AardvarkSagus
Flashlight Enthusiast
Posted for consideration for the review forum:
JETBeam PA01
Well loved manufacturer JETBeam has once again turned their sights away from the tactical market that occupies the majority of their light force and focused for a while on the EDC market with the new PA01. Will their excellent quality continue to shine in this smaller format?
JETBeam PA01
Meat and Potatoes
JETBeam's newest addition to their EDC lineup is the new PA01. Powered by a single AA cell, this light is part of a new breed that is really reviving this power source as a viable option for lights. It used to be that if you wanted a powerful torch with good regulation and a small size, you were basically required to use the more powerful 3V CR123A cell. If you wanted the everywhere availability of the worlds most common battery size, then you were subject to lower output and poor regulation. As LEDs have become increasingly efficient, this flashlight is now one of many that break with this trend in favor of having your cake and eating it too.
Running with today's current standard LED, the R5 bin Cree XP-G, the PA01 is capable of putting out a stunning 140 lumens on high. Now, also these lumen figures are extremely reliable since JETBeam has chosen to test these lights using the new ANSI / NEMA FL1 standard of flashlight measurements. As these standards propagate across the major brands, gone will be the days of overinflated lumen counts or differing measurement methods yielding results that are as difficult to compare as apples and oranges.
The PA01 has a very small and shallow textured reflector that serves to provide an excellent floody beam that is extremely useful for illuminating short to medium distances (in other words, the general tasks you would come across with only your EDC on hand). The hotspot is not super defined and blends nicely through a wide corona into a bright spill beam. The transition is very smooth with very few artifacts to be seen anywhere along the profile. More and more lately I have been finding myself preferring this beam shape to the tighter focused ones that I would most often use to "show off" how bright my lights are. Yes, I can still see genuine usefulness where lights that throw for hundreds of yards are actually needed and preferred, but for most of my tasks, a good flood beam is far more useful.
JETBeam PA01
With it's slim body and pervasive knurling, the PA01 evokes memories of the original EZ AA by Nitecore. There is actually very little size differentiation between these two lights. The biggest difference is that the JETBeam, though only a hair bigger has substituted the twisty interface of that favorite with a clicky. JETBeam has used a stainless steel collar to strengthen the threading where the PA01 assembles together. This section is very thin walled because of the minute diameter of the light. This visual touch, combined with the very fine knurling makes for a beautifully simple yet elegant light.
Constructive Criticism
The multi-output clicky interface has long been one that is difficult to manage. There have been quite a number of variations that try to keep things simple and yet still offer enough options. JETBeam has chosen the method of cycling the power to advance modes and then included a memory function to remember the last used mode and start there the next time. This particular user interface though is not without its bugs. First and foremost is the requirement of passing through the strobe mode any time you want to advance to a mode brighter than the current one thanks to its H-M-L-Strobe 4 mode structure. Secondly and more notably is the issues I have had with the mode memory. I have narrowed it down a little through repeated testing to discover that every time the light is turned on, it must be on for more than 3-5 seconds or it will turn on in the next mode the next time you activate it. The practical downside to this, is that if you use the light on minimum for only a couple of seconds (say to find a keyhole in the dark) and turn it off again quickly, the next time you turn it on you will be hit with a strobe instead of the minimum 6 lumens you were expecting. You find yourself having to be more deliberate with judicious flashlight usage than you may be used to.
JETBeam PA01
One problem with the minimalistic designs of the PA01 is that it has made incredibly small threading an absolute necessity. The stainless steel threaded collar is graced with such fine threads that it is quite easy to cross thread. I think with a liberal application of the grease or lube of your choice, and care during assembly, it shouldn't be a problem. It just is something where attention needs to be paid in greater quantity than is normal.
Conclusions
The PA01 is an excellently small, powerful EDC. It's UI is a bit frustrating if used for only short durations, but beyond that, it is a solid light indeed.
