Next Generation Workhorse! – NiteCore NU33 Headlamp Review
As many are aware of, my go to headlamp for countless years has been the NiteCore NU32; it’s a workhorse, performs well, but wasn’t perfect.
The NU33 headlamp builds upon the overall design of the NU32 and corrects the issues that it had.
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NiteCore NU33
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Stats :
Includes : Headlamp, USB-C Charging Cable, Headband
Output : 3 Modes : Primary White flood, Auxiliary White throw and Red
Primary White
MODE OUTPUT RUNTIME
Turbo 700 lumens 4 hr
High 200 lumens 9 hr
Mid 60 lumens 38 hr
SOS 700 lumens
Beacon 700 lumens
Auxiliary White Light
MODE OUTPUT RUNTIME
Low 50 lumens 47 hr
UltraLow. 6 lumens 147 hr
Auxiliary Red Light
MODE OUTPUT RUNTIME
Constant-On 13 lumens 26hr
Slow Flashing 13 lumens 50hr
Max Lumens : 700 Max
Max Throw : 147 yards Max
Max Runtime 147 hours
Spread : 100°
Battery : 2,000mAh li-ion
Materials : aluminum body, Plastic back, rubber buttons
Dimensions : L-2.45″ x W-1.81″ x H-1.4″
Weight : 3.3oz with strap
IPX Rating : IP66
Dust-tight and protected against strong jets of water. Not capable of immersion
Impact resistance to 3.2ft
Price : $50
Features :
Reflective headband
USB-C Charging
15% smaller than the NU32
Power indicator
Lockout mode
Integrated battery
Review Pros :
Good number of modes
Plenty of Illumination
Good battery performance
Good overall mode Runtimes
Good Spacing between modes
Battery life indicator
USB-C Charging
Fast Charging – 1.5 hours
Excellent charging port cover – the NU32 cover absolutely sucked and barely worked
Comfortable
Not heavy but still solid feeling
Easy to operate
Good button sensation even with medium thickness gloves
Review Cons :
Head strap comes loose over time
Non-removable battery may be a con for some
Lack of a dimming option for the red mode – it’s bright which I like but there are times when a lower setting would be beneficial
Summary :
After running this headlamp for the last couple of weeks I have to say that I really like it. It doesn’t have any glaring problems, the performance is good, the weight is good and the price is also good.
To be honest, after reviewing the terrible NiteCore UT27 I wasn’t sure that I would take a look another one of their headlamps….seriously, that headlamp was absolutely terrible but being that I liked the NU32 so much I gambled on this one and I’m pleasantly surprised.
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Sticking with my Boruit RJ3000.
Might not be as lightweight with 2 18650 batteries in it but the light output on it is insanely bright compared to this
Ive been using nu32 and thinking of upgrading to olight perun 2 mini but i end up with nu33 tested and trusted 💪
Little t’s like their 33’s
Do you have a recommendation on battery operated handheld flashlights? You’ve probably already done videos on these I’m just trying to figure out which ones they are
Got nu17; any successor with Usbc and same red light modes?
just bought 2
Hello friend, I love your videos, especially the flashlight ones are very good, for the same reason I miss seeing more of your reviews, since many new models have come onto the market, I am a fan of fenix, that’s all please, greetings from Chile 🇨🇱 a big hug.
such an improvement over the NU32 (which I also own and like)
Strap stays good on mine, no adjusting needed. Thanks from Holland
Great review. Can you recommend something like this but with brighter flood light?
I’m going to pick it up to try it out at work.
Built-in battery?!? A headlamp for a trip to the mountains or camping is pointless. When it runs out, we have to wait for it to recharge 🤣. In addition, with the current ecology, built-in batteries should be banned, because it is waste production.
Great video, thanks for your hard work!
Thank you for your great review 👍
Just bought a NU33, after comparing it with petzl arctik core and black diamond storm 500r in a shop.
Went fishing this night and what can I say ?
For me it has everything a headlamp needs to have👌😎
If you once got used to the redlight of the NU33, you don’t want to use a different redlight.
Only negative aspect about it…
After you used it you don’t want to take it off 😬
I can recommend the NU33.
Have you tried the black-diamond headlamps? They solve all of the issues of this headlamp
Great video
I’ve been using the nu32 for the last 3-4 years as my work headlight. Extremely satisfied with the thing! I’m an elevator technician and many times it happens that i use up all the life of the battery in a day. So I came across this review for the newer model nu33.
I’ve been watching your videos and like the honesty in your reviews. One of them, persuaded me to get my Osprey backpack.
Anyhow, on the headlight again. You say that it only puts out 200lm on the high setting. Do you have a comparison with the nu32 on this feature?
Because i mostly use it on high (not turbo) and i need the thing to last at least 6-7 hours.
Thank you for your videos!
Greetings from 🇬🇷
Thank you. I really need your thoughts and I use them often when it comes with camping and outdoor. This light sounds fantastic. Not just because of the modes and what all the modes give me but the run times are VERY important to me. I will probably buy this light. I am pausing a little because of the strap having to be adjusted all the time. If that comes a problem, Possibly I can put the light on a different strap. Thanks again.
i did find interesting headlamp on aliexpress it was very cheap at about 8euros and in the end i like it even more then my go to 150euro headlamp… it is a cob light that cover almost 180deg with 40 leds and also heve a small "long range" lamp at full power it last only about 1,5hours but iluminate everything you need
MUCH appreciated for the honesty! I own a couple Nitecore products and it’s definitely hit or miss with them. I gave away my P30i long range light, due to the terrible dead spot in the middle of the beam. It did however, have excellent modes. Absolutely love my P10iX though!
