REVIEW – Sometimes a product is so universal that it’s hard to imagine it needs a manual. Headlamps fall into that category for me. They have batteries, LEDs and buttons to turn them on and off. What more is there to know? In the case of Nitecore and their NU25 headlamp… Quite a bit, and I’m impressed. Join me after the jump to find out more.

What is it?

Nitecore’s NU25 is a best-of-breed headlamp designed specifically for outdoor use. It’s slim, fits well and does what it’s designed to do very well. Read on.

Hardware specs

– Size: ~2.2″ x 1.4″ x 0.9″ including holder
– Weight: ~1 oz
– Lamp: CREE XP-G2 S3 LED
– Max Output: 360 lumens
– White Light: CRI ≥90
– Color Temp: 4500K
– Max Beam Intensity: 1650cd
– Max Beam Distance: 81m
– Battery: 610mAh Li-ion polymer battery
– Charging: Via micro-USB port

What’s in the box?

• Inside the refreshingly simple packaging are the following items.
• NU25 headlamp
• Elastic headband
• Micro-USB charging cable
• Instruction manual

Design and features

The NU25 is a very slim, rectangular headlamp. The low profile is a welcome feature as is the lightweight.

On the front, you can see the main light on the right and the auxiliary light on the left which provides both red and white lights independently.

Two buttons. White on the left and red on the right.

On the bottom is the Micro-USB port underneath the silicon tab

The holder pops off easily (but not too easily) for you to attach the headband.

Tuck it behind the lower section and then again under the top like so.

Here’s a look at the different angle indexes within the 60º range of motion that the interface between the holder and the module provides.

Feature list:
– Lightweight design specific to outdoor activities
– Built-in rechargeable battery
– White (4 levels) and Red (2 levels) light options
– 1 SOS flashing mode
– Button lock mode
– IP66 rating against water and dust ingress
– 60º of angle adjustment

Setup

Out of the box, setup is as simple two-step operation.
1. Connect the USB cable to the micro USB charging port to make sure the battery is topped off
2. Slide the headband into the guides of the pivoting holder and adjust to fit

Performance

This review has taken me longer to get to than any other one that I’ve worked on for a simple reason. It works so well that I pretty much forgot that I was testing it. Let me explain a bit more.

Our family includes two dogs. A big sweetheart great pyrenees/shepherd and a very loud beagle. They get wound up pretty quickly on walks and are very vocal with other dogs to the extent that we now do the extended walks at 6am and after 9pm. For the last couple months that means that it’s been really dark when we’re out for our stroll, and headlamps are the solution for us to see and be seen. We’ve got 3 or 4 headlamps that are pretty typical examples of what you might expect. They have a bright LED and take 3 AAA batteries each. The odd number of batteries makes for interesting charging as we like to use rechargeable batteries and a lot of chargers require charging in pairs. But I digress.

The NU25 is… easy to size adjust, plenty bright, very comfortable, lightweight and its battery lasts. As a result, it’s been going on my head every morning and every night and has become such a reliable part of our daily outings that it really slipped my mind that I needed to write a review. The second part of that is that it works so well that there aren’t any negatives that were gnawing at my brain to talk about. And lastly, I finally got around to reading the manual (something I didn’t think I needed to do) and learned about three new features that I didn’t even know it had.

When I first put the NU25 on I noticed that the band was threaded differently than most headbands I’ve used. It’s deceptively simple in that the adjustment slides effortlessly and then stays in place when on your head. This means that when not on your head the setting is likely to change. At first I was a little annoyed, but then I quickly realized how frequently I adjust the tension and it became one of my favorite features. The headband also has a thin strip of silicon printed on the inside of the band which helps to keep it right where you place it without being too tacky.

Next is the buttons. Really easy to press, and know you’ve pressed them. There are two buttons. One for the white light and one for the red. Each cycle through the different levels of each light. For white (off, level 1, level 2, level 3), for red (off, level 1, level 2). A cool intuitive feature you discover while using is that if you are idle on a setting for a bit (I generally use level 2), the next press will now turn it off. It’s a quick learning curve that you adapt to pretty much right away.

