Nitecore NU27 Review | CleverHiker

Bottom line

Nitecore might not but be a family title within the United States, however they’re shortly making waves within the headlamp area with their light-weight, extremely practical, and inexpensive choices on this market. The NU27 is one among Nitecore’s latest choices, and it initially caught our consideration due to its distinctive set of options. Most notably, the flexibility to regulate the colour temperature of the sunshine. Users can toggle between heat white, impartial white, and funky white gentle, with 5 brightness ranges obtainable for every coloration temperature. This makes the NU27 an extremely versatile headlamp choice.

Weighing 1.98 ounces, the NU27 simply barely qualifies as ultralight, nevertheless it nonetheless matches into our ultralight class. Its 600-lumen output creates a vibrant beam with a throw that outperforms many costlier headlamps. The NU27 has the perfect weight-to-brightness ratio of any headlamp in our lineup, making it a superb selection for ultralight hikers, runners, and thru-hikers.

The NU27 presents distinctive worth, delivering spectacular brightness and light-weight efficiency. However, it’s not with out quirks. We discovered the dearth of a reminiscence perform a bit irritating because it resets to the bottom impartial gentle setting every time it’s turned off. The beam additionally isn’t ideally suited for flood lighting and has some flare-like artifacts across the edges. That mentioned, for what it presents, it’s a high choice for its weight and performance. Overall, the NU27 is an thrilling new headlamp from Nitecore. Wondering if the NU27 is best for you? Check out our complete assessment beneath and discover our Best Headlamps Gear Guide to see the way it compares to the competitors.

Illumination & Light Quality

When it involves general illumination, the NU27 impressed us probably the most. The headlamp has a lumen score of 600, however as we regularly level out, lumen rankings don’t all the time inform the total story. For instance, the Petzl Actik CORE additionally has a 600-lumen score, however when examined facet by facet, the NU27 seems considerably brighter. Interestingly, the “high” setting on the NU27 is rated at solely 400 lumens.

The extra 200 lumens are activated in turbo mode. This means the NU27 is brighter than its score suggests. We have been additionally impressed with the throw of the NU27’s beam, which outperforms even a few of our favourite headlamps with related lumen rankings.

That mentioned, there may be room for enchancment. The beam is considerably spotty, and we’d prefer to see a flood perform added in future fashions or at the least improved floodlighting general. The headlamp additionally produces some odd lens-flare-like artifacts close to the sides of the beam, which could be disorienting at occasions. Additionally, the colour rendering isn’t the perfect, that means the NU27 doesn’t do a superb job of precisely reproducing coloration throughout all three coloration temperature settings.

Overall, the NU27’s illumination exceeded our expectations, whereas the sunshine high quality is usually mid-tier however passable.

Burn Time

The burn time of the NU27 is a blended bag, although principally optimistic general. Compared to a few of our high performers, it’s on the decrease finish, however when in comparison with different ultralight headlamps, it’s on par and even barely higher than its opponents. Thanks to the ultralow perform, you may rise up to 57 hours of sunshine per cost underneath ideally suited circumstances. However, the ultralow perform solely gives 6 lumens, making it appropriate for round camp however inadequate for on-trail use.

From there, burn time decreases considerably: about 13 hours on low, 6.5 hours on medium, and simply 3 hours on excessive. Nitecore doesn’t present a burn time for the turbo setting, however in our expertise, the battery drains shortly, and you may count on not more than an hour on turbo. That mentioned, the excessive setting is vibrant sufficient for many actions. Real-world burn occasions will range based mostly on the settings used and the way lengthy they’re engaged. Overall, whereas the upper settings carry out nicely, we’d prefer to see higher burn time from the low and ultralow settings.

Weight

Weighing simply 1.98 ounces, the Nitecore NU27 nice for ounce counters. While not absolutely the lightest in our testing pool, it ranks among the many high three ultralight choices. It is ideal for ultralight backpackers, path runners, or anybody seeking to reduce pack weight. Any headlamp underneath two ounces is a strong selection for these aiming to scale back gear weight. 

The light-weight design is particularly noticeable throughout long-term use, because it minimizes fatigue. We discovered it simple to overlook the headlamp was even on our heads, whether or not throughout an evening hike on the Colorado Trail or working within the entrance vary. The lowered weight means much less pressure, making it simpler to benefit from the process at hand.

While lighter headlamps can be found, the NU27 strikes an awesome steadiness between its low weight and general brightness.