Отличный обзор и отличный фонарь! Спасибо!
"and my review begins now" lol
NU33… loose head strap is a complete deal breaker and the non-removable battery makes it a poor choice for anything away from a charger. The lightweight of this unit is offset by the necessity of a power bank.
Black Diamond is the workhorse…proven and true in the elements.
Nitecore is my go to for lighting. I have must of them and they work perfectly for me.
I was using an NU35 which was great, only con was the plastic hinge eventually broke. Everything else was great, it had 2 levels of brightness for the red light, you could charge it via the USB port AND had the option of using 3 AAAs in it. I never used batteries but the option was a great backup. Now trying to decide to get another 35 or maybe this one. The hinge would probably be ok but I’d have to be more careful with it.
bought a Naturehike headlamp. It has no Redlight-mode (very usefull for soldiers). max 220lm and microusb charging port — all for 20$
How does this compare with the nu25?
I’d always prefer removable batteries . Have two petzl Tikka torches . They cost me less than £50 total on a deal . With my rechargeable batteries I get plenty of light for my needs ,& should I ever get an issue with a light, I just swap over to the second unit .
I’ve used this model for years doing crew work . In fact I still have an older model of this unit , which is still going after approximately 8 yeas of use .
The led is definitely dimmer now , but has been astonishing value .
Built-in Battery… No go for me.. Have to be easy to change to new battery.. or very little work you can change it to semi normal battery like wuben knight lamp.. Only thing what I will have with build-in battery is phone.. And I hate that too.. changed from 2 phones and looks like just getting more hard to change. Like to see old style easy to change battery back. Or semi easy.. I use everything so long that build in battery’s are just very dead in the end and have to stop using it. Even old lamp is good to go when you just pop new battery in.. Hate this build to last just short time stuff.. Like to see more from dad to son. We can do better but making money easy and fast too high agenda in many company’s.
It needs a Sasquatch mode, greater than 700 lumens, to finally find those suckers as they throw rocks at you! 😂😂
Costco sells a great 3 pack of duracell headlamps for $15
I was gifted the NU33 headlamp for fathers day. I work as a graveyard night shift Security Guard lock up and unlocking of my local parks, it’s an awesome headlamp for sure and will ask for a second one for Christmas. It’s a 10 star rating for me. Just absolutely love it. Comfortable to wear and very light weight.
Nitecore sucks they make cheap plastic garbage only good as long as they keep replacing it under warranty then when the warranty is up ur screwed cause the plastic parts break repeatedly
Hey, is that stable enough for mountain biking?
Keen until you said the head strap don’t work/ needs constant adjustment…. means its not fit for purpose
What do you do when you’re in the middle of the storm and the battery dies?I will never, ever ever use a flashlight with rechargeable battery.If it won’t in a pinch , take aaa , double a something! A rechargeable only battery is a recipe for disaster.
It would be great if they offered a non-branded head band for starters. If they want me to be a walking advertisement, they can pay me for my services. I’m shocked the head band doesn’t say North Face and Fruit Loops.
I’ve never seen the NU33, but I own 2 HC65 headlamps by Nitecore, and from my research the HC65 seems to beat the NU33 in nearly every way. The 65 is much better at getting wet. It uses common replaceable rechargeable batteries. It is lighter than the NU33. The HC65 is my favorite flashlight ever, and I’m a bit of a nerdy flashlight nut. Maybe you would like the NU33 better, but it might be worth researching the HC65, or the V2 version of it, or the HC68.
Non-replaceable battery = no no.
thanks for ur review .
I don’t like how big it is. I love my NU25, that thing is a champ, long lasting, nice beam, I forget it’s on it’s so light.
I don’t mind nitecore as a company but there’s someone on the YouTube’s who actually tests lumin’s on lots of torches and nitecore doesn’t miss the mark that much but I’d class nitecore more of a builders brand then a campers brand as they’ll do a job just they’re far from perfect
The NU33 is quite a bright Headlamp plus a Ton of feature but it has one major drawback, the Brightest Lamp goes bad after some time it became a strobe with a very short flash gap I thought it was a real strobe but its actually not its the lamp that goes bad I bought another cheaper model with some almost the same feature like different level of brightness and the red light and what do you know after some time the same problem occurred the brightest spot light became a strobe with the same short gap flashes, so I went for a different brand I went for a SILVA 400 Lumens and currently testing it I hope it will not have the same problem
thanksss man, nice review, imma looking this type of headlamp
My old nitecore that I’ve been trying to find a replacement for just totally stopped working just now. And I used it every night broke 2 of the hinges and the first time they replaced. They said I could replace it again but I’m trying to find another. The battery is pretty degraded after years. Oh yes and the headstrap must have lost a piece or something cause it never stayed tight.
I have the NU25 ultralight in my EDC carry pouch. Works very well.
Nu32 Nitecore = 550 lumens / Usb C rechargeable / 330 hours using the built-in rechargeable battery /Amazon $80 cad
Nu33 Nitecore = 700 lumens / Usb C rechargeable / built in battery / Amazon $ 87 cad
I’m looking at the OLIGHT options for a Headlight.
Any suggestions wide beam head lamps ? I have gone throe near every wide beam on amazon and the LED’s break easily and battery’s start failing fast.
Olight is the way to go. Note core is trash.
I’m good with my stream light head band light. Thing lights up my entire neighborhood 😂