to deal with hostile people in a "Tactical" situation. This doesn't include trying to make a drunk seizure.

Plus, I'm not sure the Military would want the battlefield having a hand held beacon. In LE it has it's place, but it has places where it doesn't belong. You said "Tactical" and that's one of the places to keep it out of.

Unless you want multiple lights (which is a good thing), you're primary light needs to be the one you can go from cruising to fighting with.

However, without telling what the light is going to be used for, there isn't a whole lot than can be discussed without going the the very broad discussion. What are your intentions?

I think the best plan for a rifle weapon light is to have two lights.
One with a long run time that you can use indoors, and flash quickly for close range searches.

A second light with more power, to a LOT more power if you are using it outside, for use when you need it.

If your buddies just want a "light on a gun" for use around camp then just tape a G2 or a G3 to the gun.

I keep a G2 taped to my 44 Mag rifle in bear camp, and my 18.5" 20ga double bbl shot gun for use on my place.

On my more serious rifle I have at least 2 lights, most often 3.

I belive in the old saying:

One is none, two is one, three is mo betta.:twothumbs