Newest JET-I is the least efficient?

It has been a while since I've been looking for a bright 1AA which can use 14500 and AA.

When I thought I found the brightness AA light, the JET-I, it was very confusing, but after a extensive searching I realized that there are actually 3 models of the JET-I:

First: JET-I Pro R2

This one appears in light-reviews.com, but I dont think it is sold anymore.


Second: JET-I Pro IBS V1 Q5

This one is the first version of the Pro IBS. I havent found reviews of it, and it is only sold at DX.

Third: JET-I Pro IBS V2 Q5

This is the latest model and can be found in bugoutgearusa.com

Reading through a review of selfbuilt I found this:



The newest version is the least efficient with nimh. It is a little bit brighter on li-ion but runtime is less than a half compared to the R2.

If anyone knows a great single AA light, that runs 14500, providing decent runtime and brightness please post it here.

I was just about to order the Jet-I V2 from bugoutgear when i saw the unnaceptable runtime compared to an old R2 version.

The max runtimes are technically irrelevant because there's no way you'd be able to run it that long on a 14500; the IBS interface on their I-series lights allows you to run at ludicrous extreme output, lumen numbers right up there with the 18650 lights, but in a host that is much smaller. Odds are the differences you're seeing have to do with heatsinking, as the slender AA format is very difficult to provide mass to wick heat away.

More important are the medium and low runtimes, which Selfbuilt's charts plainly reveal that the differences are either not existant or in favor of the V2.

I EDC a Jet I loaded with a 14500 daily, it's definitely worth it for the features and runtime. And those short bursts at max are a guaranteed crowd stunner everytime, especially when you explain to them that this 1AA light is producing as much light as a 6D Mag..

Starhalo do you own the Jet-I IBS V1 or V2? the new one looks good

I get the newest one a little while ago and hated it (I love my JET-III ST). I was sent the SMO reflector, and it has the worst beam pattern I've ever seen. Rings don't normally bother me at all, but this was actually hindering my ability to use the light (bright spot surrounded by a very dark ring means you can't see in the dark ring because your night vision is off because of the bright spot). Reverse clicky wasn't nearly as good as the forward clickie of the JET-III. Output was not impressive at all on the highest mode. I will stick to their 18650 line of lights...

richardcpf said:

Starhalo do you own the Jet-I IBS V1 or V2? the new one looks good

Click to expand...

I own the Jet I Mk II IBS, which is the model just previous to the V1. It's basically an AA version of the Jet III ST, the same "slim tube" design with the Fenix-like beam profile. It's even slimmer than the V1 and V2, so at max output on a 14500, you have maybe 30 seconds before the flashlight gets uncomfortably hot. That's the beauty of the IBS interface though, if you want a more pragmatic high mode, just program it in, it's whatever you want.

Got me a Jet I Pro IBS v2.0 based on what i read here, however my clip is not the 2 way clip (no biggie though), i flat out love this little light! Thanks for the helpful input.

I now own 4 Jetbeams and like them all.

Interesting..
anyone have any beamshots of these lights?

Wonder how this light compares to a Fenix LD10?

richardcpf said:

Starhalo do you own the Jet-I IBS V1 or V2? the new one looks good

Click to expand...

FYI, the "Jet-I PRO IBS (Q5)" shown in my reviews should indeed be considered as the "V2" in the discussion here. Quite literally, my runtimes are based on the head of the Jet-I PRO EX V2.0 on a 1xAA battery tube, as JetBeam confirmed to me at the time that it was identical to what they were shipping on the Jet-I PRO IBS (now with a V2.0 body label). I agree with StarHalo's comments on the relative performance of the various Jet-I lights.

I don't know what DX is selling as "V1". If history repeats itself, it is possibly a pre-production version of the circuit that was never released. The basis of that speculation is that the same occurred with the JetBeam C-LE. Production models were the V1, V1.2 and V2, but DX sold their own version around the time of the V1.2 release that was basically a pre-production "V0.8". You can see how it compared (and underperformed) the actual shipping versions in my round-up review of the C-LE series of lights. As always, caveat emptor ...

1996alnl said:

Wonder how this light compares to a Fenix LD10?

Click to expand...

I own a pair of P1Ds and a pair of P2Ds; from what I understand, the newer Fenix lights have a modestly narrower beam than the older models. The Jet Mk IBS has a very slightly broader beam than my Fenix lights, so it would be notably wider than a current LD10.

The Jet I PRO V2 has a pretty narrow semi-thrower beam, a lot tighter than a Fenix.

So which Jet I Pro IBS version has the longest runtime and who is selling it?

selfbuilt said:

FYI, the "Jet-I PRO IBS (Q5)" shown in my reviews should indeed be considered as the "V2" in the discussion here. Quite literally, my runtimes are based on the head of the Jet-I PRO EX V2.0 on a 1xAA battery tube, as JetBeam confirmed to me at the time that it was identical to what they were shipping on the Jet-I PRO IBS (now with a V2.0 body label).

Click to expand...

I can also confirm this - my EX and my V2.0 do indeed have the same head. In fact I can swap between them and have OP or SMO reflectors as I wish.

StarHalo said:

I own the Jet I Mk II IBS, which is the model just previous to the V1. It's basically an AA version of the Jet III ST, the same "slim tube" design with the Fenix-like beam profile. It's even slimmer than the V1 and V2, so at max output on a 14500, you have maybe 30 seconds before the flashlight gets uncomfortably hot. That's the beauty of the IBS interface though, if you want a more pragmatic high mode, just program it in, it's whatever you want.

Click to expand...

Yeah - mine gets a bit hot on full output (Setting C), but it can run a LONG time on min output (Setting A). If I want a decent light output without too much heat then my Setting B works well for me, it is a medium output which is plenty bright enough for most tasks and provides a good balance between run time & output - without getting all that hot. I love IBS!