Nitecore NU25 UL Headlamp

[Drew Smith]

This thread is the official product listing for member gear reviews of this product. Add your review as a reply to help build the shared knowledge base. – Mods

BPL Listing ID: 2026-01-14 03:31:31 UTC / acde8e9f5f

[Drew Smith]

This is a very solid general-use lightweight backpacking headlamp. It is best used for doing camp chores and finding stuff in your sleeping area. It is adequate for night-hiking, but just adequate. If you do a lot of night-hiking, especially in rough terrain, you’ll want a brighter headlamp or a second light (or both).

Strengths:

• Lightweight (1.6 oz)
• Feature-rich: 3 brightness settings, night-vision-saving red light (I use this a lot).
• Long-lasting – rated at up to 45 hrs. I’ve never come close to running the battery down. But I try to avoid night-hiking.
• USB-C
• Luminous headband for when you forget to get your headlamp before it gets dark
• Simple operation

Weaknesses

• Headband is difficult to adjust
• Possible for light to turn on in pack. This has happened to me once.

Recommended 9/10Field performance 8/10Use again 10/10

My experience: Expert·Product days in field: 60

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

Backpacking Light affiliation: I work for Backpacking Light in a paid or official capacity (owner/shareholder, employee, contractor, or paid contributor), but I am posting this review as an independent user and its content was not reviewed or directed by others at Backpacking Light.

[Ray J]

Perhaps the NU25UL tested by the original poster, is different than mine.  Mine is several years old.  The NU25 has the elastic band.  I don’t have that.  The NU25UL I have, has elastic cords and a squeeze button to adjust the cords.

To turn my NU25’s (I do have several, older ones and the NU25UL) so they won’t be inadvertently switched on in a pack, you press and hold BOTH buttons down until the unit issues three flashes of white light.  That locks it.  Pressing the button’s then, as could happen in a pack, results in a single flash.  Doesn’t turn the unit on.  You must press and hold both buttons, wait for single light to illuminate which signals that the unit is back to “buttons active” mode.

Recommended 10/10Field performance 9/10Use again 10/10

My experience: Intermediate·Product days in field: 20

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

[John Brochu]

Ray, my model is exactly as you describe yours with the same headband adjustment and it also locks out the same way. Unlike the initial reviewer, I also find it perfectly suitable for night hiking and have used it without a problem for night hiking on multiple occasions without feeling that I needed more. For me it’s basically a perfect 3-season backpacking headlamp.

Recommended 10/10Field performance 10/10Use again 10/10

My experience: Expert·Product days in field: 70

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

[HkNewman]

Mine is the updated version with the cord headband above (except in black), and I love the performance for the weight.  It’s pretty much all the light I need for camp, but I’d trust it charged to provide enough light for an emergency night hike.  A couple nitpicks are the buttons are easy to confuse (often get white when I want red light) and I do not entirely trust the rubber dust covering the recharge receptacle.  Hope they keep improving the design so I can semi-retire this one for upgraded capabilities, as the Nu-25 worked so well I used it on neighborhood night walks .. then forgot it in a pocket when doing laundry. When I found it, the inside had droplets I could see in the lens.  I dried it in the Arizona sun where the droplets evaporated and the Nu-25 functioned again (no thanks to me).  Nicely robust is the morale of that tale fwiw.  Not sure how many more dunkings it has left though, so will look for the next upgrade.   Add waiting for a replacement to my lost unit, I bought a generic small headlamp, w/red lens, with decent weight stats, elastic headband … and immediately missed the Nu-25.

 

Note: I bought this for myself (well, actually bought twice as my original was dropped probably when hitching into a town).

Recommended 9/10Field performance 9/10Use again 8/10

My experience: Expert·Product days in field: 20

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

[Bill Brasier]

I’m mostly in line with the original reviewer and comments to date.  I definitely consider it adequate as primary headlamp on a planned nite hike as I carry an handheld too.   I have a 2025 model with traditional elastic headband.   Comfort 10/10.  Lighting performance 10/10.   User interface 7/10.  Quality – plastic carrier which interfaces light to strap and rests on your forehead broke on mine for no apparant reason.   Superglue seems to be working with only light around the house use since breakage.

Recommended 7/10Field performance 8/10Use again 10/10

My experience: Expert·Product days in field: 50

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

[Miner]

I have an older version that replaced a NU20 model. You can hike with it on good trail at night, but it isn’t my favorite for night hiking. I much prefer my flashlight that can be brighter or dimmer than the Nitecore headlamp allows.

I was always concerned with how long it would last for a long section if it was my only light. While you can recharge it, I prefer being able to carry a spare battery since my battery pack may struggle to keep my phone charge for a long section so I don’t need the extra drain. Having a light on your head means it needs to be brighter than held low in your hand, so when night hiking, I hold my Fenix flashlight down low on a lower brightness setting then the lowest one for the headlamp.

That said, I think it is a solid light and is a good choice for a primary light if you are sticking with good trails at night. Last year, when I needed to do some scrambling on rocks on the AT at night, where I needed to use my hands, I was really glad I had it.

Recommended 8/10Field performance 6/10Use again 9/10

My experience: Expert·Product days in field: 300

Disclosures

Obtained independently: I paid for this product or received it as a personal gift from someone not affiliated with the brand.

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