# life gear 1000 lumen 6 c-cell from Costco $100



## wdkingery (Nov 8, 2012)

does anyone kbow about this light?
google returned nothing.
costco video claims "cree leds" 
$100 @ costco


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## PhotonBoy (Nov 8, 2012)

I Googled *life gear 1000 lumen*, got this: http://www.opticsplanet.com/life-ge...men-tactical-flashlight-with-red-flasher.html


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## Tracker II (Nov 9, 2012)

PhotonBoy said:


> I Googled *life gear 1000 lumen*, got this: http://www.opticsplanet.com/life-ge...men-tactical-flashlight-with-red-flasher.html



"... uses 3 CREE LED bulbs to produce a powerful beam of light from a bulb that will last for many years and won't run down your batteries."

Guess we can all sell our battery chargers now!


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## Chicken Drumstick (Nov 9, 2012)

wdkingery said:


> does anyone kbow about this light?
> google returned nothing.
> costco video claims "cree leds"
> $100 @ costco



I know nothing about it, but I'm willing to bet you can buy a lot better for a lot less money.


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## wdkingery (Nov 9, 2012)

Chicken Drumstick said:


> I know nothing about it, but I'm willing to bet you can buy a lot better for a lot less money.



thats why i asked cause i felt the same way.
hmm


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## CarpentryHero (Nov 9, 2012)

Get a Terralux dropin for your 5d or 6D maglite. You'll have a 1000 lumens, and better quality for your dollar.


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## FlyBoyMcCall (Nov 10, 2012)

CarpentryHero said:


> Get a Terralux dropin for your 5d or 6D maglite. You'll have a 1000 lumens, and better quality for your dollar.



I haven't been able to find any Terralux drop-ins at anywhere near 1,000 lumens. Do you have a link. They want $20 for a 60 lumen model.


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## JohnnyBravo (Nov 10, 2012)

Hey FlyBoyMcCall, welcome to the club. At Terralux's website under led conversions, you should see this 1000 lumen part for $99.99 MSRP. But on eBay, I see them floating around for about $70 USD, shipped...


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## Jash (Nov 10, 2012)

Batteryjunction had the 1000 lumen Terralux dropin for under $40 a while ago. I nearly bought one but couldn't really see a need for it. Their regular price is about $70. If they have them on sale again I may pull the trigger on one.


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 11, 2012)

I was at the Santee, CA Costco today and saw a 1,000 lumen Coast flashlight for $50. Took 9 AAs, used a single Cree XM-L l.e.d., and had the slide lock focus (which means you can adjust from spot to flood). I remember it had a high of 1,000 lumens for 2.5 hours and a low of 40 lumens (don't remember runtime, but I think it was over 30 hours). I passed up purchasing it, but it seemed like a good deal for the price. I just spent a lot on a couple U2 bin Cree XM-L P60 drop-ins and some 3400 mAh 18650 cells, so I didn't feel the need to buy such a bulky light. Since you guys are talking about another 1,000 lumen light from Costco, I thought I'd mention this one since it's half the price of the other.


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## StorminMatt (Nov 11, 2012)

Hooked on Fenix said:


> I was at the Santee, CA Costco today and saw a 1,000 lumen Coast flashlight for $50. Took 9 AAs, used a single Cree XM-L l.e.d., and had the slide lock focus (which means you can adjust from spot to flood).



I looked it up. And Coast doesn't make a 1000 lumen, 9aa flashlight. Are you sure the light you saw was a Coast?


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 12, 2012)

Yes, it was a Coast light. It had their patented slide lock focus. Yes, it took 9 AAs. Everything I posted is correct. Just because you can't find it with a quick search online does not mean it doesn't exist. This time of year, brick and mortar stores tend to get the good lights in just in time for Black Friday. Sometimes, this is done before you can even know they exist online.


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## StorminMatt (Nov 13, 2012)

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Yes, it was a Coast light. It had their patented slide lock focus. Yes, it took 9 AAs. Everything I posted is correct. Just because you can't find it with a quick search online does not mean it doesn't exist. This time of year, brick and mortar stores tend to get the good lights in just in time for Black Friday. Sometimes, this is done before you can even know they exist online.



I actually saw the light in question on another flashlight forum. Apparently, it's called the HP550. But oddly enough, googling it brings up NOTHING. And you will find no sign this light exists on the Coast company website, either. It could be that this light is being made exclusively for sale at Costco. Or maybe they don't want to advertise it TOO much since it kind of competes with their own HP21, and at a MUCH lower price point. In any case, it looks interesting. And with a runtime on high of 2.5 hours on nine AA batteries (vs 2hr 19 min on 8 AA for a Fenix TK41), it looks like the light output could very well be for real. Needless to say, I'm going to go have a look at this one tomorrow. Say what you want about Coast. But this sounds like it COULD be a deal.

There does appear to be one downside, however. It looks like the only running modes are the 1000 lumen high mode and a dim 40 lumen mode. I would MUCH prefer to see something somewhere in between (say, 300 lumens) that would give a better balance between runtime and brightness.

Anyway, looks like it might be time to start charging all those extra Duraloops I have laying around!


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## Brasso (Nov 13, 2012)

Has Coast started regulating their lights yet?


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## Stereodude (Nov 13, 2012)

Brasso said:


> Has Coast started regulating their lights yet?


You think they're running a 3S3P config on the batteries and connecting the LED straight to the 4.5V from the alkalines?


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## cccpull (Nov 13, 2012)

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Yes, it was a Coast light. It had their patented slide lock focus. Yes, it took 9 AAs. Everything I posted is correct. Just because you can't find it with a quick search online does not mean it doesn't exist. This time of year, brick and mortar stores tend to get the good lights in just in time for Black Friday. Sometimes, this is done before you can even know they exist online.



Just saw this light on E-bay, but they want $100. At $50 a 1000 lumen Coast with adjustable focus that runs on regular AA batteries seems like a good price. 
Have to take a ride to Costco and check 'em out.


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## beast1210 (Nov 13, 2012)

Here is my review of the Highland series. The 1000 has impressed me, especially when compared to my 340 dollar jetbeam rrt3.




shot comparison video


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## StorminMatt (Nov 13, 2012)

cccpull said:


> Just saw this light on E-bay, but they want $100. At $50 a 1000 lumen Coast with adjustable focus that runs on regular AA batteries seems like a good price.
> Have to take a ride to Costco and check 'em out.



I got REALLY interested and tried to pick one up today. But apparently, my local Costco hasn't received their shipment yet. In any case, this light looks REALLY interesting. Say what you want about Coast. But unlike SO many of their other lights, this one seems like it could be a REALLY good value. I just wish they could make something that uses D batteries. But I guess you can't have everything.


