jetbeam rrt-0 should i choose xm-l or s2 ?

When i first bought lights, i wanted the brightest. After couple years, i now find myself wanting the lowest. I've heard the surefire titan is the lowest, but due to the price, i find it too prohibitive to purchase. As such, the next best thing (as i see it anyways for a single AA light) is either jetbeam RRT-0, IFE1 and Neutron 1. From the 3 i've listed, i think i've chosen RRT-0 (unless you guys can convince me otherwise with contenders!). However, i'm wondering what to LED to choose for the RRT-0. I'm leaning toward S2 over XM-L as it has a lower low and a higher high. How's the beam comparison between the two though? Anyone have beamshots? Thanks for your opinions in advance! Cheers.

Bonjour.
Greetings from BELGIUM.
I own the S2 version.
I've been using it for two months or so.
Great little light. Very bright and very low-low, too!
One downside, though: the well known pre-flash issue...
When you click it on with the ring on a lower level position, you get a short -but visible- full brightness flash ...
This ruins your night adapted vision and/or your position!
One way to deal with this : you click on, set the ring on "Stand by" position and after you have full access to all levels without the flash. Just remember that the parasitic drain is important and won't give you more then 100 hours (or so) runtime.
I don't know if this issue has been fixed on the XML version.
I hope this help.


PS. As usual, please keep in mind that I'm French speaker...

No way... preflash? I thought this was only a 4sevens quark problem. I didn't know that! Hmmmmmmm seriously have to reconsider. Is the parasitic drain that bad? Can you lockout the tailcap?

BTW, Your english is very goood!

The "pre-flash" is a manufacturing fault.
Please email Jetbeam, and have it repaired under warranty.
I had a pre-flash on mine, and it was repaired immediately under warranty; they sent me a brand new light.

I have the S2; my friend has the XM-L; horses for courses.
My XP-G S2 is very throwy, with a small but intense hot spot.
My friend's XM-L is flood-throw, with a larger, but less intense hot spot.
Btw, the S2 is very dark grey finish, while the XM-L is a natural coloured finish, if you like that.

The parasitic drain on the magnetic ring standby mode is high.
It must be switched off with the tail end switch.

I have a V10R Ti, V10R Al, and a V10R XM-L coming.
Very good lights here too.
Is more compact, and has a better overhand grip than the RRT-0's.
In XP-G R5, it hrows just about as well as the RRT-0 S2.

The HDS Rotary 200 is great too.
Has a great overhand grip, and the rotary is right there next to the tail end switch, so no flipping the flashlight 180 degrees.
Is about as bright and throwy as the RRT-0 XP-G's.
However, it is very thick, and heavy.

There is no perfect light.
Get one and live with the shortcomings.
Or get a few like me...

peterharvey73 said:

The "pre-flash" is a manufacturing fault.
My friend's XM-L is flood-throw, with a larger, but less intense hot spot.

Click to expand...

Oh i like both the v10r and the hds rotary 200, but they use cr123! While i don't hate them, i prefer AAs as i've got lots of AA eneloops. Does the 0.003 lumen (S2 version) and the 0.005 (XML version) seem much different when you compared them? Also, any problems with greenish tint on the S2s? I had a quark turbo S2 that was green. Thanks for your info and opinions!

Oh, I see, you like AA's.
The V10R does have a very ugly AA extender, if you like.

On the lowest mode, the two RRT-0's look the same.
Both the faulty pre-flash S2, and the replacement S2 did NOT have any green tint at all; it looks neutral white to me - not warm, but not too cool white either...