Nitecore NU25 MCT UL Review: A 47-Gram Headlamp With Three Color Temperatures
The Nitecore NU25 MCT UL is a rechargeable headlamp that weighs 47 grams with its bracket and headband. It’s the current, third-generation NU25, released in 2025. Its headline feature is a white light you can switch between three color temperatures: warm, neutral and cool. It also has a red light, charges over USB-C, and tops out at 400 lumens. This Nitecore NU25 MCT UL review covers what the light does on paper, using Nitecore’s official manual, and what other reviewers found.
Methodology: This review is research-based: specs come from Nitecore’s official manual and product page, and observations come from named independent reviews, not our own measurements.
Disclosure: No affiliate links here, and Nitecore gave us nothing. Clever Backpacking’s only cash income is reader donations and gear sold in our own shop. A Zpacks referral banner elsewhere on the site earns us points toward discounted Zpacks gear (not cash).
Quick verdict
The NU25 MCT UL is a very light, simple-to-charge headlamp with more light options than most lamps its size. The color choice is useful in practice: warm light for fog or a shared tent, cool light for seeing farther down the trail. It’s a strong fit for camp, tent and easy night walking. The small battery and the cord headband make it a weaker pick for long nights of hiking on high output.
Key takeaways
- Light: 47 g (1.66 oz) with bracket and headband, per Nitecore.
- Three white color temperatures: 3000K warm, 4500K neutral and 6500K cool. Nitecore lists the same output and runtime for all three.
- Long low modes: 45 hours at 6 lumens, and 26 hours on the 5-lumen red light.
- Short top mode: 400 lumens is rated for 2 hours 40 minutes from a 700 mAh built-in battery.
- Controls and strap divide reviewers: some find them easy, others fiddly.
How we reviewed the NU25 MCT UL
Specs, outputs and runtimes come from the Technical Data table in Nitecore’s NU25 MCT UL manual, tested to ANSI/PLATO FL 1-2019. Price comes from the Nitecore Store. Performance claims are attributed to their source, and citations are in Sources.
Nitecore NU25 MCT UL specs
Per Nitecore’s manual and product page.
| Spec | NU25 MCT UL |
|---|---|
| Weight | 47 g / 1.66 oz (bracket and headband included) |
| Light sources | White at 3000K, 4500K or 6500K; red |
| Max output | 400 lm |
| Max throw / intensity | 132 m / 4,351 cd |
| Battery | 700 mAh, 3.85 V Li-ion, built in (about 2.7 Wh, our estimate) |
| Charging | USB-C, about 1 h 15 min at 5V/0.5A |
| Standby | about 12 months |
| Water / impact | IP66 / 1 m impact resistance |
| Size | 60.0 × 33.0 × 25.7 mm (bracket included) |
| Special modes | SOS, beacon, red slow flash; lockout |
| Colors | Black, Yellow |
| Price | $36.95 (Nitecore Store, October 2026) |
Output and runtime by mode
| Mode | Output | Runtime | Throw |
|---|---|---|---|
| High (white) | 400 lm | 2 h 40 min | 132 m |
| Mid (white) | 200 lm | 5 h | 94 m |
| Low (white) | 60 lm | 13 h | 51 m |
| Ultralow (white) | 6 lm | 45 h | 13 m |
| Red High | 15 lm | 10 h | 7 m |
| Red Low | 5 lm | 26 h | 4 m |
| Red slow flash | 15 lm | not listed | — |
| SOS / Beacon | 400 lm | not listed | — |
The white figures apply to all three color temperatures.
Light and color temperatures
Instead of separate spot and flood settings, the MCT UL uses one main white beam that you can switch between three color temperatures. Reviewers at Backpacking Routes and The Trek suggest warm (3000K) for fog, rain and snow, neutral (4500K) for general use, and cool (6500K) for the most visibility. Live For The Outdoors’ tester liked warm white at 60 lumens in the tent because it was easy on the eyes and didn’t blind tentmates, and cool white at 400 lumens for seeing farther down the trail.
The beam is wide rather than tightly focused. A BudgetLightForum tester measured a color rendering index just under 70 on all three settings. That’s typical for small headlamps, but it’s not a high-CRI light.
Runtime and battery
The 700 mAh battery is small, which keeps the lamp light. On paper, High lasts 2 hours 40 minutes, Low lasts 13 hours, and Ultralow lasts 45 hours. Live For The Outdoors found the 2 h 40 min High rating about right, after which the lamp dropped to a 6-lumen reserve level rather than shutting off. As with most small headlamps, treat High as a burst for route-finding and use Low or Mid as everyday settings.
Four small blue lights on the front show the remaining charge. On trips longer than a few nights, plan to recharge from a power bank.
Controls
Two buttons of different shapes sit on top. Per Nitecore’s manual:
- On: from off, hold Power 1 s for neutral white Low.
- Off: hold Power or Mode 1 s.
- Brightness: with a white light on, tap Power to cycle Low → Mid → High.
- Color temperature: with a white light on, tap Mode to cycle neutral → warm → cool. (After warm, if you wait over a minute, the next tap goes straight back to neutral.)
- Ultralow: from off, double-press Power.
- Red light: from off, hold Mode 1 s for Red Low; tap Power to switch Red Low/High.
- Special modes: from any state, double-press Mode for SOS; tap Power to cycle SOS → Beacon → Slow flash; double-press Mode again to go back.