You may have noticed that the features bullets listed 4 levels for the white light. Here’s the first extra I learned reading the manual. A 1 second hold on the white light engages Turbo mode. This is full 360 lumens and will only run for 30 seconds to avoid overheating. The handy chart in the manual then explains the lumens for each level.  1 = 3 lumens, 2 = 38 lumens, 3 = 190 lumens. Here are photos to show what each of those looks like. I’ll update this post with a Turbo photo just as soon as I’m back from traveling, as again as I wasn’t even aware that it had a Turbo mode. I had just assumed the level 3 was 380 lumens.

The red light is a really useful feature for visibility without the harshness of a white light. Best use example is probably camping and needing to find something in your gear without waking up your tent mates. It’s also just very cool looking. Here are those two levels.

The next thing I learned from the manual (aside from remembering that I should always read manuals), is that there’s a button lock. To engage this, just press both buttons simultaneously. This is a great way to keep the headlamp from turning on while in your bag. Instead of turning on, it’ll just flash its status light once. Repeat the process to unlock the buttons again.

My last manual discovery was the SOS feature. A three second press of the white light sets off the well known ••• – – – ••• Morse code sequence. A very cool and potentially life-saving feature to have access to.

As for the battery, it just works. I was pretty used to charging batteries once a week and frequently finding a dead headlight when I needed it. With the NU25, it seemed very hard to kill the battery, and when it was running low, it would restrict access to the highest output white light first and then dim the 2nd level. It was pretty easy to tell that it was time to charge again which is a quick 2 hours to get back to full. Let’s wrap this review up.

What I like

• The ease of size adjustment
• The many lighting options
• Lightweight and comfort
• Great battery life

What needs to be improved

• Nothing that I could find

Final thoughts

It’s really uncommon to find products that work this well and this thoroughly thought through. As I mentioned earlier, this is now in the daily kit as a product I can 100% rely on without surprises. I’ll be picking up a second one for our daily dog rounds and probably a third to keep in my bike commuter bag.

Price: $36.95
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Nitecore.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight

Nitecore NU25 Headlamp review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2018 at 11:30 am.

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REVIEW – Open the case, my friend, and meet the tactical flashlight from Renogy. Not only does it look worthy of a spy movie, but it packs a lot of useful features in a budget-friendly package. Will it help you on your next mission? Let’s find out!

What is it?

It’s a portable tactical flashlight, with a beam that can be zoomed/focused. It comes with a rechargeable battery but can use regular batteries as well.

Hardware specs

• CREE XML T6 LED emitting chip delivers maximum brightness of 600-1200 lumens.
• Zoomable function, adjustable focus range up to 600 feet.
• Aviation grade aluminum alloy, that’s water and shock resistant.
• 5 light modes: high, medium, & low brightness, strobe and emergency SOS.
• 5.4 inches long, 1.6 inches wide, about 9 ounces total weight (flashlight only).
• Includes one 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
• Also compatible with three AAA Batteries.

What’s in the box?

The Renogy Outdoor Tactical Flashlight comes in a foam-molded travel box. It includes the flashlight with a lanyard, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a charging cradle & power brick fir the battery, and an adaptor for three AAA batteries. An instruction manual is also included in the kit.

Design and features

The Renogy Outdoor Tactical Flashlight is a tough little guy. It’s a small flashlight that’s easy to pack and carry, but it has a weighty, substantial feel in your hand. It’s built from aviation-grade aluminum alloy with a rock-solid build that’s meant to take drops and hard knocks. Given the size and durability, it’s ideal for outdoor use. It’s also got that all-black covert operations look if you’re into that sort of thing:

The plastic storage box uses molded foam inserts to keep all the bits and parts in one place. The box itself is 4-1/2″ by 8-1/4″ by 2″ deep, and will tuck nicely in a corner of your trunk or on your tool shelf. I hear the “Mission Impossible” theme in my head whenever I open it:

There’s a single rubberized on/off button on the butt-end of the flashlight for all operations. The business end uses a CREE XML T6 LED emitting chip delivers maximum brightness of 600-1200 lumens. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know all that much about flashlight bulb ratings, but I can tell you that it is surprisingly bright given it’s small size. 

