Field Use Review of the Jetbeam E10R

KuroNekko

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For submission in the Reviews forum.

Introduction

This review is the third of my Field Use Reviews. Given the number of excellent reviewers with technical data, I've decided to take a different approach to reviewing flashlights. As an outdoors enthusiast, I've decided to review flashlights during multiple night hikes in the form of a field carry and use review. The review is the culmination of multiple night hikes, trips, and use indoors and outdoors. Hence, the review will focus less on objective data, measurements, and production details and more on field usage impressions and empirical data from field carry and practical applications of the flashlight.

Why the Jetbeam E10R? It's the flashlight I came to select as my primary travel light. I was seeking an EDC-sized flashlight for general use during travel that would also have the power for outdoor adventures. It would be something I can easily pack in a backpack but also carry in a pocket if needed. The power requirement for nighttime adventures necessitated compatibility with 14500 Li-ion batteries for superior output. As a travel light, I sought a model capable of USB charging but also wanted power source flexibility therefore able to run on AA alkalines which are the world's most ubiquitous batteries. In essence, the Jetbeam E10R was one of the very few models (only one known to me) to check all the boxes of Li-ion performance, USB recharging, and AA battery size all while being affordable. In the course of my research, I came across numerous other reviews on the E10R, many of which shed light on its shortcomings. Outweighing the pros over the cons, I decided to pull the trigger and acquire the E10R. Below are my findings.

Procurement Notice: I purchased the Jetbeam E10R with my own funds from Gearbest.com. The price I paid was $18.90 on sale.


What's in the Box
The Jetbeam E10R comes in a cardboard box with a product view window. Included with the flashlight is an owner's manual, warranty card, quality assurance notice, desiccant silica gel packet, wrist strap, two spare O-rings, USB charging cable, and a clip which comes attached to the flashlight. The E10R does not come with a battery of any sort.

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The Design
The Jetbeam E10R shares a design with its smaller brethren, the E01R which is a AAA-battery USB rechargeable flashlight. Both are only offered in a dark grey anodized finish and share a similar user interface and features. The AA-sized E10R features a metal side button located on the head which mounts a smooth reflector behind glass. The head also features a ring between the button and the front which the manufacturer claims to be made of titanium. The body features a MicroUSB port within the threads that attach to the head instead of a MicroUSB port covered by a rubber flap like most other rechargeable flashlights. The body of the flashlight does not feature any knurling.

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The clip of the E10R is not a snap-on design but one that slips on as a ring over the body on the tail cap threads. This design allows the clip to rotate somewhat. The clip is not reversible in position. While it will fit over the threading for the head, the clip's ring prevents the adequate contact between the body spring to the head-mounted driver therefore prevents the E10R from operating in that position. The clip is essentially only to be mounted on the tail cap. The clip ring also features a triangular loop on the opposite end of the clip. More on this oddity later.

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Lastly, the tail cap does not feature a button therefore is flat and the E10R reliably tail stands. The tail cap is the only part on the E10R with knurling and also features a magnet but it should be noted that it is very weak. The E10R can only hold itself in a downward position and will not hold itself horizontally such as on the metal door of a refrigerator.

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Output Specs and Other Technical Information
(All testing was performed with the use of the pictured KeepPower 14500 Protected Li-ion battery with an 800mAh capacity.)
The emitter is a CREE XP-L HI and the tint is cool white. It is a tint that's closer to the 7000K color temp range therefore not something fans of neutral white would be too thrilled about.
The Jetbeam E10R has three regular output modes which consist of High, Medium, Low in that sequence. The following are specifications put forth by the manufacturer:
The High mode yields 650 lumens with a 14500 Li-ion battery and has a maximum run time of 30 minutes.
The High mode yields 190 lumens on a AA battery and has a maximum run time of 1.1 hours.
The Medium mode yields 46 lumens on a AA battery and has a maximum run time of 9 hours.
The Low mode yields 4 lumens on a AA battery and has a maximum run time of 100 hours.
It is important to note that the E10R can use a variety of AA-sized batteries that would affect both the run times and the output. One can expect a range of performance depending on whether the E10R is operating on an alkaline AA, primary lithium AA, rechargeable NiMH AA, or a rechargeable Li-ion 14500 battery.
The E10R also features a Strobe mode which appears to operate at the High output level of brightness. More on this later.
The E10R also features mode memory. If the flashlight is turned off and back on, it will resume the output level that was last used.
Below are some photos from nighttime field usage to demonstrate output in different conditions.

