Customer reviews from coastportland.com
Coast - COAST FL97R 1250 Lumen Voice-Controlled LED Headlamp w/ Spot & Flood, ARC Lighting, USB-C, Grey.
Average customer rating
4.8
(25 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 25 reviews
5 Stars
20
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Star
0
100%of customers recommend this product.
(
25 out of
25)
Customer Reviews for Coast - COAST FL97R 1250 Lumen Voice-Controlled LED Headlamp w/ Spot & Flood, ARC Lighting, USB-C, Grey.
Customer Rating
5
Best headlamp for mechanics
on August 20, 2026
Posted by: Ju
from PA
As a professional mechanic who needs reliable, hands-free lighting under the hood and inside dark dash cavities, here is a detailed review of the Coast FL98R Headlamp:
The Coast FL98R is a top-tier headlamp for shop work, delivering excellent brightness, versatile dual-power options, and hands-free convenience.
Dual Power & Battery Life: The inclusion of the ZITHION-X rechargeable battery with built-in micro-USB charging means no downtime; you can plug it in between jobs or run standard AAA alkaline batteries as a back-up.
While it's slightly bulkier on the forehead than basic consumer headlamps, the trade-off in light output and rugged build quality makes it well worth the weight for daily professional use.
The Coast FL98R is a top-tier headlamp for shop work, delivering excellent brightness, versatile dual-power options, and hands-free convenience.
Dual Power & Battery Life: The inclusion of the ZITHION-X rechargeable battery with built-in micro-USB charging means no downtime; you can plug it in between jobs or run standard AAA alkaline batteries as a back-up.
While it's slightly bulkier on the forehead than basic consumer headlamps, the trade-off in light output and rugged build quality makes it well worth the weight for daily professional use.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
5
Genuinely Impressive Output, Versatile Beam
on August 19, 2026
Posted by: Air1022
from CA
Gender:Male
I received this headlamp for free as a field tester, and it has easily exceeded expectations on the job.
The 1,250-lumen turbo output delivers serious illumination when you need to light up a large area, and the glide focus zoom transitions smoothly from a wide flood to a focused spot beam. In tight, dark environments like attics and crawl spaces, the voice activation feature is an absolute game-changer—being able to switch modes or toggle brightness without taking your hands off joists, wiring, or tools makes work significantly easier and safer.
Having multiple lighting options on tap (including the warm high-CRI light and UV) gives it real-world utility beyond standard headlamps. The strap stays secure, the build feels durable, and the rechargeable setup with USB-C is super convenient. A solid 5-star tool for trade work, inspections, or outdoor use.
The 1,250-lumen turbo output delivers serious illumination when you need to light up a large area, and the glide focus zoom transitions smoothly from a wide flood to a focused spot beam. In tight, dark environments like attics and crawl spaces, the voice activation feature is an absolute game-changer—being able to switch modes or toggle brightness without taking your hands off joists, wiring, or tools makes work significantly easier and safer.
Having multiple lighting options on tap (including the warm high-CRI light and UV) gives it real-world utility beyond standard headlamps. The strap stays secure, the build feels durable, and the rechargeable setup with USB-C is super convenient. A solid 5-star tool for trade work, inspections, or outdoor use.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
5
Great little backup/camping light.
on July 7, 2026
Posted by: Randy
from Idaho
Gender:Male
I've been using this little headlamp on and off, primarily as a backup to my main work light, the amazing Coast XPH34R. It features great red lights, as well as a very bright primary LED equipped with Coast's classic flood-to-spot beam control. My favorite feature, however, is the warm-toned dual lights. They are fantastic for maintaining good morale in dark, enclosed spaces, and the warm color is perfect for camping or reading without causing eye strain. I highly recommend it.
It comes with a 1000mAh USB-C rechargeable battery that can be charged on its own or while inside the headlamp. My only slight issue is the battery life for my specific line of work—it can't sustain 1,000 lumens for 7 hours straight like my XPH34R can, but for a backup, that is perfectly okay. If you need more power, you can always buy extra rechargeable batteries or simply swap in 3 standard AAA batteries. Overall, it's an excellent backup on the job and my absolute favorite light for around the house and camping.
