"Almost dream UI"?

I'm getting tired of never finding a light with an UI that suits me and my needs...That's until I can justify buying a SF UBR Invictus!
So I thought I'd share an UI idea that combines two lights I have, and see what you think, and hopefully a manufacturer will pick up on it and make me a light like that!

I currently EDC the Olight S10 Baton. The UI on that works quite well in my opinion for edc use. I also recently got a Thrunite TN12 2014 but I really don't like the UI...To fiddly to select modes...

But combining the S10 and the TN12 might make a rather good UI.

What I want are the following;

*Always be able to instantly get max output from either off, or when constant on in either mode, with tailcap.
*Firefly mode from off.
*Tailcap for momentary on, on all modes.
*Modes; Firefly 0,1-0,5 lumen, low 20 lumen, mid 200-300 lumen, max as much as possible, but at least 1000 lumen!
*Accept 18650/2XCR123
*Kickass runtime


So what I thought of was a light with a side button and a tailcap, just a different UI than I have seen so far.

UI;
(Side button activates the light in constant on, tailcap only activates in momentary on.)

*For firefly mode; press and hold side button from off.

*To change modes; press side button once for constant on (activates the light in previously selected mode, either firefly or the two or three other modes), press again and hold to cycle through the modes. I can accept MAX three modes, low-mid-high. Selected mode will be remembered.

*For momentary on in selected mode, press and hold tailcap when off (not a clicky switch!).

*For max output from either constant on in either mode, or from off. Double tap tailcap. This will activate the max output, you can now push and release the tailcap how fast and many times you want, it will not leave the max output (it will only select max output again if double tapping it). A click on the side button after having double tapped the tailcap will get you constant on in max output.


What do you think? Could it be done? Could it be improved?
I think this would work really well for me, even in a stressed /"tactical" situation. My thought is that if you need max output, it should be easy getting to it with one hand and be able to activate it instantly no matter what mode your currently in or if the light is off. Not having to fiddle with another button or selector ring...
The other modes are not as vital to get to fast.


To all manufacturers that reads this, please make me this light, comment or PM me for further discussions on designs and more specific details

Too complicated - you'd be constantly flipping the light round to get from the tailcap switch to the mode button on the side. I've had a few side-mounted-mode-switch lights this year and found all of them annoying for this reason.

All the side-mode lights that I've had so far also suffer from the same basic defect that reverse clickies have had for years: you have to cycle through the modes e.g. low-med-high: there is no way to change direction, so to get from medium to low you have to go all the way round.

OK, we all have different requirements and ideas, but for me ideally everything should be controlled from the tailcap - a la Gladius or HDS - and be able to go up and down in brightness instead of having to cycle round.

Momentary from off and momentary max from any constant on I agree are must-have features.

Zebralights don't force you to go through high from medium to get to low. Simply press and hold for ~ .5 sec.

From off: Single fast click for high; slow click for low; double click for medium albeit with a high flash, or press and hold to cycle from low to medium.

Despite being an old-fashioned simple forward-clicky momentary on type of guy, I have found the ZL UI gels with me in a way that the average reverse-clicky UI does not. I hate stepping through 3 or more output modes on my Fenix and other such lights.

ZL's don't do momentary on but I have a big selection of bored out SureFires for that capability. I'm not looking for one do-everything light though.

What could be better than a Thrunite Lynx. Momentary max plus 3 user definable switch positions.

Rob

Big fan of moonlight/low low modes and momentary max from ON, I use that all the time with a Quark Pro (it's a work-around). HDS comes close with its pseudo-momentary, but with an electronic clicky - it's kind of slow (can't signal a fast morse). Surefire two stage clicky can also do it, but mode selection is extremely limited, and no moonlight. The combination of the great low-end mode spacing, and momentary max from ON make these two my goto EDCs out of dozens in my collection. The HDS has the programable mode spacing and UI, while the Quark has the efficiency and battery versatility.

The Thrunite Neutron V2 is pretty good... Double click get you Max from OFF or ON and a single click off and back on gets to back memory mode.

The magnetic control ring UI does it for me.

Moonshadow said:

Too complicated - you'd be constantly flipping the light round to get from the tailcap switch to the mode button on the side. I've had a few side-mounted-mode-switch lights this year and found all of them annoying for this reason.

All the side-mode lights that I've had so far also suffer from the same basic defect that reverse clickies have had for years: you have to cycle through the modes e.g. low-med-high: there is no way to change direction, so to get from medium to low you have to go all the way round.

OK, we all have different requirements and ideas, but for me ideally everything should be controlled from the tailcap - a la Gladius or HDS - and be able to go up and down in brightness instead of having to cycle round.

Momentary from off and momentary max from any constant on I agree are must-have features.

Click to expand...

I agree with you that it would be ideal to control it completely from the tailcap, but I haven't found a light that does that well yet. I've had a thrunite that worked like the gladius, I didn't like it and sold it.

Since a lot of "cheap" non-US made lights have the side switch I thought it wouldn't be to problematic or expensive to get this UI. The Olight with the side switch functions rather well as an EDC, if it had been a bit longer with a tailcap that gave you instant max output it would be the ideal EDC light, for me at least. I really only use firefly and max output, when in need of the other modes I don't mind cycling through two or three modes. You wouldn't have to flip the light around at all since you still can activate the light through the side switch, the only real function the tailcap has is to give you max ouput instantly when pulling out the light, it would function just as any "tactical" light with a tailcap. The way the Thrunite TN works rights now is not at all ideal, right now you have to change the grip to change modes.

On a big light, one of those dual neck button setups would be nice if they operated like or could be programmed like this- so the front button turns it on high, rear button turns it on low, push again for off, & that's all it does. And be like eagletac's neck buttons where they do momentary.

Otherwise on palm size lights & below, it already exists. Forward clicky, and much smaller head switch.

Surefire P2XiB intelabeam has a light sensor in the bezel that measures the light reflected back & adjusts the output accordingly... 2015 SHOT show