NU20 Classic 360 lumens Ultralight Headlamp

I spent a lot of time searching for the perfect head lamp. This is actually my second attempt to find what I needed after I discovered my previous favorite was prone to turning on when getting jostled around in a pack pocket and being dead when you need it. The NU20 Classic has been great so far. PROS * Lightweight * Instant on to Red * Reasonable battery life * Bright enough for most of my needs * Control Lock * Small and comfortable CONS * 3 seconds of button holding for the control lock feels like an eternity when trying to unlock it. Wish it were half that time. MEH * The elasticord head band isn't as bad as I was expecting, but a regular strap might be less tangly when crammed in a crowded pack pocket. * A bit expensive, but worth it if this is the last head lamp I ever have to buy UPDATE 10/18/26- I have now used this headlamp for a bunch of trips and have a few things to add to this review- all good. If I could update my review from 5 stars to 6, I would. This headlamp accompanied me Philmont on a 12 day backpacking trek and I didn't have to recharge it at all- the battery life was impressive. I mostly used it on low, but had a few occasions to crank it up and was impressed with how much light it could put out. On a dark night, it was able to light up the reflectors on my tent guy lines from 300-400 yards away across a featureless field to help guide me back to camp. I also appreciate the small size and light weight. The light can be crammed into my hip belt pocket along with knife, compass, lighter, lip balm and other assorted stuff. My previous lights were much bigger and took up much more space. I still think I would prefer a traditional headband, but the shock cord works well enough.

Honestly, it’s excellent on all accounts without even taking into consideration its absurdly low price point. I’m giving it high marks for comfortability, ease of use, brightness, length of charge, and its light weight. Factoring in its cost, and this is probably one of the best value:cost ratio purchases I have made in 5 years.

This light is very small and lightweight making it perfect for backpacking. It has separate buttons for the white light and for the red light. This is great since you don't have to cycle through the white light to get to the red light. There are multiple brightness settings. The low white setting is perfect for finding things in the tent at night. It has just enough light and doesn't use a lot of energy. I used it on a five day backpack and had energy to spare. It seems to be well made and durable. The small elastic cords that make up the headband are surprisingly comfortable. I have a big head and the headband fit me fine. I'm usually pretty cheap and wouldn't usually pay $25 for a flashlight. This one was worth it, however.

Excellent product - like most nitecore stuff. Has several levels of brightness, enough for most work. Recharges with USB-C (yay no more micro usb!). Headband is good. Overall lightweight. Battery life better than most similar ones we have tried. Includes a short charge cable, but most any usb cable will work ok.

I needed a lightweight and packable headlamp for my 80 mile backpacking trip in Italy, and this was literally perfect. It packs so small and literally weighs nothing, and it still super bright and comfortable to wear. Highly, highly recommend for backpackers in search for a lightweight and good headlamp.

It will b a 5 if it is durable. Very small. Fits in pocket easily. Separate button for red— a great thing. Light seems strong enough for all my uses.

Lots of good design ideas. It is super light weight and compact. The headband goes over and on the side of the head and is so comfortable I forget it is there. The headband glows in the dark so it is easy to find. The headband is elastic so it can be used as a neck light as well as a headlight. It has an adjustable bracket for tilting the light at different angles straight ahead or down. It has two different bulbs; one for flood, the other for more direct light. It has both white and read lights. The white light has a super low 1 candle power beam which is great for close situations where you don't want to blind fellow campers and the super low still puts out enough light to read by and navigate by. The medium and high power are super bright for situations where you need super bright. There is a sensor that lets you know how much battery is left whenever you turn on the light. The battery lasts an amazing duration of up to 98 hours in low white mode (I have not tested and verified this yet but I believe it). The low beam read light lasts about 50 hours and is useful for in close situations where you want to save your night vision. It is rechargeable. It is fairly waterproof. It is my product of the year. After I bought my self one, I bought my wife and friend one as gifts because I was so impressed with the functionality. I saw this had good ratings from experts on youtube which is why I bought it and it was still better than I had expected. Good job Nitecore! You make another product and I will buy it.

Love how lightweight it is, and the battery life is about 4.5 hours on its highest setting. (This clip was from about hour 3 or 4 the clock lapped multiple times) THE LIGHT DOESNT DIM which I have had issues with with other headlamps this was a comparison against a coast XPH30R on its equivalent setting (coast lasted about 2 hours longer but way less comfortable and almost double the price of this one) If you are looking for a bright concentrated light (not such a wide light pattern) that’s supper comfortable, lightweight and won’t dim or die during projects this is an amazing headlamp!

Don't let the "Classic" name or the specs fool you: this headlamp is a massive letdown, especially at this price point. Despite the promising marketing, the actual product feels incredibly cheap and poorly made. The Material & Design: The construction is completely lacking. The polycarbonate material feels like flimsy plastic, and the overall design is tacky and unrefined. It feels more like a dollar-store toy than a piece of rugged outdoor gear. Fit & Comfort: The headband is frustrating to use. The strap is surprisingly difficult to adjust. For something advertised for running and backpacking, you'd expect a comfortable fit, but this feels awful. Beam Quality: The light output is highly impractical. Instead of casting a wide, usable flood to illuminate the path and space in front of you, the light angle is incredibly narrow. You just end up seeing a harsh circle of light right in front of your face, which ruins your situational awareness on a trail or track. The Verdict: Between the cheap build and the terrible beam profile, this is a total waste of time. To make matters worse, I now have to pay out of pocket for return shipping just to get rid of this toy flashlight. Save your money and look elsewhere. What a waste of time and money!