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## mikekoz (Nov 14, 2012)

StorminMatt said:


> I got REALLY interested and tried to pick one up today. But apparently, my local Costco hasn't received their shipment yet. In any case, this light looks REALLY interesting. Say what you want about Coast. But unlike SO many of their other lights, this one seems like it could be a REALLY good value. I just wish they could make something that uses D batteries. But I guess you can't have everything.



They do! The Coast HP17TAC. Uses 3 D cells and puts out about 615 lumens. Amazon.com has them for $65.18. I wish I was a Costco member, I would buy the 1000 lumen model in a heartbeat!


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## StorminMatt (Nov 14, 2012)

mikekoz said:


> They do! The Coast HP17TAC. Uses 3 D cells and puts out about 615 lumens. Amazon.com has them for $65.18. I wish I was a Costco member, I would by the 1000 lumen model in a heartbeat!



I meant that I wish the 1000 lumen model was available in a D cell model. The runtime would be better. And you wouldn't have to worry about having to recharge 9 AA batteries. Unless you want to wait HOURS by charging batteries in groups of four (or have several small chargers), you'll need one of these:







As for not being a Costco member, do you know someone who is? Just go there with them to buy it.


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## whiteled (Nov 14, 2012)

*at Costco for 48.99*

I picked up this inexpensive light at the Carmel Mountain, San Diego costco for my son to use camping (also to hold me over until my V4 Wildcat comes later this week). Seems decent quality and comes with a lifetime guarantee and 9 AA duracells. They seem to be selling fast and I saw three other people buying one. I also had two people ask about the light when I was checking out. I like the "try" before "buy" feature that allows you to test the light and sliding focus. Beam shots coming soon.


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## cccpull (Nov 14, 2012)

It looks like the Coast HP550 is a Costco only item. They're not available locally (South FL.) and can't be ordered online.:shakehead


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## whiteled (Nov 14, 2012)

cccpull said:


> It looks like the Coast HP550 is a Costco only item. They're not available locally (South FL.) and can't be ordered online.:shakehead



The packaging says imported by Costco so at least for now it is probably Costco only item. This is a great deal and comes with 9 AA duracells and a coupon code for a free LED flashlight (you pay shipping). This flashlight is by far the brightest I have ever seen in person and I really like the slide focus. I can't wait to compare it to my V4 wildcat when that comes later this week.


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 14, 2012)

whiteled said:


> The packaging says imported by Costco so at least for now it is probably Costco only item. This is a great deal and comes with 9 AA duracells and a coupon code for a free LED flashlight (you pay shipping). This flashlight is by far the brightest I have ever seen in person and I really like the slide focus. I can't wait to compare it to my V4 wildcat when that comes later this week.



Thanks for posting a pic of the light. Up until you did, I bet some CPF members thought I was messing with them when I mentioned this light. Please let us know how it performs.


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## whiteled (Nov 14, 2012)

StorminMatt said:


> I meant that I wish the 1000 lumen model was available in a D cell model. The runtime would be better. And you wouldn't have to worry about having to recharge 9 AA batteries. Unless you want to wait HOURS by charging batteries in groups of four (or have several small chargers), you'll need one of these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For my HAM, GPS, solar chargers, emergency and other outdoor equipment rechargeable AA batteries are ideal as a supplement for LI/MH battery packs. Runtime is less of a concern for me as I use mostly eneloop C/D spacers. Good to use my extra eneloops for something...


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## my#1hobby (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



whiteled said:


> I picked up this inexpensive light at the Carmel Mountain, San Diego costco for my son to use camping (also to hold me over until my V4 Wildcat comes later this week). Seems decent quality and comes with a lifetime guarantee and 9 AA duracells. They seem to be selling fast and I saw three other people buying one. I also had two people ask about the light when I was checking out. I like the "try" before "buy" feature that allows you to test the light and sliding focus. Beam shots coming soon.


Wow, I'm gonna have to check my Poway Costco tomorrow and see if they have these. I don't normally go for the Coast lights, but this is a good deal and 1000 lumens with their focusing lens must be pretty bright. Looking forward to the beam shots :thumbsup:.


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## Jay611j (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Maybe you guys should start a new thread on the Coast light, I'm sure this one might interest a few folks. It's strange that there are three other San Diego folks in here, as long as I've been on CPF I've met one from SD. I'm down in Pacific Beach so I'm gonna go check this bad boy out tomorrow too.


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## Chicken Drumstick (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



whiteled said:


> I picked up this inexpensive light at the Carmel Mountain, San Diego costco for my son to use camping (also to hold me over until my V4 Wildcat comes later this week). Seems decent quality and comes with a lifetime guarantee and 9 AA duracells. They seem to be selling fast and I saw three other people buying one. I also had two people ask about the light when I was checking out. I like the "try" before "buy" feature that allows you to test the light and sliding focus. Beam shots coming soon.



Is it a single emitter XM-L or multi emitter like some of the other Led Lenser products? Thanks.


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## mikekoz (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

This seems too good to be true! It is not made out of plastic is it???  I need to find somebody I know that is a Costco member to get one of these for me! :thumbsup:


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## whiteled (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Jay611j said:


> Maybe you guys should start a new thread on the Coast light, I'm sure this one might interest a few folks. It's strange that there are three other San Diego folks in here, as long as I've been on CPF I've met one from SD. I'm down in Pacific Beach so I'm gonna go check this bad boy out tomorrow too.


I did start a new thread since I did not want to hijack this one since it was originally about a life gear light not a coast. For some reason the moderator immediately moved my new thread into this one. I agree we should have a different thread since this discussion is not about a life gear light.


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## whiteled (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



mikekoz said:


> This seems too good to be true! It is not made out of plastic is it???  I need to find somebody I know that is a Costco member to get one of these for me! :thumbsup:


 The light is made of aluminum and is very similar to this one http://www.coastportland.com/hp17-led-flashlight.htm. I would say the quality is excellent for a 48.99 1000 lumen light.


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## Jay611j (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



whiteled said:


> I did start a new thread since I did not want to hijack this one since it was originally about a life gear light not a coast. For some reason the moderator immediately moved my new thread into this one. I agree we should have a different thread since this discussion is not about a life gear light.


That's strange, did you put Costco in the title? They my have thought it was the same light and merged the thread.


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## whiteled (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Jay611j said:


> That's strange, did you put Costco in the title? They my have thought it was the same light and merged the thread.


 My original thread was titled "Coast HP550 1000 Lumen LED light at Costco for 48.99". For some reason the title was reduced to just "at Costco for 48.99" when my thread was merged with this one.


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## Jay611j (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



whiteled said:


> My original thread was titled "Coast HP550 1000 Lumen LED light at Costco for 48.99". For some reason the title was reduced to just "at Costco for 48.99" when my thread was merged with this one.


That's odd. I'll post the deal in the Good Deals section and see what happens.


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## cccpull (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Well, at least the thread stayed sort of on topic, Costco 1000 lumen flashlight.
Anyone have beam shots or size measurement of light?