Control photo (no use of flashlight):
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Low Mode:
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Medium Mode:
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High mode (14500):
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Much like the output and run times, the mode spacing is dependent on the type of battery being used. The use of a 14500 battery greatly boosts the High mode output, creating a vast jump in mode spacing output from Medium. The use of AA batteries offers better mode spacing however, all testing on my part was done with a 14500 battery given it's the battery I intend to use in the E10R for all purposes.
Other specs include Ingress Protection of IPX8 which indicates this flashlight is fully waterproof. The Impact Resistance rating is 1 meter. The flashlight is made of aluminum alloy and features hard anodization. The maximum beam distance is rated at 129 meters and the candela rating is 4100cd.
Lastly, the E10R weighs in at 58 grams with a KeepPower 14500 800mAh Protected Li-ion battery which the flashlight fits with some effort.

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User Interface
The Jetbeam E10R features a rather unique UI which some may find frustrating and counterintuitive. The only button on the E10R is a metal side button that is rather small and flush with the body. This makes the button very difficult to find by feel in the darkness. The E10R turns on with a simple press of the side button. The same button operates a High, Medium, Low cycling sequence which is the opposite from most other UIs that ramp up, not down. The cycling is done by pressing the button once in the same way to turn the flashlight on. The flashlight is only turned off by a long press. The Strobe mode is accessed with a double press of the button whether the flashlight is on or off.

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The E10R also features an electronic lock-out though it should be noted that the owner's manual, product packaging, and official manufacturer product website all fail to mention this. The lock-out is accessed by holding the button from the off position for four second upon which the emitter will flash to indicate the lock-out mode. The lock-out mode is disengaged by holding the button for four seconds. It should be noted however that the strobe mode can be directly accessed from lock-out mode. A double press in lock-out will access the strobe mode and the user can then cycle from Strobe to High, Medium, Low all while still in lock-out mode. Turning the E10R off from the initial strobe activation resumes the lock-out mode therefore one will have to disengage the lock-out mode to resume full function of the E10R.


Every Day Carry (EDC) Usage Notes
The Jetbeam E10R is categorized by the manufacturer as an EDC light. As an AA-sized light, it is longer than many other AA lights due to the MicroUSB port but the additional length is insignificant as it amounts to mere millimeters. Below are all of my AA sized flashlights from left to right: Fenix E11, Klarus Mi7 Ti, Jetbeam E10R, and the Nitecore EA11. The E10R is most similar to the Mi7 but features a MicroUSB port for on-board charging unlike the Mi7.

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The E10R does have features for it to perform decently in EDC duties and the clip does allow one to carry it in a pocket securely as it is long and holds firmly. However, it's this very clip that may irk some people from considering this an ideal pocket-carry EDC. The clip is considerably larger than those found on other AA lights and also features a triangular loop for a lanyard attachment despite the tail cap also featuring a loop. This clip loop protrudes from the body of the flashlight therefore can make for an uncomfortable carry and handling experience. Whether carried in a pocket or in the hand, the triangular clip loop protrudes in a way to cause discomfort. Combined with the fact that the clip rotates along the body easily, I personally find the clip design irritatingly flawed.

