Last year, Nitecore put a new emphasis on "flat light" with its EDC27. And while the compact torch isn't the only flashlight to take on a slim, remote control-like form, it does offer one of the best all-around light-to-slimness ratios we've seen on the market. After a little LED and electronics tinkering, Nitecore has bested itself with the EDC25, a slightly lighter flashlight that fires out the same 3,000 lumens but with more throw, intensity and overall runtime.
Pull out the most accurate scale, and the EDC25 is only a touch lighter than the EDC27. Given that the latter is already a barely-there fifth-pocket torch with loads of power, it's impressive nonetheless, especially with the accompanying performance boost.
At 5.4 x 1.2 x 0.54 in (13.7 x 3 x 1.4 cm), the EDC25 measures so close to the EDC27, it's hardly worth pointing out the 1/2 millimeter of body thickness it loses or the 3/4 millimeter of length it gains. The 20 grams of lost weight is enough to mention, though, and the EDC25 checks in at an even 104 g (3.67 oz).
The more impressive part of the EDC25 design is that it loses those grams while maintaining or bettering key line items in the spec sheet. The 3,000-lumen turbo boost mode equals that on the EDC27, while the maximum throw increases by over 200 feet to 984 feet (300 m). Peak beam intensity checks in at 22,500 candela compared to 12,200 candela on the EDC27.
The 25 trades out the dual Luminus SST40 LEDs of the 27 for a pair of UHi 20 LEDs. The 1,700-mAh battery loses 15 minutes of estimated runtime at 1,000-lumen max brightness, for a claimed 1.5-hour rating, but gains estimated runtime on lower settings, offering over four hours at 200 lumens, 14 hours at 65 lumens, and 55 hours at 15 lumens. The 200-lumen time is 30 minutes more than the EDC27, while the latter two are hours more than the EDC27's respective 11- and 37-hour estimates.
To prevent overheating from all those hot-firing lumens, Nitecore stretches the heat dissipation plate nearly the full length of the body, giving the light close to 2,000 sq mm of dissipation area to spread and shed heat. The EDC25 features front and rear aluminum alloy shells with a carbon fiber chassis, a lightweight construction Nitecore says resists compression, twisting and bending.
Still not seeing enough differentiation between EDC25 and EDC27? What if we tell you the EDC25 comes in $15 cheaper at US$74.95? The one possible minus that accompanies the price drop is that the 25 trades out the fancy, little OLED display for a simpler set of colored LEDs, but who really needs an OLED to tell them what setting the light is in or how much battery power is left?
What we really like about both the EDC25 and 27, and ultra-slim flashlights in general, is the flat, pocketable form factor that promises to sit more flush against the leg, making walking more comfortable than the traditional cylinder torch. Perhaps it's not a huge deal, but we've never really loved carrying cylindrical flashlights in a pants pocket and aren't really into clipping them outside, so this seems like a solid alternative.
And even if you disregard the overhyped turbo mode, 1,000 lumens is a nice amount of instant flash to carry comfortably outdoors, around the job site or wherever you might need it.
The video below provides a closer look at the EDC25 and includes some illumination footage.
Source: Nitecore