Nitecore NU05 Headlamp Review

Here’s the Nitecore NU05 headlamp, a multi-emitter headlamp with a thin, lightweight headband. This light has a built-in cell and a charging.

Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the Nitecore NU05 Headlamp product page.

Versions

Just one version!

MSRP

$14.95 for just the light, $19.95 for the kit. The kit includes all the stuff you’d want (headband, bike mount, USB cable).

Short Review

This is a great fun little light. The user interface could be a bit better, and I think the green emitter is underutilized. But it’s a fun thing to have!

Long Review

The Big Table

Nitecore NU05
Emitter:	Unspecified (Red secondary)
Price in USD at publication time:	$14.95
Cell:	Internal
Turbo Runtime
LVP?
Switch Type:	E-Switch
Quiescent Current (A):	?
On-Board Charging?	Yes
Charge Port Type:	micro-USB
Chargetime
Power off Charge Port with no Cell?	–
Claimed Lumens (lm)	35
Claimed Throw (m)	–
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	13lux @ 1.356m = 24cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	9.8^
All my Nitecore reviews!

^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.

What’s Included

Nitecore NU05 Headlamp
Headband
Bike mount
USB cable
Manual

Note: The product I received is the kit. The non-kit has only the light itself as far as I can tell.

Package and Manual

Typical black and yellow Nitecore package here, with a window to see the tiny NU05.

Here’s a pdf of the manual. I’m really glad Nitecore provides those! Lots of manufacturers don’t. The manual is just fine, especially since there’s not much to this light as far as warnings and the like. It’s a very simple unit.

I’m not sure if the lockout was a late addition or what, but my package came with this slip of paper:

Nice that there’s a lockout! This information is included in the manual itself, too, though.

Build Quality and Disassembly

It’s a plastic headlamp. Those often get dumped on, but honestly, I quite like many of them. This one has great build quality – it seems to use the same type of plastic that is used in the Nitecore F1/F2 (i8, etc). And I believe the front and back are sonically welded together. They could be separated, sure, but I believe that’d be a permanent separation.

The micro-USB port is well covered, with a rubber boot. The boot stays in place nicely and is appropriately sealed.

Size

The NU05 is a small light with a small output.

Dimensions:
Height ─ 29.5mm (1.16″)
Width ─ 30.3mm (1.19″)
Length ─ 16.3mm (0.64″)
Weight: 10.4g (0.37oz)

Below is the NU05 with a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin.

Retention

There are two ways to hold this light. As a headlamp, on the provided headstrap. This is a thinner headstrap than usual. The light is easy to get on and off the strap – it just slips in the hook on the back. It’s secure, though, and I can’t imagine a scenario where it’d accidentally fall off the strap. The strap is highly adjustable and has a squeeze adjustment, too. It’s actually a very nice strap.

There’s also a bike mount. The mount itself can be left on the bike, as seen below. Then the NU05 can be put on and off easily (easier than getting the NU05 on and off the headstrap, for what that’s worth).

This would be a nice setup as a rear light on a bike. The red flasher is fairly bright. It’s not a light you’d use as a front light on a bike, though. The white light just isn’t direct enough (whether it’s bright enough or not).

Power

The NU05 is powered by a “120mAh” internal cell. This is a pouch cell and is not removable – only rechargeable via micro-USB.

Here’s the runtime on the white light, solid output. It’s respectable and seems to actually trend upward throughout the runtime. There is a hard drop-off once the cell is depleted, and the light shuts off.

Charging

Charging is also very solid, at 1C. Just 0.12A charging may seem low, but remember this is a small cell. I find this to be acceptable, and also note that the rated 120mAh cell actually looks to be a fair bit higher than 120mAh.

User Interface and Operation

There’s a single silicone clicky in the center of the front of the light. Maybe not the best place but certainly good for aesthetics. It’s positively clicky and low-travel. It’s actually a nice fidget.

The user interface is very simple. The modes always cycle from secondary red, primary reds slow flash, primary reds fast, white slow flash, and white solid. To cycle the modes, one must click quickly – wait too long and the next click will turn the light off. The only other thing one can do with the user interface here is hold for 1s to lock out (or unlock) the light.

These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.

LED and Beam

There are 6 emitters in this light. Nitecore doesn’t really go into detail on what the emitters are. Two of these (not the main 4) are used as charging indicators. They are red and green. The green is used only as a charging indicator (unfortunately!). Then there are two ‘primary’ reds, which are used for slow flash and fast strobe. And finally, the two white emitters, which have a slow flash and a steady on mode. The beam on all modes is completely flooded. There’s no focus whatsoever. In fact, the beam is so diffuse on all the modes that the only light that would show up in my normal beamshots is the solid white, and even then, just barely.

Conclusion

What I like

Size and shape
Small headband
Bike connector is included with the kit

What I don’t like

Underutilized green emitter
Beam shape is only useful for very close applications

Notes

This light was provided by NitecoreStore.com for review. I was not paid to write this review.
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