Cherry browns vs black alps

[Kraicheck]

I'm currently using a Dell AT101W with black alps, but I'm looking around for a filco with cherry browns.

The dell is my first mechanical keyboard and I'm trying not to bottom out on it but it's definitely not easy. Would the cherry browns help by providing a more pronounced bump or will they just make it worse because they have a lower actuation force?

[keyb_gr]

Going by my AT102DW, black Alps are the kind of switches that are bottomed out very easily. They should be OK if you get the friction down, but otherwise I'd say I can type more fluidly on BS, blues and clears (so I guess the same would apply to browns).
You have to adjust to lighter switches like blues and browns but due to being more light in general you don't try pushing the keys through the bottom of the board. The most "bottom-out friendly" switches I know are BS and clears.

[ch_123]

Well, if your goal is to not bottom out then Brown Cherries are too light.

Not really, most people seem to find Black Alps too easy to bottom out on. Cherry on the other hand are nice and bouncy, you don't bottom out that easy on them once you get the hang of them.

[itlnstln]

Not really, most people seem to find Black Alps too easy to bottom out on. Cherry on the other hand are nice and bouncy, you don't bottom out that easy on them once you get the hang of them.

QFT. I find it much easier to not bottom out on Cherry browns than the Alps in the Dell.  Since the Alps are stiffer and the tactile point is sharper, the switche gives too quicky after the tactile point making it damn-near impossible to not bottom out.  The smoother tactile point in the Cherry browns coupled with the lighter activation force makes them much easier to type on without bottoming out.
 
That said, I don't really sweat bottoming out anymore, but I tend to typw with a light enough touch these days that bottoming out doens't really happen, anyway, but I don't really care if I do.  It's not like I would be slamming the keys down, or anything.

[patrickgeekhack]

I'm currently using a Dell AT101W with black alps, but I'm looking around for a filco with cherry browns.

The dell is my first mechanical keyboard and I'm trying not to bottom out on it but it's definitely not easy. Would the cherry browns help by providing a more pronounced bump or will they just make it worse because they have a lower actuation force?

You'll eventually get better at not bottoming out if you keep using the same keyboard. I'm getting better at this. However, don't sweat on it as others have said. In my case, while typing some keys will be bottomed out and some won't, but those which get bottomed out are not bottomed out with a lot of force. This is what you need to look for. Just don't force yourself to not bottom out because you'll tense your muscles and things will get worse.

[itlnstln]

Just don't force yourself to not bottom out because you'll tense your muscles and things will get worse.

This is an excellent point.  I used to try to not bottom out, and I used to get tired from the muscle tension.  For me, the key was to simply learn to type lighter.  With this strategy, Alps switches weren't conducive to typing without bottoming out.  The way Cherry browns are designed, I can type very lightly, and the springiness of the switches will help push my fingers back up as the tension in the spring increases on the key press.
 
I don't feel that Alps switches are as springy, and I think that added to my fatigue as well.

[patrickgeekhack]

This is an excellent point.  I used to try to not bottom out, and I used to get tired from the muscle tension.  For me, the key was to simply learn to type lighter.  With this strategy, Alps switches weren't conducive to typing without bottoming out.  The way Cherry browns are designed, I can type very lightly, and the springiness of the switches will help push my fingers back up as the tension in the spring increases on the key press.
 
I don't feel that Alps switches are as springy, and I think that added to my fatigue as well.

For me it's not so much the springy part as much as the amount of force required for the keys to fire. By that I mean, I cannot use a light touch on the ALPS as I can on the Cherry. That being said, the BS needs quite an amount of force, but is still very springy.

[Kraicheck]

I just got my brown cherry filco and I'm almost never bottoming out.
For me: brown cherry >>> black alps

[iMav]

As long as you are not jamming your fingers, full force to the bottom (as is required with most of the cheap rubber domes out there) then the switch is benefiting you.  The simple fact that you are decelleratimg as you hit the bottom removes a lot of trauma to your fingers/hands/wrists.  

The Cherry browns (and the blues as well) require a very light touch to not bottom out.  If you use one exclusively, you'll likely get there...and be
FLYING around that 'board as a result.

[noons]

QFT. I find it much easier to not bottom out on Cherry browns than the Alps in the Dell.  Since the Alps are stiffer and the tactile point is sharper, the switche gives too quicky after the tactile point making it damn-near impossible to not bottom out.  The smoother tactile point in the Cherry browns coupled with the lighter activation force makes them much easier to type on without bottoming out.
 
That said, I don't really sweat bottoming out anymore, but I tend to typw with a light enough touch these days that bottoming out doens't really happen, anyway, but I don't really care if I do.  It's not like I would be slamming the keys down, or anything.

So true. I went through a very brief period of trying not to bottom out and my hands felt like crap. I was so tense the whole time plus it actually slowed down my typing speed significantly.