Jetbeam Jet MK1 Review
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Hey folks today I will be reviewing the Jetbeam jet-1 MK now that is a mouth full! Jetbeam always have a peculiar way of naming there lights they need at least 10 letters in the name! I will not lie I am biased towards jetbeam I like the lights they make my first high powered light was the jetbeam BC40. That was back in 2011 before that I had a few Led-lensers nothing that powerful!
The jet-1 Mk now has the honorary duty of being my new EDC let’s see how she goes my old EDC is around this size that was the Xtar WK21. The WK21 isn’t dead but it’s battered and bruised and it’s done its duty since the end of 2014 maybe the beginning of 2015 I think.
Old school vs new school EDC very similiar but very different. You can see even though the 14500 is longer then the 16340 the Jet-1 MK comes in at 83mm long thanks to having no button.
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Now to compare the two the Jet-1 MK is a tad longer but is a lot skinnier the Jetbeam is also lighter in weight! By a far bit by that I mean a few grams. This is my first 14500 EDC light and my second 14500 light in total I do prefer the feel of a 16340 over the 14500 but they all have their place in the world. In the looks department I would rate the jet-1 MK highly it is a good looking light the shape and color is great and with the AR coated glass that just tops it off.
I am a sucker for the AR coating.
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The two lights share a lot in common both are small and light and compact each in a different ways. They both share a twist to turn on style activation systems with both you have to twist the head to change modes this is a big advantage for me in a EDC light with this system it eliminates the possibility of accidentally turning the light on while it is in your bag. I tried to EDC the Nitenumen NE01 but the light turned its self on. I do have a EDC bag I take everywhere that has a bit of extra gear in it but the main reason for me having a bag is I always know where my keys and wallet are. Plus I can carry a few extras with me like a mobile phone charger I also stock a first aid kit it does really come in handy!
The threads are well cut and came already oiled.
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The bumps on the head is how you change modes when you twist the head of the light.
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Keeping on with the current theme they both share high output numbers in sub compact lights so both these suffer the same fate of heating up on high modes the WK21 is a bit heaver so it takes a little longer. When saying that the Jet-1 MK uses a CREE XPG2 so all thought it does heat up. Seeing it is light in weight. The flashlight comes in at a hefty lol 16.7 gram with out the battery!
It still takes a little while longer then a light that is the same weight (16.7 grams) that would be using a XML2 seeing as the XPG2 is a fairly efficient LED at a lower current rating.
Jetbeam doesn’t mention any thing about a thermal step down but seeing as the batteries are fairly low output at around 650mah the light does dim by its self. That is the only step down i have noticed!
You can see the XPG2 and the reflector and AR tinted glass.
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The Jetbeam Jet-1 Mk puts out 480 ANSI rated lumens on high this is a slight step up from the WK21 but nothing to drastic. The jet-1 MK has 3 modes.
High 480 lumen 14500 lithium or lithium primary (like an energizer lithium 14500) 0.5h runtime
Medium 30 lumen 9 hour runtime
Low 1.5 lumen 900 hour run time (Almost a moonlight mode)
High mode with a NiMH or alkaline is 150 lumen 1.1 hour run time.(NiMH)
The high mode with a NiMH is a 150 lumen that is still a respectable amount of light for a EDC. The ability to be able to use both lithium and primary batteries is a gold mine for a sustainable EDC in an emergency situation.
Medium mode and low modes stay the same with either battery you decide to use. Either the 14500 or the NiMH or alkaline offer the same outputs for both medium and low modes but run times will vary between batteries.
The clip is solid and is removable but its on really tight!
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Another place where the Jet-1 MK differs from the WK21 is the peak beam distance so Jetbeam claims 130 meters I have used the light to hit 100 meters and it does reach although it is really diffused but that is be expected compared to the WK21s 70 meter claimed distance. In terms of beam pattern the jet-1 MK does seem to throw further but naturally the Smaller die size of the XPG2 will have the effect. Don’t get me wrong it throws good for a small light but the spill is still amazing the edges may not be as bright as the Wk21 but they are still more then usable with both the 14500 and the NIMH.