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## Jay611j (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



cccpull said:


> Well, at least the thread stayed sort of on topic, Costco 1000 lumen flashlight.
> Anyone have beam shots or size measurement of light?


I'm heading to my Costco to see if they have any, if they do I'll post some pictures.


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## Flying Turtle (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Coast lights = Led Lenser = Zweibruder. Google Zweibruder 1000 lumen for some more info.

Geoff


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## whiteled (Nov 15, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Sorry for the crappy camera pics but my dslr battery is dead. Tree is at about 60-70 ft.


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## Up All Night (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Flying Turtle said:


> Coast lights = Led Lenser = Zweibruder. Google Zweibruder 1000 lumen for some more info.
> 
> Geoff



Coast and Lenser parted ways quite some time ago. As for the zoom feature, my Coast HP14 has a defined hot spot with decent spill. My Lenser L7 has a defined hot spot with no spill. Unless you call more rings than an unanswered phone spill! If that's an indication across their respective product lines, Coast is winning hands down in that department.
It'll be interesting to see how many Coast bashers hop on this because of the 1K lumen count and the 50 dollar tag! I was at Costco today(Toronto) and there were none to be found. Considering how slow product migration is once it hits US stores,.....I'm not holding my breath!!


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## Jay611j (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

I apologize if the images are too large, I'm having issues with Photobucket. :thumbsdow (Link added instead, photos were too large)

The battery carrier seems pretty decent only a little flimsy, but I imagine it will last just fine. Overall, it's actually a nice light and is pretty darn bright. It has a nice large (creamy white tint) hotspot and these Coast brand lights have spill, unlike the LL. I have a few more photos of a ceiling bounce I did with the Fenix TK60 that I'm trying to upload and I will add them when they're done. 

Click the link for the rest of the pics.
http://s50.beta.photobucket.com/user/jay611j/library/Coast HP550



 Here's a ceiling bounce I did and it's a little hard to tell by the pic, but the HP550 is visibly brighter than the TK60.
 The tint on the Coast is a really nice creamy white color. 
*Fenix TK60* 



[/IMG]

*Coast HP550*



[/IMG]


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## Up All Night (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Jay,
Thanks for the pics! Does it have the momentary switch with two or more levels? The HP14 I have is certainly a well made light. At $50 with 1000 lumen output I would definitely grab one. *Regulated or not!!

*P.S.
Kudos to Hooked on Fenix and Whiteled for the heads-up!


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## StorminMatt (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Up All Night said:


> I was at Costco today(Toronto) and there were none to be found. Considering how slow product migration is once it hits US stores,.....I'm not holding my breath!!



None of the Costcos in my area have this light, either. Apparently, Northern California stores were supposed to get their shipment on November 7. But they're still waiting, and say they expect to get them in next week. We'll see.


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## Jay611j (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Up All Night said:


> Jay,
> Thanks for the pics! Does it have the momentary switch with two or more levels? The HP14 I have is certainly a well made light. At $50 with 1000 lumen output I would definitely grab one. *Regulated or not!!
> 
> *P.S.
> Kudos to Hooked on Fenix and Whiteled for the heads-up!



Anytime. It does have a momentary switch with high 1000L/low 40L/SOS and it acts the same as my HP7 switch with the addition of an SOS mode which I don't like, it's just another mode to have to cycle through when you're trying to use momentary. Also, the low mode uses PWM but doesn't bother me as much as some other lights do. I used it a little while ago to walk the dogs and this thing really pumps out the lumens, very surprised by it oo:.


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## ToyTank (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

I'm surprised the tint seems quite pleasant from the ceiling bounce photos. Thanks I'm going to have to get one I wasn't impressed in the store but your photos swayed me.

With costco 90 day no questions asked returns on ANYTHING:twothumbs


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## my#1hobby (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



ToyTank said:


> I'm surprised the tint seems quite pleasant from the ceiling bounce photos. Thanks I'm going to have to get one I wasn't impressed in the store but your photos swayed me.
> 
> With costco 90 day no questions asked returns on ANYTHING:twothumbs


I finally made it to my Costco and picked one up. I would try out the lights until you find the tint you like. I tried out multiple lights shining them on a white box and saw a few variations in the tints, some appeared bluish while others were white, and one appeared to be even a neutral tint, but didn't appear as bright as the others. I took the one that was the whitest and brightest . Don't forget to grab the Costco eneloop pack if you don't already have any.


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## mikekoz (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Looks like I will get my hands on one on Monday! It looks like it is the size of a 3C cell light. Will 3C's fit inside of it?


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## StorminMatt (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



mikekoz said:


> Looks like I will get my hands on one on Monday! It looks like it is the size of a 3C cell light. Will 3C's fit inside of it?



Now if only I COULD get my hands on one! It looks like Southern California is the only place that actually got them, and Costco stores don't seem to be willing to ship them. Up here in Northern California, the stores say they are on order BUT also a discontinued item. It doesn't sound like we will get them here.

Interestingly, if you try to order one online, it says that the item number isn't valid.


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## Stereodude (Nov 16, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

So, I bought one today to check it out. The batteries are in a 3S3P configuration. I don't know if it's regulated or not. I dropped in 9 AA Eneloops and it seems just as bright as the alkalines, but that doesn't mean much.

FWIW, the cutaway drawing on the color product sheet in the package shows a big fat resistor on the PCB with other parts and says "Custom Board with Customer Programmed Microcontroller (MCU) Driver Circuit". However, the sheet doesn't seem specific to the HP550. It looks generic for many Coast flashlights.

Also, there is no warning against rechargeable or Lithium batteries in the B&W instruction sheet. It does point out you can put the battery pack into the flashlight either end first (polarity doesn't matter).


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## GaryM (Nov 16, 2012)

Costco in St. Louis has these lights in stock. I was looking at them today. Looks like I might need to go back.


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## Turbo DV8 (Nov 17, 2012)

Would someone please provide the Costco item number for the HP550? None in the Sf Bay Area yet, according to the Sunnyvale store. The item nmber would be good to have so a quick phone call could take the place of a store visit to see if/when they become available here. Thanks.


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## whiteled (Nov 17, 2012)

Turbo DV8 said:


> Would someone please provide the Costco item number for the HP550? None in the Sf Bay Area yet, according to the Sunnyvale store. The item nmber would be good to have so a quick phone call could take the place of a store visit to see if/when they become available here. Thanks.



ITM/ART 686885


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## Turbo DV8 (Nov 17, 2012)

Thanks. One negative, from beamshot videos I've seen of this light, compared to my P7 and P14, there is a big black hole in the beam through most of it's entire zoom, until you get close to the tightest spot. The P14, and especially the P7, have just a uniform coverage all the way from flood to spot. Something different is going on with this light's lens/emitter combination, not quite up to snuff compared to the P7 P14, but then it sounds like these HP550's have a much more desireable tint compared to the other's washed-out grey cast.


