Coast HX5 LED flashlight (with a secret) review.

Dual Fuel: Single AA alkaline and NiHM battery ~or~ 14500 lithium rechargeable battery.
AA:
180 lumens
89 meters beam distance
3 hour runtime
14500:
410 lumens
132 meters beam distance
1 hour runtime
Throw and Flood beams
IP54 Water resistant
Lifetime Warranty
Length: 4" (bezel against body)
Bezel diameter: Hair under 1"
Body diameter: 0.79"
Weight: 2.5 ounces
Candela: 1560
One mode
Forward clicky switch
Price ~ About $20.oo
Made in China.

[@maddrgremlin]

You can lock the light in spot mode by reversing the clip and putting it between the grip texture and the slide end. It is what I did with mine. I bought it as a companion to my sidearm.

[@practicallysocial]

I've been selected twice by Coast to test their products. The HX5 is my favorite light by them and I own many models. This is my everyday carry, car, and nightstand light for any needed situation, defense, and recommend to my training clients as an affordable, lifetime guarantee, backed up, no questions asked light. For the price, I don't think they can be beat. Ive dropped them, ran them out all the way, subjected them to cold and more. They're tanks. And if they fail (rare) I've been sent a new one, or its superior.

[@k.jumbolski2734]

I have several of these HX5 and owned the predecessor HP1 as well from Coast. The only issue I had with the HP1 was after 3 years daily use the switch threads stripped since the threads are non hardened aluminum. No other issues. There is no need for a groove on the HX5 for the clip. The clip can not slide off to the back over the red ring and can not slide onto the checkering. So one step of processing less and less price for the consumer. The Coast LED bulbs never burn out or fail. I go for MagLite and Coast only. The flood is actually more usefull than the focused beam. I live on a farm and for snakes sake. You wanna have an wide flood light for spotting snakes early. I run these exclusively on rechargeable NiMH batteries. One battery lasts about 1 hour of usefull light. The momentary off/on switch was one of the reasons I chose Coast. And the fact it has only on/off and no other fancy stuff.

[@NGMonocrom]

You don't have to limit yourself to Maglite or Coast. LED emitters have lifespans that even with heavy use, you aren't going to reach their limits. For all practical purposes, LED flashlights don't burn out. If an LED emitter does, something went horribly wrong.

[@BatmanProject777]

I've had mine for close to 5 yeears....zero problems ! I keep the clip snapped in just behind the head... that keeps it in spot mode. I don't have to reposition the clip for flood, just shove the head back, and the clip gets shoved back onto the knurling. ( i didn't do that early on, so the knurling on mine is smoothed / worn down some...on a new one, i don't know how well it would work )

[@fireandcopper]

5:13 "bee-zuhl", should be "bez-uhl"

[@NGMonocrom]

Thanks for the comment.