Optimal boot hardness

For a long time I had honestly believed that I preferred soft boots. But recently, I realized that the best boot hardness is not a fixed thing.

Some time ago I bought an early FM 18350 body with that soft mag type boot. I specifically went for this body because I wanted that soft boot. But when I got it, I found that, in real life, it was too flimsy. To the point that it went to my drawer for a year.

Then I got a mac's tri-edc with what I thought was a hard press boot cap. At least it was by far too hard for my liking. To the point that I did not use the light. Then I ordered a soft press boot and when I installed it I realized that the original boot was the soft one as well! So even the standard soft press boot was too hard for my liking.

Then I tried one of the supersoft green regular shape boot caps that came from Fivemega with one of his offerings (don't remember which one). And with this extremely soft cap the light became perfect in an instant. This is one of my favorite lights now and I can't believe I wanted to sell it just because of that standard soft boot caps.

And then I recalled that some time ago Tana suggested that the Mag type boot caps in those FM bodies should rather be replaced by regular boot caps. I didn't have more green supersoft ones so I tried that original "hard" cap from the tri-edc which I fixed by a Ti retaining ring. And to my great surprize, in this specific configuration the hardness was just perfect. I would still call it a hard press but it just perfect.

I have no idea why different configurations, so similar in size, feel good with caps of so different hardnesses.

Here is that FM body with the new tail. Works well with an incand bulb.
https://yadi.sk/i/R3QIF_GOuqghf
https://yadi.sk/i/UohiPL04uqgr3

Boot resistance seems to be a mixture of factors. Boot hardness, retainer ring tightness, and retainer ring bore size all make a difference. Tighter bore squeezes the boot more, hence more resistance to compression. Tightening the ring has a similar effect

tail switch hardness. The switch on the 2016 PD32 is hard as a rock for example. I switched it out with the boot from a V3 Armytek. The tail switch on my M23 is freaking fantastic. Most Fenix PD35's have what I consider near perfect switches and boots. Eagletacs have good tail switches. They are on the softer side but not to much still positive tactile response. The switch on my M23 despite being much wider than average and on the softer side still works positively no matter where you press it I love it