Hello, today I am reviewing the Jetbeam IIIM Ultra. It is a tactical style light that uses their patented triple tail switch technology. This was a very surprising light, so stick around for the review.
In The Box
Included in the box is a “certificate of Approval” meaning that the light has passed inspection, as well as an instruction manual and warranty card. Also included in the box is a nice nylon sheath, a USB-C cable, a lanyard, as well as one spare O-ring for the light.
Pricing and options
The IIIM Ultra retails for $85.99 on battery junction. Here is a purchase link to the light if you’re interested: BatteryJunction. There are no other options available for the light (emitters/colors/etc.)
Overview and Specs
Starting at the head of the light, it has a crenulated bezel, which could be used to break a window if needed. Moving back, there is an orange peel reflector, and at the bottom is a CREE XHP35 HD emitter. There is no CCT rating on Jetbeam’s official website, but it looks to me to be around 6000K. That being said, it does have a very prominent green tint to it, but from afar, it’s not terrible. Jetbeam claims an output of 2000 lumens, and compared to my other lights, it looks to be every bit of that, and maybe a little more. Unfortunately I have no way of testing it, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Moving back, on the side of the light is a USB-C port which is covered by a rubber flap gasket, which gives the light it’s IPX-8 waterproof rating. The USB-C port can be used to charge the light, or it can be used as a power bank to charge your phone or other devices, which is cool. Right next to the port there is a small LED that shows the status of the light. On the head of the light there are scallops in the aluminum body, but they are chambferred nicely, so they’re not sharp at all. Moving back to the midsection of the body, it has a diamond knurling, and 2 flat sections on opposite sides. On one side it has the Jetbeam logo, and on the other side it says, “IIIM Ultra” “Tactical Hit Series” and then the serial number. Moving back is the included clip. The clip is not deep carry, in fact there is around 1.5 inches of the light that stick out past the pocket, which is nice for quick access situations. The clip has a good retention, and is relatively easy to slide in the pocket. Inside of the midsection is the battery. This light can run on one 18650 battery or 2 CR123A batteries, which is nice to have the option. The included 18650 battery is a protected 3500mAh lithium ion cell. The cell has a USB-C port on it for charging. If you’re confused, yes, the light has a USB-C port on it, but so does the battery, which can be a good thing. Unfortunately, there are no specifications of the max constant drainage of the battery. Moving back to the tail section of the light, on the side there is more diamond knurling, and then there are 2 wings that protect the tail switches from accidental activation. These wings at the back make it possible for the light to tailstand, which I like, also the wings have a large hole in them for a lanyard. Now, to the main selling point of this light, the double/triple tail switch. I have to be honest, I thought that this was a huge gimmick, just like the klarus XT21X switch, but this one really impressed me. In the middle, there is a forward clicky, main switch, which only turns the light on and off. On the side of that switch is a rocker switch, but the pivot point is in the middle, so the switch can be pressed from either side. (you’ll have to look up a picture to see what I’m talking about.) This side switch controls all of the other functions of the light.
User Interface
Off—>(main switch) half hold—>momentary on (memorized)
Off—>(main switch) Click—>continuous on (memorized)
Off—>(mode switch) hold—>strobe—>(hold for 3 sec)—>continuous strobe
On—>(mode switch) Click—>cycle modes (low/med/high)
On—>(mode switch) double click—>turbo—>(mode switch) click—>memorized mode
On—>(mode switch) hold—>strobe
On—>(mode switch) triple click—>SOS mode
It should be noted that if you’re talented, while using momentary, if you click the mode switch, it will change modes, but that is pretty hard to do to be honest and frankly I don’t think it was intended for that. The mode memory is just the last used mode, no special way to set it which is nice. The interface sounds confusing, but it really isnt, in fact I’ve given this light to my mother, and she was able to figure the interface out in a matter of minutes, knowing nothing about flashlights, so it’s really not too bad.
Beam
The beam on this light is pretty nice for tactical uses; it has a good sized hotspot and quite a bit of flood. This style of beam is good because it gives the user light up close and in medium distance scenarios. Like stated before, the emitter has a pretty noticeable green tint to it.
Opinions
The Good
- Build quality is exceptional
- Tailswitches are amazing
- User interface is simple and intuitive.
- 2 different battery options
- Coating/finish on the light is nice
- Beam profile is good
- Both switches are very clicky and satisfying
- Light can tailstand
- Pretty bright
- 2 USB-C locations
- Easy access to strobe
- Room for a lanyard if wanted
- Power bank function
- Certifiicate of approval indicates some form of quality control
- The light comes with everything you need to run the light
- Warranty card is very useful for warranty claims
The Bad
- Emitter has a heavy green tint to it
- No quick access to turbo
- USB-C rubber flap is not tight (easy to lift up)
- I think that the name is a little confusing
Final thoughts and recommendations
I can’t lie, I actually really like this light a lot. It’s not something that I would EDC, but if I was in need of a tactical light, this would be the one. In my opinion, this light is perfect for a military or police officer, as the light is pretty small, but also very bright and easy to use. I really like the tail switch design, and I would absolutely consider getting another light that has the same switch. By far my favorite thing is the thought that went into the interface. If any of you are familiar with the Klarus XT21X, you’ll know that the interface on that light was an absolute trainwreck, so it’s good to see that this light has had some thought put into the interface, to make it easy to use in high stress situations. To be honest, I don’t think that the $85 price point is unreasonable either, for that you’re getting a very high quality and thought out light, with the jetbeam name.
As for a recommendation, if you’re looking for a tactical flashlight I would definately recomend this. I would recommend that you sheath carry it though, as I think that it would be a lot easier than finagling with the clip.
I would also like to say that the folks over at Jetbeam were so easy to work with and it was nice to see that they would support such a small creator like myself, so make of that what you will.
Disclaimer
Jetbeam have sent me this light upon request, but I’ve done my best to stay honest and unbiased. Thank you for your time.