Nitecore® NU20 Classic USB-C Ultralight Headlamp

$24.95
(1 review) Write a Review
Selected UL Headband Color is
Adding to cart… The item has been added
  • 3 Sources – Primary White, Aux White, Red
  • Brightness up to 360 lumens, runtime up to 97 hours
  • 4 brightness levels + 2 rescue modes
  • Red light preserves night vision
  • High CRI auxiliary white light for close-up illumination
  • Integrated Li-ion USB-C rechargeable battery
  • Plug into a power bank battery to recharge
  • Featherlight – 1.14 oz (32.3 g) with Spiderlite UL Headband

 

Nitecore® NU20 Classic is the hiker-fav NU25 Original reborn and upgraded. Gone is the wide headband, replaced by a dual shock cord headband. The intuitive two button user interface is unchanged but bring on USB-C recharging and blue power indicator lights. Reduce weight further by adding a Litesmith® Spiderlite UL Headband for a featherlight 1.14 oz (32.3 g).

NU20 Classic is a USB-C rechargeable headlamp with three sources – Primary White, Auxiliary White, and Red. Primary White has four brightness levels up to 360 lumens and a runtime of up to 97 hours on low plus two rescue modes. Red preserves night vision, while Aux White is high CRI which is great for reading. Recharge by simply plugging into a power bank.

NU20 Classic provides 100˚ wide-angle flood illumination for outstanding night vision. The light tilts down up to 70˚ for reading or close-up work. The dual shock cord headband is comfortable and highly adjustable to fit your head, hat, or helmet but most prefer the simpler single shock cord Spiderlite UL Headband for reduced weight and easier on & off.

 

nitecore-nu20-classic-auxiliary-lights.jpg

 

In addition to the primary light, NU20 Classic also has two auxiliary lights – red and white. Red helps preserve night vision and won’t blind your friends. Use low during star gazing or night photography, high for gear organizing, map reading, or doing camp chores, or slow flash for a repeated short red flash to indicate caution. Auxiliary White uses a neutral white LED with high CRI ≥ 90 for more vivid, natural color and reduced eye strain. It’s great for short-range illumination, like reading a map.

CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measurement of how colors look under a light source as compared with sunlight. The index is measured from 0-100, with a perfect 100 indicating colors under the light source appear the same as they would under natural sunlight.

 

nitecore-nu20-classic-buttons.jpg

 

The headlamp has two buttons – POWER and RED (R). For Low light, short press POWER once. Within 3 sec, repeatedly press POWER to cycle from Low>Mid>High>Off. Cycle through levels to immediately turn off or after 3 sec, short press POWER to turn off. Alternatively, for Mid, press POWER twice, and for High press POWER three times. To enter Turbo mode, with the light turned on in any mode, long press POWER for 1 sec, and short press POWER to turn off. 

nitecore-nu20-button-functions.png

You can also access two rescue modes, SOS and Beacon. SOS repeatedly flashes SOS in Morse code (. . . ––– . . .) Beacon repeatedly flashes a single short flash. Hold down POWER for 3 sec to enter SOS mode. Pressing POWER within 3 sec again will change to Beacon mode. After 3 sec, short press either button to turn off.

For Auxiliary White, long press POWER for 1 sec to turn on and short press either button after 3 sec to turn off. For Red, short press RED for Low, then within 3 sec, repeatedly press RED to cycle from Low>Mid>Caution>Off. After 3 sec, short press either button to turn off.

Press both buttons at the same time to lockout NU20 Classic and prevent the light from turning on while in your pocket or pack. The headlamp flashes three times to indicate lockout. Press both buttons again to reactivate the headlamp and enter Low mode.

 

nitecore-nu20-classic-lockout.jpg   nitecore-nu20-classic-power-indicators2.jpg

 

NU20 Classic has a built-in, long-lasting 500 mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery that’s much more sustainable than AAA batteries. An intelligent protective charging circuit and a USB-C connection make it quick and easy to recharge. There’s no need to worry about running out of power or replacing batteries, just plug into a power bank, wall charger, computer, or car (USB cable provided). The light maintains full functionality while charging.

To see how much battery power is left, with the light turned off, press the RED button and blue power indicators will light up. One light indicates <25% left, 2 lights 25-50%, 3 lights 50-75%, and 4 lights 75-100%. Plug it in and the four blue lights will transition from flashing to steady, one by one, displaying the battery level. When charging is complete, the four blue lights will become steady on. It takes approximately 1 h 25 min to fully charge the battery. A rubber cover protects the USB-C port from dirt and moisture.

