The COAST is Clear – A New Range from BBB Investments


The market for lifestyle and leisure goods is a very competitive one and is about to become even more so with the launch of a new range of torches made by COAST. The company is well known in the USA, not only for torches, but for knives and tools, some of which are approved by the US Army for tactical use. Advances in LED and battery technology mean that the torches we have now


are infinitely superior to the feeble glowy things of my youth that seemed to run out of battery power just when you most needed them most. However, to maintain competitive advantage, it seems that each new torch range has to compete at a number of levels. They are expected to be well made, from good quality materials and have a degree or more of weather and impact protection They should also be able to project a bright white light a good distance, and possibly also have a focusable beam too. And then customers want the price to be keenly competitive. So no pressure then. The range of COAST


torches I was sent to review have therefore got to meet these demands -or else -, so I was keen to get my hands on them. I will start with the


smallest, the G19 Pen Torch. This is a dinky little tool, very light and only 10cm long, it will indeed sit as easily as a ballpoint pen in your top pocket. It is made of a black-coated ‘aircraft-grade’ aluminum alloy that has a couple of flats on the body for the fingers to grip, as well as a milled section around most of the body. The torch’s pocket spring clip is designed to prevent it from rolling should it be laid on a flat surface in use. It uses just one AAA battery that is inserted by unscrewing the end cap. The end cap also houses the push button on/off switch, so it is possible to hold the torch in the fingers of one hand and use the thumb to operate the switch. A wrist lanyard can also be attached to the cap to prevent loss. What is impressive in this compact torch is that the beam


is very clear and focused and has an impressive power of 54 lumens. The G19 is clearly aimed at engineering and automotive end users who will need a fine little torch like this to examine nooks and crannies in engines and behind boilers. With a list price of £9.12 it is more than a match for similar products that have only have half the lumen power. However, if I have anything to do with it, the sample G19 is going to end up in my workshop where I occasionally have to adjust machines and change cutter blades! Next up is a very traditional looking torch – in other


words big at the front and thinner at the back. Named the G30, this is a mid-range workhorse of a torch, the kind that will be very handy for campers, householders and just to keep in the car. The price point is very competitive – being just a shade under £25.00. I couldn’t find anything about the build quality of the torch to make me think that corners were being cut in order to make the price justifiable. It too, is made of a solid alloy with a screw end cap that holds the button switch. It comes with an anti-roll fitting to attach the wrist lanyard on the cap. The milled body allows good grip for the hand and the black coating follows the


current trend for “combat” style in torches. The G30 is not short of "lumen oomph”. Its two AA batteries and modern LED


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technology allow it a very bright 121 lumens, easily enough to illuminate at least twenty to thirty metres away with the spot beam. The actual Beam rating from ANSI/NEMA testing bodies in USA is 146metres. By twisting the head of the torch you can get a stepless transition from spot


beam to flood beam. At ten metres distance on flood beam I was able to virtually light up the rear of my house. Simple to operate and


with great capabilities, I think that the G30 is likely to be a good choice for general users. The HP7 Focusable LED


torch is pitched at a very important market sector – demanding end users, particularly in the public sector. What is really interesting about this torch, apart from the impressive 251 lumens of output, is the way in which the beam can be used. It has a patented “Pure Beam” focusing system that enables the light to be moved from spot to focus smoothly by sliding the torch head forward or back, and then locked into the desired position by simply twisting the head. Even at full spot beam, some peripheral light illuminates an area round the spot, so that the surround can be illuminated. Imagine you are a policeman looking in a dark wood for a “villain” that the police helicopter can see on infra red…!


At full flood beam, I illuminated my 7 metre long and 4 metre wide kitchen


enough so that I could see every single corner from roof to ceiling. COAST claim that the purity of their flood beams are the best around with no rings, shadows or blemishes to spoil the view. The HP7 is available in a slightly modified form as ‘TAC’


version that has a blackened internal optic to reduce reflection and a strobe mode for emergency signaling. The only external difference between the ordinary and TAC version is that the body is all black. Both versions come with a black nylon belt pouch and a wrist lanyard. This is a truly brilliant torch in both senses of the word –


powerful and versatile and it is easy to predict that it will probably be a bestseller. Word on the street is that is will soon be available with


the G19 Pen Torch included as a bonus in the “Try Me” packaging. Finally, for those users who like a smooth stainless steel


finish on a torch (think food industry inspectors and maintenance) there is the A25. This has the same output as the HP7 at 251 lumens, and also has a focused, powerful flood beam. The stainless casing is deliberately smooth for easy wiping and the stainless push button switch is a close fitting to prevent ingress of nasties. It is presented in a stylish high quality black-lidded box with a lanyard and nylon case included.


It is a case of “what’s not to like” with these four COAST torches. They are


powerful and very well made, look like they would last well in service and are well priced. All COAST torches come with a Five Year Guarantee, so you know that the


manufacturers have confidence in their products. The competition just got tougher!


Reply No. 215 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE 19


Independent Review by Peter Brett


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