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## cccpull (Nov 17, 2012)

What video have you seen of the HP550?


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## StorminMatt (Nov 17, 2012)

Turbo DV8 said:


> Would someone please provide the Costco item number for the HP550? None in the Sf Bay Area yet, according to the Sunnyvale store. The item nmber would be good to have so a quick phone call could take the place of a store visit to see if/when they become available here. Thanks.



I hate to say it. But it looks like we've gotten the shaft here in Northern California. Unless you are willing to make a drive to Bakersfield (the closest place that actually stocks this light, and about 300 miles from Sacramento or the Bay Area), you're most likely not going to see it.


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## my#1hobby (Nov 17, 2012)

cccpull said:


> What video have you seen of the HP550?



Coast HP550 indoor/outdoor videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMb6jKGcKHg&feature=youtu.be

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYVHXH7VPqg


[/URL]


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## cccpull (Nov 18, 2012)

Well, called local Costco and was told it was a discontinued item and they would not get it anymore. Strange, I had never seen it before.


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## Turbo DV8 (Nov 18, 2012)

cccpull said:


> What video have you seen of the HP550?



www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-FMu1yTQA8&feature=youtu.be


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## Vesper (Nov 18, 2012)

Why were these two threads merged anyway? They were about two completely different flashlights. :shrug:

Anyway my local Costco near Seattle has a ton of these. Weird Costco said they were discontinued. Maybe having ordered a finite amount, they were "discontinued" after full delivery. They seem to have a lot of stuff quickly come and go. Might have to pick up the Coast tomorrow. Have a zillion Eneloops without a home.


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## StorminMatt (Nov 18, 2012)

cccpull said:


> Well, called local Costco and was told it was a discontinued item and they would not get it anymore. Strange, I had never seen it before.



Let me guess. You're in Northern California?

Anyway, what seems SO odd is that Coast would expend all the time, money, and effort to design and produce this light. But they're only going to do a limited run for Costco (only to be sold in certain regions), and THAT'S IT!


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## mikekoz (Nov 19, 2012)

I was able to get a friend of mine to pick up one of these and I am very impressed with it! It looks like an oversized version of my Coast HP7. Just like the HP7, it has the best focusing mechanism of ANY flashlight out there. It is an awesome thrower at its narrowest beam setting, and it lights up our entire back yard in wide mode! In my opinion, this is the best light right now as far as what you get for your dollar. I may even look into getting a second one! I will fully test it on Wednesday evening when we go visit my in laws that live out in the country.


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## Turbo DV8 (Nov 19, 2012)

Me want. I'm part of the 1% (on CPF) who actually has respect for LED Lenser/Coast lights, and I can't get one of these? Waaaaah! Clearly, Coast should be nationalized, and rebranded Coast-to-Coast, so we can get wider distribution of these!

Two Costco's near me in the SF Bay Area don't say they are discontinued. They both told me they are on order, but have been on order for some time, and were due in on November 7. Not promising, but still better than discontinued! One said they had 74 on order, and the other 38, or something like that.


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## Jay611j (Nov 20, 2012)

mikekoz said:


> I was able to get a friend of mine to pick up one of these and I am very impressed with it! It looks like a shrunk down version of my Coast HP7. Just like the HP7, it has the best focusing mechanism of ANY flashlight out there. It is an awesome thrower at its narrowest beam setting, and it lights up our entire back yard in wide mode! In my opinion, this is the best light right now as far as what you get for your dollar. I may even look into getting a second one! I will fully test it on Wednesday evening when we go visit my in laws that live out in the country.



I went back today and got 2 more of them for family, I wanted to use and abuse it for a few days at work to see how it went before I went back for more. This HP550 really gives me a different outlook on Coast lights, I have also been impressed with it. My TK60 usually rides shotgun with me, but got replaced by this because I really like the bright flood it produces oo:.


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## Canuke (Nov 21, 2012)

I just picked one of these up at Summerlin Costco in Las Vegas. About 30-40 units that I could see there as of this writing. One other customer checking out next to me had one too.

Running on the included alkalines, the output is barely discernable as being a bit stronger than the Stanley FatMax 755 lumen unit I have, so they are close to rated output on alks. 1000 lumens from AA batteries - ain't the future grand? I'm charging up some Eneloops for further testing atm.

One other item of note: the battery carrier 3S3P config will let you run with only 3 or 6 cells in a pinch (I'd stick to low mode).

Low mode is visible PWM 200-300Hz, no tint shift. The Stanley changes tint by a whole bin going from high to low (or so it seems).


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## mikekoz (Nov 21, 2012)

Canuke said:


> I just picked one of these up at Summerlin Costco in Las Vegas. About 30-40 units that I could see there as of this writing. One other customer checking out next to me had one too.
> 
> Running on the included alkalines, the output is barely discernable as being a bit stronger than the Stanley FatMax 755 lumen unit I have, so they are close to rated output on alks. 1000 lumens from AA batteries - ain't the future grand? I'm charging up some Eneloops for further testing atm.
> 
> ...




I just compared it to the same light! The Fatmax beat the Coast a little bit in throw, but the HP550 had more spill. It did not blow away the Fatmax, but I was not expecting it to anyway. We are visiting my in laws out here in the country in northern NC, and I was testing these lights, and a few more (Shiningbeam Blaze and a Fenix TK15) by shining them across a large field. The flood mode on the HP550 though, really set it apart from the others!


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## kotarak (Nov 22, 2012)

Just picked up two of these from the local Costco. I must say - the quality is impressive - I would even venture as far to say - it is almost insane for a $48 light. 
I have some other Coast lights but none of them get even close! The only gripe I have is the plastic lens but even this is not enough to be a deal-breaker - the lens is recessed deep in the body and would not get easily scratched!
The ability to go from a focused beam to a wide flood makes the light even more attractive for me.
Visual comparison of the beam intensity to my 4Sevens Maelstrom S18 favours the 1200 lumen S18, but the difference is very small - not that apparent at first look. After careful examination, one will conclude that the Maelstrom S18 is indeed brighter but it is consistent with the 200 lumen difference.
Actually, the average output of the HP550 might be a bit lower and it is limited mainly by the type of batteries.
Here are some current measurements at the tail-cap (first 10 sec.) :
DURACELL alkalines primaries (REGULAR) - 2.8 A
ENERGIZER Ultimate Lithium primaries - 3.7A
SANYO ENELOOP NiMH rechargeables - 2.0 A
All primaries were fresh and never used. The ENELOOPs were freshly charged and only on second or third cycle.
The Cree XM-L T6 emitter (I asume is the one in the Coast HP550) is rated 1000 lumens at 3A. My guess is that you'll get the promissed 1000 lumens only on lithium primaries and NiMH rechargeables will drop the output to around 700 lumens. I'll probably stick with alkaline primaries as the best price/performance ratio.
btw I went thru 5 boxes at Costco until I found a Neutal White tint for one of the lights and for the other one I selected the light with the brightest hot-spot.
Really tempted to get another one - considering that for $48 you get a light, almost as bright as my $250 S18


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## JohnnyBravo (Nov 23, 2012)

kotarak said:


> Just picked up two of these from the local Costco. I must say - the quality is impressive - I would even venture as far to say - it is almost insane for a $48 light.
> I have some other Coast lights but none of them get even close! The only gripe I have is the plastic lens but even this is not enough to be a deal-breaker - the lens is recessed deep in the body and would not get easily scratched!
> The ability to go from a focused beam to a wide flood makes the light even more attractive for me.
> Visual comparison of the beam intensity to my 4Sevens Maelstrom S18 favours the 1200 lumen S18, but the difference is very small - not that apparent at first look. After careful examination, one will conclude that the Maelstrom S18 is indeed brighter but it is consistent with the 200 lumen difference.
> ...


