Coast

I did a search here and I didn't see too much stuff about Coast lights. I have a Coast Tac Torch V2, and I love it. It is a very strong light, and it was only $30. It puts out and impressive 77 Lumens for 100 hours. And perhaps my favorite feature is the batteries. Good, old AAAs. Three of them. You can get them anywhere. I personally only own one light which uses Lithium CR123a batteries, and I don't plan on buying another one. I like simple things. The tailcap switch clicks for on/off and is pushed for temporary. I can personally get the light to flash very fast simply by using my thumb.

Please respond, as I'd like to hear what you have to say about this light.

I like my coast for what it is. Excellent build quality and ergonomic design. Its really heavy too and solid feeling. Its a GREAT close-proximity light, flooding the near field with diffuse white light. Its the best I have in my collection when it comes to that aspect. I was using it at work one day and my co-worker was commenting on how good it looked. So, certainly with the non-CF crowd it attracts attention.

I dont like the fact that it uses 3 "N" sized cells and the LED array has no lens covering it. 3-AAA configuration in a concentric holder would have made a LOT more sense. IMHO the coast lights seem a little over-priced, but generally I am not a fan of multi-LED arrays that flood nearly as much as they throw. The lenser pictured below has very little throw, but thats kind of to be expected given its reflector-less design.

I question its water resistance too. since there is no front lens, it relies on 3 small o-rings to seal directly against the LEDs. I haven't tried dunking it in water.

e2x2e said:

I did a search here and I didn't see too much stuff about Coast lights. I have a Coast Tac Torch V2, and I love it. It is a very strong light, and it was only $30. It puts out and impressive 77 Lumens for 100 hours. And perhaps my favorite feature is the batteries. Good, old AAAs. Three of them. You can get them anywhere. I personally only own one light which uses Lithium CR123a batteries, and I don't plan on buying another one. I like simple things. The tailcap switch clicks for on/off and is pushed for temporary. I can personally get the light to flash very fast simply by using my thumb.

Please respond, as I'd like to hear what you have to say about this light.

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I don't know too much about the Tac Torch V2. I do know there's one Coast that gets a certain amount of respect on CPF, and that's the Focusing Lenser (#7438). It makes a great host for a Seoul Semiconductor P4 mod. My modded Focusing Lenser is one of my brighest flashlights.

One thing that irks me about Coast is their gross overstatement of runtime. I can ASSURE you, with 100% confidence, that your Tac Torch does not put out 77 lumens for 100 hours. Look at it this way: using the most efficient production LED's available today you can obtain roughly 100 lumens per watt. Your 77 lumens would require 0.77 watts of electrical input. 0.77 watts for 100 hours equates to 77 watt-hours. However, three alkaline AAA's being drained at that rate contain just over 2 watt-hours of energy. 2 is an awful long way from 77.

After 100 hours, you will be very lucky to have enough light from the LED to allow you to conclude it's turned on at all, but I wouldn't expect it to be useful for anything at all, even in absolute darkness with fully dark-adapted eyes.

The problems with Coast seem to be mostly their exaggerated marketing claims. The product is generally pretty solid. Many of them (notably, anything powered by 3 alkalines, whether AA, N, AAA, whatever) are direct-drive. This overdrives the LED when the batteries are fresh and creates an output that is constantly diminishing with time. Many people on CPF are critical of an LED that is not regulated. I get along with it OK, helped by NiMH rechargeables, which have a flat discharge curve so the light output is sort-of regulated naturally by the batteries themselves. Coast uses the cheaper, more scratch-prone Type II anodize rather than the tougher Mil-spec Type III. Some of them aren't sealed very well and raise the issue of water-resistance.

The only person you need to please is yourself. If YOU like your Tac Torch, that's great! I am simply trying to give you some idea why they don't have such a great reputation on CPF.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. I'm doing a battery test now, and I will post the results later.

I don't know much about the Seoul Semiconductor P4, could you please enlighten me?

e2x2e said:

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. I'm doing a battery test now, and I will post the results later.

I don't know much about the Seoul Semiconductor P4, could you please enlighten me?

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Info is all over CPF. Very briefly, the Seoul (often called SSC) P4 is almost indentical in form to a Luxeon I or III, but it uses a very efficient semiconductor chip manufactured by Cree. Depending on bin, the P4 can be good for 100 lumens at 350mA and 240 lumens at 1A. It emits light in a pattern that is very similar to a Lux I or III, so existing reflectors and optics tend to work pretty well.

My coast V2 Tac torch throws as far as my P2D premium Q5 180 lumens, because it uses optics to concentrate the beam.
I use it every day at work.
And thats using a LuxIII, I would like too see a Q5 in the coast:duck:

Dont judge so fast, just because someone says coast is junk, doesnt make it true.

kts said:

And thats using a LuxIII, I would like too see a Q5 in the coast:duck:

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You'd be disappointed. Collimator won't focus Cree light the way you want to. SSC P4 is stronger equivalent for LuxI and LuxIII.