You have 5 modes on this flashlight, activated by repeated pressing of the on/off button. The first three toggle through high/medium/low brightness with a steady beam. The fourth mode is strobe, with a continuing blinking beam. The is an “SOS” mode that blinks in a slow, repeating pattern that I assume indicates “SOS” (It’s been a while since my Cub Scout days). Cycling is engaged by repeatedly turning the flashlight on and off; it gets the jobs done, but it’s a tad inconvenient having to click away to get to the settings you want.

The flashlight also features a zoom/focus feature. The head of the flashlight slides like a telescope, as you can see in the pictures below. The total travel is about 1″ from fully compressed to fully extended:

In “normal” unextended mode, the light beam is opened wide. Here’s a shot of the beam in my garage at a distance of about 10 feet. It’s bright and powerful!

As you slide the head to zoom, it will focus and intensify the beam. The shots below were taken from the same distance with the same level of light power, changing the zoom:

The next pic shows the light at max focus. See how the beam now takes the shape of the square LED light chip? According to Renogy, this zoom level gives the beam a 600-foot range.

Not only is this flashlight powerful, but it is also rechargeable. The kit includes a 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The butt-end of the unit unscrews to insert the battery:

A charging dock and power brick are included in the package to recharge the unit. I’m doing some research into how long the battery will last under normal use, and I’m not having much luck. Given the LED chip light, however, I think it will go a long time between charges. I’ve had it for a month, and haven’t charged it once.

If you’re between rechargeable batteries at the moment, you also have a back-up system! The flashlight comes with an adaptor that will accept 3 AAA batteries, and can be loaded into the battery chamber in lieu of the lithium-ion option. That’s a nice feature in a pinch.

As far as general use goes, I took the Renogy Outdoor Tactical Flashlight on a camping trip back in August and it worked just fine. Plenty of powerful light in a small, compact package. The zoom feature was actually more useful than I thought, allowing us to focus the beam so that we didn’t irritate our neighbors on late-night trips to the camp washroom while enabling a wide beam mode when we needed it around our own site. The mode changing function is a but awkward, but a few quick clicks gets you to the setting you need.

If you choose to accept this mission, know that you’re getting a good price on the job! I am seeing this model going on Amazon Prime for under $20. That’s crazy good for a well-built flashlight that includes all of these components. It looks to me like a solid value.

What I like

• Durable, solid build
• Very powerful for a small flashlight
• Includes all the accessories you might need
• Convenient storage case for all the parts

What needs to be improved

• Switching between lighting modes is a bit klunky, but manageable

Final thoughts

It’s hard to go wrong with a package like this. A well built LED flashlight that’s powerful, long-lasting and rechargeable is a good item. When it includes the lithium-ion battery and all the other accessories at a price point under $20, it’s a bargain. We’ll see how it does over long-term use, but I think it’s a good one.

Price: $19.49
Where to buy: Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Renogy.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight

Renogy Outdoor Tactical Flashlight review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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REVIEW – Yes, that’s a flashlight submerged in a sink full of water. That’s the kind of thing we do! The Audew Multi-function Flashlight has multiple light functions, clips on metal surfaces with magnets, and can even charge your smartphone in a pinch. And it’s completely waterproof. It’s very handy to keep around. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a waterproof, rechargeable, multi-function flashlight that can also charge your devices. Did I mention it’s also submersible?

Hardware specs

• 9.4 inches long
• 8.5 ounces
• IP68 waterproof rating (submersible to 3 meters)
• Rechargeable lithium battery
• 5200 mAh capacity and built-in USB port for device charging
• Magnetic base for attaching to metal objects

What’s in the box?

The Audew Multi-function flashlight comes with the flashlight, a carry lanyard, and a USB-to-microUSB cable for charging.

Design and features

A lot of multi-function electronic gizmos are a mixed bag of performance, slapping all kinds of components together In a package that may (or may not) work as a whole. I’m happy to report that the Auley Multi-function Flashlight is NOT one of those. It’s all about lighting your way, and it does the job very well with a few bonus features that enhance it’s utility.

The baton-like form factor of the Audew Multi-function Flashlight is great to handle. It’s made from durable thermoplastics with metal caps and rubberized rings at each end that, along with the squared body, make it easy to grip. It’s also extremely lightweight at a mere 8.5 ounces and 9.4 inches long, so you can toss it in your glovebox or toolbox without adding all that battery weight. The vinyl leash is also handy for carrying around.

