The Wrong Side of LED Lenser (Coast)

Before I joined CPF, I owned an LED Lenser (Coast) David 15 (Digitac I). I found this to be a VERY nicely made, and highly useful piece of kit.

Because of this, it completely baffled me that the general CPF consensus was that LED Lenser were generally poor.

However, today, I found out where these thoughts originate from. In my local electronics store, the V-squared KeyFinder was half price, so I thought I would give it a bash.

It felt nice in the hand, but, as soon as I started using it, I realised its weaknesses. The clicky had very poor feedback, and could be accidentally activated. The beam was bluish, blotchy and obviously off-centre. When unscrewing the tailcap, the thread felt horribly rough. And of course, AG13 button cells are not a good choice for a torch.

So, at least now, I know where this poor opinion has come from. At least my 6 year old brother can now has his own LED Lenser, lol.

What always amazes me about them is the preponderance of button battery fed lights. Other than for a Photon style light, I stay away from button battery lights like the plague. Way too expensive to feed.

I know what you mean. I bought a couple Coast lights and they were not good. Then
I bought one from DHC and he lives in Denmark and it's a great light. 3xAAA, very
bright and nicely made. Go figure.

I sadly lost my little single AAA LED Lenser - no idea what the model was, but it was very neat and hat that really tightly focused beam. I used it every day for a couple of years while i was doing network cable installations...

Piers

i don't really trust them. all this talk about "latest generation LED chip" and all that mystery **** they're advertising with is kind of suspicious to me.
i mean, every manufacturer exaggerates when it comes to specs, but just saying "the worlds brightest whatever" with the "latest, next-generation bla bla" but nothing else ..... that's pretty ridiculous. i'd really like to meet their marketing division.
and for the lack of regulation, the poor build quality and all that nasty potting, they're way too overpriced.

they might be innovative in the sector by german standards (that's where they come from) but, i mean, guys, come on! this is CPF! y'all should know better!!!!

they won't get MY money, that's for sure.

oh, and there's NO WAY i would buy a 3xAAA light. that's simply poor design, and that's what i get at eBay for 1,99 (+20 for S+H), but I would NEVER EVER spend 50 bucks on that in a shop.

and you guys up there, forgive my bad language.

Pook said:

I sadly lost my little single AAA LED Lenser - no idea what the model was, but it was very neat and hat that really tightly focused beam. I used it every day for a couple of years while i was doing network cable installations...

Piers

Click to expand...

May be this one? Generally on CPF, Coast/LED lenser are not favored. There are only 3 lights that are mentioned and they seems to like.

1. David 15 digitac 1 AA cell. Review. Decent light (but expensive). You can get 1 from sears online for 30, frys about 40. Lux 1.5 V. Dim now a days, compare to SSC/Cree AA lights out there now.
2. David 19 Digitac 1 AA Cell. (same as david 15, but bigger head and will throw farthur).
3. COAST Focusing LED Lenser 3 AAA Cells. Review. Folks seems to like this one too. Not regulated. Very bright, but will dim as soon as turned on.

I only have the David 15. So I can't talk about others. I liked it for taking AA cells, simple voltage boost (guess!). But in this day an age of Cree/SSC/others that are running off AA cells and are ways brighter - no longer worth it. If I see these David 15 lights for around 15 bucks, would be good price for giving as gifts, etc. But would not be buying them at all, for anything more than that!

Regards.

Call me silly, but what's wrong with 3xAAA? How is that design worse than any other?

They look better than they work. Ironic because their retail distribution has far more presence than other lights. I still have a 3AAA 5white/1 green LED combo. Coast cheerfuly replaced my first with another that still does work, but gets almost no use now. In a traditonal retail store I'd much rather buy a single CR123 Dorcy on sale, or some of the River Rock AA models. when I consider a Fenix compared to a Coast, there is no comparison whatsoever. Imagine the unenlightened masses getting their first LED experience via Coast, instead of HDS, Surefire, ARC or Fenix. That makes me appreciate Fenix even more!!!

Well, I bought the Led Lenser 7736 (3 AAA and colimator lens) before I found CPF. I loved this light, it was bright and well build.

I've just bought a Fenix L0D CE and a P1D CE, and I absolutely love these lights ! They are fabulous. And quite cheap to.

But I still love my Led Lenser, it is bright and well build, and I use it just as much now, as before. It runs nice on 3 Ni-MH AAA.