After being on continously for 4 hours, the light is not nearly as bright as with fresh batteries. It is still bright, however.

Note: I didn't start this test with fresh batteries, they have about 4 hours cumulative use on them.

It puts out and impressive 77 Lumens for 100 hours.

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As already said ... this is pure and simple marketing. They lied to you. The specs are false. The light will not do that.

LedLenser is well known for their marketing hype on CPF, there is plenty of knowledge in the archives.

Apart from that ... until recently LedLenser torches suffered from a few serious drawbacks, such as not water resistant, no regulation, no windows to protect the optics, bad ergonomics.
It seems that with the latest generation of lights this changed for the better.

They do have a great design and knurling though.

I had dozens and dozens of them during my early days on CPF but have moved on because of those serious quality issues and the unacceptable price in relation to the quality.

bk

phantom23 said:

You'd be disappointed. Collimator won't focus Cree light the way you want to. SSC P4 is stronger equivalent for LuxI and LuxIII.

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What's the Lowes Task Force Cree light got for a lens again?

There are different collimator meant for different LEDs. Luxeon ones usually don't work well with Cree ones and vice versa.

Sgt. LED said:

What's the Lowes Task Force Cree light got for a lens again?

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I don't know for sure, but thought the Task Force Cree used a reflector.

Reflectors seem to be more forgiving of emitter swaps. I took a LuxIII out of a Pelican M1, which uses an OP reflector, and put in a Cree. Works fine. It's one of my favorite beams, in fact.

Optics (defined as clear lenses with specific curved forms to control light) are very, very touchy when it comes to emitter's output pattern. Swapping an SSC P4 into the Coast Focusing Lenser that was designed for a LuxIII requires some shimming of the new emitter (about 0.015" IIRC) or else the beam pattern is signficantly altered. I mean, not altered a little, but totally unacceptable. Just .015" change in emitter height takes it from bad to good. That's what I mean by touchy.

For the record: SSC P4 is extremely similar to a LuxIII with the exception of a minor height difference. Cree XLamp XR-E 7090 (the emitter everybody on CPF just calls a "Cree") is substantially different.

e2x2e said:

I did a search here and I didn't see too much stuff about Coast lights. I have a Coast Tac Torch V2, and I love it. It is a very strong light, and it was only $30. It puts out and impressive 77 Lumens for 100 hours. And perhaps my favorite feature is the batteries. Good, old AAAs. Three of them. You can get them anywhere. I personally only own one light which uses Lithium CR123a batteries, and I don't plan on buying another one. I like simple things. The tailcap switch clicks for on/off and is pushed for temporary. I can personally get the light to flash very fast simply by using my thumb.

Please respond, as I'd like to hear what you have to say about this light.

Click to expand...

I'll echo what everyone else is saying here... the runtime claims by Coast are ridiculous. Runtime on these lights to 50% output is typically 1 to 2 hours, and then they quickly dim after that. That's using NiMH batteries, alkalines don't fare as well.

That being said, I absolutely LOVE the Tac Torch V2 (7736 model). It has a great beam, and feels great in the hand. The knurling is fantastic, providing a great grip. Combine that with the forward clicky, and it makes for a great user light. Of course, with the SSC emitter swapped in, it's even better. I have several of these, and they're one of my all-time favorite lights. The newer version (out for the past year or so) is even better... better heatsink and better optic. Of course I also love the 7438, especially in SSC modded form, as evidenced by my signature line below.

The optics in these work great for SSC and Edison emitters, but not Crees...at all, not at any focal length. Like soffiler said, the SSC likes to be shimmed when installed in the 7438 Focusing Lenser. In the 7736 Tac Torch, shimming isn't required at all...focuses great without it.

Just to make things confusing, Coast also makes a 7736TS model, which is different than the 7736 Tac Torch discussed here. The TS model actually looks just like the 7438 but doesn't have a focusing head. It also has female threads on the tailcap, instead of male.

So e2x2e, you got one of the great Coast models... enjoy! :twothumbs

e2x2e said:

Please respond, as I'd like to hear what you have to say about this light.

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Well, you did ask for an honest response. Don't own that particular light. But I've owned 3 different Coast models. I'm down to one, and it doesn't get used.

A Coast Keychain model made for Eddie Bauer was the EDC I used to carry on my car keys. It was bright, but the tailcap switch was flimsy and the LED unprotected. When it got wet, it malfunctioned. And it took very little water for it to malfunction. I then learned that other CPFers have had problems with their Coast lights, in terms of both quality and water resistance.

Output and throw, depending on the model, can often be quite good. But if you ever need to use your light in an emergency, pray it's not raining.

Coast lights tend to be overpriced. You can easily get better quality for the same price elsewhere. Main reason why Coast lights are not often discussed on CPF.

