Right or Wrong switch for users that prefer or don't mind 'Bottoming Out' Keys?

[Damerae]

Hi!

I've never been able to adapt to a touch typing style on my Cherry MX brown switches over the couple years I've owned the board.  I'm about to purchase my second board, and I'm thinking - after a few days of using a red switch board before I returned it - that red switches would be the best bet for me. 

That being said, I've seen members recommend ergo clears, clears, blacks, and linear switches that are 'heavier' than reds for users that 'bottom out' their keys.  I'm looking to stick with a linear switch, because I liked the Reds when I briefly used them.  I know clears are a tactile switch; it's been mentioned they are a recommended switch for those that bottom out.

While I don't mind my habit of bottoming out keys, I feel as though I'm wasting the advantage and point of a mechanical keyboard.  I'm determined to learn and become more of a touch typist, but I know it'll take time and practice.

Tl;DR:As a bottom out typist, am I in the wrong for wanting to purchase Reds?  Or, am I reading too much into and should just go with the flow?

Thank you!

[rowdy]

Neither.

There is nothing wrong with bottoming out per se, unless you have a medical problems e.g. RSI, carpel tunnel or similar, that is exacerbated by the impact of bottoming out.

In such cases O-rings might help a bit.

Otherwise you are unlikely to damage the switches by bottoming out, so go for it!

[Damerae]

Neither.

There is nothing wrong with bottoming out per se, unless you have a medical problems e.g. RSI, carpel tunnel or similar, that is exacerbated by the impact of bottoming out.

In such cases O-rings might help a bit.

Otherwise you are unlikely to damage the switches by bottoming out, so go for it!

Alright.  Thank you!  Your response eases my mind. 

[jamster]

That being said, I've seen members recommend ergo clears, clears, blacks, and linear switches that are 'heavier' than reds for users that 'bottom out' their keys.  I'm looking to stick with a linear switch, because I liked the Reds when I briefly used them.  I know clears are a tactile switch; it's been mentioned they are a recommended switch for those that bottom out.

While I don't mind my habit of bottoming out keys, I feel as though I'm wasting the advantage and point of a mechanical keyboard.  I'm determined to learn and become more of a touch typist, but I know it'll take time and practice.

Tl;DR:As a bottom out typist, am I in the wrong for wanting to purchase Reds?  Or, am I reading too much into and should just go with the flow?

You are over thinking this.

The point of a mechanical keyboard is simply to provide a more pleasant typing experience (and possibly for some enthusiasts to provide an outlet for emptying their wallets or to satisfy their aesthetic tastes by covering their keyboards in unicorn vomit )

So you find a keyboard that you like the feel of. Whether you bottom out or not is simply again personal preference- I strongly prefer it, some people don't. It has nothing to do with touch typing.

[sth]

topre

[rowdy]

topre

HHKB?

[Halverson]

topre

HHKB?

HHKB

[sth]

hhkb!

[rowdy]

Thorpe.

[xondat]

My friend uses MX Clears and bottoms out so really it's preference

[rowdy]

My friend uses MX Clears and bottoms out so really it's preference

And strength of fingers

[Bucake]

i've exclusively used Reds for a long time, and it was a pleasure! and i'm pretty sure i always bottom out, no matter the switch i use.
so.. no worries!

[keshley]

I bottom out on every keyboard I use.

Also: Topre.

[Vittra]

MX Red and Topre are both pleasant experiences to bottom out keys on. I've been using my Filco TKL with reds for 4 years, and recently got a HHKB. Of the MX variants and now Topre that I've tried, the Topre is the only tactile switch that has made sense to me if you are typing for absolute speed and tend to bottom out anyway. I didn't enjoy mx blues, blacks, browns, or greens.

Typing without bottoming out is definitely not the only reason to use a mechanical keyboard. Cherry MX switches feel far nicer to type on - even when bottoming out - than a standard rubber dome. I also have the ability to "ride" the switch activation point in games if needed, which can't be done on a standard dome or even Topre.