 

Compare Headlamps

Compare Nitecore NU25 Original Nitecore NU20 Classic
   Primary White, Low 1 lumen / 3.8 m / 160 h 1 lumen / 8 m / 97 h
   Primary White, Mid 38 lumens / 27 m / 8 h 38 lumens / 38 m / 7 h
   Primary White, High 190 lumens / 61 m / 5 h 200 lumens / 85 m / 5 h
   Primary White, Turbo 360 lumens / 81 m / 0.5 h 360 lumens / 109 m / 2 h
   Auxiliary White 20 lumens / 5.5 m / 6.25 h 20 lumens / 7 m / 7 h
   Red, Low 0.9 lumens / 68 h 1 lumen / 2 m / 53 h
   Red, Mid 13 lumens / 4 m / 7.75 h 13 lumens / 5 m / 12 h
   Battery 610 mAh 500 mAh
   Charging Micro USB USB-C
   Charging Time 2 h 1 h 20 min
   4 Power Indicators  No Yes
   Weight with Stock Headband 1.85 oz (52.5 g) 1.34 oz (38 g)
   Weight with Spiderlite UL Headband 1.17 oz (33 g) 1.14 oz (32.3 g)

 

 

Specifications

LED Mode Output (lumens) Runtime (hours) Beam Distance ft (m) Beam Intensity (cd)
Primary White Low 1 97 26 (8) 15
Mid 38 7 125 (38) 360
High 200 5 279 (85) 1822
Turbo 360 2 358 (109) 2963
SOS 360   358 (109)  
Beacon 360   358 (109)  
Auxiliary White   20 7 23 (7) 13
Red Low 1 53 7 (2) 1
Mid 13 12 16 (5) 5
Caution 13   16 (5)  

 

LED Type

     Primary White: NiteLab UHE LED

LED Color Temperature

     Primary White: 6000K, Cool White

     Auxiliary White: 4500K, Neutral White

Color Rendering Index (CRI)

     Primary White: CRI ≥ 70

     Auxiliary White: High CRI ≥ 90

Battery: Built-in rechargeable Li-ion, 500 mAh

Lighting Modes

     Primary White: Low/Mid/High/Turbo/SOS/Beacon

     Auxiliary White: Mid

     Red: Low/Mid/Caution

Beam Pattern: 100˚ wide-angle flood

Body: Polycarbonate, impact resistant

Angle Adjustment: 70˚

Switch: Top Power and Red buttons, rubber

Charging Connection: USB-C, side, rubber cover (USB-A to USB-C cable provided)

Charging Time: 1 h 20 min approx, fast charge

Standby Time: 12 months approx

Dimensions, Light with Bracket (LxWxH)

     NU20 Classic Headlamp: 2.05 x 1.30 x 0.96 in. (52.1 x 33.1 x 24.4 mm)

USB Cable Length: 20 in. (0.5 m)

Weight

     NU20 Classic + Spiderlite UL Headband: 1.14 oz (32.3 g)

     NU20 Classic (with Nitecore Dual Stock Cord Headband): 1.34 oz (38.0 g)

     NU20 Classic Light with Mounting Bracket only: 0.99 oz (28.1 g)

     Spiderlite UL Headband only0.15 oz (4.1 g)

     Nitecore Dual Shock Cord Headband only0.37 oz (10.5 g)

     USB Cable: 0.5 oz (14.3 g)

Impact Resistance: 3.3 ft (1 m)

Ingress Protection Rating: IP66, complete dust protection and high-pressure water jet resistant

Included

     1x Rechargeable headlamp with Nitecore dual shock cord headband

     1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 20 in. (0.5 m) long

     Optional: 1x Spiderlite UL Headband, choice of colors, installed*

    *Nitecore packaging will be opened to install Spiderlite UL Headband on mounting bracket prior to shipment.

 

User Manual

Nitecore NU20 Classic User Manual

 

 yellow-background-caution-100x20.png

  • Very bright light, to avoid eye injuries, DO NOT stare directly into the light and DO NOT shine the light directly into the eyes of others.
  • Keep away from children to avoid injury.
  • DO NOT use if battery is damaged to avoid fire or explosion.
  • Charge in or on a fire-proof surface to avoid possible injury. DO NOT charge unattended.
  • Charge only at temperatures between 32-113°F (0-45°C) to avoid permanent damage and possible fire or explosion during charging.
  • Recycle or dispose of properly according to local regulations at end of life, DO NOT dispose in fire or incinerator as battery may catch fire and explode.

In no event shall Litesmith, LLC be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, or special consequential damages, to property or life, whatsoever arising out of or connected with the use or misuse of its products.

1 Review Hide Reviews Show Reviews

  • 5
    Return of the Classic

    Posted by Thomas Reynolds on 8th Oct 2024

    Remember when Gandalf died and was reborn with USB-C? This is like that.