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The flawed clip has led me to seek an alternative carry option for the E10R by means of a holster. I was able to purchase a Jetbeam Mini Holster on Batteryjunction.com for $2.00 which proved to be a perfect fit for the E10R. The Jetbeam-branded holster serves as an alternative way to carry the E10R so one can remove the terrible clip. I also personally prefer to holster-carry flashlights larger than a AAA-size due to the form factor in a pocket. Hence, the holster was a perfect solution to the E10R's clip flaw and AA size, both of which make pocket carry less than ideal. The removal of the clip also made the E10R much more comfortable to carry by hand when in use.

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Night Hiking Usage Notes
While the Jetbeam E10R's flaws are very noticeable as a pocketable everyday carry flashlight, when it comes to outdoor performance, there is some redemption here. Jetbeam markets the E10R as an EDC with a focus on outdoor use such as camping and night hiking. In this regard, the E10R does well with the high performance output on a 14500 battery and well-spaced modes. The Low is useful at 4 lumens which is neither too dim nor too bright for practical close-up usage. It should be noted however that it does lack a sub-lumen Moonlight mode that many people prefer.
The Medium output is a well-balanced mix of lumen output and runtime at 46 lumens for 9 hours on a AA battery. It lights up a trail adequately and is the ideal output mode for general outdoor usage.
For those who want good mode spacing, a NiMH battery on High would be a good step up from Medium.
With a Li-ion 14500 battery, the High mode on the E10R is powerful and illuminates a trail impressively for a small flashlight. Below are some trail usage photos.

Control (no use of flashlight):
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High (14500):
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The performance is on par with a Turbo mode for many pocket-sized flashlights yet the E10R neither gets too hot nor does it have a timed step-down. In my multiple night hikes, the E10R's high output on a 14500 never waned from temperature or timed regulation and proved to be a reliable trail blaster that didn't yield in performance. With the claimed 650 lumens and 4100 candela on a 14500 battery, the E10R is a pocket rocket even if real-life figures are shy of those claimed specs. The beam is also well balanced with a good mix of throw and flood for a flashlight of its size.

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With its large clip, I found the E10R easy to clip onto thicker reinforced pockets on hiking pants or backpack straps. It holds the flashlight securely without being difficult to pull out of a pocket for quick access. However, again, the uncomfortable triangular loop makes a strong argument for holster carry and Jetbeam happens to make a perfect one available for only $2. It's really an accessory to snap up for the E10R.

Overall, in nighttime outdoor use, the performance of the E10R is its biggest boon but the design flaws of the small side button and awkward clip does make it rather clumsy. I should note that while the small button is very difficult to find in the darkness, there are ways to use the features of the flashlight to help. The clip can be rotated in a position to assist the user in finding the button easier, even aligning straight with it. The seemingly useless titanium ring on the head can also help by reflecting ambient light to help distinguish the head from the tail to locate the button more quickly. However, the best solution may be to place a small glow-in-the-dark sticker alongside or on top of the button.


Criticisms
When researching the Jetbeam E10R prior to purchase, I came across many reviews which detailed the flaws and shortcomings of the E10R. With that in mind, I purchased the E10R knowing it was far from perfect but gave it a chance at being my go-to AA-size travel light. Having now experienced the flashlight, many of the criticisms ring true and support the notion that the E10R was released "half-baked". For starters, the clip is awful. Too big, too much rotation, and the terrible triangular lanyard loop is just plain uncomfortable.

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The clip really should be completely redesigned… or maybe Jetbeam should just give it the same clip as the Jetbeam Jet series. The clip on my Jet-u AAA light is great so it's baffling how Jetbeam got it so wrong with the E10R. Maybe they never heard of the saying, "Don't fix what ain't broken".

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The button is also greatly flawed as previously discussed. It's too small and too flush with the body to locate easily by feel in the darkness. When compared with the similar Klarus Mi7 which also features a small metal side button, it's even more evident that Jetbeam really needs to redesign this. The Mi7's button is not nearly has hard to find and operate as the E10R's due to the Mi7's head design and the side button being larger and shaped with indents.

