Coast XP11R Review

There are few items that everyone needs in life. A quality flashlight is very high on that list for me and many others. They are considered so essential that it was built into our cell phones!

Because of that I am known for keeping a variety of lights around. I will even pack headlamps on vacations!

I have been searching for a new rechargeable flashlight to help limit the use of batteries. A friend told me about Coast, so I decided to give them a shot with their XP11R.

Find it here: 

• Coast XP11R – Check Price

• Energizer AAA Lithium Batteries – Check Price

The Specs:

Light Output (High) – 1000 Lumens

Light Output (Medium) – 330 Lumens

Light Output (Low) – 75 Lumens

Light Output (Turbo) – 2100 Lumens

Runtime (High) – 5 Hours

Runtime (Medium) – 7 Hours

Runtime (Low) – 37 Hours

Weight – 8.3 oz / 235 g

Length – 6.00 in / 15.24 cm

First Thoughts

Selecting this light was more about size and output. I always keep a Diamond headlamp on me when camping but needed something with more oomph at times.

When I first unpackaged the light I was impressed with the size. It felt very good in my hand, but more on that in a second. The slide operation for their patented Pure Beam Focus captured my attention.

Many flashlights can focus their beam pattern, but the XP11R allows you lock the specific beam that you like. This is as simple as twisting the lens. I found a middle of the road setting for normal use. Resetting the beam can done with one hand when needed.

Size & Weight

Now for the size. The light fits perfect inside my palm and is light enough that you can hold it without fatigue in multiple positions. The body is made from aluminum which keeps the weight down and adds strength over plastic. The large grip area in the light provides tactility with bare hands and when using gloves.

With a weight of half a pound, this light is comfortable enough to hold for long periods of time. This comes in very handy when needing to shine something from overhead or hold it in a specific position.

All of the openings are gasketed and sealed to gain the IP54 rating. This helps to keep dust and weather from entering the light. While this light is not completely waterproof, it will handle dust and snow well. 

Battery

I really like the battery that comes with the XP11R. In addition to being able to recharge it through the light, you can also plug the battery in directly. This is very helpful if you need to switch to the backup AAA battery pack, you can still charge the normal battery.

The battery indicator in the power button is a great touch. It is inevitable that batteries will die, and it is nice to have a warning. The button will transition from green when fully charged, red when it the capacity is low, and will flash red when it is about to go out.

Upon seeing the USB-C charger I was a little worried about having a compatible charging block. Coast did not disappoint us and provided a Y-style charger that has both normal USB and USB-C connection to your charging block.

Light output

Now for the actual light output. This small light is bright both on paper and in person. The low is perfect, and the turbo is incredible. 

I really like the two second hold for the Turbo mode. It is probably my favorite feature of the entire light. When you are camping and travelling thieves (both human and animal) are always a consideration. The two second hold allows you to borderline blind something that is not expecting it. This strategy will scare away any unwanted guests.

The light sequence that Coast chose for the light was interesting. The cycle will proceed in a Medium – High – Low sequence. While this will probably eliminate you cycling to get to the brighter settings, I find it takes some getting used to. 

I typically like to have the low setting first so that I may choose to go higher if needed. This allows me to keep some of my night vision and not blind myself off the bat. This is not a negative aspect to the light, just something to keep in mind.

Final Thoughts

For the money, this light is incredible. It has become my every day carry in the vehicle and is always packed for camping trips. 

There were a few things that I feel could make the light better, however.

The first being to increase the IP rating to make it more water resistant. I’m not expecting this to work underwater, but it is nice knowing a brief drop in a puddle will not destroy the light.