[livingspeedbump]

Like Rowdy said there is nothing inherently wrong with bottoming out, BUT Reds are basically impossible not to bottom out on.

[absyrd]

I bottom out hard on everything.

This is why I love the HHKB. The 45g switches plus the soft plastic case mount are easy on the fingers.

If I HAD to go back to MX, I'd go ergo clear or zealios on a PCB mount board like the Poker X.

[livingspeedbump]

I bottom out hard on everything.

This is why I love the HHKB. The 45g switches plus the soft plastic case mount are easy on the fingers.

If I HAD to go back to MX, I'd go ergo clear or zealios on a PCB mount board like the Poker X.

PCB mount + GMK QMX Clips would make for the most comfortable bottoming out experience for Cherry switches for sure I think. But yeah, Topre does feel glorious to bottom out on.

[Damerae]

Thank you all for the responses.  I'm glad to hear that I am good to go!

I went ahead and purchased the KUL ES-87 and Filco MJ2 (non-ninja) with Red Switches from Amazon.  I am not sure which one I want, so I figured I'd just order them both and use Amazon's great return policy to return the one that I dislike. 

I'm stoked to receive them in a couple days  !

[jcoffin1981]

It's all a matter of preference.  However, if you move to a switch such as MX clears that the resistance increases towards teh bottom of the keystroke, you may find you get fatigued if you continue to bottom out.  Or maybe you will like only pressing they key halfway better.

[codywanks]

Hi!

I've never been able to adapt to a touch typing style on my Cherry MX brown switches over the couple years I've owned the board.  I'm about to purchase my second board, and I'm thinking - after a few days of using a red switch board before I returned it - that red switches would be the best bet for me. 

That being said, I've seen members recommend ergo clears, clears, blacks, and linear switches that are 'heavier' than reds for users that 'bottom out' their keys.  I'm looking to stick with a linear switch, because I liked the Reds when I briefly used them.  I know clears are a tactile switch; it's been mentioned they are a recommended switch for those that bottom out.

While I don't mind my habit of bottoming out keys, I feel as though I'm wasting the advantage and point of a mechanical keyboard.  I'm determined to learn and become more of a touch typist, but I know it'll take time and practice.

Tl;DR:As a bottom out typist, am I in the wrong for wanting to purchase Reds?  Or, am I reading too much into and should just go with the flow?

Thank you!

I think you might be misunderstanding the terminology. Touch typing is not the opposite of bottoming out.

You can touch type while still bottoming out. Conversely, you can avoid bottoming out as a non-touch typist.

[noons]

Hi!

I've never been able to adapt to a touch typing style on my Cherry MX brown switches over the couple years I've owned the board.  I'm about to purchase my second board, and I'm thinking - after a few days of using a red switch board before I returned it - that red switches would be the best bet for me. 

That being said, I've seen members recommend ergo clears, clears, blacks, and linear switches that are 'heavier' than reds for users that 'bottom out' their keys.  I'm looking to stick with a linear switch, because I liked the Reds when I briefly used them.  I know clears are a tactile switch; it's been mentioned they are a recommended switch for those that bottom out.

While I don't mind my habit of bottoming out keys, I feel as though I'm wasting the advantage and point of a mechanical keyboard.  I'm determined to learn and become more of a touch typist, but I know it'll take time and practice.

Tl;DR:As a bottom out typist, am I in the wrong for wanting to purchase Reds?  Or, am I reading too much into and should just go with the flow?

Thank you!

It is interesting you don't like your cherry mx browns yet prefer to bottom out. (Well maybe not interesting browns do get a lot of hate around here) I can honestly understand the hate of mx brown if you try not to bottom out, they just feel awful... Yet when you bottom out with mx browns the slight click almost makes the bottoming out more rewarding. In my mind it is similar to a topre with the snap right before the bottom out.

[FlukE]

I'm a very heavy typer and I enjoy MX Blues a lot but my favorite is 55g topre 

[chyros]

My mum is a pretty damn fast touch typist and she absolutely smashes the keys on the Model M I got her. Bottoming out and touch typing aren't mutually exclusive.