Review by: Robb Sutton (198)
Originally found on Mountain Biking by 198
Jet Lite Blast 1000 HID Bike Light Review
LightPriceClaimed LumensRuntime Battery TypeLight head weightBattery WeightInstalled WeightLumens per gramLumens per dollar
Jet Blast 1000$550.0010003hrs6w 14.8v 3200mah Lithium Polymer160g590gn/a1.601.81

Jet Lites Blast 1000 Review

In the world of bike lights, brightness is king. Prior to this test period on the Jet Blast 1000, I have had experience with Jet Lites halogen lineup as it was my primary light for several years. This little HID from Jet Lites pushes out a claimed 1,000 lumens (yes…you just read that right…1,000!) for 3 hours via a 14.8v lithium ion battery. These claimed stats were far above what I have been using in the past (HID, LED and halogen). So after months worth of testing…how did it pan out?

Jet Lites Blast 1000 Specs



From JetLites.com

JETs' Shadow is the half brother to our Axis product. Its' very slim profile and minimal weight make it ideal for the typical night rides. The waterproof and shock resistant case is designed with a nice anatomical curve just like a whisky flask. This allows the battery to lay flat against your body when stowed in a jersey pocket. Not bulky rectangular box. The 1.20" profile is super slim in your pocket or when mounted to a seat post. Your legs won't rub your battery. We paired this battery up with our super bright HID light head.

Larger/longer runtime battery was included with this kit.
  • MSRP - 550.00 US
  • 14w HID light head
  • 14.8V 36w lithium polymer battery
  • Light weight design
  • Anatomically designed case
  • 4 layer safety circuit
  • Low voltage shut-off
  • IP-68 rated thread lock waterproof connector
  • Waterproof hard shell case
  • Waterproof breather valve
  • Impact resistant hard shell case
  • Aim as you ride mounting system with safety breakaway
  • 2.5 hour smart charger
  • Adaptable to frame, seatpost, or jersey pocket storage
  • Light Head: 14w (rated @ 1000 lumens) HID lamp & ballast; 4.8 oz. (130g) light head; Dims. 3.5" x 1.75" x 1.70"; Beam color blue/white
  • Battery: 36w 14.8v 3200mah lithium polymer battery - Battery waterproof to 3 ft. shock resistant to 5 ft.; Dims. 5.16" x 4.13" x 1.20"; Weight 13 oz. (370g)
  • Charger Specs: Charge time 2.5 hours. 18v 1.3 amp smart charger with 2 stage overcharge protection
  • Warranty: 1 year
  • Actual Weights (Ultimate Scale): Light w/helmet mount - 160 grams; Battery - 590 grams
  • Run Time: 5 hours with supplied battery - 3 hours +/- 5 mins with smaller unit

Mounting the Jet Blast 1000 HID



For the purposes of this review, I only mounted the Jet Lites Jet Blast 1000 HID with the helmet mount. I was using the light as my only light source during the rides, and a helmet mount allows the light to follow my eyes instead of the bars. If you are planning on having a single light source while you ride, I highly recommend using a helmet mount.

The helmet mount on the Jet Blast was easy to install and adjust. The velco straps were long enough to fit around larger sized helmets like the Fox Flux and getting the light centered was a breeze. Once the helmet mount is secure, it doesn't move or come loose during riding.

The angle of the light is controlled by the swivel base and the tightness of this base is adjusted by to hex head screws under the light mount. I keep these bolts tight enough that the helmet mounted light does not move under normal trail vibration, but not so tight that I can't adjust the angle of the light on the trail. I did find that the location of these bolts made trailside adjustments difficult because the light had to be removed. The hex head bolt size is also smaller than anything I have on my Crank Bros multi-tool, so make sure you have this adjustment set correctly before you hit the trail.

The battery connection threads into the light wire and this provides a very secure fit. Once the battery was placed in my pack, everything was set and ready to go.

Jet Blast 1000 HID On The Trail

All of the stats, mounting, figures and bs are great...but what you really want to know is how the light performs right?



Settings

The operation of the Jet Blast 1000 HID is incredibly simple. There is only one button on the top of the light unit and it is either on or off. There are not multiple light brightness on this light, and this was a missed feature for battery power conservation. That said...I never fully ran the battery out while on the trail. The claimed 5 hour run time is a bit conservative and you do see the complete 3 hours at full charge.

Brightness

Stupid bright! I am not joking around either. This light from Jet Lites gets the full 1000 lumens as claimed. Riders in front of me were actually laughing because this light was completely drowning out their HID's. The spread was decent, but their was a distinct hot spot on the trail in front of the rider. This is pretty normal among bike lights and the overall brightness of this light really increased the amount of light in the spread. The most amazing part of this lights brightness was the throw. You can light up power poles down the street by just pointing your head at them and that is a true sign of the power of this ballast.

The following shots were taken with a Nikon D80 with the Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-135mm1:3.5-5.6G ED lens. ISO 100; 18mm; f/3.5; 1.0 sec



The Jet Blast 1000 HID bike light has a truer white light than most HID's. For those of you that are used to a more bluish tint, you will notice the whiter light gives more definition to shadows and objects on the trail. This color is closer to a true natural light source.

Many confuse the bluish tint of some HID lights as brighter than a more traditional whiter light. When comparing two lights with equal output, the bluer tint is going to appear brighter because your eye is more sensitive to blue and perceives it as glare. A truer white light creates more visibility for the rider.

Note: The color tint of HID ballast is determined by burn temperature. OEM legal limits on cars is 4100-4300k (true white). The blue you see on these lights is actually created the light bending around the cutoff shield that prevents you from blinding on coming traffic, and not the color of the omitted light on the ground.

Good Jet Lites Blast 1000


  • So much light it should be illegal!
  • Decent light spread to left and right of trail
  • Battery lasts as long as quoted
  • A true white light from a HID
  • Light enough for helmet use

Bad Jet Lites Blast 1000

  • Mount difficult to adjust trailside if it comes loose
  • Absence of multiple brightness settings for battery conservation
  • Battery may be large for some riders
  • Price...you pay for all of that light!
Overall, the Jet Lites Blast 1000 has been an incredible light. The little annoyances that it did have did not over shadow its performance on the trail. To sound really corny in a light review...it just shines. Everyone at the trail head will been looking towards you when airplanes come to land on the trail when you are wearing this unit, but better than that...you will be able to see everything you need to on the trail. That is the important part.

Performance

Value

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