 Hey Kotarak, my Costco "might" get these in next week. How did you differentiate the Neutral White ones from the others? Is it listed on the packaging? How shall I go for an NW once it's in stock here? Thanks...


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## Stereodude (Nov 24, 2012)

JohnnyBravo said:


> Hey Kotarak, my Costco "might" get these in next week. How did you differentiate the Neutral White ones from the others? Is it listed on the packaging? How shall I go for an NW once it's in stock here? Thanks...


You have to try them all. I tried about 10 at my local Costco and they all looked the same for tint so I picked the one with the tightest hot spot.


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## StorminMatt (Nov 25, 2012)

kotarak said:


> Actually, the average output of the HP550 might be a bit lower and it is limited mainly by the type of batteries.
> Here are some current measurements at the tail-cap (first 10 sec.) :
> DURACELL alkalines primaries (REGULAR) - 2.8 A
> ENERGIZER Ultimate Lithium primaries - 3.7A
> ...



Keep in mind that, if you run alkalines, those alkalines are pushing close to an amp apiece. This is pushing an alkaline AA REALLY hard. At this kind of current drain, brightness is going to drop like a rock with alkalines. NiMH, on the other hand, will hold quite steady throughout the discharge cycle. For this reason, I would run the light on NiMH rather than alkalines. Not to mention that this light takes *9 AA batteries*. Even buying the value pack of 24 duracells at Walgreens for $14.99, using alkalines in this light is going to get really expensive REALLY fast if you plan to use it much. This last factor is reason alone to go NiMH on this light.


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## Verndog (Nov 25, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Went to Costco today and they had a pallet of these there. Checked it out and was turned off by the 9 cells and the low / high -- 1000 / 40 only selection. I have a Lenser MT7 220L that has a variable dimmer and awesome flood. If this light had the variable dimmer, I would have bought one, but since I just got a 540 lumen Fenix LD41 4 AA I didn't see the need for something so huge.

But they did also have Eneloop 10 packs with 2 nice cases for $15.99 ea. I bought one of those and they all charged to 2100+ ea. These are the Gen 2 Eneloops not the Gen3 1800's...still great reliable cells though.


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## Vesper (Nov 25, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Got mine a few days ago. The flood and spot on high is *IMPRESSIVE*.

The choice of 40 lumens with bad PWM for the low level is a real bummer. This light could have been so much better if its low was 100 lumens, less flicker or regulated. Better yet a 3 level light before the blinky stuff would have been nice.

The up side is... this thing is for lighting up a room or throwing a hell of a beam up and down your back 40; beating most of your other lights that you spent 3x as much on. Also, bravo Coast for making this thing tailstand. All my extra Eneloops thank you.


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## Jay611j (Nov 25, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

I loaded mine up with Energizer lithium primaries tonight from my stock pile and this thing really screams. This $50 light is officially brighter than all of my $100-$150 lights except for my TK70. I've been using it the past two nights on walks and I really haven't seen the output get any dimmer when used on eneloops, does anybody know if it is regulated?


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## StorminMatt (Nov 25, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*



Jay611j said:


> I loaded mine up with Energizer lithium primaries tonight from my stock pile and this thing really screams. This $50 light is officially brighter than all of my $100-$150 lights except for my TK70. I've been using it the past two nights on walks and I really haven't seen the output get any dimmer when used on eneloops, does anybody know if it is regulated?



As I understand, it's not regulated. However, the stable voltage output of NiMH batteries basically makes it a 'quasi-regulated' light. The same can't be said about alkalines, as voltage will drop with use. Especially with such a high current draw. Lithium primaries fall somewhere between NiMH and alkaline in terms of voltage dropping with use.


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## nealitc (Nov 26, 2012)

*Re: at Costco for 48.99*

Do you have the Costco item number? Trying to find it in here in No Cal or LA. Thanks!


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## candor (Nov 26, 2012)

Costco Item Number: 686885


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## Jay611j (Nov 27, 2012)

I was just talking to a friend of mine who works at Costco, he said the Coast HP550 is a brand new item and they *ARE* being distributed still to Costco stores throughout the US and not just California as some others have said. So if your Costco doesn’t have them yet, they should soon.


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## cccpull (Nov 27, 2012)

Jay611j said:


> I was just talking to a friend of mine who works at Costco, he said the Coast HP550 is a brand new item and they *ARE* being distributed still to Costco stores throughout the US and not just California as some others have said. So if your Costco doesn’t have them yet, they should soon.



It's all on who picks up the phone when you call (as in my case:shakehead). They'll be around soon enough, but not today. Did see the Eneloops and charger at a good price.


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## DaveG (Nov 28, 2012)

Waterbury,CT store has them in stock.


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## Turbo DV8 (Nov 28, 2012)

*They're heeeere...*

Now in Costco's in the SF Bay Area today. Next... coming soon to a store near you. I called up a store near me, and they said their order arrived today. Another nearby store said they were "in transit." So I went to the store that said they had come in. They were unloading their (only) pallet of 72 lights in the middle of the aisle. I went through about 25 of them checking tint, focus, switch action, etc. The days of testing ten LED lights and coming up with ten different tints are about over, folks. Tints were nearly identical. I wish the tint was a bit warmer yet, but testing the light through the package imparts a bit of a purple tint itself. One suspect flaky switch. One had slightly off center focus, another couple had a bit of a stiff focus slide action, but that could be a plus or minus based upon personal preference. It wasn't hard to pick out a couple nice ones; in fact if I'd just taken the first two they'd likely have been fine. Didn't have a chance to open the package before I had to come to work, but a quick comparison of light output between my P14 and this, simply blows away my P14 and makes it nearly obsolete, and it cost $80! But the 550 is quite a bit larger, heavier, and I personally like the metal switch button on the P14 compared to rubber.

Grab 'em while they're available!


