Why I like LED twisty lights when backpacking.

In another thread I showed a headlamp and flashlight combo used for longer range camping trips.



Nothing too spectacular but maybe someone might have noticed the flashlight is a twisty. This is hardly the first time a twisty light has been part of my longer range kit.











So why the twisty give all the options available to me? Here is my list of reasons. Naturally everyone has different preferences and my suppositions could be wrong.


1. If done right I think a twisty is more reliable than a clicky.

2. Often less expensive. If lost in the woods it hurts less. LOL!

3. Often smaller.

4. Often less bulky.

5. Intrinsically can be locked out. I have never had a twisty turn on in my pack though there probably is a way and it must have happened to someone. That said this is a BIG one for me.

Granted there are other methods of turning a flashlight on or off and changing modes but for the backpack it seems like twisty flashlights keep finding their way into my kit.

Before anyone asks this isn't a Clicky vs. Twisty thing. Odds are that has been beaten to death. Rather my personal preference for a particular application. I use and like flashlight employing clicky switches as well.

Thanks for the info and pics.
Would you mind sharing some of your favorite twisties?

I like twisties for in-pocket carrying, because they're so much smaller than clickies. Otherwise, I prefer clickies (either mechanical or electronic) for easier one-hand operation.

For a backpack, it's easy to lock-out most clickies with a slight loosening of the tail-cap, so no biggie about accidental activation.

Never occurred to me that a twisty is actually cheaper. I have a Tain Ottavino and Mako that cost a bomb for an AAA light. As for reliability, it depends. Have a 47s MiNi Ti twisty which is functioning unreliably every few months until I cleaned up the threads. I guess the tendency for titanium to gall has created a higher chance for abrasion to take place via the twisting motion. The abrasion of the galled titanium material causes fine metal residues which obstructed proper electrical path and causes the Ti MiNi to work unreliably. Not sure if this is logical but at least this is my unscientific discovery.

I have killed a couple of clicky switches on a hard drop in the field, the lights still worked but only with a switch bypass. Aluminum foil to the rescue.

My smallest AAA lights are twisty. They can be shorter than any tail clicky light. Fewer moving parts.

I can see the logic.

thomas_sti_red said:

Thanks for the info and pics.
Would you mind sharing some of your favorite twisties?

Click to expand...

E01, 4/7 and a few generic no name brands. Right now my favorite is the 2xAA Quark mini.

pjandyho said:

Never occurred to me that a twisty is actually cheaper. I have a Tain Ottavino and Mako that cost a bomb for an AAA light. As for reliability, it depends. Have a 47s MiNi Ti twisty which is functioning unreliably every few months until I cleaned up the threads. I guess the tendency for titanium to gall has created a higher chance for abrasion to take place via the twisting motion. The abrasion of the galled titanium material causes fine metal residues which obstructed proper electrical path and causes the Ti MiNi to work unreliably. Not sure if this is logical but at least this is my unscientific discovery.

Click to expand...

I never really seen the value in much of the Ti gear out there including flashlights. The worst of the lot are Ti knives. Maybe for a dive knife but yikes. I absolutely agree if a twisty is done wrong it can be problematic.

I have a Fenix E05 that I hate (blue tint). Too cheap to sell, so I though about putting it in my backpacking FAK as a backup. But accidental activation is actually the BIGGEST concern for me. I can press down and it comes on. I guess I can loosen it even more, but in a crammed backpack you never know. But being a backup, I guess I can put some electrical tape over one end of the battery to be safe.

Clicky > Twisty

Thx WoodsWalker.

@ markr6: I i have the same issue with my E01. But I store the battery for backup lights in a case, not in the light.

thomas_sti_red said:

Thx WoodsWalker.

@ markr6: I i have the same issue with my E01. But I store the battery for backup lights in a case, not in the light.

Click to expand...

I have room in my kit for the battery separate, so I will probably do that. It will replace my Photon II. Heck, I could probably keep both in there given the light weight.

markr6 said:

... Heck, I could probably keep both in there ...

Click to expand...

Of course! 1=o 2=1 etc.

WalkIntoTheLight said:

I like twisties for in-pocket carrying, because they're so much smaller than clickies. Otherwise, I prefer clickies (either mechanical or electronic) for easier one-hand operation. For a backpack, it's easy to lock-out most clickies with a slight loosening of the tail-cap, so no biggie about accidental activation.

Click to expand...

Twisties can and do work themselves on while in a pocket.

18650 said:

Twisties can and do work themselves on while in a pocket.

Click to expand...

Very true. Or, the head screws off completely. Especially if you keep the threads and o-ring well lubricated, which is what I normally do. To be safe, sometimes I stick a piece of masking tape around the body where it screws onto the head, which stops it rotating. It's a bit of a PITA, but it works.

As someone who is going camping for an extended period of time soon(first time taking rechargables/high end lights) mind sharinga few tips as to how you charge them, clean them. Do you take lube/grease on these trips for tread maintenance.

As for clicky/twisty, this concerns me, im skeptical putting my lights in my pack for fear they might turn on with out preventative measures. I might do the lock out thing or the old electrical tape on the battery trick. Or just keep the lights and batterys separate until dusk. The MH20 is of special concern as it has a side switch with a fairly sensitive half press, atleast the tail switch on the M1 allows me to stick it in a pocket and as long as there isnt anything above the tail switch it cant turn on.

As for lock out, i dont entirely trust it. If a twisty can twist itself on a light on lock out can unlock itself back on, rare but it can happen as ive read.

I like my Eagletac D25LC2 XP-G2 twisty and using a single 18650 works really well for me.

Rider57 said:

As for lock out, i dont entirely trust it. If a twisty can twist itself on a light on lock out can unlock itself back on, rare but it can happen as ive read.

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Unlikely, because with a tail-cap there's pressure from the battery spring which is pushing the tailcap apart from the body, so if it's going to twist, it will twist further off.

Most twistie lights I've seen don't have any battery springs in them, so they will twist on just as easily as twist off.

WalkIntoTheLight said:

Very true. Or, the head screws off completely. Especially if you keep the threads and o-ring well lubricated, which is what I normally do. To be safe, sometimes I stick a piece of masking tape around the body where it screws onto the head, which stops it rotating. It's a bit of a PITA, but it works.

Click to expand...

I never had a twisty turn on my my pack or have the head fall off in my pocket but guess it's possible.

I carried a 4/7 Mini MA in front left pocket since it was released here until recently. It was donated to wife to make room for another light in that pocket. Twisty 1xAA.
It never turned on once by itself or fell apart. Was always ready.
When I was still doing road side assistance the only light that ever gave me issues were Preon and E25, if not locked out.
Had many a hot pocket with them two.
Them Duracell's Ion core go and go and go..
I think it depends on user and where they pack their lights.

It's hard to cover all the bases but better to be aware of the nature of the flare you choose to carry.
Yes flare, can feel like one by time one realizes in layers of winter clothing lol.