I was wondering if one is more reliable than the other. Is the twisty more or less reliable than a rear clickie or side clickie?
Thanks,
Jerry
A well made twisty is generally more reliable than a click switch of comparable quality. There are fewer parts in a twist, and the parts its made up of are generally less complex. Even high quality click switches can be prone to failure on drops, when the weight of the cells impacts the plastic switch.
Surefire patented twisty…
It depends, but I would say twisty. However, the most reliable design is what is used in the L10, a tube attached to a head where you simply unscrew or screw on the head to turn it on.
Thank you, both.
Jerry
Twisty is the way to go.
Twisties on the other hand seem to need more cleaning on the contact points to avoid flicker or am I just unlucky?
[quote=NZ Shooter
I have never heard of a failure - ever.[/quote]
that’s just it…you have never heard of a failure.
It stands to reason…twisty is winner because of no mechanical switch.
[quote=NZ Shooter]
If you believe MagLite switches _never_fail…well, you probably believe in fairy tales…no offense…but there is NO switch in the Universe that will not fail. All MECHANICAL switches will fail eventualy. Common Sense.
Reliability is in the eye of the beholder and the conditions of usage that the lights sees. For some, a twisty seems more dependable. For others a clicky seems more dependable. I have never seen a Maglite clicky fail, (even though there is a possibility it can). I have seen almost every Chinese clicky I have ever used fail.
The only twisty I have ever used is the Mini Mag twist head. They will fail to work, if the surfaces get dirty enough. Bare Aluminum forms an Aluminum Oxide coating and that can cause lack of contact, Brass and Copper do similar things. They can fail to work and they can become touchy when dirty, with an aggravating flicker.
[quote=NZ Shooter]
[quote=Streamer]
The keyword in Streamer’s post is not NEVER but HEARD. You’ve never heard of switch failure in a Maglite but that doesn’t mean that they don’t happen. A quick google search on “maglite switch failure” will show you that they can and do fail.
There is nothing about a twisty "switch" to fail except for dirt or corrosion on the contact area. I put quotations around "switch" because, IMO, with no moving parts it barely qualifies as a switch. It is simply on or off and is a switch in the most basic of definition. The only way one could fail is if the threads were to seize up or contact surfaces corrode.
I've had a maglite switch fail... It was completely my fault, but still. (I had 2 LiFePo4 A123 26650 cells in it and they shorted)
I’ve heard suggestions of twisties welding at high current, as well as corrosion, so neither is infallible, and nothing will last indefinitely….personally I have no preference other than I’m not a fan of forward clickies unless they are single mode lights.
I will say that for amperage to weld a twisty a clicky switch would have failed instantly. 
True, but twisties are still not a magic bullet 
and I would gues the issue is more the short on connection/disconnection can mar up the surface and promote more corrosion, plus I would guess we’re talking match photon blaster levels of current being switched.
Along the same line, I’m fearing putting 4.2a through a trustfire t2…it gets hot pretty quick tailstanding at 1.8a (stock driver), I’m pushing 1.74a (5 x 7135’s) through the nw xp-g I’ve fitted and I suspect that’s going to get warm, never mind the side switch that appears to be press fit. 