Experience with nitecore NU25?

[Hugh Webb]

this headlamp looks pretty good. especially with ultralight headband from litesmith taking the weight down to 33g for a USB rechargeable headlamp with up to 360 lumens output.

but not many user reviews from people using it for backpacking.  I’d be curious if anybody has tried it out and can comment.

[Adam Salinger]

Haven’t heard anything about the Nightcore NU25 and looks very impressive.  Been waiting for the Petzl Bindi to come out in March but now thinking the Nightcore might be the ticket in terms of specs.

Thoughts??

Nightcore—

Petzl Bindi

 

[Michael Gillenwater]

I’m also waiting for the Bindi (which funny is also my wife’s name). But, I’ve been using the NU25 for a year or so and very much love it.  I’m not too demanding on my lights, but so far everything about it I like.

[Cameron M]

My impressions so far:

-Specs are accurate. A lot of light, a powerful rechargeable option, and a good hot center beam

-Does not tilt downwards enough. I can contrive a mod for this, but an amazing design oversight

-The perimeter of the light puts out a very strange defined corona that really bothers my eyes. Sort of like looking through a coke bottle. I have made a mod that I think will take care of it by fuzzing out the edges of the corona but have not tested it on a trail yet.

-Dimming options are limited to 270, 170, 30, 1. Would be nice to have more.

[Ito Jakuchu]

Thanks for the impressions on the nitecore. I like the USB changeability of both, perhaps prefer the form factor of the Petzl. But the Petzl has even less useful light output than the nitecore. I would love something between around 50-70lm for general use.

Both seem quite nice to try out though.

[Cameron M]

The problem with the Bindi for me is that the claims are for 100 lm for only 3 hours. The lower setting of 5 lm is not useful for me. If I get in serious trouble off-trail, I am going to want more than 3 hours useful output.

[Ito Jakuchu]

Yeah exactly. Looking at it more though, that Nitecore with the UL headband from Litesmith is very nice too.
If I my ask – how much is it able to rotate downward, do you have an idea of the rough angle, or a description of how it is limiting to you?

[Cameron M]

I am just aware that I have to aim my head down more to see what is closer to walking, enough so that it is annoying. I attach two pics. I am surprised to find that the angle of the nitecore and the iota are identical, but the tikka xp2 inclines by at least 10-15 degrees more. I like the iota A LOT, but I have the complaint that it does not project well, it does not have a hot center, it is very even. The level of diffusion of the iota probably allows it to project a wider beam and is why the incline angle does not bother me; I believe that the beam of the nitecore is narrower. But I think that this can be easily addressed by the simplest of padding solutions to slightly change the angle.

Regarding the corona problem, a quick mod seems to work, but I really must test it on a trail to tell for sure. I just put scotch tape on the lens and cut out a hole in the center, thus fuzzing the edges but retaining the hot center I like so much.

BTW, perhaps because the nitecore is so light, the minimal headband is not uncomfortable.

[Ito Jakuchu]

I get what you mean with angling your head. Still looks like quite a nice, light, set up.

Thank you very much for the visuals.

[Adam Salinger]

Thought I posted this but now I don’t see it. Try #2.

Can you tell me what the NU25 weighs with the UL headband chord?  I see from the website they say that the light with the full headband is .98oz but looking for the UL weight.

[Cameron M]

Mine is 1.1 oz- 32 g with the UL headband.

The weight discrepancy did not seem right, so I looked harder, and now see that the NU25 which is the subject of the OP post is a new light that I did not know about; I am giving information about the NU20. They seem nearly identical, except that the NU20 appears to give an extra hour of light at high power, and is a gram lighter. However I can’t say for sure if my other observations apply, sorry!!!

EDIT: I also see now that they list the tilting angle as 60 degrees for the NU25 and 52 degrees for the NU20, so perhaps they responded to user comments.

[Cameron M]

With very few charges, after one year my Nitecore NU20 is only lasting half as long as when I bought it a year ago. Not acceptable. It may be an anomaly, but it could also be the case that whatever seems to be too good to be true, is, in fact, too good to be true.

[JCH]

Is the battery in the rechargeable Nitecore’s replaceable?  If not this might keep me from purchasing.

All rechargeable batteries have a (largely pre-known, i.e. engineered) lifetime normally described in terms of full charge cycles.  This is true for all battery technologies, NiCad to NiMH, in all types of products from cell phones to automobiles.  “Good” manufacturers usually publish the battery charge cycle lifetime.

[Kevin B]

Not rechargeable

500 cycles stated in the specs (IIRC)

[JCH]

Kevin – did you mean not replaceable?

[avi sito]

My 2 cents: I’ve used it this summer on a couple of treks (3 weeks). Overall I really like it. I don’t have the tilting issue since when I walk with it I tend to hold it in hand, as close to the ground as possible, so the shades are clearer. This way it’s easier for me to detect terrain changes, and not trip occasionally.

I’ve been impressed by how light it is. I’ve made my own lightweight head strap – really a no-brainer, same design. 32 gr.

i now have the same charging cable for the  Nu25, my inReach and my power bank, which I really like.

 

[K2 Travels]

I have been using this light with an old Petzl e+lite band. Is a great setup.

I am confused about people complaining about the downward tilt for this light. Unless you look directly at your feet when you walk you will be just fine with this light. When night hiking I can get by with the low light setting but for tricky terrain or poor trails you may want the higher setting.

All in all it is the best lightweight light I have used to date.

K2

[Josh O]

I’ve been using the NU25 for about 3 months, and so far it’s been stellar! I love just having one cable to charge my phone and light, not carrying extra batteries just for the headlamp, and unless you are planning on night hiking a lot the battery life span has been fine for my trips. I also run at night about 3 times a week, and even with replacing the factory strap with shock cord and a cord lock it stays put because it is so light. I have not experienced the issue of not having enough downward adjustment.

[Cameron M]

It appears that the tilting issue was addressed with the NU25; my model is the NU20 which I carelessly assume to be the same. But I still am concerned that my light battery life has dropped so seriously, and it is certainly not the case that I have come anywhere close to 500 charges. When working properly, I don’t think that this light can be beat for its power/endurance ratio.

[Kevin S]

I have a Litesmith edition NU25. Used it for my 2018 PCT thru hike.

Absolutely love it. The buttons are perfectly intuitive. Red light, super low white light, medium is perfect, high is great. The floody high CRI alternate white is just icing on the cake. Super easy lock-out mode.

I’ve looked at many other options, but I don’t think there is anything that beats the weight and specs at the moment.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

Seems like Litesmith and other online retailers are starting to discount the NU25… anyone heard if there is a newer model coming?

Would be really cool if they could allow an interface (via cable) to adjust the lighting levels. I’d love a level of around 10lumens.

[Graham F]

Hey Adam that may be the case got my NU20 for a good price and bingo the very next week the NU25 came out. Wouldn’t swap the 20 for the 25 at this stage.

[tkkn c]

How much does the NU25 really weigh with the head strap that it comes with?

It is advertised at 28g, but all the post above have a higher weight.

How comfortable are the headstraps you made?  Thanks

[Author]

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