Honestly, I tend to design very conservatively, so even though an LED can probably handle 5A+ and elevated temps for a while without bursting into flames, I try to at least keep things manageable for the LED regardless, if anything for better lumen-maintenance. (I’m one of those weirdos who uses AS5 as thread-lube screwing in a pill to the case.)
Hey, I had a ’98 for about a year, ran it full tilt all the time without a second thought, and was horrified when I discovered the hollow pill, so now it’s in pieces waiting for me to copper-fill the bugger somehow (and drive it at ~2A vs <1A). The floating star never transferred much heat to the case or the pill, and now I know it was because it was all bottled up in the LED. Eep!
So yeah, I’d rather let my hand tell me things are getting a little too toasty, vs not knowing the silent-scream of the poor little critter as it was suffering.
And I probably wouldn’t be keeping it on for too long in one burst anyway, but you never know when you might have to.