When darkness falls, you’ll be happy to see the Coast PX25 LED Flashlight. Weighing only 4.2 ounces with the included batteries, this 4.7 inch flashlight packs a 181 lumen punch. While that kind of output cuts into your run time, (expect a bit under six hours from a set of 3 AAA batteries) it projects brilliant white light out to 130 meters, thanks to its Max Beam Optic System. Coast was kind enough to provide us with two of these durable flashlights. We thoroughly abused one, and the other we’re sending to Alex Roberts, the lucky winner of our first giveaway! So Alex, here’s what you can expect from your new flashlight:
The aluminum case has two nice flat spots on either side as well as a knurled finish. But it’s not the usual raised, rough knurling. This gives it the familiar diamond pattern and a good surface for gripping, wet or dry, with or without gloves, but without an industrial look. Don’t take that to mean you should baby this light though. It’s got an unbreakable LED, and is drop and impact resistant. An IPX4 water resistance rating is applied to flashlights that pass a splash test. Not to diminish the testing standards, but we found that a bit wimpy. So here’s the PX25, not just happily working under water, but providing the sole illumination for the image below.
After repeated droppings as well as running it underwater, it was time for the functional test. (In hindsight, it makes more sense to try and break something after we’ve tested it, but Coast offers a lifetime guarantee, so we were confident that it would survive the initial abuse) Indoors, it provided more than enough illumination for a large room. Although it’s not marketed as a tactical flashlight, (it’s in their “Professional Use” category) the textured rubber switch on the end lends itself well to the Harries hold. Moving outdoors, it will easily shed light on objects too far away to easily identify. The Bulls Eye beam pattern is concentrated at the center, like a spotlight, with a wider, less concentrated beam surrounding it. This is not the flashlight you want for lighting your path as you walk your Chihuahua. It’s more like the one you’ll use to investigate noises while camping. Count on it to light up animals or people from a comfortable distance away.
For about $40, the package includes the flashlight, 3 AAA Duracell batteries, a lanyard, and a handy belt sheath. While the rear-mounted switch probably simplifies design and production, as well as making it more water-resistant, it was also our only area of concern. It appeared that the switch could be activated while in the included sheath, possibly causing a fire. We quickly realized that it’s very difficult to depress the switch through the top of the sheath, and the Cyclone™Heat Sink System ensures that this light runs very cool. In the end, no worries.
Look for more reviews of Coast products coming soon. And be sure to check out their full line of LED flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps, as well as knives and multi-tools at Coastportland.com. They’ve also got some contests on their Facebook page, so be sure to check that out too.
– Brian