Samuel Scicluna Photography

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Nitecore NU32 Headlamp

Samuel Scicluna

Nitecore has taken the photography industry by storm in the last couple of years. They make all sorts of batteries, flashlights, powerbanks, chargers and USB power hubs. They became popular with their chargers for pencil batteries (AA and AAA), but then ventured into making lightweight and portable chargers for most camera batteries.

I have had the Nitecore NU32 headlamp for 6 months now, and prefer it to all the previous headlamps I have used (Including Sunrei, Silva and Petzl). It has been everywhere with me, including a trip to the Dolomites, Rome, Wales and Iceland.

Some of the features of the NU32 Headlamp:

  • Max output of 550 lumens with up to 124 meters of range

  • 3 different output types: White LED Main beam, Red Auxiliary LEDs, High CRI Auxiliary LEDs

  • 4 brightness levels and 2 special modes (SOS and Beacon) of white light

  • Compact design and super lightweight (Less than 100 grams)

  • 60 degree tiltable angle

  • Micro-USB rechargeable built-in battery

  • Impact resistant upto 1 meter

Technical Specifications:

  • LED Type: CREE XP-G3 S3 LED

  • Maximum Brightness: 550 lumens

  • Peak Beam Distance: 124 meters

  • Peak Beam Intensity: 3900 cd

  • IP Rating: IP67

  • Impact Resistance: 1 m

  • Weight 99.5 Grams

Quality

The NU32 is built to last! The body of the headlamp feels solid and well built. It is made of PC composite plastic and is super lightweight, weighing in at under 100 grams with the head band. I was immediately impressed with the quality of the product, the dust cover on the NU32 seals well and ensures that dust and water are kept out, in fact, this headlamp is IP67 rated. The buttons have good positive feedback and feel like they are high quality. The headlamp is designed to resist impacts of upto 1 meter in height.

Performance

The NU32 has performed flawlessly for the past 6 months, it has become my go to headlamp and is always in my camera bag. It charges quickly using a Micro USB cable, this is really convenient as it all my other devices use Micro USB inputs. I have charged the NU32 with a wall charger, power bank and car charger, all result in a full charge in a short time.

I use headlamps for 2 main reasons, hiking at night and setting up my camera for astrophotography. The NU32 is so lightweight and comfortable that I can easily see it being used for a night time run, bike ride or even climbing.

Run times:

Special Features

Lockout mode: To avoid headlamp turning on in bag, this simple feature has been one of the best ones on this headlamp. The number of times I have had previous headlamps switch on whilst rolling around in my bag and wasting the battery is more than I care to count, but this simple feature helps avoid this happening.

60 Degree angle: The headlamp can be tilted upto 60 degrees up and down to ensure that you aim the light where you want (Whether it is down on the trail infront of you for a night hike, or straight ahead when looking for landmarks.

Comfort

The NU32 has a thick and adjustable elasticated-strap. The strap is slightly wider than previous head lamp I have used, making it more comfortable to wear. The strap also works well when mounted to a helmet for exploring caves, Ice Caves and even if scrambling in gulleys.

Pros

  • Super bright headlamp at 550 Lumens

  • Well Built and IP67 Rated

  • Long run time when using Medium brightness (50 Hours)

  • Micro USB charging cable which is common with other products

  • Lightweight and can fit in any pocket

  • Included charging cable is high quality

  • Lock Out mode to prevent accidental activation

Cons

  • Does not include emergency whistle built in to headband as some other high level headlamps do

  • Internal battery cannot be replaced so the whole unit would need to be change when the battery fails

Conclusion

The NU32 is a high performance rechargeable headlamp and is well priced compared to competitor products. It is lightweight and compact and is always in my camera bag. It can be charged whilst on the go with a powerbank and has a runtime better than most other headlamps. It is comfortable to wear and easy to use.

Nitecore products are available from Photo Images Malta

Note: This review is not sponsored and is based entirely on my opinion and experience using the Nitecore NU32 Headlamp. Although I am a Brand Ambassador for Nitecore, I always ensure that my reviews are impartial and a true reflection of my experience using these products. Although I have 3 other headlamps in my office, this is the one which is always in my bag purely because it performs the best from my experience.