Coast FL78R Review - Everything You Need to Know
Clint Taylor
Probably the most versatile light to have in my opinion is a good headlamp. You don’t have to hold it with your hands, anywhere you look the light shines and they can be utilized for a wide variety of activities. A large part of the All-Terrain section of Texas Kayak Fisher is products that can take you anywhere…and the Coast FL78R does just this.
The Specifications
The Coast FL78R is a pretty impressive light - how impressive? Well, let’s take a look at the specifications and see what it can do:
Light Output (High): 530 lumens
Light Output (Low): 65 lumens
Runtime (High): 2H 15Min
Runtime (Low): 11H 0Min
Weight: 3.2 Oz.
Battery: LI-ION or three (3) AAA (both are included with purchase)
What Features Does the FL78R Have?
Features can make a big difference, and luckily the Coast FL78R is feature rich. Let’s go ahead and run through the features of the FL78R.
Adjustable Strap
The strap on the FL78R is very comfortable and adjustable to fit a wide variety of head shapes and sizes. The strap is also reflective. This is a nice feature if you will be using this headlamp where other people and or cars may be around you and allow them to see you easier.
Hinged Beam Adjustment
In order to shine light where it needs to go the FL78R is on a hinge so that you can have the light shining straight out in front of you, or nearly straight down on the ground when you are looking forward. If you are mountain biking, it is nice to have the light shining out in front of you; however, if you are working on something close to you, it can be nice to have the light shine down more. The hinged feature of the FL78R works great to shine light wherever you may need it.
Twist Focus
One of the most prominent aspects that I have found with Coast lights is just how good their focusing system is…it is amazing! What do I mean by amazing? There is a small knob you can twist on the headlamp to adjust for a flood or spot beam (and anywhere in between). In flood mode, the light has a great field of view and the outer edge of the light is extremely defined. I really don’t know how Coast gets such a defined outer edge. In spot mode, the light focuses in so that you can see further out and have a longer beam distance.
I have found the twist focus is a very valuable feature on the FL78R. It is very useful for providing a lot of versatility in a headlamp.
Red and Green Lights Included
Among the features the FL78R has to offer is a red and green LED output. On the bottom left and bottom right of the FL78R are two small LEDs - one for red and one for green. The red light is best used for times you want to preserve you night vision. Such times might be when you need to see something at night briefly, such as settings on your camera, reading a map, or checking your bag for something. The green light will be appreciated for hunters as the green light helps to track blood.
The red and green LED lights add additional versatility to the FL78R and really make it applicable to a wide range of activities.
Dual Power Capability
Along the lines of versatility, the Coast FL78R can run off of the included LI-ION rechargeable battery pack or the three (3) included AAA batteries - yes Coast includes both forms of batteries for you unlike other companies.
This is such a versatile feature of the FL78R and other Coast lights as you have the option to run off the rechargeable battery, or if you run out of battery and don’t have time to recharge you can simply throw in the provided AAA's. This is a great feature and something that really sets the FL78R apart from other lights on the market. Of course, you can always purchase a spare rechargeable battery for the FL78R, but the capability of running AAA’s is really nice.
Operation
Using the FL78R is quite simple. There are two (2) buttons on the FL78R - one on the right and one on the left. The right button operates the main white LED light. Simply press this button once and you are in high mode (530 lumens). Press the button again and the light will turn off. In order to go through the different light outputs (high, medium and low) you press the right button and then within a second press it again to go to medium mode. If you want to go to low mode you will simply need to press the right button again within a second of switching to medium mode. Essentially, you can scroll through the different light outputs by pressing the right button with each press of the button occuring within a second of each other.
In order to operate the small red or green LED you will need to press the left button. Press the button once for the red LED and twice for the green LED. To turn off the light, press the left button once.
Operation is straightforward and easy to learn. I don’t have any complaints in regard to the operation of the FL78R and I think it is easy, simple and fast.
Overall Review
So what do I think of the FL78R? It is a solid headlamp that can be used for a wide variety of activities. Some of the activities that I use it for are camping, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, mountain biking and working on my car. The hinged head and twist focus allow you to really dial in where you want the light to shine and how far. The dual power capability is really cool and nice to have so that you are ready for any situation life throws at you. Lastly, the lightweight design and strap make the FL78R a comfortable yet powerful headlamp.
If you are looking at purchasing an FL78R, please click here for more info.