I've tried my fair share of flashlights over the years. I've always gone back and forth on whether clicky or twisty lights are the best for EDC. As long as they're well-done, I've found that either will be fine for EDC. Nowadays, I do usually prefer clickys for several reasons. I thought I'd share my thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of clicky and twisty lights.
Clicky lights are probably my favorite because of their ease of use. They can typically always be used one-handed. The same can't necessarily be said about twistys. Unless there is good knurling, it can be hard to get a solid grip on a twisty light with one hand. With my main EDC light, I never want to struggle to get it to turn on quickly. Knowing that the button is always on the end of the light makes it that much easier to turn on, even if it's dark out. Plus, with lights that have rubberized tailcaps, it's even easier to differentiate the button from the body of the light. On a side note, I don't think I've ever tried a light with a side switch before. I've tried dual button lights, like the Nitecore TIP and TINI, but didn't like them much since it was harder to remember which button controlled the power and modes. With twisty lights that you keep loose in the pocket or in your bag, it's sometimes hard to distinguish which end of the light is which in the dark. For UI purposes, it's much simpler to have to press a button than to twist the head of the light repeatedly. Mode memory can save you from having to twist the light on/off four or five times to get to a specific mode. However, mode memory isn't a given on all lights. The only big issue I've found with clicky lights is they're more likely to turn on accidentally. Buttons can easily get pressed without noticing. With twisty lights, it takes deliberate effort to physically turn the light on/off. Also with clickys, it's neat that you can do momentary on by half pressing the button down. You can sort of make twisty lights momentarily turn on by pressing down on the head of the light. That works better on some flashlights than others though. It is neat that more companies are starting to do single mode twisty lights. I honestly thought that was a dumb idea when I first heard of it. Now I'm a big believer in them since I love my Olight i3E and Thrunite T01 so much. I would much rather have a single mode twisty than a four or five mode twisty flashlight. I just got a Fenix UC02 in that has you twist a little for low, and then all the way for high. That's a nice twist to the typical twisty light, It's a lot smarter of a UI than twisting quickly on/off, yet it still won't beat a clicky in my eyes. With clicky lights, the only other downside I can think of is that you're adding an extra part that has the potential to break. I think a button is more likely to degrade with use over time. I could see someone losing the head or body of a twisty light if the threads suck or get loose frequently, so I guess that's another potential downside for them.
Twisty lights can be slightly more compact, since they don't have to deal with the added length of a button. The differences in length can be very negligible though, so it's not a huge selling point to me. That's probably why most small keychain lights are twistys. It'd be pretty ridiculous to put a button on something like the Streamlight Nano. Plus you wouldn't want to risk turning it on accidentally all the time. I really can't think of any other ways a twisty light would beat a clicky. I'm sure the production of each is different enough, but I really have no idea which is easier for companies to make. I feel like it'd be a twisty light, since you wouldn't have to worry about all the details associated with a button.
For me personally, I'd take a clicky over a twisty light any day. When I was first getting into EDC, I was more evenly split. I can definitely tell that I prefer clickys now though. Ever since I got the upgraded FourSevens Preon P2 with the clicky, I've let my classic twisty Preon sit in my Pelican case. You can't make up for the ease of use of a clicky. For my EDC lights, ease of use is everything, and I find that clicky lights win in that regard every time. Sure there are issues with buttons potentially dying over time or accidentally turning on. They're not a perfect way to operate a light, but there's less downsides than with a twisty light. Having to repeatedly twist a light will always take way more effort than a few quick presses of a button. I thought there'd be more points to talk about between the two, but I think I touched on all the big things. Do you prefer twisty or clicky lights in your EDC? I feel like it really comes down to personal preferences and what you are used to. Thanks for looking!
Buttons ALWAYS go
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