Folks have to find what works best for them.
I came late to the Airweights. I'd stopped carrying a couple of Charter Arms .44 Bulldog's and an early SP101 DAO because they became too heavy for pocket holster carry, switching to a 649 Bodyguard .38 Spl for that role. My previous steel 36 had a 3" barrel and I wanted something just a bit shorter. (Okay, the Bulldog's also had some other problems I finally tired of dealing with, but that's another topic.)
Eventually even the Bodyguard started to noticeably sag in some of my pocket carry situations. I returned to carrying larger revolvers and pistols, because if I was going to carry a belt gun, I might as well return to my medium frame 6-shot revolvers and Colt Combat Commander. Those turned into full-size and compact aluminum-framed pistols after a while, but eventually I again wanted something lighter and even a bit smaller than a compact alloy pistol.
One day I finally decided to see why the Airweights were apparently becoming popular again, so I ordered a 642 just after the -1's were released and being shipped. I immediately noticed a big difference between my older 649 and the new 642-1 when pocketing the Airweight. Nice.
Being a long time revolver shooter, and having owned a couple of steel J's, I found the DAO trigger manageable. Being a long time Magnum revolver shooter, I found the felt recoil & controllability to be fine for me. I refocused on my revolver skills ... and I've never looked back.
Nowadays I own a pair of 642-1's (I like them), a 37 DAO and a pair of M&P 340's (with & without the lock) ... and that original 649. The Airweights get the bulk of the carry duties.
Someday I may pick up a nickel 40, just to have another steel J-frame, but I've also thought of keeping my eye out for a LNIB 638 Airweight (made before the ILS was incorporated, but after it became rated for +P), if only to complement my all-stainless steel version of the Bodyguard series.
I guess you could say I've come to like the diminutive 5-shot wheelguns.
Now, I certainly wouldn't try to imply that short-barreled 5-shot revolvers were suitable for everyone, let alone the Airweight & Airlite models. The very attributes which make the little J's so useful and handy for lawful concealed carry also make them harder to shoot. Even skilled shooters of larger revolvers often find the smaller & lighter 5-shot models difficult to shoot well ... and then even, some folks who find the steel J's to work well enough for them find the Airweights & lighter Ti/Sc models too difficult to shoot well enough to suit their needs or desires. I tend to dislike the Airlites, myself, but that's more because of the titanium cylinders than the increase in felt recoil. Different strokes, right?
The J's can be very accurate in the hands of a skilled and experienced shooter who takes the time to master them, but even then the type of ammunition selected can make for a difference which becomes important among users. Some like standard pressure ammunition, and some find they can still do well with +P (in the models rated for +P, of course). Some don't mind the models chambered in .357 Magnum, but then the difference between the steel and the aluminum models may make a significant difference in someone's selection ... and maybe even breaking the aluminum Magnum models down further regarding whether it has a steel or titanium cylinder.
Like I said, different strokes.
The good thing is that S&W makes enough of a variety nowadays that just about anyone interested in a 5-shot revolver can probably find something which interests them and suits their needs.
