I have had three hotshots fail, all the same way. Now, I just use the circa 2007 introduced Planet Bike now and keep a spare in my bag. The Planet bike is susceptible to moisture but it is easy to remedy I had a front light go out in the middle of the night on a 600k descending Rt 100 in Vermont. Talk about terror.
Edit: The most reliable lights I had were Ed Kearney lights from the late 70's or maybe early 80's Nicad battery to a tractor bulb and a highway sized yellow light in the rear. Just two switches. Replaceable bulbs for higher wattage or different patterns. I used them to commute and also early randonneuring adventures.
Last edited by GhostRider62; 11-28-21 at 09:25 AM.