Nitecore NU25 MCT 400 Lumen USB-C Rechargeable Headlamp (Headband, Black)

Nitecore NU25 MCT Review: A 50-Gram Headlamp With Warm, Neutral and Cool White

A headlamp is the light that goes where you look, which makes it the most useful light in a camp kitchen at the moment you're reading a recipe, checking whether the chicken is done or digging through a dark drawer. The Nitecore NU25 MCT is a very light one. Nitecore lists it at 50 g including the headband and bracket. Its distinguishing feature is in the name: MCT stands for multiple colour temperatures, and the NU25 MCT can switch its main beam between 3000K warm, 4500K neutral and 6500K cool white, with a separate red light for night vision. It reaches 400 lumens and charges over USB-C in about an hour and a quarter.

What the Amazon link sells: the listing titled "Nitecore NU25 MCT 400 Lumen Lightweight USB-C Rechargeble Outdoor Headlamp with Multiple Color Temperatures Warm Natural, Cold Lights and Red Light (Headband, Black)", part number NU25 MCT (ASIN B0DY2FNZCN). That's the standard version with a fabric headband. Nitecore also sells an NU25 MCT UL with an ultralight cord headband, and earlier NU25 versions with fixed colour, under separate listings. When we checked, Amazon showed this listing in stock.

This review is research-based. VanLifeKitchens doesn't test products hands-on. The specs come from Nitecore's product page and the Amazon listing.

Choose this if:

• You want a light, comfortable headlamp for kitchen tasks, evening walks and moving around camp.
• You'd like warm light for cooking and eating, and cooler light when you need contrast outdoors.
• You want USB-C charging and a fast recharge.

Skip this if:

• You want a headlamp that can run on spare AAA batteries. The NU25 MCT has a built-in 700 mAh battery; the Black Diamond Spot 400 runs on AAA cells.
• You need long runtimes at high output. Nitecore's maximum runtime is 45 hours, at just 6 lumens.
• You need a submersible light. Nitecore rates the NU25 MCT IP66, not for immersion.

What it is

The NU25 MCT is a small polycarbonate headlamp body on a bracket and headband. Inside are two dual-core MCT LEDs that Nitecore calls UHE (ultra-high efficiency), behind a single-piece faceted optical lens, plus auxiliary red LEDs. Two buttons, shaped differently so you can tell them apart by touch, control it one-handed. Nitecore lists:

• three main colour temperatures: 3000K warm, 4500K neutral and 6500K cool white;
• four brightness levels, three special modes and two red-light brightness options;
• 400 lumens maximum, a 132-metre maximum throw and 4,351 cd peak beam intensity;
• a built-in 700 mAh lithium-ion battery with a USB-C port and power indicators;
• IP66 and impact resistance to 1 metre;
• a lockout mode, to stop it switching on in a bag.

Nitecore's own explanation of the three colours is straightforward: warm cuts through fog, rain and snow; neutral is for general tasks; cool white is bright and high-contrast. Red preserves night vision.

Specifications and sources

What isn't published. Nitecore's product text doesn't give a runtime for each brightness level, a CRI, the tilt range of the bracket or a warranty term. The Amazon listing gives a 2-year manufacturer warranty. The Amazon listing quotes a 144-yard throw, which is the same as Nitecore's 132 metres.

Energy, our estimate. A 700 mAh cell at a typical 3.7 V nominal holds about 2.6 Wh. Recharging it from a house battery through a USB adapter takes about 3 Wh, roughly 0.25 Ah at 12.8 V. It's one of the smallest loads in a van.

How it fits a van or camp kitchen

Warm light for cooking. Most headlamps are cool white, which is crisp but makes food look grey and bounces harshly off steel counters and pans. The NU25 MCT's 3000K mode is closer to household lighting, which is easier on the eyes in a small van and kinder to the people you're cooking for. Switch to neutral or cool white when you need detail outdoors, such as finding a dropped tent peg.

Low modes matter more than 400 lumens. In a van, a headlamp at full brightness is far too much: it reflects off cabinets and dazzles anyone you look at. Lower levels and the red light are what you'll use most for cooking, reading and moving around at night. Nitecore's 45-hour maximum is at 6 lumens; at higher outputs it runs for much less. Without Nitecore's per-level runtimes, plan to recharge every few evenings of moderate use and keep the USB-C cable in the galley drawer.