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## right-aileron (Nov 29, 2012)

I bought one at the Colchester, VT Costco yesterday - it's an amazing light for the money. I bought the first one from the display, 53 remaining! Gotta love the way LED technology is progressing, watch, in a few more years flashlights will take-on computer-type lingo, and 1000 lumens will be referred to as 1KL. Can't wait for those 5KL lights that run on a couple of D cells!


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## Zapp (Nov 29, 2012)

Just returned from picking up a Coast HP550 at Costco. I have a 3xD and a 4xD LED Maglite which will now be given away but I will keep my
Dorcy 3xAA, ThruNite T10 and Ti. Keep them until something better comes down the pike. As a newbie here I have much to learn so thanks for all the comment and reports posted here.


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## FlashCrazy (Nov 30, 2012)

Turbo DV8 said:


> ...I'm part of the 1% (on CPF) who actually has respect for LED Lenser/Coast lights...



Me too, at least many of their models. Some of you may remember I used to mod the Coast "Hokus Focus" with a SSC P4, and sold them here. The HP550 is essentially a BIG BIG brother to it, with that same wonderful beam...and WAY brighter! 

For those in the Sacramento area, the Folsom store just got the HP550's in. Picked one up today, the first one to sell there! I had to ask them at the front desk, and after 20 minutes of searching they were located by the stock guys in the back. They're not on the floor yet, but they're there! Awesome light for the money. Can't complain for the price, but it would've been great if it had a side switch, and no SOS mode. Mode memory would be nice too, but at least it has a forward clicky. It reverts back to high mode after being off for 5 seconds.


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## JohnnyBravo (Dec 1, 2012)

Well, looks like the Rancho Cordova Costco finally got them in 2 days ago. My math tells me that 3D Duracells would be about 45,000 mAH. And 9 Duracell AAs is about 25,650 mAH. Had Coast gone the 3D way, I'd be more excited about buying one. I may still get one, but does anyone have a good theory as to why they went w/ 9 in a carrier?


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## right-aileron (Dec 1, 2012)

JohnnyBravo said:


> Well, looks like the Rancho Cordova Costco finally got them in 2 days ago. My math tells me that 3D Duracells would be about 45,000 mAH. And 9 Duracell AAs is about 25,650 mAH. Had Coast gone the 3D way, I'd be more excited about buying one. I may still get one, but does anyone have a good theory as to why they went w/ 9 in a carrier?



Must be a voltage issue - I suspect 12-13.5v works better than 4.5v even if there's less wattage. An engineer/electrical techie will chime in and set us straight!


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## dusty99 (Dec 1, 2012)

*Coast light from Costco*

I tried out a dozen or so of the 1000L Coast sliding head lights today and saw bad beams, donuts, green tinge, etc. For the money it's still a decent deal, and if I didn't have a TK41 I might have gotten one, but beam shape and color weren't nearly as good as the Fenix.


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## StudFreeman (Dec 2, 2012)

right-aileron said:


> Must be a voltage issue - I suspect 12-13.5v works better than 4.5v even if there's less wattage. An engineer/electrical techie will chime in and set us straight!


If the battery carrier is wired 3Series-3Parallel then the voltage should be 3.6-4.5V depending on state of charge, capacity is the same as 3P AAs (1.2-1.5V and ~3x3000mAH at low drain).


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## LEDmodMan (Dec 2, 2012)

I picked up a couple of these HP550's today. Pretty good deal overall IMHO, all things considered. :thumbsup: I went through the 7 remaining boxes worth of the lights they had on hand (~40 of em) at my local store and cherry-picked the two best ones. Some do indeed have a slight greenish tint, and some don't focus as well as others, so if you are as anal as I am, you will need to go through quite a few in order to be happy. :sick2:

I will confirm with *100% certainty* that the battery carrier is wired in a *3-serial, 3-parallel configuration*. I have already disassembled the battery cassette, and it is a neat trick that they've done so that the cassette can be inserted into the light in either direction. Rather simple design really, but cool nontheless. I have also confirmed that with this 3s3p design, *you can run the light on only 3 or 6 batteries if necessary.* However, I would NOT want to push 3 AA's that hard (on high) unless you really had to, but it should be fine to use on low that way. If I get some free time tomorrow, I'll try to take current measurements with only 3 and 6 batteries installed, along with 9 as well to see what we might be expected to get out the front end.

As to why they chose to use a 3s3p 9xAA configuration versus a single stack of 3 C or D cells, the answer is simply that a single stack of 3 alkaline cells just can't push the nearly 3 Amps (or more appropriately, ~10 Watts) the LED is asking for and be expected to survive. :duh2: Yes, there are certainly NiMH cells out there which will push 5 Amps happily without breaking a sweat (I still LOVE some of the old hotwire mag mods we used to build around here), but the everyday consumer can't be expected to have those on hand. The extra runtime of D cells would have been nice, but we would have had to live with something like ~750 (emitter) lumens instead of the ~1,000 quoted. I thought it might be interesting to see if 3 C-cells would fit and be made to work, but they're pretty loose in the body and would require a significant spacer of some sort to work, not to mention something creative would need to be done to make them work with the design of the positive and negative terminal design of the light.

Anyway, pretty good light for the money all things considered, and the unwashed masses who happen to pick one up just because Costco has them don't have the slightest clue what they're really getting. oo: Back 8-10 years ago we used to talk about the day when you could pick up reasonably well-made, super-bright LED lights at the local B&M stores for relatively little money, and I certainly think those days have arrived.  I very much look forward to what advancements the next decade will bring. 

PS - I also bought a pack of 10 Eneloops on sale for ~$15, with the specific internetion to use them in this light. I will top them off and try to check them out tomorrow evening.


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## dusty99 (Dec 2, 2012)

If I had your patience, maybe I would have found one good enough to buy! ;-) And I agree that the 10-pack eneloop deal is great. Enjoy them!


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## mikekoz (Dec 2, 2012)

right-aileron said:


> Must be a voltage issue - I suspect 12-13.5v works better than 4.5v even if there's less wattage. An engineer/electrical techie will chime in and set us straight!



The batteries are configured so when they are in the pack, they become a 3.6 or a 4.5 volt cell, depending on what type of batteries you use. I am using 9 2000 Mah NIMH cells in mine, and that becomes the equivalent to a 3.6v 6000 Mah battery pack. It will actually test as about 4.2 volt after the batteries are fully charged.


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## JohnnyBravo (Dec 2, 2012)

Ah ha, thanks LEDmodMan. The amperage/pull issue w/ alki D cells. That part slipped my mind. I was solely thinking of capacity/mAh. I might just get one anyway, and some of those $15.99 10-pack AA Eneloops - they ought to handle the drain just fine eh?


