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Owner Review COAST HX4 Dual Color Clip Light
September 8 2020
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Tester
Information
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| Name:
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David
Wilkes |
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E-Mail:
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kg7qks@gmail.com |
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Age:
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53 |
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Location:
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Yakima
Washington USA |
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Gender:
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M |
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Height:
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5'11"
(1.80 m) |
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Weight:
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220 lb (100 kg) |
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Biography:
I started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions. I am currently getting into
condition to summit some of the
higher peaks in Washington, Oregon, and California. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to
me. My current base weight (verything except consumables such as
food and water) is just over 15lbs (7kg).
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Product
Information
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Manufacturer:
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COAST Products |
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Year
of Manufacture:
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2018 |
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Manufacturer’s
Website:
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https://coastportland.com |
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MSRP:
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$US 15.00
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Dimensions (measured): | Length: 3" Width: 1.75" Thickness: 1.5" (76mm X 44.5mm X 38mm) |
| Weight (measured): |
1.9 oz (52 g) [with batteries] |
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| Pen included for scale |
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Product
Description:The
HX4 is intended as an everyday carry light for general use at home and
work. It has two color modes (white & red), a pivoting head and
universal clip as well as magnets for hands-free use.
- 80 LUMENS
- 13M BEAM
- 3H 45MIN
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Report
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I think I have had this light for 2-3 years. I have mostly used this
light around the house, but also for camping, backpacking, snowshoeing
and cross country skiing (Ski Patrol). All of my use has been in the
Washington Central Cascades and/or foothills.
The size and shape
make it really convenient to carry, use, and store. The magnet allows
me to store it in a convenient place at home making it easy to
grab when I need light or in the case of a power outage (which has been
useful). I think the clip is my favorite feature. It allows me to
securely affix the light to the shoulder strap of my backpack as well
as clip to various parts of my tent or hammock, and even the pocket of
my shirt or jacket.
The beam is bright, wide, and very even (no
dark spots) making it useful for just about any task ranging from
providing light under a sink for plumbing work to lighting my way while
night hiking. The light is bright enough to light my way while night
hiking but dispersed enough to work well for lighting my tent or
reading. The adjustable head is easy to move but stays in place once
set. The red light works very well for preserving my night vision or to
avoid annoying others. e.g. when around other campers/hikers, when
reading in a tent at night, etc. This is my 'go to' light for most
tasks at home and my favorite light for backpacking.
 
Note
that I have carried one or another of my head lamps for backpacking.
This light is as, if not more, useful, definitely more versatile, and
weighs about half of my favorite headlamp.
The switch is easy to
operate, but can be turned on accidentally as has happened a few times.
Some sort of lock would be nice. Luckily the battery life is such that
having it turn on accidentally has not been an issue.
 The
light runs on two standard or rechargable AAA size batteries. The
battery compartment is opened via a knob on the bottom of the light,
and has an elastic retention tether to prevent it from being lost (a
detail I really appreciate). The knob is easy to operate even with cold
fingers. I have not measured the battery life, it is listed as 3hrs
45min (I assume this is when in the white mode) which seems
conservative to me. Since purchasing the light I have only changed the
batteries a few times.
I am impressed with its durability and
how waterproof it is. I have dropped this multiple times and it has
even gone through the clothes washer with no adverse effects.
If
I were to suggest any improvements it would be a way to lock the
switch, and change the bottom so that it can stand on end.
(Currently the battery door knob which extends past the bottom of the
case prevents this)
One final comment I would like to make is
about the company's support. I have another Coast LED flashlight that
had issues with the switch. I purchased the item at a trade show so I
don't have any prof of purchase but figured I would try submitting a
warranty claim via the company web site anyway. Things got a bit
complicated because the replacement part was also bad, but I will
highlight my takeaway from the experience. Their warranty process is
efficient and painless. They only asked for a photo of the product for
proof of purchase, had the process completed in hours, and the
replacement in the mail the next day. When the replacement had the same
issue they were very apologetic and worked quickly to get the matter
resolved.
I have three Coast LED lights, and even considering
the above issue, I have found them superior in every way to all other
flashlights I have ever owned. That combined with the outstanding
support I received, I have no regrets about the three lights I have
purchased from them and Coast will be the first supplier I go to for
any future lighting needs.
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