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Outdoors head-to-head

Nitecore NU25 ULvsPetzl Actik Core

Petzl Actik Core edges Nitecore NU25 UL, 8.5 to 7.6. The 4 axes split 3-1, widest on Durability at 1.8.

Nitecore NU25 UL

Nitecore

7.6

Forty-five grams with the cord on. You stop deciding whether to bring a headlamp at all.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Petzl Actik Core

Petzl

8.5

Rechargeable pack lifts out and three AAA cells go in its place. That slot is the whole point.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Durability, Petzl Actik Core ahead 8.2 to 6.4. They come closest on Value, 8.2 to 7.8. Left of center is Nitecore NU25 UL, right is Petzl Actik Core.

Nitecore NU25 UL versus Petzl Actik Core — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 4 axes. Bars for Nitecore NU25 UL run left from the axis labels, bars for Petzl Actik Core run right. Nitecore NU25 UL: Performance 7.0, Value 7.8, Durability 6.4, Design 9.2. Petzl Actik Core: Performance 8.6, Value 8.2, Durability 8.2, Design 8.8.Nitecore NU25 UL (left)Petzl Actik Core (right)PerformanceNitecore NU25 UL — Performance 7.0 out of 107.0Petzl Actik Core — Performance 8.6 out of 108.6ValueNitecore NU25 UL — Value 7.8 out of 107.8Petzl Actik Core — Value 8.2 out of 108.2DurabilityNitecore NU25 UL — Durability 6.4 out of 106.4Petzl Actik Core — Durability 8.2 out of 108.2DesignNitecore NU25 UL — Design 9.2 out of 109.2Petzl Actik Core — Design 8.8 out of 108.8Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Nitecore NU25 UL

Leads on Design.

  • Counting grams, where the alternative is carrying no lamp at all
  • Camp light, cooking, and reading rather than covering ground fast
  • A backup lamp that lives in the lid pocket permanently

Take the Petzl Actik Core

Leads on Performance, Value and Durability.

  • Trips that start on a charger and end somewhere with a shop that sells AAA
  • Mixed use — camp, night walks, an occasional run on the flat
  • You want a red mode that comes on without cycling through white first

What each one gets wrong

Nitecore NU25 UL

  • You want a battery you can swap or replace when it wears out
  • The lamp will be worn over a beanie or helmet on rough ground
  • You need the rated output to last, since 400 lumens is a short burst

Petzl Actik Core

  • The lamp will be out in sustained rain; IPX4 is splash, not weather-proof
  • You need a beam that reaches, rather than one that floods close ground
  • You object to a proprietary pack you will eventually have to replace

Specs, side by side

SpecNitecore NU25 ULPetzl Actik Core
Weight45 g with the elastic cord88 g
Max output400 lumens625 lumens (ANSI/PLATO FL1)
Battery650 mAh sealed cell, USB-C—
Water resistanceIP66IPX4
Max runtime45 hours on the lowest setting—
Power—CORE 1250 mAh pack included, or 3x AAA
Max burn time—100 hours on the lowest white setting

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Nitecore NU25 UL or Petzl Actik Core — which should I buy?
Petzl Actik Core leads on Performance, Value and Durability. If Design matters more to you, take the Nitecore NU25 UL instead.
Is 0.9 a real difference?
Barely. Nitecore NU25 UL averages 7.6 and Petzl Actik Core averages 8.5, and the total is the plain average of 4 axes, so 0.9 is what one axis moving 3.6 looks like after averaging. The axis split, 3-1, tells you more.
Which one ranks higher in "A headlamp's battery format constrains everything else"?
Petzl Actik Core sits at #1 in "A headlamp's battery format constrains everything else", Nitecore NU25 UL at #4.