It comes with a 1000mAh USB-C rechargeable battery that can be charged on its own or while inside the headlamp. My only slight issue is the battery life for my specific line of work—it can't sustain 1,000 lumens for 7 hours straight like my XPH34R can, but for a backup, that is perfectly okay. If you need more power, you can always buy extra rechargeable batteries or simply swap in 3 standard AAA batteries. Overall, it's an excellent backup on the job and my absolute favorite light for around the house and camping.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
5
Very intuitive!
on April 10, 2026
Posted by: JBirk601
from Cedar Vale, KS
Gender:Male
The voice control has proven very useful while using this head lamp. It took almost no time to have it figured out and I've had multiple buddies want their own.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
5
Voice control is clutch
on April 5, 2026
Posted by: Chainsaw Jankans
from Kansas City Missouri
Gender:Male
I thought the voice control would’ve pointless. But especially on a head light it comes in really handy. It’s like the 3rd had you need.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
5
Made my dad jealous!
on February 9, 2026
Posted by: lizardruns
Gender:Female
What an awesome light source! I always keep a headlamp in my car for early morning hikes, trail runs, and emergencies. So stoked to have this new VOICE ACTIVATED headlamp as my go-to light! I couldn't wait to show my dad who is a flashlight and headlamp connoisseur and he definitely is jealous of this headlamp.
There are some headlamps on the market that are motion activated but that causes a problem when you are working up close to something and it can trigger the motion sensor when you don't want. Voice activation is the perfect feature for when your hands are full or busy but you need your light to turn on, off, or change brightness.
While voice activation is a huge selling feature of this product, it is not the only things that makes it great. The light itself is fantastic and provides so much adjustability to your preferred brightness, width, and warmth depending on your light needs. You can choose to turn off the voice activation as well and use it standard.
Another feature I'm a big fan of is the rechargeable battery. No more AA or AAA batteries that you may or may not have on hand and probably forgot to bring as backup. You can just recharge the battery pack with a cord and also charge something with a micro USB thanks to the adapter that comes with the charge cord!
Last but not least, let's appreciate the adjustable strap. It's reflective, providing more lowlight visibility on the road or trails and has clip making it easy to put on and remove. It adjusts just barely big enough for me to wear around my waist while I'm running and the clip is perfect to use it like a belt rather than try and stretch it over my shoulders or hips.
Thank you, Coast, for this fantastic product that I have been using on the regular and will be for years!
There are some headlamps on the market that are motion activated but that causes a problem when you are working up close to something and it can trigger the motion sensor when you don't want. Voice activation is the perfect feature for when your hands are full or busy but you need your light to turn on, off, or change brightness.
While voice activation is a huge selling feature of this product, it is not the only things that makes it great. The light itself is fantastic and provides so much adjustability to your preferred brightness, width, and warmth depending on your light needs. You can choose to turn off the voice activation as well and use it standard.
Another feature I'm a big fan of is the rechargeable battery. No more AA or AAA batteries that you may or may not have on hand and probably forgot to bring as backup. You can just recharge the battery pack with a cord and also charge something with a micro USB thanks to the adapter that comes with the charge cord!
Last but not least, let's appreciate the adjustable strap. It's reflective, providing more lowlight visibility on the road or trails and has clip making it easy to put on and remove. It adjusts just barely big enough for me to wear around my waist while I'm running and the clip is perfect to use it like a belt rather than try and stretch it over my shoulders or hips.
Thank you, Coast, for this fantastic product that I have been using on the regular and will be for years!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
4
Great all around headlamp
on January 19, 2026
Posted by: Woody5
from Nh
Gender:Male
This is a great all-around headlamp that has quickly become a regular part of my gear. I’ve owned it for a few months now and have definitely put it to work, using it multiple times a week for my job. The warm light setting is perfect for small, hands-on tasks, and the battery life is outstanding—it honestly feels like it lasts forever between charges.
The only downside for me is the voice activation feature. While it works, it adds to the overall cost of the headlamp, and I don’t find myself using it very often. That said, aside from this minor drawback, the performance and reliability make this headlamp well worth it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com
Customer Rating
4
Very nice headlamp and a great value
on November 29, 2025
Posted by: toneyc
from Taylor TX
Gender:Male
I didn't know if I would like the voice option but I do. I like it very much. This headlamp is very useful and has a great twist focusable light and also a warm area light as well as green and red lights. What would make this headlamp perfect is the ability to brighten and dim in red and green modes.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting coastportland.com