Fenix HL18R-T vs Nitecore NU35

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Fenix HL18R-T is the lighter option — 38 g lighter than the Nitecore NU35 (48% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.

Spec	Fenix HL18R-T	Nitecore NU35
Weight	42 g · 0.042 kg · 0.09 lb	80 g · 0.080 kg · 0.18 lb
Brand	Fenix	Nitecore
Category	Lighting	Lighting

Fenix HL18R-T

42 g

Ultralight 500-lumen rechargeable headlamp for trail running.

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Nitecore NU35

80 g

Dual-power 460-lumen rechargeable headlamp that runs on a built-in Li-ion pack or three AAA batteries for backup runtime.

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Fenix HL18R-T vs Nitecore NU35: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Fenix HL18R-T wins — at 42 g it is 38 g (48%) lighter than the Nitecore NU35 (80 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest lighting page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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