LEDmodMan said:


> I picked up a couple of these HP550's today. Pretty good deal overall IMHO, all things considered. :thumbsup: I went through the 7 remaining boxes worth of the lights they had on hand (~40 of em) at my local store and cherry-picked the two best ones. Some do indeed have a slight greenish tint, and some don't focus as well as others, so if you are as anal as I am, you will need to go through quite a few in order to be happy. :sick2:
> 
> I will confirm with *100% certainty* that the battery carrier is wired in a *3-serial, 3-parallel configuration*. I have already disassembled the battery cassette, and it is a neat trick that they've done so that the cassette can be inserted into the light in either direction. Rather simple design really, but cool nontheless. I have also confirmed that with this 3s3p design, *you can run the light on only 3 or 6 batteries if necessary.* However, I would NOT want to push 3 AA's that hard (on high) unless you really had to, but it should be fine to use on low that way. If I get some free time tomorrow, I'll try to take current measurements with only 3 and 6 batteries installed, along with 9 as well to see what we might be expected to get out the front end.
> 
> ...


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## Turbo DV8 (Dec 3, 2012)

So many thoughtful, technical theories why they went the way of the battery carrier instead of D cells. Sometimes I think maybe the reason is as simple as Coast has a fetish for battery carriers, nothing more. 

One thought on the choice of 9 AA cells instead of D cells... When I was going through the 40 or so lights in the store, shining them on the ceiling, it attracted a lot of inquiries from customers. "Really bright" came up many times. What is interesting, though, is when I mentioned it takes 9 AA cells, there was a unanimous negative response. And if they had been holding one of the packages contemplating a purchase, they put it back down after I said it takes 9 AA cells. More than one took that into consideration along with the 2+ hour run time, did the math , and decided not to buy it. Out of about 15 or so customers who talked to me, only one person actually walked away with a package in his hand, along with a triple-pack of cheap headlamps. Only problem there was that when I left, both items had been abandoned 20 feet down the aisle. Hope Coast didn't shoot themselves with the 9 AA thing. It's one thing to ask an Average Joe customer to load a three or even four cell carrier, but nine? With a 2+ hour run time? I dunno. We'll see.

I checked out 35 or so lights in the store on the white ceiling, and not a single one had anything suggesting even a tinge of green tint. If anything, the lights I tried still leaned ever so slightly toward Coast's usual cool tints, but not as bad as my P14. It was interesting to compare to my P14. I am wondering if the lens itself affects tint, because the tints change between flood and spot. On my P14, it has a cool tint on spot, but gets warmer at the flood end. But on my 550's, the spot is warmer, but gets cooler (violet) as it goes to flood. The P14 lens does a much "better" job of concentrating the beam than the HP550, in that the P14 has absolutely no spill, whereas the HP550 has quite a bit. That's not all bad, as the HP550 certainly has enough light output to spare for spill, but I shudder to think how this thing could have thrown if it had a lens concentration like that on the P14. Also, FWIW, when I do a ceiling bounce with the P14 and slowly go from spot to flood, there is no perceptible change in light output. But with the HP550 in a ceiling bounce, there are definite fluctuations in light output between spot and flood, so there are some inefficiencies in the emitter/lens combination in the HP550. 

Regarding the low level, I actually think low is on the bright side, but that's all matter of personal taste and usage. My P7 and P14 had an even lower low, and it is very nice to be able to use it on low close without affecting one's night vision. Cops might particularly find it useful to be able to use it on low in flood mode to write notes and tickets without ruining night vision. The low on the HP550 on flood would be a bit bright for that.


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## StorminMatt (Dec 4, 2012)

LEDmodMan said:


> As to why they chose to use a 3s3p 9xAA configuration versus a single stack of 3 C or D cells, the answer is simply that a single stack of 3 alkaline cells just can't push the nearly 3 Amps (or more appropriately, ~10 Watts) the LED is asking for and be expected to survive. :duh2: Yes, there are certainly NiMH cells out there which will push 5 Amps happily without breaking a sweat (I still LOVE some of the old hotwire mag mods we used to build around here), but the everyday consumer can't be expected to have those on hand. The extra runtime of D cells would have been nice, but we would have had to live with something like ~750 (emitter) lumens instead of the ~1,000 quoted. I thought it might be interesting to see if 3 C-cells would fit and be made to work, but they're pretty loose in the body and would require a significant spacer of some sort to work, not to mention something creative would need to be done to make them work with the design of the positive and negative terminal design of the light.



Good point. I guess I forget that, while NiMH D batteries have both higher capacity and lower internal resistance than NiMH AA batteries, going from a AA to a D alkaline gets you higher capacity with about the same internal resistance. So 9 AA alkaline batteries will DEFINITELY supply more current than 3 D batteries. Speaking of using D batteries in the HP550, Coast basically already makes something similar with the HP17. However, this 3D XM-L light only produces 615 lumens. It will be interesting to see whether they upgrade the LED in this light now that the HP550 is out. On the other hand, given Coast's tendency to push alkaline batteries HARD, I wouldn't be too surprised if the output of the HP17 was higher with NiMH batteries.

As for the 'low' setting, I also find that it's too low. Because I tend to use my lights mainly for night hiking, I would have preferred a low in the 100-200 lumen range. This would still give me enough light to see well on the trail while extending battery life. Even the Coast HP17 puts out 64 lumens on low. But 40? That's like trying to find your way through the woods with an old, 3D incandescent Maglite (doable back in the day, but I expect more at the end of 2012). Another (probably better) option would be to keep the 40 lumen low, do away with the strobe, and have a 200 lumen medium.


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## MIKES250R (Dec 5, 2012)

Just picked up my HP550 today. I too picked thru several looking for a tighter beam or one with less artifacts. All seemed to have a pretty neutral tint not to green or blue at all. One thing I noticed is that there is quite a bit of beam distortion as I was shining the light thru the plastic packaging. Once out of the package the beam is fairly smooth and free of artifacts, there is some donut effects when transitioning from flood to spot but not too bad. Intial testing in my basement is very encouraging. Output is strong but I doubt it is pushing 1000 lumens-maybe close though. I am curious as to what emitter Coast used in this torch? The hotspot is a little large for my liking, however, the flood feature is way cool. It puts out a wall of light. I can't wait to test it outside tonight and see how it throws. Quality seems above average for a light in this price range although I have not inspected the battery carrier. So far I think this is a a heck of a deal and I am very excited about this light, and a new light hasn't inspired me in quite sometime. I may get another for my dad for Christmas. I will keep you guys posted.


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## dc38 (Dec 10, 2012)

If possible...anybody care to compare the hp550 to the lenser x21?  2 similar class lights with similar outputs...with a huge price difference.


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## LEDmodMan (Dec 14, 2012)

Sorry I haven't gotten around to getting current measurements yet. I've been busy, then had the flu for 5 days.  :green: 

Hopefully I can get around to it this weekend. I'd like to add that I'm pretty impressed by this light thus far. oo: It easily goes from nice, large spot with good spill, to wall-o-light flood mode.


