by Dennis Johnson MD, PhD., Carolyn Johnson, RN and Jim Clary, PhD
The Johnsons & Clary test and review the Coast Polysteel 600 Flashlight.
United States -(AmmoLand.com)- There’s not a nook or cranny of our ranch that doesn’t have numerous parts and pieces of dysfunctional flash lights – it is a veritable graveyard of failed flashlights.
When you raise livestock a conveniently portable light source is indispensable. So we are always looking for a reliable, bright light and can’t begin to estimate the money we’ve spent to that end.
This year’s SHOT Show had a baffling array of flashlights. The folks at COAST convinced us to give their new Coast Polysteel 600 Flashlight a try, though we were skeptical because we’d been down this path many times.
Coast Polysteel 600 Flashlight
We took it back to our ranch for a test of its utility. This flashlight has a stainless steel core externally coated with nylon polymer. It is indestructible without stick of dynamite and is waterproof to boot. The 600 lumens is not only bright but focusable to an intense beam –so with a simple twist the light transforms from a floodlight to a laser!
We used this light for a month. It was superb for checking animals at night, spotting predators on the prowl and controlling rodents in our out buildings. It uses 4-AA batteries but the light quality and intensity far surpasses the other flashlights we have owned. This light won our hearts and we can now gather up all the failed flashlight innards for the dumpster
What makes this light so special? It has a stainless steel core that is wrapped with a textured nylon polymer. We have no doubt that this light would survive the toughest environment that any outdoorsman might encounter and still keep working.
It meets IPX8 (waterproof) and ANSI FL1 (drop) flashlight standards. Only one other flashlight that we have tested has ever met those standards and it did not put as much light on target as the POLYSTEEL 600. IPX8 standard requires that the light be watertight (waterproof) at depths of 3 meters. ANSI FL1 standard requires that the light withstand repeated 3 meter drops on hard surfaces and still function.
However, what really sets this light apart from all of the rest that we have tested is what the COAST folks call “Pure Beam Focusing Optic.“
Now, we will admit that we have no idea of how that works, but can say that their lens puts more light on your “target” area than flashlights rated at 800 – 1000 lumens. You can adjust the light from a broad flood beam to a tight spot beam quickly and easily. That really comes in handy when you are coming off a mountain or checking things around the ranch in the dark.
While the output of this flashlight is only rated at 660 lumens, it is apparent that COAST has developed the technology to focus more pure (coherent) light on target than all of the others that we have tested. It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t have some laser specialists working in their lab to achieve this feat. Add in that this light only requires 4-AA batteries to operate and you have a real winner.
The specifications for the Coast Polysteel 600 Flashlight are:
- Pure Beam Focusing Optic
- Twist Focus Technology
- On High: 620 lumen light output, 2 hour runtime, 234 meter (767 ft.) beam distance
- On Medium: 220 lumen light output, 4 hour 30 minute runtime, 134 meter (439 ft.) beam distance
- On Low: 64 lumen light output, 34 hour runtime, 74 meter (242 ft.) beam distance
- Poly casing, stainless steel core
- Length in flood mode: 7.87 inches
- Length in spot mode: 8.12 inches
- Weight: 12 oz.
- Diameter: 1.87 inches
- 4 X AA batteries (included)
- IPX8 (FL1 standard 3m drop & 3m waterproof)
We’ve ordered several lights to deploy in our barns. The MSRP is only $47.99, (even cheaper online) almost half the price of its competitors.
How they did it, we have no idea…. but at this price, it is one of the true bargains of 2016.