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Nitecore NU43 vs Petzl Nao RL

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

Nitecore NU43 is the lighter option — 29 g lighter than the Petzl Nao RL (20% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
Spec Nitecore NU43 Petzl Nao RL
Weight 116 g · 0.116 kg · 0.26 lb 145 g · 0.145 kg · 0.32 lb
Brand Nitecore Petzl
Category Lighting Lighting
Nitecore NU43
116 g

Lightweight USB-C rechargeable headlamp with 1400 lumen max output, spot and flood beams and an IP68 rating.

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Petzl Nao RL
145 g

High-output 1500-lumen rechargeable headlamp with Reactive Lighting that auto-adjusts brightness to the surroundings.

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Nitecore NU43 vs Petzl Nao RL: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Nitecore NU43 wins — at 116 g it is 29 g (20%) lighter than the Petzl Nao RL (145 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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