Coast PolySteel at Home Depot

[mikekoz]

Home Depot has started putting out their holiday tools and lights, and I picked up a new light by Coast, the Polysteel 600. It is about the size of a 2C flashlight, but uses 4 AA's. Here is a picture of the light:




Has anybody else bought one? It seems like a really nice light. It has a poly casing with a steel core and seems pretty bombproof. The only problem I am having with it is the packaging says it focuses by twisting the head, like a lot of other Coast lights. Mine is apparently stuck on and you cannot turn the head or focus it at all. Has anybody else that purchased this light noticed this on theirs?

 

[mikekoz]

Just an FYI for anybody that buys this light. I was finally able to get the head to rotate. I bought another one thinking that my first was a defect, and its head rotated, but you had to turn it counterclockwise fairly hard the first time. My first one finally loosened, but I REALLY had to put some pressure on it! All is good now!!

 

[DaveG]

I was playing with the demo light at HD yesterday,like you said that thing was a bear to turn. The 4-aa battery set up has me looking at it.

 

[mikekoz]

I was playing with the demo light at HD yesterday,like you said that thing was a bear to turn. The 4-aa battery set up has me looking at it.

I think it is a great light, especially for $30.00. Once you get the head loosened, the focusing works smoothly like other coast lights. For anybody interested, just to give you a little more information and some quick first impressions of this light:

1. It has a forward clicky. The three brightness levels can be accessed by lightly pressing the switch until you get to the level you want. It always turns on high initially.
2. The three brightness settings are high, 579 lumens, medium, 187 lumens, and low, 55. Runtimes are rated as 2h 15m, 5h 30min, and 13h 45 minutes respectively.I have no idea if it is regulated. Brightness ratings seem accurate compared to other lights I have.
3. It runs on 4 AA batteries and uses a battery carrier. I am using NIMH rechargeables.
4. Build quality seems very good to excellent
5. It will tailstand
6. It has a place on the tail cap for a lanyard, but does not come with one.

If anybody has any questions I will answer them as well as I can! I think Coast has a winner! I do not even think all of the Coast "haters" will have much to complain about with this light.

 

[DaveG]

Mike,thanks for the feed back,this one is on my to get list.

 

[DaveG]

Was at Lowes today its has the same light. But it has a red body and gray tail cap and head, same price.

 

[mikekoz]

Was at Lowes today its has the same light. But it has a red body and gray tail cap and head, same price.

I just saw that on their webpage. I would have been all over that if the head and tail were black, and the body bright yellow!! Did you buy it?

 

[DaveG]

I just saw that on their webpage. I would have been all over that if the head and tail were black, and the body bright yellow!! Did you buy it?

Yes I did,the thing I like about this light is no strobe to mess around with.

 

[mikekoz]

Yes I did,the thing I like about this light is no strobe to mess around with.

I like that feature, or lack of it (depending how you look at it! ), in all lights!!

 

[think2x]

I too have been eyeing this light. You may have twisted my arm to get it now.

 

[sgt253]

Saw this light this a.m. at HD. Man, thing was bright! Seems really good for the money.

 

[FRITZHID]

My wife bought the red and gray one from Lowe's for me, for Xmas.... was initially impressed.... very bright light! Focus is a lil stiff but it's nice to have lenser focusable LED.... however.....
Idk exactly what Cree LED they are using (if anyone knows, please inform! Ty) but I metered it out at about 10 watts using 4 energizer AA lithium primaries.
Was surprised at that wattage considering there's only about ½oz of alum heatsinking it.... and no exposure to the outside air at all (I'll get back to that in a minute).
I dedomed the LED and it got significantly warmer in color & brightness, was very pleased.
.....But then the light in our bathroom failed, so I thought to myself "great time to try new light" ...... in the less than 45 mins it took to replace the light fixture, the flashlight head AND most of the body became to hot to even touch! I licked my finger and touched right where the heatsink would be and it actually sizzled! :0
I don't have high lifetime expectations for it with prolonged use.
Thinking about swapping the emitter for a UV.... If anyone knows what LED to swap it with, I'd love to know! Tnx guys.

Almost forgot, the med and especially low settings are extremely PWM noticeable.... shine at a fan and it strobes nicely.... :/
Even worse when shining the light around, very distracting.
But in tailstand use, it's not to bad as long as you don't move to quickly.

*update*
After maybe a total of 1hr use, munched a set of Energizer ultimate AAs.... not the most efficient light to run on primaries but at that power draw, not exactly surprised.
Keep in mind, in 4s.... These batts can crank out +5A! (Albeit not for long, lol)

 

[CodyCash]

I picked up a Coast LED Lenser about 8yrs ago from Home Depot. It is a 3AAA battery carrier format with unknown LED or model ## but it was advertised as tactical with 80 lumen output. At the time it was my smallest and brightest light, and I give it props for longevity because it still sits mounted to one of my AK's in a CAA forward pistol grip mount and works as well as the day I got it. I've looked into the newer models recently and may have to pick one up.

 

[FRITZHID]

*update*
I yanked the stock cool white xm-l2 out of it as well as the stock simpleton driver with the horrid pwm.
Installed a WW 92 cri xml and an updated/upgraded 9*7135 driver. Pulled out the stock 4AA batt holder and built an 18650 holder/spacer to replace it until my 26650s arrive.
Now has moonlight-5%-25%-50%-100%
Brighter with no visible pwm flicker even in moonlight mode.
Much better color rendition.
Can still run AA primaries.

All simple mod's and a much more user friendly and useful light. Totally worth upgrading.

 

[FRITZHID]

*Update* have dedomed the xml2 and color now mimics a stock mag lite but with better beam profile and brightness.
The odd lens (possibly a tir of sorts) seems to be accepting the dedomed LED with no serious repercussions..... and the (previous) dome no longer hits the lens! (Yes, in the stock light, the dome actually hits the lens at full flood mode)
I'm now looking into fitting an aspheric lens since the plastic lens and it's secure ring are both cheap and tends to come lose (I've secured mine with loca for the time being) but I'm having trouble finding a lens to fit. Any suggestions of a source?