Comfort

Ultralight headlamps could be tough to judge for consolation. While they’re not inherently uncomfortable, weight financial savings are usually prioritized over consolation, particularly when in comparison with heavier headlamps. Ultralight fashions usually use fewer supplies, leading to much less padding and strap materials, generally impacting consolation.

That mentioned, we discovered the NU27 to carry out very nicely when it comes to consolation. Naturally, weight performs a major position—much less weight in your brow results in a extra comfy expertise throughout extended use. Despite missing heavier, softer supplies, the light-weight, balanced design helps reduce fatigue, making this a headlamp you may put on all evening.

Nitecore does a great job of minimizing plastic-to-skin contact, though some uncovered plastic stays on the again of the headlamp physique. We additionally discovered the strap extra comfy than the shock-cord fashion straps usually discovered on ultralight headlamps. The strap options air holes to reinforce breathability.

Ease of Use

Similar to different Nitecore headlamps, the NU27 is designed with dual-button performance. On the highest of the headlamp physique, there are two buttons. The bigger button is the facility button, which turns the headlamp on and off and adjusts the general brightness when it’s on. The smaller button is the mode button, which cycles by means of the headlamp’s three coloration temperatures and accesses the crimson gentle perform.

Headlamps with a whole lot of options usually have a little bit of a studying curve, however we have been ready to determine most capabilities throughout our first use with no need the directions. However, we did seek the advice of the directions to discover ways to entry the particular modes (SOS, Beacon, Slow Flashing). Unlike some directions with poorly thought-out illustrations, Nitecore gives clear,easy-to-understand instructions.

The charging port is simple to entry, and attaching the cable is easy. The strap is simple to take away, and the included pocket clip attaches simply as nicely, although eradicating the clip can really feel a bit tough with out the priority of breaking it.

Our predominant criticism is that the buttons’ small dimension and low profile make them troublesome to press with medium to heavy gloves on which was a problem for us throughout chilly evening hikes within the mountains.

Features

The options of the Nitecore NU27 are one other standout facet. As we’ve talked about, the NU27 lets you change between three completely different coloration temperatures. While coloration temperature is a matter of non-public choice, these choices additionally enhance visibility in numerous environmental circumstances.

The heat gentle (3000K) is less complicated on the eyes and works nicely in foggy or wet circumstances. Neutral white (4500K), the commonest coloration temperature discovered on headlamps, presents a extra pure gentle for on a regular basis actions. Finally, cool white (6500K), although a bit harsh, enhances visibility in out of doors environments. You can even choose from 5 completely different brightness settings throughout all three coloration temperatures. Additionally, the crimson gentle perform presents two brightness settings.

Beyond that, the NU27 consists of SOS and Beacon modes, USB-C charging, a battery life indicator, and a locking characteristic. The field additionally incorporates a diffusing stuff sack, which lets you use the headlamp as a lantern, in addition to a clip that may exchange the strap.

While the options of the NU27 are a significant plus, the number of brightness ranges and lighting modes would profit from the addition of a reminiscence perform. This would prevent from having to reset the colour temperature and brightness every time you flip the headlamp on and off once more.

Should You Buy Nitecore NU27?

The Nitecore NU27 presents glorious worth, offering spectacular illumination, versatility, and options in a surprisingly inexpensive, light-weight bundle. Its considerate options—equivalent to the flexibility to pick a number of coloration temperatures, as much as 5 brightness ranges in white gentle mode, two brightness ranges in crimson gentle mode, USB-C charging, a battery life indicator, and a locking characteristic—improve its versatility.

At 2.98 ounces, with a 600-lumen max output and spectacular beam throw, the general brightness-to-weight ratio makes this a strong selection for ultralight backpackers, informal evening hikers, hunters, runners, dawn-patrol skiers, and extra. The low worth level and flexibility additionally make it a superb choice for all informal out of doors actions.

What Other Headlamps Should You Consider?

If you just like the NU27 however need different choices as nicely, try these fashions or the remainder of our lineup on the checklist of our favourite headlamps:

Nitecore NU25 UL Review: The NU25 UL is a favourite among the many ultralight neighborhood for its low worth level and lightweight weight. While it’s just like the NU27, it lacks some key options discovered within the NU27. However, the NU25 UL saves you four-tenths of an oz. and $8.

Petzl Bindi Review: If ultralight is what you’re after, then the Bindi is price a glance. While you’ll be sacrificing options and illumination, the Bindi weighs a mere 1.2 ounces, saving you eight-tenths of an oz. in comparison with the NU27.