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## mets1p (Dec 14, 2012)

Dang I'm jealous and disappointed at the same time...I've called and visited a few Costco's down here in So. Florida and have been told it's a discontinued item but the person on the phone tells me they've never had the item in the store !!! So I ask the obvious how can that be ??? Silence on the other end and no answer of course LOL....so I'm left wondering if we are going to be left out of this wonderful deal for some odd reason or is going to be a case of us getting them much later then everyone else.....heck I was told they have them In GA, Tenn. and the Carolina's but NONE in the state of Florida...if anyone has any insight as to when they'll become available, if ever, down my way I would appreciate a post or private email. Thanks.


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## MIKES250R (Dec 14, 2012)

Mets1p ,

If you want I can send you one. You can pay pal me the price including tax and shipping and I can get it for you next week. I really like mine. Output is quite impressive. I really like the flood feature. The spot is good too, really big hotspot at 100 yards with tremendous output.Takes a lot of AA's though. I have a charger and bought a set of Enloops for $15 to go with it. Let me know.

Mike


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## wdkingery (Dec 14, 2012)

all this and my costco neber had them..:-(


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## mets1p (Dec 16, 2012)

MIKES250R,


Thanks for the offer and I might take you up on it. I want to wait a few more weeks and see if we're lucky enough to get some. I know I'm taking a chance by doing so because everyone else may be sold out by then but it's a chance I have to take right now. Thanks again for the offer !


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## Canuke (Dec 17, 2012)

Turbo: The emitter Is closest to the lens in flood mode, and pulls back from it when zooming into spot mode. I'm not exactly sure how, but when the light is in flood mode, the light emitted to the side -- which also tends to be significantly tint-shifted towards the yellow -- is lost; AFAICT it is simply lost in the black housing. When zoomed in, that light is captured and it forms the hotspot. As a result, spot mode has both a bit more light, and is also a bit less blue overall, than flood mode.


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## violatorjf (Dec 17, 2012)

I bought a Coast HP550 the other day at Costco. Initially my main complaint was the tailcap switch. The light is just too big in the hand to comfortably use the tailcap switch like you would with a smaller 2AA style light. Also after getting my Nitecore EA4 my thoughts of the HP550 have dropped even more, for the following reasons...

- EA4 is rated at 860lm on turbo and the HP550 is rated at 1,000lm on high, yet it appears the EA4 is slightly brighter than the HP550 - so the 1,000lm claim is probably a couple hundred lumens off?
- the HP550 takes 9AA's and the EA4 only takes 4AA's - it's also less than half the size
- the EA4 was only about $10 more and considering it's available for sale online it's much easier for anyone in the world to get than finding a Costco or buying one online at an inflated price

The only reason I still have the HP550 is the flood mode. As some said, it does create a wall o' light, it's pretty neat. My backyard is about 45' x 45' and it literally lights up every square inch of it from my back door. The quality seems good so if it had a side mounted switch my rating would go from a 6/10 to a 8/10.


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## Turbo DV8 (Dec 26, 2012)

All 70+ lights at my Costco were gone today when I went in. Musta sold like hotcakes?


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## mikekoz (Dec 27, 2012)

I have a question. Did anybody actually purchase the Lifegear light that this post was initially written about? Is Costco selling both the Lifegear and the Coast light at the same time? I was able to have a few friends snag a few of the HP550's for me, and I really like them, but was wondering what the Lifegear was like. I have an older 360 lumen model that I really like and was just curious!


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## LEDmodMan (Dec 31, 2012)

Finally got around to measuring current draw on the Coast HP550. With fresh alkaline batteries (measuring 4.66v in the casette), I measured an initial current of 2.67A immediately upon turning the light on. The current dropped rather quickly after that, but settled in at 2.4A and did not drop further in a minute's time. Upon switching the light off, the batteries measured 4.52v. This gives a wattage range of 12.44W to 10.85W. I'd say that this meant that the LED was being overdriven, but without being able to measure the voltage under nearly an Amp of draw per string, I have no idea what the voltage drop is. However, if you assume the LED being driven at 10W, at 2.4A this calculates to a voltage of 4.167v which seems perfectly reasonable with the given current draw.

On low, I am seeing a current draw of a mere 120mA, with no appreciable battery voltage drop. Batteries had recovered to 4.55v, for a calculated wattage of 0.546W.


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## Turbo DV8 (Jan 2, 2013)

Would you be so kind as to measure for any parasitic drain through the switch when the flashlight is off? I went to charge my eneloops in the HP550, and they were half-depleated after a couple weeks non-use, and I don't recall using the light for any real length of time to account for that. That got me to wondering if the electronic tail switch puts some parasitic drain on the cells, or if my brain has just faded from lack-of-memory effect in the brain "cell."


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## YAK-28 (Jan 3, 2013)

mikekoz said:


> I have a question. Did anybody actually purchase the Lifegear light that this post was initially written about? Is Costco selling both the Lifegear and the Coast light at the same time? I was able to have a few friends snag a few of the HP550's for me, and I really like them, but was wondering what the Lifegear was like. I have an older 360 lumen model that I really like and was just curious!




i do have the 400, 700, and 1000 lumen lifegear lights. i like the lights, they seem pretty solid, the switches seem solid(hi-low-strobe), pretty bright and nicely focused(i haven't taken them out to compare them to others yet), nice little tail flashers. if you have any specific questions, i'll try to answer or compare to another light i have. i was kind of suprised to see somebody make a 6-c light again.


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## dc38 (Jan 12, 2013)

Hey guys, apparently some Costcos have the hp550 for 29.97 now, according to a sl*ckdeals post...


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## kotarak (Jan 15, 2013)

just to confirm, costco in Brookfield, CT has them for 29.99. Considering the build quality, this makes it absolutely the best bang for the buck. 

I'll just buy 5 of those and zip-tie them into a $150, 5000 lumen monster light cannon. it will blow out of the water my 1200 lumen 4Sevens Maelstrom S18 at 3/4 of the price. now that's an idea ;-) 

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2


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## cccpull (Jan 15, 2013)

Unfortunately for Floridians, we never even saw them at 49.99, so at 29.99 it's just adds insult to injury.:shakehead


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## PANGES (Jan 15, 2013)

^ah... when batteries can become more expensive than the light itself. lol.


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## engineerglen (Aug 19, 2013)

Hi, I have just found out that there are 40 of the HP550 flashlights sitting in a Costco in Virginia, call them, 571-458-3500. I would go and get one or two but I am in Phoenix Arizona and it would be a long drive so I just wanted to let everyone know. One person told me that the store has only been open for 2 weeks, so maybe this has something to do with why they have a stock of these flashlights. They said the price was 39.99 so go and get them.


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## JohnnyBravo (Mar 16, 2014)

Just bought version 2.0 of the HP550 at Walmart today. They bumped the lumens to 1075. The runtime on high is at 6:15 hrs. And the throw is at 351 meters. Took out the Duracell AAs asap and replaced w/ Eneloops...


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