Two headlamps worth lining up side by side. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Coast FL97R | Coast FL75R | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 73✓ | 73 |
| Max lumens | 1250 lm✓ | 1000 lm |
| Weight | 4.2 oz | 3.7 oz✓ |
| Beam distance | 225 m✓ | 168 m |
| Max runtime | 15 h | 14 h |
| Price | $60 | $50✓ |
| Battery | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Water rating | n/s | n/s |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: FL97R in blue, FL75R in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Runtime is shown for context and is not scored, since makers publish it at different brightness levels. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full headlamp comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
The Coast FL97R and Coast FL75R take different routes to the same job. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The FL97R is brighter (1250 vs 1000 lm) and a longer beam (225 vs 168 m). The FL75R is 14 g lighter and $10 cheaper. Their GearScores land within a couple of points (73 vs 73), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the FL97R if you care most about brightness and longer throw, which makes it the better call for your priorities. Pick the FL75R if low weight and price matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Coast FL97R. It is brighter (1250 vs 1000 lm) than the FL75R.
The Coast FL75R. It is 14 g lighter than the FL97R.
They are nearly tied at 73 and 73 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the FL97R for brightness, or the FL75R for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.