Gear Spotlight: Outdoor Lighting Solutions from Coast
Light up the campground with this rechargeable lantern and voice-activated headlamp.
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Coast
For more than a century, outdoor gear brand COAST has been making outstanding products for use at the job site, campsite, and on the trail. The company got its start over a century ago by making knives for commercial fishermen in Portland, Oregon, and those knives proved to be so popular that they expanded the line to include a wide variety of styles and sizes. Today, the brand’s catalog also includes multitools and a wide variety of lighting solutions, including flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps.
Recently, we got the chance to test a couple of those products, including a powerful camp lantern and an innovative headlamp. In both cases, we were very impressed with the build quality and ease of use of these devices. They’re so good, in fact, that you’ll wonder how COAST manages to pack in so many features and sell them at such an affordable price.
Photo Credit: Coast
Coast EAL40R Rechargeable Lantern
With the shorter days of autumn fast approaching, a good lantern is a must-have for upcoming fall camping trips. COAST’s EAL40R delivers an impressive set of features in a lightweight and compact form factor, cranking out up to 2500 lumens at its highest setting. That’s enough to illuminate a sizable outdoor setting, and with multiple light settings to choose from, you’ll always have the right brightness and warmth level to suit the mood.
The EAL40R comes with a rechargeable battery, although you also have the option to use six AA batteries in a pinch. The ability to power the lamp in multiple ways gives this lantern a level of versatility that you don’t always find in other models. And while the included power pack provides enough juice to keep the lantern running for as much as 11 nights on a single charge, it’s nice to know you have a fallback option should you need it.
Other nice touches include an integrated hanging loop, a battery charge level indicator, and a USB-C out port for recharging small devices like a smartphone or wireless earbuds. The lantern also has a red-light option to protect sensitive eyes in dark conditions, and it can flash an emergency SOS signal should the need arise. The EAL40R also has a water resistance rating of IP54, meaning it is protected from accidental splashes and unexpected rainstorms.
During our testing, we found this lantern extremely easy to use. Dialing in the exact brightness you need is a cinch, and the rechargeable battery pack is powerful and efficient, offering 11 nights of normal usage before requiring a recharge. The unit feels rugged and substantial in hand but isn’t overly heavy or large either. All of that makes it a great companion for camping trips, backyard gatherings, and other outdoor outings. It’s also a nice backup option for around the house during power outages.
The COAST EAL40R rechargeable lantern costs $39.99. Visit the COAST website for more information and to order one for yourself. Use WILDSAM30 at checkout to get a 30% discount on your order.
Photo Credit: Coast
Coast RL35R Voice-Controlled Headlamp
Headlamps don’t come much more innovative and feature-packed than the COAST RL35R. Lightweight and comfortable to wear, this lamp is incredibly bright, energy-efficient, and durable. Oh, and did we mention that you can control it using your voice alone?
Voice commands allow users to turn the headlamp on and off and adjust the brightness, color, and shape of the beam. The process is simple; you just need to say something like “COAST on” to power up the device or “COAST red” to change the color of the light. The commands are simple and straightforward and work surprisingly well, allowing you to adjust settings while your hands are full or while wearing gloves. If you’ve ever had to take your gloves off to fiddle with a headlamp on a cold winter night, you’ll definitely appreciate this feature.
The RL35R produces up to 1100 lumens on its highest setting, which is incredibly bright for a headlamp of this size. The light also has multiple beam settings that include a spotlight, a floodlight, and a combined mode that utilizes both. Each of those modes also has high and low brightness settings, which can be adjusted to maximize illumination levels and battery life.
When used in the field, these modes give users plenty of options to meet a variety of needs. For example, with the floodlight turned on and brightness set to low, the lamp illuminates a wider area out to about 30 feet. Conversely, when used in combined mode, both the flood and spot are turned on. With the brightness setting turned up to high, the beam extends out to over 600 feet. Mixing and matching the settings allows the user to dial in the exact amount of light they need.
Like the EAL40R lantern, the headlamp can be powered by an included rechargeable battery pack or standard C123 alkaline batteries. Once again, this level of versatility is appreciated, allowing the lamp to run for 80+ hours on a single charge with standard batteries available if needed. The RL35R’s built-in USB-C port is also bidirectional, allowing users to recharge its batteries or supply power to an external device like a smartphone.
We found the RL35R to be very comfortable to wear, even for extended periods. We also appreciated its voice commands and rugged build quality, which includes an IP54 dust and water resistance rating. Other nice touches include a reflective headband and an intuitive control wheel that adjusts the settings with speed and precision. COAST even backs the headlamp with a lifetime guarantee.
The COAST RL35R headlamp has an MSRP of $79.99. To learn more, visit the COAST website. Use WILDSAM30 at checkout to get a 30% discount on your order.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. And avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