Ok, today I would'nt pay that price for it, but I don't regret, and I don't want to get rid of it. It's a nice light, Fenix or not.

:touche:

tsask said:

Imagine the unenlightened masses getting their first LED experience via Coast, instead of HDS, Surefire, ARC or Fenix. That makes me appreciate Fenix even more!!!

Click to expand...

Here in Denmark the unenlightened masses can buy Mag-lites, Led Lenser and cheaply made plastic lights in the retail stores. We have a couple webshops selling Surefire lights, and we have ONE webshop selling Fenix lights !

3xAAA is a quick and dirty way to feed LEDs.
Doesn't need circuitry (relies on internal resistance of batteries) and there can be a battery carrier (which pisses some people off)

Initially nice and bright, but drops very quickly. Overall runtime is pretty poor as AAAs are fairly low capacity.

3xAAA is just a sign of cheapness.

Yep, that's my take on triple AAA cell lights, too - Just a cheap way of doing something that really should have been done with a single AA (or CR123) cell instead.

Hello chaps,

Much as I love my ARC,SUREFIRE,PEAK,INOVA,FENIX etc., etc., the first bright led lights available in shops over here in the UK were Led Lensers (and still are in most places ). The coming of very high quality lights was much later and much more expensive ( double and more!). Consequently my brightest led light was a 3AAA brushed Al coast jobby with a side switch and a hole in the colimating lens.

Loved it! My eight year old daughter now uses it for her bedside table (nightstand) light. It works great on NIMh batts and shows little wear and tear even after all these years ( 5 ? ).

Nowadays I would always reach for a SF or INOVA etc. I suppose...

Until recently!

The new POLICE coast focusing torch is lovely!! Brighter than my KL3 and seems to be well built ( so far ). It has a very useful beam, the spot is wider than the KL3 - more like a P60 or an INOVA T1, and the flood is brilliant for night navigation or even shadow puppetry ( Wall of light?) At the price, I would think it's an absolute snip!

Go on, give it a go.



Be lucky....

PS - I'll try a runtime test and post it later (Just by eye !!)

Nyctophiliac said:

The new POLICE coast focusing torch is lovely!! Brighter than my KL3 and seems to be well built ( so far ). It has a very useful beam, the spot is wider than the KL3 - more like a P60 or an INOVA T1, and the flood is brilliant for night navigation or even shadow puppetry ( Wall of light?) At the price, I would think it's an absolute snip!

Click to expand...

Would you tell us more about this " The new POLICE coast focusing torch" ?
I did not find any info on this.

Cheers!

Newuser01 said:

Would you tell us more about this " The new POLICE coast focusing torch" ?
I did not find any info on this.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I too am quite curious.

I have had one of the Coast Lenser that runs on button cells for over two years on my key ring. I use it for an emergency light if needed only. The cells are still the original cells and it still works, -except for the fact that the rubber over the click switch came off. Now it is nearly impossible to operate the switch.

I have replaced it with a River Rock button cell light with a lens and a "twist" switch like a mag lite which I fully expect to last for several years. It is not as well made as the Coast unit was around the lens, -sloppy looking and not well focused. The Coast lens was so well focused that the bond wires could be seen in the light spot.

The original Coast lenser (see sig) was very well made except for the cheap swivel that broke in less than a month. I just drilled out the brass end cap and filed it down thinner then used a "S" hook to attach it to my key ring. I could care less about the swivel. All of the threads and parts were extremely well machined.

The Coast lenser was smaller than the RR replacement light. For a keyring light smaller is better.

Newuser01 said:

Would you tell us more about this " The new POLICE coast focusing torch" ?
I did not find any info on this.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

No problem, here it is....

http://www.glowgadgets.co.uk/osc9005/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=106

I just bought a LED LENSER 7736 from a member. 3xAAA, single 1.25 watt Lux and
its very bright. I turned it on for over an hour last night and it didn't drop off at all
that I could see. It was warm but not hot, will test it to see how long it will go. I'm
using plain Ray-o-vac alkies in it. I bought another Coast light 3xN cell, junk! So I
wonder if there is a difference between LED LENSER and Coast brands?

nope, it's the same company.
i just read that they have one factory in germany and one rather new in china, maybe that's the difference.
comparing the current chinese lights to Coast/LED LENSER, i think the junk you got there came from germany.