Are there any good coast lights?

[roadkill1109]

Re: Are Coast brand LED flashlights any good?

Do you think for 15 bucks it was worth it to get the p6 aa light? I wanted a beater aa light. All of my lights or either cr123, 18650, 17650, etc...

Well, if you like the focusing function of the light, then by all means! The led lensers were the one that got me in the flashlight collecting hobby.

 

[wjv]

I have a G29 that is decent. Haven't had a chance to see if the battery life lives up to the claims. It does provide a very nice flood beam and is focus-able. Better beam then my 2D LED Maglite.

Both of those lights sit in a kitchen drawer and are general house/dog-walking lights.

Only paid $20 for the Coast, and $10 on clearance for the Maglite. The Mag was a incandescent that I converted to LED. (200L)

I think the Coast G29 is a pretty good $20 light, but it will never compare against my Spark SG5 or Fenix LD10 or LD22 in terms of long term quality.

Like many here I also really don't like the 3xAAA setup.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Not regulated, not waterproof, many run on 3AAA battery carriers (made in such a way that you can't substitute a 18500 cell). I'd say their Polysteel lights aren't too bad if you're looking for something similar to a Surefire G2. Other than that, I avoid anything over $10 that runs on alkaleaks which rules out most of these lights. Save your money in the long run by going for a quality rechargeable 18650 or 21700 battery light. Nitecore, Fenix, Klarus, and Olight make good lights.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I agree Coast lights are not worth it for people that can shop online for a light there are quality higher end brands and some cheaper brands that blow it away on performance and cost. Back 9 years ago when the 18650 lights were harder to find and not too cheap and batteries were less available and chargers also harder to source alkaleaks were an easy and cheap way to power lights but today alkaleak powered lights are a bane to serious flashaholics as even if a light can take them most of us refuse to use them. I just threw away a copper incan minimag yesterday that 2 duracell alkaleaks destroyed dated 2011. I managed to get the batteries out but it ruined the top of it even though I had an LED upgrade for it that looks ok. I didn't bother to consider contacting duracell figuring I use 18650 lights why bother with a 2AA light or a coupon for more alkaleaks.

 

[bykfixer]

To CPF types? No not really for a myriad of reasons. But to the general use market that buy flashlights off the hook at box stores they are good enough. I used a coast 3 point headlamp for a couple of summers with an infinite slider and zoomy head. When I only needed 10 or so lumens in a narrow beam or around 35 in a floody beam it worked great. 3aaa batteries lasted at least a week in my case.

The G25 is a decent inspection light. I actually prefered the 3 LED one over the newer 4 version though. For the money there are better products out there and in stores Millwalkee lights are starting to take away Coast sales where Nebo are not competing. Nebo definitely takes away from Coast sales and so does Lux-Pro.

 

[Hamtractor]

I have used Coast lights for several years as toolbox or around the house flashlights. They do what I need them to do and since I get AAA batteries through work for about 10 cents a pop, they make sense. I've always reserved my Surefires and Streamlights for EDC and when I was a fireman. Coast stuff is a bit overpriced these days, I wouldn't buy one now I think, but the three or four I have laying around have always done well in the "average joe needs a flashlight twice a year" role.

 

[greenpondmike]

I think coast has seen their better days.
I have a px1 that was flickering, but I fixed it with some dielectric silicon grease. That grease has taken the flicker out of at least 3 lights.

 

[bykfixer]

I used to use an HP1 with an eneloop pro for pipe inspections. Then I discovered the 1st gen Pelican 2350 and the HP1 was shelved. The original 2350 was quite the thrower for only 100 lumens.