clicky vs twisty

I have a clicky flashlight, a NovaTac EDC 120P, and a twisty flashlight, a Fenix P1D. They've been switching between kechains for a few months now.

I find I greatly prefer the Novatac for its clicky interface. I can turn it on, and to the desired brightness, with one hand. For keychain use this is saying a lot, because the P1D is a bit smaller.

To get the Fenix on requires two hands, and cycling through the entire range sometimes, which includes the strobe settings which are irritating at least. If It's not well-lubricated, it can be really fiddly to switch between settings.

Not a clicky vs twisty issue, but I like how I can set the NovaTac to allow me to turn it on to a dimmer setting before I turn on a really bright one. (and not ruin everyone's night vision. Reagardless of the clicky/button interface this is a key issue for me in the future.

Has anyone felt that their twisty flashglight was a preferable interface to a clicky one? One-handed operation about seals it for me.

I generally prefer clickies as well, but twisties have their place. They're usually smaller, more reliable, and in some cases, can be more functional. Here's why...

First, the size issue. Clicky mechanisms take up extra space, so twisties are usually shorter than clickies - which helps people minimize the size of their EDC. Since there's nothing protruding on a twisty, they're also less likely to be turned on accidentally by a bump. With fewer moving parts, twisties are generally considered slightly more reliable than clickies. And it's really easy to implement a "high/low" setup on a twisty (think Surefire A2 or LX2, McLux III PD-S, etc.), which gives you immediate access to two different levels of light.

Hope this helps!

- FITP

Yeah I know I'm rookie but it's not my first forum. I'll have to agree with the above statement. While I find I enjoy clickys better, twistys def have their place. Clickys can be really efficient depending on application. I got into the whole flashlight craze when I was camping with a friend but it really wasn't until I got into personal defense, and was introduced to surfefire and the defensive flashlight, that it really took off.

When going for your pistol with your strong hand, the weak hand either secures itself on your chest, or it goes for the light. The light can be used to blind an opponent and make him look away briefly. This is usually taught nowadays with a clicky on mind. You use your weak had to grab the light and bang the clicky upon your chest. You then bring it to bear along with the pistol in one of many flashlight stances. Note, as massad ayoob stated, if you have an e2d defender or a recessed clicky, this may not work, and can even feel a bit uncomfortable with the crenallated bezel over the clicky, or youre not a cop with body armor. This can be helped by placing the thumb over the clicky before impacting it on you breastplate.

Anyways, the clicky is even included in training for firearms so it definatly has it's place. Anyone with a protruded clicky has had the old heated pocket once or twice because their light has come on. My new everyday carry is on it's way to me. It's a fenix ldx200 leatherman (l1tv2) and it's a twisty. As much as I like clickys they can be a pain in a pocket full of stiff depending on the type of clicky. I recently purchased a Ultrafire c1 (landed getting one without th orange peel) and it has such a recessed and stiff clicky, it would probably be safe from accidental activation. It's a bit large for edc so I opted for a different light.

You just need to look at the application and also sear h for reviews on clickys. I have seen twistys that move with little or no effort that may be just as much of a pain if not more. I ordered a momentary on clicky from lighthound and it's a stiff cusomer as it's doesn't really click. Haven't received the 502b yet but it probably won't be wHat I wanted. Good luck in your hunt.

In a real survival situation, its single mode twisty for me. Anything else, a clicky is just fine. IMHO.

I'm through and through a twisty person. I have my fair share of clickies but the large majority of the lights I use every day are twisties. Why? Because clicky lights are longer, are more susceptible to switch failure, and worst of all, are extremely easy to accidentally activate. More importantly, clicky lights only offer one mode available instantly -- you must click through to get other modes. On many twisties with multiple modes you can just twist a little bit for low and twist further for high (PD, Twisty, Aeon). I find it easy enough to manipulate twisties with one hand and rarely ever find the convenience factor of clickies to be useful enough to outweigh the drawbacks.

I appreciate the reliability advice. Perhaps some of the "Piston Drive" lights mitigate this as claimed.

