JETBeam Mark 1 IBS Flashlight Review
The JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight runs both a 14500 (included!) or a single AA (1.5V) cell. It has a tail switch and uses one Cree XP-L HD emitter. Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a tracking link to the product page at flashlightgo.com.
Versions
It looks like there are a couple of body colors of the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight available. I have a more natural anodization but it looks like black is also available. This is an iterative product too – there’s at least one previous (much older) version.
Price
The JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight sells for $38.99 at flashlightgo.com.
What’s Included
- JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight
- 880mAh 14500
- Charging cable
- Lanyard
- Spare o-ring
- Manual etc
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight has a familiar build quality for JETBeam lights. And for a $39 light, it could easily be considered a value!
While it’s built well, there are a few design choices I do not like. Even if this light is tactical, I don’t like how much the switch cover protrudes. That prevents all tailstanding. I do like that stainless ring, though! If I had my way, the metal ring would cover the switch, and if you needed a tactical AA/14500 light, you could just unscrew that ring. I tried and couldn’t get this ring to unscrew.
Despite whatever I said about this light being “tactical” – I wouldn’t consider it tactical. The head end has only a button for contact on the cell.
Below you can see the tailcap, which has unanodized threads and a big spring. Only the tailcap comes off. The head and cell tube are one piece!
Size and Comps
Length: 95mm
Head Size: 20mm
Weight: 37g (Exclude Battery)
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that (usually in the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!
Also above is the light beside a TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!
Retention and Carry
Only this lanyard is included as a means to carry the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight. The lanyard attaches through this stainless ring on the tailcap.
Below you can see the lanyard as it ships. This photo is included for no reason except that I love the way the lanyard is capturing itself for shipping.
Power and Runtime
JETBeam includes this 880mAh 14500 cell for running the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight.
The cell goes into the light in the usual way – the positive end (button) toward the head.
Here are a couple of runtime tests. There are only three modes; below are tests on the higher two with the included 14500 cell.
The light does shut off with low voltage protection at around 3V. According to the manual, the light should flash to indicate approximate cell voltage (or technically “saturation”) but the runtimes do not support that.
One bonus about the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight is that it’ll run alkaline or NiMH cells, too! JETBeam doesn’t include an AA so I have not tested runtimes with that. Output is much lower when using any 1.5V cell.
Charging
The JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight itself does not have built-in charging but the included 14500 does. That’s by way of a USB-C charging port on the positive end.
An A to C cable is included.
Both C to C and A to C charging work fine. They both require around 2.5 hours to complete. That’s a little slow but should provide a nice long life for the cell.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 – High | 700 | 1.2h | 552 (0s) 539 (30s) |
1.21 @4.2V |
| 14500 – Medium | 100 | 4.2h | 95 (0s) 93 (30s) |
0.17 @4.2V |
| 14500 – Low | 2 | 72h | 8.5 | 0.01 @4.2V |
| AA – High | 220 | 2.4h | 122 | 2.5 @1.5V |
| AA – Medium | 100 | 2.9h | 81 | 0.56 @1.5V |
| AA – Low | 2 | 45h | 7.4 | 0.06 @1.5V |
Pulse Width Modulation
None of the modes use PWM. The order is LMH 14500 then LMH AA.
Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor. Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
A single tail switch controls the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight. It’s a reverse clicky and is extremely sensitive. I’m not actually sure this is a reverse clicky. The light can change modes while on but also has momentary output while off. I’m not sure what kind of mechanical switch offers both of those options!
The switch is very proud, fully preventing tailstanding.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Mode memory) |
| Off | Tap | Momentary output |
| On | Click | Off |
| On (within 3 seconds of turning on) | Tap | Mode advance (LMHStrobe) |
| On for more than 3 seconds | Click off, tap 3x then hold | Stepless programming^ |
| On strobe more than 3 second | “Half pressing the tail switch within 1 second” | Special mode selection (Strobe > SOS > Battery Level > Bicycle > Beacon)^^ |
^ I could not get this to work. Alternately: I might have gotten it to work a little (But see the next line.)
^^ I was technically able to enter this mode but was unable to program the light. In fact, programming is truly bad on this light. You’d certainly never do it on the fly to check the battery level, for example.
LED and Beam
This light uses a CREE XP-L according to the manual. And we can see the dome, so we know it’s the HD version.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
Below you can see the CRI and CCT for the same order as above in the PWM section. In short: CR
Beamshots
These beamshots are always with the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away. Same mode order as above.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I keep the test flashlight on the left, and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
I am simply not impressed with the JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight. I like it in theory but the switch is way too sensitive and I got constant accidental mode changes and programming the light is extraordinarily difficult. It’s probably easy if you know how but the manual was just not clear to me. This isn’t a new light, so we can probably overlook the cool white, low CRI Cree XP-L HD emitter, but I’m not sure about modability, either – the head and cell tube are just one piece (though the toothy bezel (which I love) is likely just screwed in). For $39 this might be a good host to start from if you want to do an emitter and switch swap for an AA light.
The Big Table
| JETBeam Mark 1 IBS flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XP-L |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $38.99 |
| Cell: | 1×14500 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | Mechanical |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) (14500) | 700 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) (14500) | 539 (77% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 6.7 |
| Claimed Throw (m) (14500) | 150 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) (14500) | 143lux @ 5.009m = 3588cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) (14500) | 119.8 (79.9% of claim)^ |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) (AA) | 220 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) (AA) | 122 (55.5% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen (AA) | 6.3 |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6200-6800 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Flashlightgo.com |
| All my JETBeam reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.
What I like
- Good build quality.
- Nice use of stainless parts
- Runs both 14500 and AA cells!
What I don’t like
- Super sensitive switch
- Massively hard to program
- Nice second mode group but hidden behind the difficult program.
- Very proud tail switch cover
Notes
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