Do you prefer the HDS Rotary UI over the HDS Clicky UI???

Ok guys, still on the fence here and as the new Rotary is shipping and arriving, just curious...

For those of you that have BOTH the HDS Clicky and the new Rotary, which UI do you prefer? Which will most likely get more pocket time?

Please only vote if you have both.

Thanks!
-Harry

I would really like to see the responses of loyal HDS flashaholics to this post!!!!
Insight needed

I've been liking the Rotary thus far - it's great to dial in the exact amount of light needed for a task...

I gushed my love of the interface over here...it's ideal for my needs!

Of course the rotary. Anytime.

It's such a practical UI there is no need to think how to use it. I had mine set to

A) burst
B) rotary
C) emergency beacon
D) strobe

So now I have the ability to access any levels I want easily without having to reprogram the light. Much as I love my older clickies, I find myself trying to reprogram the levels once in awhile to suit certain scenarios. So yes, I will take the rotary anytime even though the clicky is tougher.

pjandyho said:

Of course the rotary. Anytime.

It's such a practical UI there is no need to think how to use it. I had mine set to

A) burst
B) rotary
C) emergency beacon
D) strobe

So now I have the ability to access any levels I want easily without having to reprogram the light. Much as I love my older clickies, I find myself trying to reprogram the levels once in awhile to suit certain scenarios. So yes, I will take the rotary anytime even though the clicky is tougher.

Click to expand...

Can you explain the meaning of tougher? Aren't they supposed to be equal in durability?

druidmars said:

Can you explain the meaning of tougher? Aren't they supposed to be equal in durability?

Click to expand...

They are the same in built throughout except that the rotary's rotating tail may not be as impact resistant as the clicky's. A few hard drops on the tail may or may not render the rotary function unusable. Henry has also acknowledged this fact. Something's got to give for the added convenience.

I like the clicky and over a 10 year time period, I'd bet money on a few more clicky HDSs surviving intact after hard use vs the rotary.

After 2 years.. does anyone have anything to add?
Is the rotary really more fragile?

I own clickies and rotaries alike, but none really see any hard use/abuse. Just ordinary edc light duty.

FWIW, my rotary has never failed. I expect it to last a lifetime and stand up to whatever I throw at it . . .

broonzbane


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Other than the firmware bug on the initial launch of the rotary and which Henry had fixed, I have never had any other problems with my cool white rotary. The HCRI rotary which I received months ago has been on my belt daily, getting bumps and knocks and no issues too. I don't think the rotary version is any much less robust than the clicky, but I would be a little hesitant to submerge it in mud for fear that mud particles would get lodged in the rotary mechanism.

Besides if you're really concerned about crawling through mud and grit you could just set the rotary to level you wanted, wrap the rotary knob with a little bit of electrical tape, and call it a 4 Mode clicky until you get washed up.

eh4 said:

Besides if you're really concerned about crawling through mud and grit you could just set the rotary to level you wanted, wrap the rotary knob with a little bit of electrical tape, and call it a 4 Mode clicky until you get washed up.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea but I have the legacy clickies to perform that duty. Just last year the high CRI clicky went through that ritual of bathing in mud when I have to crawl through the muddy flats. Mud got into the magazines in the pouch and got lodged in the barrel of the rifle, but the high CRI clicky survived unscathed although it was fully coated in mud.

I really like the Rotary UI but I can't edc a light that small without a clip.

CarpentryHero said:

I really like the Rotary UI but I can't edc a light that small without a clip.

Click to expand...

.........................................:laughing:

riccardo said:

After 2 years.. does anyone have anything to add?
Is the rotary really more fragile?

Click to expand...

In theory, yes. Practically speaking, probably not. The dial itself is actually a surprisingly simple mechanism and should easily withstand all but the most extreme abuse (for instance, crushing the dial so that it can no longer rotate), and in a worst case scenario, it can always be operated like a Clicky. I expect my Rotary to give me years of reliable service.

AZPops said:

.........................................:laughing:

Click to expand...

yep, and I'll keep beating that dead horse well into next year. I did buy a rotary and give it an honest try. Just to small for a holster and to nice to be a coat light. I like clipping my small lights to my cellphone case.


In answer the Rotary is not fragile, I'd say its 95% as strong as its clicky counterpart. With a lifetime warranty and bulletproof construction I wouldn't sweat it.

CarpentryHero said:

yep, and I'll keep beating that dead horse well into next year. I did buy a rotary and give it an honest try. Just to small for a holster and to nice to be a coat light. I like clipping my small lights to my cellphone case.


In answer the Rotary is not fragile, I'd say its 95% as strong as its clicky counterpart. With a lifetime warranty and bulletproof construction I wouldn't sweat it.

Click to expand...

+1

I like my rotary as much as my high cri cerakote clicky. But I never carry it because of the lack of a clip. Can't stand to have the light swimming around in the bottom of my pocket.

I'll help you flog the ever-living poop out of this horse until HDS gives us a solution worthy of installing on this light . . .

broonzbane


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

And I failed to mention in my post above that I have dropped my cool white rotary many times. There are some dings on the rotary mechanism but it hasn't done any harm at all to the operation of the light.

My Rotary has taken a couple of pretty hard shots to the dial, but it still works perfectly.