Are there any decent flashlights with a mechanical side switch? I know of the Convoy M4U with it’s mechanical side switch and biscotti, which I find to be a rare and interesting combo. Other than that, I only know of the old school incandescent m@g lites.
For larger lights I like a side switch as it’s a more comfortable hold. E-switches are cool—especially with Anduril— but the mechanical has the benefit of simplicity and 0 parasitic drain without having to unscrew the tail-cap. Is the M4U the only good option out there?
Mech switches that need to handle appreciable current are necessarily big.
My little bobofett light (Inland Rsomething) has a mech switch for the teeny little AA light, and it adds a good half-inch to the length, because the tube at that point is just the switch, no driver parts or anything.
Same with a Mag C/D, but no one really notices ’cause the light itself is a massive donk.
How long are you likely to have a light sit there wiyhout being used, without re-charging the cell? The parasitic drain on lights using Anduril are so low as to be a non-issue for most lights… well for all the lights I keep cells in.
I’m thinking as a gift to someone— an elderly muggle with arthritic hands.It would probably be stashed somewhere so I’m thinking a mech switch would not be as easily activated by other object in a drawer/bag/ whatever—and the person I have in mind won’t remember to twist the tail cap on an eswitch light. Side as opposed to tail as pretty much every flashlight this person has ever used has been a side-switch light.
I’m also considering rotary/ring light like sofirn SD05.
Perhaps an older, non-flashaholic person would be better off with a light that uses disposable AA cells? I don’t have specific suggestions; that is just a thought as it can keep them out of trouble and they are probably used to using flashlights, etc. that use disposable batteries.
Price is comparable to a 2D Mag, but the Luxpro is rubberised (vs kinda slick for the Mag), H/L/strobe but always resets to H (350lm or so, plenty for The Muggle), and the mech sideswitch is easy to press.
It’s got a G3, so be sure to slap on some diffusion film. Not only fixes the eggy beam, but also makes it a really smooth flooder vs a decent thrower.
And D alkies usually leak lots less than hateful little AAs.