Charging. USB-C, at about 1 hour 15 minutes from Nitecore's figure with a 5V/0.5A source, means you can top it up from a power station, a 12 V USB socket or a power bank while you eat. The van kitchen power budget guide shows how small USB loads fit into a day.

Weight and comfort. At 50 g with the headband, it's about half the weight of the Petzl Actik Core at 88 g. That's noticeable on a long evening, or on a run in the morning.

Weather. IP66 means dust-tight and protected against powerful water jets, so rain and splashes at the sink are fine. Don't submerge it.

Safety. A headlamp is a good companion to a fuel-burning stove used outdoors, because it lights the controls and flame without you holding a light. Don't lean over a burner with a headband trailing, and keep fuel-burning appliances outdoors where their manuals say so. See the van cooking safety guide.

Care

Wash the headband now and then, as kitchen grease and sweat build up in the fabric. Use lockout mode when it's in a bag or drawer, so it doesn't drain itself by switching on. Lithium cells dislike heat, so don't leave it on a dashboard in summer; the summer van kitchen guide covers heat and batteries. In freezing weather the battery delivers less, so keep it inside the living area overnight. Our cold-weather van cooking guide has more on lithium in the cold.

Limitations

• Built-in battery only. No AAA backup; when it's flat, you recharge.
• Short runtime at high output from a 700 mAh cell. Nitecore's 45-hour figure is at 6 lumens.
• No per-level runtime, CRI or warranty term in Nitecore's product text.
• IP66, not rated for immersion.

How it compares

• Petzl Actik Core: brighter at 625 lumens, with a rechargeable CORE pack that can be swapped for AAA cells, and Petzl publishes full ANSI/PLATO FL 1 runtimes. It's heavier and has one colour temperature. See Petzl Actik Core vs Black Diamond Spot 400.
• Black Diamond Spot 400: AAA powered, IPX8 submersible, and good for wet kitchens and long trips without charging. It's heavier and cool white only.
• Ledlenser ML6 Warm Light and Fenix CL26R Pro: lanterns to light the whole counter. Most cooks want a headlamp and a lantern.

Verdict

The Nitecore NU25 MCT is the lightest headlamp on this site and the only one that lets you pick warm, neutral or cool white. Nitecore's figures back it up: 400 lumens at most, 3000K, 4500K and 6500K plus red, 50 g with the headband, USB-C charging in about 75 minutes, IP66 and 1 m impact resistance. The trade-off is its small 700 mAh built-in battery, with the 45-hour maximum only at 6 lumens and no published per-level runtimes. If you charge often and want a light, comfortable headlamp with kind light for cooking, it's a good fit. If you want AAA backup or submersion, look at the Black Diamond Spot 400.

FAQ

What does MCT mean on the Nitecore NU25 MCT? Multiple colour temperatures. The main beam switches between 3000K warm, 4500K neutral and 6500K cool white, and there's also a red light.

How bright is it? Nitecore rates it at 400 lumens at most, with a 132-metre throw and 4,351 cd peak intensity.

How long does the battery last? Nitecore gives a maximum of 45 hours at the 6-lumen ULTRALOW level, from a built-in 700 mAh battery. Runtimes at higher levels are much shorter.

How long does it take to charge? About 1 hour 15 minutes over USB-C with a 5V/0.5A adapter, per Nitecore.

How much does it weigh? Nitecore lists 50 g (1.76 oz) including the bracket and headband.

Is it waterproof? Nitecore rates it IP66, which covers rain and splashes but not submersion.

Sources and verification

• Nitecore, NU25 MCT product page: features (dual-core MCT UHE LEDs, 3000K, 4500K and 6500K plus red, 400 lm, 132 m throw, 4,351 cd, four brightness levels, three special modes, two red levels, 700 mAh built-in battery, USB-C, lockout, IP66, 1 m impact resistance, PC body), 45-hour ULTRALOW runtime, 1 hour 15 minute charge at 5V/0.5A, 50 g weight and dimensions. https://www.nitecore.com/product/NU25 (checked 2026-10-13)
• Amazon product listing for ASIN B0DY2FNZCN, the listing this review links to: title (Headband, Black), part number NU25 MCT, 400 lm, 144-yard throw, 1.76 oz, 45-hour runtime, IP66, contents, 2-year warranty wording, availability (checked 2026-10-13)
• Figures for other headlamps and lanterns are from this site's reviews linked above, which list the maker pages they checked.