The Audew features multiple lighting modes, activated by pushing the rubberized button on one end. There’s a traditional flashlight mode with the bulb on the opposite end, and a bar-style light that runs the length of the body.

Flashlight mode is pretty straightforward. I caught this Tiki sneaking around my back yard…

The bar light features 5 different lighting modes: low/medium/high brightness white lighting, an orange bug-repellent light mode, or an emergency mode that alternates blue and red flashing lights. You can cycle through the modes with a click of the button, or press and hold the button to turn it off. You can go for 10-35 hours between charges based on which lighting mode you are using.

Here’s low and high white-light mode, useful for lighting up your campsite or work area:

Here’s “bug light” mode, which claims to repel mosquitos:

There’s also and emergency that flashes between blue and red. I was having trouble catching the switch on my camera, but it would be very useful to stick on the hood of your car if you were changing a tire in the dark:

In addition to multiple lighting modes, the Audew has a few more tricks that add to its utility. There is a pair of magnets side of the flashlight so that you can attach it to any metal object like a car hood or metal toolbox. There’s a D-ring on one end with a lanyard so you can hang it inside your tent, lash it to a tree branch, or attach near your workspace.

Here I have it attached to the door of my car. If you’ve got one of those all fiberglass bodies, it won’t help much… but you could attach it to any bit of metal:

It also has an IP68 waterproof rating, which means it is submersible up to 3 meters, both end caps are sealed so that you don’t have to worry about leaks. Drop it in a puddle, tie it to the side of your boat, get it wet… Audew doesn’t care. I dropped it in a sink full of water for 10 minutes, dried it off with a towel, and it laughed at me. Been using it ever since. I can’t say that about every “waterproof” electronic device I’ve tested.

The charging port is located under the cap with the control button. Unscrew the cap to charge the flashlight with the included USB to micro-USB cable. There’s also a USB port stashed there that you can use to charge your electronic devices. It’s rated at a 5200 mAH capacity. That won’t get you very far as a charging device (roughly 2-3 charges on your iPhone 6 at full charge), but it’s a great feature if you’re stuck in a pinch or lose power in the house (or car).

Performance

The Audew Multi-function Flashlight is a great little lighting multitasker that has a whole bunch of practical uses. I love this little guy as a general work light, especially for tight maneuvers like working under a sink. The waterproof feature is also great if that pipe just won’t stop leaking. We’ve all been there. Its solid construction will take some bumps and bruises if you have butterfingers as well.

I really like the idea of getting one of these for each of our cars as an emergency light. I tested the light at full charge and full bar-light brightness and got more than the 8 hours of rated run time before it faded. It will go longer in lower power modes, up to 35 hours in the low-light setting. Good to have in an emergency. That blinky red-blue mode would also be useful if I ran into a roadside issue.

We’ll be going on a camping trip in August, and I’m looking forward to testing it out in the great outdoors around the campsite. It doesn’t have a super-low light mode for use as a night light, but you can clip it to a carabiner at the tent peak for interior lighting. Not having to lug a bunch of replacement batteries in my gear bag will be a nice space saver, and I’ll be interested to see how the bug-repellent orange light mode works around the campfire. I’ll post updates on this as we test it. I also plan on testing this with my product photography over the next few months; the ease of handling and multiple hanging modes will make it ideal for adding background lighting.

All in all, it’s a great tool that also comes at a great price. You can pick one up for under 25 bucks on Amazon Prime. I’ll test the long-term durability over the next few weeks, but it looks like a keeper so far.

What I like

• Durable, lightweight, and compact
• Long-lasting charge
• Multiple ways to hang and carry
• Backup charging for your smartphone in an emergency
• Waterproof

What needs to be improved

• None to be seen so far!

Final thoughts

I really like the Audew Multi-function Flashlight. It’s mission-focused and has a set of nicely related functions that work well together. The tough construction is ready for some punishment, and the waterproofing means I can use it for all kinds of household projects and outdoor activities. I’m going to pick up several more of these for the house and the cars.

Price: $22.99
Where to buy: Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Audew.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Flashlight

Audew Multi-function Flashlight review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 6, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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