By: Greg Chabot

Photos Sasha Steadman

Note: Nitecore provided the test sample prior to public release.

Nitecore was established in 2007 with the goal of bringing innovative and industry-leading products to the market. It has been a rising force in the industry for the past 16 years. Recently I was contacted and asked if I had interest in testing their recently released NPL25 weapon-mounted light. Always looking for new products to test, I said yes and patiently awaited the samples’ arrival by snail mail. If you have been following me, you know I tend to run gear into the dirt, weapon lights included. My go-to weapon light is a Streamlight TLR-1 that I have been running hard for years.

Features and Specs

The NPL25 is a compact design with a rechargeable 500mAh Li-ion battery that is detachable with a maximum output of 900 Lumens and beam distance of 255 meters. Maximum constant on time is 35 minutes. NPL25 dimensions are 2.20”x 1.30” x 1.26” with a total weight of 2.33 oz. Battery is recharged via the included magnetic recharging cable. The battery pack is removable and has a light that displays charge strength. The switch is ambidextrous and easy to reach with constant on or momentary activation. The rail stopper is adjustable and is compatible with Glock and 1913 rail systems. The light is impact rated for 1 meter with a water resistance rating of IPX6. The NPL25 is constructed of aero-grade aluminum alloy with a hard-anodized finish. My hat is off to Nitecore for keeping it simple.

Testing

The big test for weapon-mounted lights is a round count from various weapon systems as lights tend to get “shot apart” with use. I used a variety of weapon systems to test this light, calibers ranged from 9mm to 7.62×51 NATO for a round count of around 2k. Yes, I know this size light isn’t practical to use on a rifle. I was more interested in seeing how it would handle the shock from a SOCOM 16 than practicality. I threw the NPL25 in the air multiple times and let it hit the ground. The height didn’t affect the operation of the light. I also left it in a bucket of water for a few hours with no ill effects.

On the range the light performed well with no issues while shooting low-light drills. The light was still visible after a 500-round session with no damage to the lens after cleaning. Heat from the various weapon systems didn’t cause any issues. Overall, I was impressed by this light, it held up to abuse and extended range sessions. I would have no qualms with using it for CCW purposes. The test of time will be a factor and I will continue to use the NPL25 and report back if it fails in the future with a higher round count. MSRP for the NPL25 IS $89.95 USD, which isn’t bad in my opinion. The Nitecore rep did say molds will soon be available for holster makers.

See you in the woods!

https://www.nitecorestore.com/NPL25-900-Lumen-Rechargeable-Compact-Flashlight-p/fl-nite-npl25.htm