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Nitecore NU21 vs Nitecore NU25

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

Nitecore NU21 is the lighter option — 8 g lighter than the Nitecore NU25 (15% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Nitecore NU21 Nitecore NU25
Weight 44 g · 0.044 kg · 0.10 lb
as listed, bracket and headband included, built-in battery
 52 g · 0.052 kg · 0.11 lb
Brand Nitecore Nitecore
Category Lighting Lighting
Nitecore NU21
44 g

Ultralight USB-C rechargeable headlamp with 360-lumen white and auxiliary red beams, built for running and minimalist hiking.

See it in your base weight → Full details →
Nitecore NU25
52 g

Ultralight 360-lumen rechargeable headlamp.

See it in your base weight → Full details →

Building a pack? Add either one to your HikeLoad list, or drop its weight into the base weight calculator, and see what it does to your total weight.

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Nitecore NU21 vs Nitecore NU25: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Nitecore NU21 wins — at 44 g it is 8 g (15%) lighter than the Nitecore NU25 (52 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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