The head of the jet-1 MK is smaller then the WK21 at 19.5mm in width so not a whole lot bigger then the 14500 battery itself.
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Run times are on the lower side as to be expected but they are respectable. The 14500 on high 480 lumen will give you 0.5h so around 50 minutes run time. Depending on the battery you use i think 14500s vary from 550-750 Mah? This is still a great result and is a higher run time and a higher output them the Wk21. Jetbeam ran the rest of the mode tests with a NiMH battery probably because of the Mah is higher with the NiMH. Me and jetbeam recommend that you don’t run this light with a standard AA only because run times will be lower.
With the NiMH Jetbeam says on high mode (150 lumen) will give you 1.1 hours so 70 minutes that is a huge improvement on what most other lights can offer at this price range. Medium using a NiMH (30 lumens) will give you 9h.
Low mode using a NiMH (1.5 lumen) will give you 900 hours of run time ….I am not testing this setting lol.
This is the complete package with the spare o-ring and lanyard and clip the instructions and the approval to show it was checked before the leaving factory.
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The Jet-1 MK is made out of Aircraft grade aluminum alloy using military type 3 hard anodizing which is fairly standard now days. Also has a ultra clear (they don’t say AR coated) mineral glass lens.
FL1 IPX certified which is a must for a EDC! The rating is a good! It is 2 meters water resistant so i would say you can easily be submerged the Jet-1 MK with no worries. But only 1 meter drop resistant now i think that is because of the option of using different battery types you only get the 1 meter drop resistance.
I would say this is because when using a NiMH or alkaline it has to step voltage up to 3v so the flashlight uses a boost driver which is heavy and a bit more brittle.
The packaging is very neat and tidy looks good!
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Low mode 1.5 lumen it seems like its higher then 1.5 but i could be wrong. This is about 2 meters in distance.
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Low mode with a little bit more of distance.
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Medium mode is surprisingly bright.
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High mode is super bright more then enough light for a EDC.
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High mode at 100 meters you can see the light.
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Jetbeam Jet-1 MK is on the left and on the right is the Xtar Wk21 you can see the difference in tints.
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Just for shits and giggles on the left is the Jet-1 Mk on the right is the BLF X5
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High mode with the NiMH it seems like it is about the same as the medium mode with the 14500 even though they should both be 30 lumens Jetbeam doesn’t state otherwise.
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A few Jetbeam i own.
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Summary *
The Jet-1 MK is super lightweight and small and very versatile it can tail stand which comes in handy. I wish it had a magnet on the back of the light that feature really does come in handy for me. It looks really nice and is very well finished the package is fully complete with the clip and lanyard so nothing more to buy and the twist activation is awesome no more flashlights turning on in your pocket. Just make sure you twist the head enough to turn it of fully or else if it pushed against some thing it may still turn on! It does have a slight PWM on low and medium modes but not noticeable by eye. Add in the fact that you can use a standard AA battery and get a decent output and run time this flashlight for the money can not be beaten. I would have no problem recommending the Jetbeam Jet-1 Mk to any one looking for a EDC or general purpose flashlight.
Purchase link here: Jetbeam Jet-1 MK
Specifications:
LED: CREE XP-G2 LED
Power Source: 1 x AA OR 1 x 14500
IPX Rating: IPX-8 (Waterproof and submersible up to 2 meters)
Impact Resistance: 1 meter
Brightness Outputs:
Turbo (14500 Only) - 480 Lumens - 30 Min.
High - 150 Lumens - 1 Hour 6 Min.
Medium - 30 Lumens - 9 Hours
Low - 1.5 Lumens - 100 Hours
Peak Beam Distance: 130 meters
Peak Beam Intensity: 4200 cd
Dimensions:
Length - 3.28” (83.2 mm)
Head Diameter - 0.55” (14.0 mm)
Body Diameter - 0.77” (19.5 mm)
Weight: 0.59 oz. (excluding battery) (16.7 g)
I will have a Youtube video up in a few days
Thanks for reading!
Regards Chris