My 120P has a recessed enough (light can stand on its end) button that I'm not so worried about random pocket activation (Although I'm sure eventually it will happen).. More worried right now about the tiny cosmetic scrapes on it from my keys (black one), as I didn't think I'd love it enough to carry it on my keychain. I believe the 120T button is not recessed.

Certainly my expectation (hope I guess) is that I would be drawing a light before a weapon in most circumstances. But this is making me think about the reality of drawing both simultaneously in a non-fumbly manner. Weapon mounted lights are a wonderful thing though. I don't want to be forced to draw a weapon on someone to shine a flashlight on them, but if the bulk isn't a problem I certainly want as much light as possible shined on someone I needed to draw a weapon on

The Fenix P1D is so much smoother after lubricating... It can be turned off and on one-handedly with some exertion, but not comfortably by any means. Are any twisty ones actually comfortable? I like mention of some that have a click. The Fenix makes it really hard to tell whether you've passed the 'on' point and you can skip a level or end up hitting extra levels.

I do like the idea of twisty to continually adjust brightness, but clicky to turn it on (and even click-hold for brightest). Still, I can get to a desired brightness pretty fast with the NovaTac.

Other than survival situations, the real concern is just activation and abttery cost. I know my ultrafire c1 is pretty tough on the clicky side. Havent received my Fenix TK11 yet but Im sure its too big for a EDC anyways. Right now my EDC is my small coleman max which has a recessed clicky thats tough even though the rubber cover sticks out a little. Its never come on before in my pocket and ive carried it for a year. I am going to replace it with that Fenix leatherman light (i think a l1t v2 re-badged) due to battery costs. The Fenix uses 1 AA as apposed to the mortgage-house CR2's.

I've really been spoiled by the LiteFlux clickies. Never really had a problem with them or other brands either. Guess I'll feel different if one fails when I really need it to work. On the other hand twisties do keep the lights shorter.

Geoff

I haven't found a user interface yet that I couldn't get used to.

twist switches are my favs for the reliability, and I find a lockout feature a must have. As long as there is sufficient knurling and the light is not too small, I can easily operate it one handed.

I'm an equal-opportunity light bearer; I usually have a small twisty in my front pocket and a clicky in my back pocket. :twothumbs

with regards on my surefire products; for me the added cost of a clicky is not worth its convenience...when you can buy a new g2 for the price of a new z59 clicky, i just say no to a clicky...

clicky only for me, not interested in any light that you need to twist to turn on or access features.

So people here on CPF usually say that twisty lights are more reliable thank clicky lights due to the slightly higher rate of failure of clickies. When I parroted this viewpoint (I can't explain why so that's really all I'm doing) I was confronted with "they're not more reliable. Using solder points as mechanical contact points is never a good idea." Like I said, I don't get it, does anyone here get it? Can someone explain. I ask this question purely from a reliability of the switch itself. One person did respond that even if one level of a twisty light failed, the other level(s) would still function. So what's more reliable, from those who understand better than I?

And yes, I found this thread using the search.

Well of course it is possible for twisty lights to fail. I have two Fenix twisties that failed and a third that appears to be threatening to fail. I could not discern failure mode but I can't exactly blame the switch for failure as the circuitry seems to have failed. However, even the best made clickies are more prone to failure than the best designed twisties. It's just the nature of the design, that clickies are more complicated both mechanically and electronically.

jblackwood said:

So people here on CPF usually say that twisty lights are more reliable thank clicky lights due to the slightly higher rate of failure of clickies. When I parroted this viewpoint (I can't explain why so that's really all I'm doing) I was confronted with "they're not more reliable. Using solder points as mechanical contact points is never a good idea." Like I said, I don't get it, does anyone here get it? Can someone explain. I ask this question purely from a reliability of the switch itself. One person did respond that even if one level of a twisty light failed, the other level(s) would still function. So what's more reliable, from those who understand better than I?

And yes, I found this thread using the search.

Click to expand...

Fewer moving parts. For the SF-Z41 its just a metal plate and a spring that touches the end of the tube. No parts to fail. its track record over the past ~3 decades, and ONE CPF report of failure speaks for itself.