I guess I'm one of the few supporters of the led lenser/coast lights. I have seven different ones, and they have yet to fail me. The rubber cap came off the switch on one of the little Eddie Bauer jobs, but the light still works. I've found that most of the light manufacturers have been pretty bad about exaggerating run times. Seems like more manufacturers are now starting to state run times in terms of "usable light". Personally, I like to see run times stated as X amount of time till the light reaches 75% or 50%. That being said, 77 lumens for a hundred hours on 3 AAAs is really pushing the limits of hoopla. Just my 2 cents.

DN

Monocrom said:

Output and throw, depending on the model, can often be quite good. But if you ever need to use your light in an emergency, pray it's not raining.

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May be true of some Coast models, but not the 7736 and 7438. I tested each of them in a gallon jug of water for a half hour....in the on position. They did fine. I expected at least a couple of drops inside the battery tube or head, but absolutely nothing. I'd say that they would be fine in the heaviest of downpours.










This 7438 (left) is a test-bed light... I have one of the new TFFC K2 emitters
mounted on it. Please excuse the not so neat appearance.

Thanks for a thorough response, FlashCrazy. I like your modded one that you sell, looks great.

Monocrom, which models did you own? I have only had the LED Lenser V2, but it seems to me to be made VERY well, and I definitely think it was worth the money. I'm curious to know which models you had problems with, I'd appreciate a response. FlashCrazy's underwater test with the model I own impressed me, I truly had always wished that the light was waterproof...I guess it is...kinda(I'm still too chicken to put it underwater). As I have only owned the V2, I can only speak about it. Maybe most of their lights are low quality, but the V2 has truly impressed me.

electrothump, yes I too am a bit annoyed about their 'exaggeration' of runtimes. I am still pleased with the light, I just wish they would have been a little more honest.

hey guys... i posted something about a coast light i bought on a different thread somewhere else... but i bought the Coast LL7847 DigiTac II... i love it. it uses a single AA battery and uses a collimated lens. it is ~42-45 lumens and supposedly lasts for 10.5 hours... my SOLE purpose for buying this light was to use it as an emergency light so i keep it in my glove box in my truck. it is tiny, about 4 inches long, has a rather small but still usable push button endcap, and the led is beautiful rose tint. the color is definitely warmer than any other leds i've seen and i appreciate it. the downside is that it cost me $40... but, i bought it on recommendation from Wired Test magazine after it won a must have gadget of the year. i can't say i would buy another one over a fenix or another similar quality light, but i'm glad i have it in my collection.

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323071
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323070
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323069
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323068
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323067
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323066
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7323065


Pictures of my LED Lenser V2.

e2x2e said:

Thanks for a thorough response, FlashCrazy. I like your modded one that you sell, looks great.

Monocrom, which models did you own? I have only had the LED Lenser V2, but it seems to me to be made VERY well, and I definitely think it was worth the money. I'm curios to know which models you had problems with, I'd appreciate a response. FlashCrazy's underwater test with the model I own impressed me, I truly had always wished that the light was waterproof...I guess it is...kinda(I'm still too chicken to put it underwater). As I have only owned the V2, I can only speak about it. Maybe most of their lights are low quality, but the V2 has truly impressed me.

electrothump, yes I too am a bit annoyed about their 'exaggeration' of runtimes. I am still pleased with the light, I just wish they would have been a little more honest.

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The little one on the right is the one that failed so miserably. And I really do mean, a tiny bit of water. I originally bought it because I liked that it could be operated with one hand, and was quite bright for its size.


I gave away a v2 7736DL model. Fit and finish was a joke. (So was the checking on the barrel. It seemed more of a cosmetic add-on than a way to keep the light from slipping out of the hand).

The only one I have left is the Recon model of the same light mentioned above. (Four color options, instead of just two). The white LEDs are fine. So is the single red one. The blue and green ones are literally the worst I have seen on any light. Distorted, with both dark spots and rings. I can't even call it a poor man's SF Kroma. Think of it as a Homeless person's, nearly-beaten-to-death-starving-in-the-streets, Kroma.

My experience is limited to those three models. But I've never had a single company that was 0 for 3 on lights. (And that actually includes cheap, no-name brands from China)! Also, it is very rare for me to get rid of any of my lights. I only own the Recon model now. Even if I didn't have a small collection of Surefires, I'd use something else. (My Streamlight TL-2 LED model comes to mind).

If you like your Coast light; that's great. But you can still find higher quality lights, for the same money, from other flashlight companies.

EDIT:

I'm hoping I'm not the only one who finds Coast's model designations a bit confusing. The light I gave away is actual the v6 Dual Chip model. (Not the v2 as mentioned above). The Recon model I own is the v6 model, but with the green and blue LEDs, along with the red and white ones. Sorry for the mistake on my part.