The E10R's magnetic tail is also disappointing and makes me wonder why they even bothered. Again, it feels "half-baked" as in it was a good idea that was poorly executed. The magnet is too weak to hold the E10R in most circumstances and something I just wouldn't trust even if it did manage to hold. Given that other manufacturers can make excellent magnetic tails (like the Rofis R1), it's odd Jetbeam messed this up.

Other criticisms include factors I didn't test directly but were noted by other reviewers. The main issue involves the MicroUSB charging. The E10R charges up 14500 batteries adequately but is known to undercharge NiMH batteries. The terminating voltage is lower than it should be in multiple tests by a number of people showing it's not a random performance deviance but a standardized issue. While I personally don't see this as a big problem given I will be using Li-ion 14500 batteries, it would be nice to have a product that works optimally with any supported battery.

Another flaw is that the reflector creates artifacts at the edge of the spill. While this doesn't personally bother me (I pay attention to things in the hot spot, not so much the spill), I know it's distracting to others. The ring at the edge of the spill is pictured below.

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Lastly, the UI is just not what most people are used to. In a way, it makes sense but given it's the opposite of most other flashlights, it can be frustrating to use. It simply takes getting used to which isn't what most people want when they have many flashlights and UIs that are simply more intuitive.

So yeah, the Jetbeam E10R is far from a perfect flashlight. In fact, it's surprising that Jetbeam (a brand I hold in high regard, owning a number of their products) released this with all its flaws. It's almost like they designed the E10R but didn't even bother to test it out themselves to see how the design amounted to in actual use. See, field testing has its merits!


Conclusion
So is the Jetbeam E10R something you should avoid? Not necessarily. While the flaws are glaring, it still does offer something you just can't easily find with other comparable flashlights. It's the only AA-size flashlight I know of with a MicroUSB port. Whether alkaline, primary lithium, NiMH, or Li-ion, the E10R will fire up and work. Sure, there are others that do this (like my Klarus Mi7 Ti and Nitecore EA11) but those don't recharge a battery. This makes the E10R an unrivaled travel/emergency light and is the main reason I purchased it. Whether recharging in a hotel room while on vacation, in a car while traveling, or juicing up from a power bank while camping, the USB recharging feature offers great flexibility all while utilizing a Li-ion battery for maximum performance. In this regard, its versatility is unique.

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Another consideration is the sheer output performance as it's actually impressive. While there are issues such as the reflector's spill artifacts and mode output spacing on a 14500, the E10R holds its own in the darkness of the outdoors at night. I had no qualms with the performance as a primary light while night hiking.

Another factor that is always important is the price. After all, the price is what determines what's excusable and what's not in a product in most cases. If I paid over $35 for the E10R, yes, I'd be disappointed. However, it cost me less than $20. For that price, the performance and USB flexibility outweigh the cons. As an EDC, it may disappoint given the uncomfortable design flaws and the non-minimalist size, but as a compact travel/outdoor adventure light, it still offers a lot for the little cash it costs. Gearbest occasionally offers the E10R for as low as $15.99 on flash sale. While I waited for such a deal, I got impatient and nabbed it at $18.90. For that price, it's a good flashlight but I'm glad I didn't pay more than $20 for it.

Again, the clip is the biggest issue for me but I did find a cheap solution to avoid it by means of a $2 Jetbeam holster. I prefer holsters anyway for AA-sized lights so that worked out well. The holster allows one to remove and forget about the clip which then makes the E10R much more comfortable to handle.

So in the end, the Jetbeam E10R is not a purchase I regret. While "half-baked", it still came out to be the light I was looking for; versatile, flexible, powerful, and outdoor-friendly. However, what Jetbeam really should do is rework the E10R and release a Version 2 or next generation that addresses its big flaws. For starters, it needs an all-new clip. Also, the side button needs revision or maybe replaced with a tail cap button given the magnetic tail is almost useless. In essence, there is a lot of room for improvement and a chance for Jetbeam to get it right the next round. There is a lot of potential in the E10R and Jetbeam can really make a fantastic light with some thoughtful improvements. Put it back in the oven until fully cooked and ready.
 
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