SF-Z41 gutts:


McClicky gutts:


If someone told you solder points are the main weakness of a click switch, I think they are wrong. My Fenix and Eagletac switches are very WELL soldered to their circuit boards. The complication (and higher rate of failure) comes from the sliding / rotating ratcheted parts inside. There is a plunger inside the switch that rotates and moves in and out as you press the button. Its the in-out-rotating movement that opens and closes the circuit.... but its also the complexity of the mechanics that can fail.

The plastics used in these mechanics are a very hard material, to prevent wear and seizing. Unfortunately they are also very brittle and can crack/break easily. The older white plastic SF-E series switches for example have a well documented CPF history of failure from plastic fracture. the new ones can be easily identified by the black plastic inside.



I think the McClicky switches are the most robust, reliable and have the best track record. I think his plastic is not as hard/brittle as the others, and he uses a very robust grease/lube to help increase longevity.

I love my Nitecore EX10, I can use it as a clicky or a twisty.. Just whatever I'm feeling like.

A twisty is absolutely more reliable. Kramer5150 explained it well. As far as a switch mechanism goes, the contact points could get oxidized, but it's a lot easier to clean a twisty tube end than take apart a tailcap switch.
HOWEVER, manufacturers haven't been making twistys like they are switchys. Recent twist lights like the 4sevens Quark MiNi and Maratac AA and AAA may reverse that trend. Especially if they see fewer units returned for warranty work.
Also, there are plenty of other things to go wrong downstream of the switch mechanism so remember the axiom regarding flashlight failure: 1=none, 2=1.

I love my twistys, Liteflux LF2X, LF2, LF3, and Quark MiNi. If you have an LF5 sitting around please see my WTB post in marketplace! The Liteflux twisty interface, borrowed from another famous twisty, is perfect. The entire line operates the same, unlike the newer models, and once you get used to it one-handed operation is simple and programming is a breeze. I've been upgrading the emitters in the LFs to get them up to par with the new lights, neutrals and warmish emitters have really made a difference.

I'm no hipster purist though, I still enjoy my Novatac 120 and Quark AA Regular immensely! Also, many manufacturers are including replacement switches in their packages which is a great value. They're "getting it" that we use the heck out of these things!

Edit: The lack of twistys has me looking elsewhere, got a Nitecore D10 Tribute on order and thinking about a JetBeam Jet-III PRO ST. The Nitecore is a great light that is somewhere between twisty and clicky, and the Jetbeam, well.... I just want one!

This discussion somehow reminds me of tip-down or tip-up carry with knives, which I never understood too...

I have and also owned several flashlights with totally different systems, from the Insight H2X (one of the best GUIs ever, IMHO!) to several stock SureFires.

- I love SF click-on (click-off) tailcaps the most. Be it my M2/L5 or E2D, they always work as they should. Still, I'm looking forward to the incoming G2D-FYL with the three-stage click-on tailcap.

- The best click-on tailcap is on my LensLight. Awesome!

- I sometimes have problems using my McGizmo LunaSol in low settings. I either press too hard instead turning the piston. As it is my "gentlemen's EDC light" it doesn't matter, though. I use the light for looking cool and bragging most of the time! ;-)

- My favorite twisty (twist-only) is a Muyshondt Enterprises Nautilus, where the foam ring is falling off. So much for reliable twisty designs...

- I owned several A2 and currently EDC a LX2: I hate those two-stage turn- and/or click-switches. I can't really lock out my LX2 though it worked fine on the A2s. So great the LX2 is, I'm already looking/hoping for an after-market switch that protects the light from being activated without intent. Same goes for the LX1, which is next!

Definitely clicky for me. It's instantaneous, it's easily one-handed or should I say one-thumb. Should it fail, that's where my back-up comes into play, not that I have a failed switch before. Twisty is more suitable only if I prefer a light to be as small as possible. Piston drive is a great compromise for size and function IMO, but it's a pity very few lights use it.

loszabo said:

- My favorite twisty (twist-only) is a Muyshondt Enterprises Nautilus, where the foam ring is falling off. So much for reliable twisty designs...

Click to expand...

Oh yes, because the foam donut is so important for the utility of the switching mechanism. It isn't. It's only there to prevent battery rattle. That's like saying, the boot of my clicky has lost some of its texturing, looks like it's failed.