Coast A9R Rechargeable Penlight Flashlight
The COAST A9R Rechargeable Penlight, all stainless steel exterior, is an exciting new product in the extensive Coast lineup of LED flashlights. It has many attractive features and it produces a strong, bright light that will appeal to homeowners, home inspectors, and contractors alike.
First Impression:
The initial appeal of the A9R Rechargeable penlight is its size. The A9R penlight is only 0.370 inches in diameter, 6.18 inches in length, and it weighs a meager 2.1 ounces. Based on these handy dimensions and the rubberized, stainless steel pocket clip, the A9R fit comfortably in my shirt pocket, jacket pocket, and pants pocket. The A9R was unobtrusive in my shirt pocket next to a pen—I barely noticed it was there. The pocket clip can also be easily removed if you prefer that instead.
The A9R produces a nearly perfect circle of light. The light was brilliant white and the circle was crisp and clear with no dark spots whatsoever. The 54-lumen inspection beam output is more than enough for most jobs around the house or job site. Inside a dark space, it clearly illuminated a distance of more than 50 feet (Coast advertises it has a 72 ft. beam distance). Depressing the button at the tail end of the light activates the LED. The button can be lightly depressed and held with a finger for a temporary output of light. When the button is fully depressed, the light remains on until you depress it again. The A9R was comfortable to hold for long periods of time and should not pose any problems for those with hand or wrist ailments.
Run-time and Charge:
The A9R Rechargeable penlight uses a lithium polymer battery. The battery is rated for a 3-hour runtime. You can recharge the A9R using a household AC outlet, a DC outlet in the car, or a USB power source, such as your computer—such versatility is a big selling point in my mind. For charging the device, Coast designed the Pro Flex Charging Cap to slip over the head of the penlight.
Once in place and connected to a power source, the cap illuminates red until it is fully charged, whereupon the light turns green. The USB cord that connects to the Pro Flex Charging Cap is 6 feet in length, giving you plenty of cord to access a difficult to reach power source. All of the necessary connectors are included in the original packaging. I found AC to be the fastest recharging power source, but each option recharged the battery from a small charge to 100% in less than 3 hours. If you prefer to have a second rechargeable battery pack close at hand, you can purchase a new A9R battery pack on the Coast website for $12.99.
Overall Impression:
The A9R is a multipurpose flashlight that should appeal to a wide audience. In my house, I found it to be very helpful for small jobs in cramped spaces like the attic and basement. Outside, the extra light was ideal when working in the loft of my shed and the light was even more intense when the beam was reflecting off the snow on the ground.
When I was performing a memory upgrade on a computer, the penlight effectively illuminated the memory compartment and since it was so lightweight, the A9R could be held in my mouth when I needed to use both hands. I envision this penlight to be very handy for plumbing and electrical inspectors and home contractors. The rubberized pocket clip keeps it secure in your pocket until you need it.
Carrying the Coast A9R rechargeable penlight in a shirt or coat pocket will eliminate the need to carry a heavier and more bulky flashlight on your belt. The 54 lumens of light should be enough to inspect long lengths of pipework, conduit, and duct-work in a home. When working on a job site or traveling from site to site, the A9R can be recharged inside your truck or on a laptop. Such convenience eliminates the need to carry a traditional battery operated flashlight and extra alkaline batteries in a toolbox or a glove compartment. An added bonus is the A9R’s stainless steel body is very durable and super easy to clean.
If I could offer one small suggestion for improvement, I would recommend that a micro USB port be integrated into the body of the A9R. With such a port in place, a more common USB to micro USB cord would eliminate the need to carry the unique Pro Flex Charging Cap with you. Coast includes this Pro-Tek Charging Port on some of their other flashlights already, such as the HP5R and A22R.
The Coast A9R rechargeable penlight is a wonderful addition to my collection of LED flashlights. Its size, design, and versatility make it super convenient and the near perfect circle of light that it produces is bold and brilliant. The A9R can be purchased for $59.99 on the Coast website and it is backed by Coast’s lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
John Peachey is a 23-year veteran teacher, a former club manager, and a big fan of technology and gadgets. He especially enjoys completing DIY projects around the house.