- Lockout: from off, hold both buttons 2 s (flashes 3 times). Hold both 2 s again to unlock into neutral Ultralow. Plugging in to charge also unlocks it.
- Battery check: from off, tap Mode; the 4 blue indicators light for 2 s.
There’s a lot to remember, so read the manual before your first trip.
Headband, weight and fit
The UL version uses a thin reflective cord headband with a lock adjuster instead of the wider strap on the standard NU25 MCT, which saves a few grams. A small pad on the bracket keeps hard plastic off your forehead, and the lamp tilts through five steps. The light unit detaches from the bracket, and Nitecore includes a translucent storage sack that diffuses the light so the lamp can hang as a tent lantern.
At 47 g, it barely registers on a gear list. If you’re counting ounces, add it to the Clever Pack Builder as base weight; our ultralight base weight guide explains why small items add up.
Charging and weather resistance
The lamp charges over USB-C under a rubber cover. Nitecore rates a full charge at about 1 hour 15 minutes at 5V/0.5A. BudgetLightForum’s tester measured about that, while Live For The Outdoors reported just over 2 hours with the supplied cable. The IP66 rating means dust-tight and protected against strong water jets, but not submersion.
What other reviewers say
All five reviews below cover the NU25 MCT UL. Most older NU25 reviews cover the 2022 NU25 UL, which had separate spot and flood beams and a different battery, so we’ve left them out.
- Treeline Review (uses affiliate links): Tested the MCT UL on a winter thru-hike of the Ouachita Trail and on trips in the San Gabriel Mountains. Liked the light weight, the value for the price, the easy tilt and USB-C charging, and found its output fairly comparable to heavier lamps. Criticisms: short runtime on High, a headband that isn’t very comfortable, and confusing mode switching. Treeline also says the lamp can’t run while charging.
- The Trek (Hugh Owen, May 19, 2025; the light was donated for review; uses affiliate links): A long-time first-gen NU25 user who found the MCT UL light and comfortable, with an easy-to-adjust cord strap and buttons distinct enough to tell apart on the head. Liked the color options and longer battery life. The only con listed is that tariffs could raise the price.
- Backpacking Routes (Hugh Owen, April 30, 2025; the light was donated for review): By the same author as The Trek’s review, with very similar findings. Praised the light weight, the color options for fog, reading and night hiking, the distinct buttons, and the cord strap, which he found as comfortable as his old headband. The only con listed is possible tariff price increases.
- Live For The Outdoors (Matt Jones; the site may earn commission from links): Called it impressive for its size and well suited to fastpacking and ultralight backpacking, and praised its power for the weight and its SOS and strobe settings. Criticisms: controls take time to learn, the small buttons are hard to use with gloves, the cord can cause pressure points, and the limited comfort and burn time make it a poor choice for long night hikes.
- BudgetLightForum measured test (roma58, April 7, 2025; the light was sent by Nitecore for review): Published runtime graphs (not summarized here) and measured charging at about 1 hour 15 minutes. Measured color rendering just under 70. Noted the interface takes some learning, and the buttons need a firm press. Concluded it’s an excellent, very light headlamp for trips where weight and space are tight.
Who it’s for
Consider the NU25 MCT UL if you: – want a headlamp under 2 oz for camp, tent and easy trail use – like choosing warm light for fog or a shared tent and cool light for distance – carry a power bank anyway and don’t mind recharging
Look elsewhere if you: – night-hike for hours on high output or travel in technical terrain – want simple one-button controls – prefer a wide, padded strap for all-night wear (the standard NU25 MCT has a wider headband)
The model it replaces
The MCT UL replaces the 2022 NU25 UL, which US retailers often sold as the “NU25 400 UL”. That model had separate 5500K spot and flood beams and a 650 mAh battery. If you have the older lamp, its figures differ from the ones above.
Price
The NU25 MCT UL lists for $36.95 at the Nitecore Store, in black or yellow (checked October 17, 2026). Prices at other retailers can vary.
Related reading
Sources
- Nitecore, NU25 MCT UL user manual: https://www.nitecore.com/storage/images/manual/nu25MctUl.pdf
- Nitecore, NU25 MCT UL product page: https://www.nitecore.com/product/nu25ul
- Nitecore Store, NU25 MCT UL listing (black and yellow, $36.95): https://nitecorestore.com/products/nu25-multi-color-usbc-lightweight-headlamp
- Treeline Review, Nitecore NU25 MCT Series Headlamp Review: https://www.treelinereview.com/gearreviews/nitecore-nu25-mct-headlamp
- The Trek, Nitecore NU25 MCT UL Headlamp Review (Hugh Owen, May 19, 2025): https://thetrek.co/nitecore-nu25-mct-ul-headlamp-review/
- Backpacking Routes, Nitecore NU25 MCT UL Headlamp Review (Hugh Owen, April 30, 2025): https://backpackingroutes.com/nitecore-nu25-mct-ul-headlamp-review/
- Live For The Outdoors, Nitecore NU25 MCT UL head torch review (Matt Jones): https://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/hiking/accessories/nitecore-nu25-mct-ul-head-torch-review/
- BudgetLightForum, Review: Nitecore NU25 MCT UL Headlamp (roma58, April 7, 2025): https://budgetlightforum.com/t/review-nitecore-nu25-mct-ul-headlamp/228220