With the development over the past few years of high output LEDs, there has been a race among flashlight makers to produce units with more and more light (lumen) output. While that is all well and good, they have sometimes overlooked the need for a lightweight, high-yield flashlight for hunters.

The HX5 flashlight puts out an impressive 130 lumens from a single AA battery. It is lightweight, weighing in at only 2.5 ounces, yet it is constructed from high strength aluminum. Slide focusing changes the light beam from spot to flood. Surprisingly, it sells for less than $26.

This is not one of those cheap pieces of trash that you find at the checkout stands of grocery or hardware stores. This is a well constructed, heavy duty, impact and water resistant flashlight.

This unit is also compatible with rechargeable NiMH 2400 - 1.2V or rechargeable Li-ion 14500 - 3.7V battery (not included). If you use a Lithium battery, the lumen output jumps to 345. However, the runtime is reduced to 45 minutes.

Features

• Pure beam slide focusing (spot beam to flood beam)
• Aluminum case
• Water resistant
• Meets ANSI/FL1 Standards
• Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship
• 1 AA battery included

Specifications

• Unbreakable LED:
  130 lumen output with AA battery
  125 lumen output with NiMH battery
  345 lumen output with Li-ion battery


• Runtime:
  3 hour-45 minutes with AA battery
  1 hour-15 minutes with NiMH battery
  45 minutes with Li-ion battery


• Beam Distance:
  79 meters (259 ft) with AA battery
  77 meters (252 ft) with NiMH rechargeable battery
  130 meters (426 ft) with Li-ion rechargeable battery


• Length: 4.0 in. / 10.16 cm
• Weight: 2.5 oz. / 70 g
• 2016 MSRP: $25.99

The Coast HX5 is ideal for backpackers and mountain hunters. Keep a couple of AA batteries in your pack and a fully charged Lithium cell in the HX5 and you avoid the need to carry a bulky flashlight. The 2-way clip allows one to clip it to the bill of your hat for walking or to securely clip it in your pocket when not needed.