Of all the clicky and twisty lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

Guys,

Of all the (clicky and twisty) lights you own or owned, which is your favorite UI during actual use and programming? Some of the lights are just too darn complicate to program without using the manual.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

My SureFire A2. Press lightly get a nice low lumen floody light, press a little harder and you get a very usable beam. It's been my EDC for a long time. I've tried others, but I always go back the A2. Actually, now it's an A2L...

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

Zebralights

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

+1 A2 (and the like)

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

2 modes are simple and straight forward, how about those multi-modes UI that requires multiple head twists and/or clicks to access and program?

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

I'd go with the ramping UI as on the Nitecore lights and the Gladius - very easy to set the level you want, all operated from the tailcap. And very importantly, no change of level if you switch off and on again. Much better than having to use the other hand to twist the head or rotate a selector ring. HDS comes a close second - no ramp, but plenty of levels available from the tailswitch.

What I wish more manufacturers would implement is the hold-the-button-down-for-a-momentary-burst-of-full-power. HDS does this of course, and so do the Surefires with the two stage tailcap. With electronic switching I don't see any reason why this feature couldn't be combined with a ramping interface.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

My favorites are one mode lights. On and off. Simple and predictable. No need to multiple click, no need to learn modes, no fuss. Im a believer in having each light excel in one area; master of one, so to speak.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

2-mode is my favorite; Max for bright coverage over an area and Low for close-ups and longer runtime. Any other modes, if any, should be hidden.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

I am with Moonshadow. I love lights that allow instant burst from any output just by pressing the button and releasing again to go back to the previous output. That's why I love my Surefire LX2, L1, UB3T, A2 and AZ2 as well as all my HDS lights. Nothing comes close to that.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

The Yezl Z1X I have is my favorite UI.

Low -> Medium -> High -> Strobe ->SOS

All with mode memory. Accessed by lightly pressing the reverse clicky while on.

It's too bad the quality of the light is sub par and is only available in cool white.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

Sunwayman V10R Ti and the Surefire Titan T1A, I want the level I want when I want it.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

zebralights. quick press = high. long press= low. and keep pressing it and it cycles low med high. (and on each lightmode double click and you get an alternative output)

nitecore infinite ramping was neat too. and had that quick access to low and high also. (hmm.. this said.. i miss my d10 now.. where did i put it last time i used it.. i wanna carry it today! hahahah)

4sevens preon has cool ui too. (ramping up and hidden modes)

generally i like ui that is ramping up (low med high), no strobes etc in "normal" cycle. or it has to be simple like my one real true edc light 47s quark tactical. on-off light that you adjust before use to either setting one (loose head) or two with tightened bezel)

i wanna try the rotating switch lights.. but they all are too expensive for me to buy and use. the ui is smart but not worth the premium price in my mind.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

I really like the TK45 UI. With one switch to turn it on and the other to switch brightness levels, everything is simple. I also like the fact that the strobe modes are accessible but hidden.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

A2/A2L/LX2 has THE best UI in my opinion!

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

I had a look at Armytek Predator on YouTube, that thing is dang complicated to program!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3681NoOkjoQ

4sevens and Zebralight are "sightly" simpler...

4sevens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtrg1ivqJtg

Zebralight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srVdbGt7QiE

For the moment, let's disregard those models with rotating adjustment ring around the head, afaik the following are the most popular ways to access and program a light:

1) head twists
2) tail click (single, double, multiple or hold to change mode)
3) tail click for ramping

Did I miss anything?

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

Single mode, twisty (Z41, Peak, and the like) for the ultimate in less failure points. After that, and as already said by others here, hard to beat the Surefire L/A series push or twist UI.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

I really like the L1, LX2, A2/L, etc UI. The HDS is nice too, once get it programmed.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

As a preteen and teen it was my Garrity Mini Rugged Lite. Now I have three EDC's-2 AA Mini Maglite; 2 AA Mini Maglite LED with multimode switch; 2 C Maglite. I also like my two angleheads.

I have a collection of 40+, but I only use my EDCs on a regular basis.

Re: Of all the lights you own(ed), which is your favorite UI?

Surefire A2 incan by a landslide. Press light for LO, press a little more for HI. Twist a little for LO, twist a little more for HI. Its a bomb-proof mode-switch mechanism. I have never heard/read of a switch failure in the A2 incan.

I also like bezel twist mode selectors, they have no moving parts to fail.
>Fenix L1T-V2 / LD25, Eagle-TAC P100C2 / T100C2 = Loosen for LO, tighten for HI.
>Quark AA Tactical, Program any 2 modes you like = Loosen for mode 1, Tighten for mode 2

I also like the Fenix LD20, its kind of a hybrid bezel twist. Loosen the bezel for L/M/H mode flipping with memory. Tighten the bezel for turbo. Once you lock in the memory with the bezel loose it behaves like a 2-mode bezel twist... loosen for the memorized lower mode, tighten for turbo.

Ring selectors are also really nice... Xtar D30/D31, SF-Kroma, Eagle-Tac M3C4

The only PURE button mode flip UI I like is the one on Zebralight headlamps and the Surefire E2L Outdoorsman, the latter is so simple just flip between LO and HI.

My least favorite is anything with disco and SOS.

Personally, I like the UI on the new Peak QTCs. Twisty for reliability, just dial up the output you want.

Simple, which is what works for me.