JETBeam PA01
Provided for review by the kind folks at JETBeam.
JETBeam PA01
Well loved manufacturer JETBeam has once again turned their sights away from the tactical market that occupies the majority of their light force and focused for a while on the EDC market with the new PA01. Will their excellent quality continue to shine in this smaller format?
JETBeam PA01
Meat and Potatoes
JETBeam's newest addition to their EDC lineup is the new PA01. Powered by a single AA cell, this light is part of a new breed that is really reviving this power source as a viable option for lights. It used to be that if you wanted a powerful torch with good regulation and a small size, you were basically required to use the more powerful 3V CR123A cell. If you wanted the everywhere availability of the worlds most common battery size, then you were subject to lower output and poor regulation. As LEDs have become increasingly efficient, this flashlight is now one of many that break with this trend in favor of having your cake and eating it too.
Running with today's current standard LED, the R5 bin Cree XP-G, the PA01 is capable of putting out a stunning 140 lumens on high. Now, also these lumen figures are extremely reliable since JETBeam has chosen to test these lights using the new ANSI / NEMA FL1 standard of flashlight measurements. As these standards propagate across the major brands, gone will be the days of overinflated lumen counts or differing measurement methods yielding results that are as difficult to compare as apples and oranges.
The PA01 has a very small and shallow textured reflector that serves to provide an excellent floody beam that is extremely useful for illuminating short to medium distances (in other words, the general tasks you would come across with only your EDC on hand). The hotspot is not super defined and blends nicely through a wide corona into a bright spill beam. The transition is very smooth with very few artifacts to be seen anywhere along the profile. More and more lately I have been finding myself preferring this beam shape to the tighter focused ones that I would most often use to "show off" how bright my lights are. Yes, I can still see genuine usefulness where lights that throw for hundreds of yards are actually needed and preferred, but for most of my tasks, a good flood beam is far more useful.
JETBeam PA01
With it's slim body and pervasive knurling, the PA01 evokes memories of the original EZ AA by Nitecore. There is actually very little size differentiation between these two lights. The biggest difference is that the JETBeam, though only a hair bigger has substituted the twisty interface of that favorite with a clicky. JETBeam has used a stainless steel collar to strengthen the threading where the PA01 assembles together. This section is very thin walled because of the minute diameter of the light. This visual touch, combined with the very fine knurling makes for a beautifully simple yet elegant light.
Constructive Criticism
The multi-output clicky interface has long been one that is difficult to manage. There have been quite a number of variations that try to keep things simple and yet still offer enough options. JETBeam has chosen the method of cycling the power to advance modes and then included a memory function to remember the last used mode and start there the next time. This particular user interface though is not without its bugs. First and foremost is the requirement of passing through the strobe mode any time you want to advance to a mode brighter than the current one thanks to its H-M-L-Strobe 4 mode structure. Secondly and more notably is the issues I have had with the mode memory. I have narrowed it down a little through repeated testing to discover that every time the light is turned on, it must be on for more than 3-5 seconds or it will turn on in the next mode the next time you activate it. The practical downside to this, is that if you use the light on minimum for only a couple of seconds (say to find a keyhole in the dark) and turn it off again quickly, the next time you turn it on you will be hit with a strobe instead of the minimum 6 lumens you were expecting. You find yourself having to be more deliberate with judicious flashlight usage than you may be used to.
JETBeam PA01
One problem with the minimalistic designs of the PA01 is that it has made incredibly small threading an absolute necessity. The stainless steel threaded collar is graced with such fine threads that it is quite easy to cross thread. I think with a liberal application of the grease or lube of your choice, and care during assembly, it shouldn't be a problem. It just is something where attention needs to be paid in greater quantity than is normal.
Conclusions
The PA01 is an excellently small, powerful EDC. It's UI is a bit frustrating if used for only short durations, but beyond that, it is a solid light indeed.
JETBeam PA01
Provided for review by the kind folks at JETBeam.
