Help choosing caps

[oNinjaDispatcho]

For my first board, (most likely going to be a QFR), I want to get some aftermarket key caps, as the stock QFR caps are heinous IMO. ALSO: I don't want blank key caps. I can touch type, but every once in a while I glance down... 
Let me list off info I have found and taken to heart, and please correct any of my misconceptions.
PBT > ABS
PBT thick > PBT regular/thin
Best printing method = double shot
Double shot is most common for ABS
Double shot exists for PBT, but is rare, signature plastics sells DSPBT arrow keys, and only Vortex sells full sets, which are hard to find.
A more common printing method for PBT is dye sublimation, but here and there people have disliked it, so I am wary.

Based on the above, my best bet would be the vortex set of doubleshot PBT, but they're pretty expensive. Also, are they thick or thin PBT?
Are ABS keycaps really that bad? What about dye sublimation?

What do you guys think?
As always, thanks in advance for any feedback.

[SpAmRaY]

feng has double shot pbt on ebay and its cheap

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vortex-Green-Double-Shot-Thick-PBT-104-Keyset-Cherry-MX-Keycaps-/231099852343

[riotonthebay]

A few assumptions I want to challenge:

PBT > ABS

Most agree, some disagree. For instance, GMK thick ABS is way better than Vortex doubleshot PBT (IMO), and I think most would agree with this.

Best printing method = double shot
...
A more common printing method for PBT is dye sublimation, but here and there people have disliked it, so I am wary.

In most cases dye sublimation is just as good as double shot. The legends might not be quite as crisp, but I don't believe it's frequently noticeable if done well. And sure, dye sub doesn't penetrate through the cap, but unless you're sanding your caps down it just doesn't matter.

Based on the above, my best bet would be the vortex set of doubleshot PBT, but they're pretty expensive. Also, are they thick or thin PBT?

They're thick.

Are ABS keycaps really that bad? What about dye sublimation?

See about for my opinion of dye sublimation. Good ABS is not bad. I'm using Signature Plastics ABS doubleshots right now and I enjoy it just as much as my IMSTO thick PBT.

If you decide to go the route of the Vortex PBT doubleshot, I have a set of red on white that I'd sell at a good price. PM me if you want to talk more. But see comments about about my opinion of good ABS > Vortex PBT .

[Linkbane]

Haven't tried thick ABS, but the others I have. There are also grades in PBT quality besides just the thickness. Thick keycaps also made the presses feel heavier to me, which I personally didn't really like. My favorite PBT so far was probably the Keycool medium-thick, which is definitely better than stock ABS.

Also, dye sublimation and double shot are equally durable; there are pictures of some old (think 1980s) terminal keyboards with the injection of the double-shot showing. This is an extreme case, though, and I highly doubt anybody will be using their keyboards that much. The disadvantage of sublimation is that you can only put darker colors on, limiting color choices significantly, and, as others mentioned, it's a bit less crisp. However, all of these are really nitpicky and you probably won't notice a difference in looks or durability besides the color.

[CPTBadAss]

Like a favorite switch type, it's just personal preference. I prefer Cherry/GMK ABS and POM.

[Puddsy]

Like a favorite switch type, it's just personal preference. I prefer Cherry/GMK ABS and POM.

Basically this.

You don't know what your "best" "favorite" is until you've tried a bunch of different ones. I personally think doubleshot PBT is a gimmick, and will continue to use my GMK ABS.

[oNinjaDispatcho]

alright thanks for the feedback guys, helped narrow down my choices a lot! 

[ComradeSniper]

Like a favorite switch type, it's just personal preference. I prefer Cherry/GMK ABS and POM.

Basically this.

You don't know what your "best" "favorite" is until you've tried a bunch of different ones. I personally think doubleshot PBT is a gimmick, and will continue to use my GMK ABS.

It's not really a gimmick though. Yes, it's pointless for the "x color on white" caps that we've seen so far, since that can be done with dyesubs, but its true potential lies in the two-tone sets which are soon to come.