NITECORE EDC37: 1 year daily use test
I’ve used the Nitecore EDC37 as my everyday carry flashlight for one year: here is what I found out with this prolonged test.
La Nitecore EDC37 con alcuni degli oggetti con cui si è trovata a condividere le tasche
I was curious about the Nitecore EDC37 after carrying for a long time various kinds of flashlights, since it offered a lot of cool features in a single, compact package with what, on paper, looked like a very nice and ergonomic set of controls.
I’ve tested enough stuff to know that what looks fine sometimes proves not so fine when put to actual use, and unforeseen snags can lurk in particular situations. This test has been no exception.
Writing a review after handling something for a few minutes, or testing it for a couple of days is a thing, writing an in-depth review after a year of actual use in all sorts of situations is another.
The Nitecore EDC37 is a compact flashlight meant for everyday carry, as the name implies, that boasts exceptional features.
With a maximum output of 8000 lumens, a maximum distance of 420 meters and over 44,000 candles of maximum beam intensity, all contained in 108.0mm x 39.3mm x 31.0mm (4.25" x 1.55" x 1.22"), the Nitecore EDC37 is a beast in terms of sheer power-to-size ratio, and while there are more powerful flashlights out there, the Nitecore EDC37 offers a uniquely versatile way of handling that power in a compact format.
Practical and easy to use
The flashlight with its accessories: a retractable lanyard to avoid losing it and a carabiner with paracord for a more solid kind of attachment
With a steel clip to secure it in your pocket, an OLED display that shows useful information like output power and remaining autonomy in useful terms like hours and minutes, instead of a vague battery percent, it allows the user to control the lighting via two simple buttons.
The main button allows the user to set the output choosing from 4 settings (15, 100, 400 and 1500 lumens), and to turn the flashlight on and off, or to switch it on temporarily at minimum output, a very useful feature for certain daily uses.
The mode button, flush with the flashlight back and larger than the main button, is easily found and, half pressed, turns on the “search” mode at 3000 lumens.
Push it fully, and the full power of the Nitecore EDC37 is unleashed: 8000 lumens in the Luminshield or the Strobe mode.
Let’s make it clear: 1500 lumens in the dark are momentarily painful to the eye even if you accidentally turn it on just to illuminate the environment. 3000 lumen allows you to search around in the open in a quarter mile radius and you don’t want to use it in a dark room at night. It hurts.
Defensive use
The two operating buttons of the Nitecore EDC37 are pratical and easy to use.
The full 8000 lumens turn a dark road in the woods to full daylight for a couple hundred meters in a 180° radius in front of you and, blasted straight into your eyes in a dark environment, are not “a powerful flashlight”: they are weapon-grade lighting, and that’s why it’s called “Luminshield”.
Aversion reflex is instantaneous and anyone looking directly into it will be functionally blind for several minutes, not to mention the pain, gaining precious seconds to set up a defense or get the hell out of Dodge.
The strobe function adds confusion and disorientation to the recipe.
Ergonomy is perfect, navigating the various features and power settings is very easy and, after little use, it becomes automatic.
Display side of the flashlight as new
The same flashlight after one year in a pocket with keys, knife and other unfriendly objects
A small "accident" and excellent customer care!
OPS! Here what happens when you accidentally unleash 1500 Lumens in your pocket for a few minutes. The pocket liner fared even worse.
Given the power involved, the flashlight comes with a safety switch.
The previous, EDC29 model, had a very prominent switch on the side and it was very easily disengaged. The EDC 37 has the switch on the face opposite the clip. Unfortunately, the switch still offers far too little resistance, and it is all too easy to accidentally disengage by simply brushing against it. I carried the Nitecore EDC37 in my 5.11 trousers knife pocket and I accidentally disengaged the safety switch and then pushed the activation button… at 1500 lumens.
I realized what had happened due to the intense heat against my leg, by which time the flashlight had burned a hole in the trousers. As said, 1500 lumens are already a lot of power by themselves.
I carried the EDC37 in my pocket with my keys and other stuff, and clumsily ended up breaking the glass window covering the display screen. This was good, because it was a perfect occasion to test Nitecore customer support, which was, easy, quick and flawless. I contacted the local importer, Coltelleria Collini, which acts as a distributor for Italy, and the small glass was promptly and easily replaced at a negligible expense.
In the end, I resorted to carrying the EDC37 in a sheath I made myself. There are several 3D printed options but, being old school, mine is made of leather.
This way the flashlight is always readily available and at no risk of accidental safety slider disengagement.
Clip side of the flashlight as new
The same flashlight after one year of hard use. Apart from some fading and a few scratches, it did really well.
Valutazioni finali
Right side with the rubber lid protecting the USB-C recharging port
One final small issue I’ve found concerns the silicon nitride glass breakers installed on the bezel: one of those got loose, unscrewed itself and I lost it. I still have the other three, but I suggest you put a bit of thread locker on them. The flashlight also comes with plain screws that replace the glass breakers, to prevent them from ruining your pocket lining.
As you can see from the pictures, my EDC37 has seen a lot of use, but it hold up very well, particularly considering I didn’t take particular care of it.
The 15 lumen and 100 lumen settings are the ones I’ve used more commonly, as these are the ones more suited to household usage.
The 400 and 1500 lumens settings are great when you need to search for something in the dark and want a really bright environment. I have used the 3000 lumen “search” mode a few times to find my dog in the bushes at night.
I thankfully never had reason to use the Luminshield function, nor I have tested it on someone, but I have tested it, after dark, by pointing it at the shiny white side of my washing machine and, even with such indirect action, it was painful and I couldn’t see for several seconds. I’d definitely wouldn’t want it to be pointed to my eyes directly.
Lighting color is quite natural and helps in giving a natural perception of what you see, very similar to daylight.
Battery duration is excellent, I’ve gone months without recharging the battery, given how I use the flashlight.
La parte frontale al nuovo
Uno dei frangivetro si è allentato ed è andato smarrito. Meglio usare una goccia di frenafiletti se li smontate e rimontate
The Nitecore EDC37 is a very good flashlight, with excellent ergonomy and very useful functions, particularly the switching between power settings and how the emergency modes are instantly available at the push of a button.
The form factor is perfect since, while not being the most compact or lightest EDC flashligt, you can carry it in many ways without it being cumbersome or uncomfortable. It's really excellent both as a general purpose EDC and as tactical EDC. Perhaps more the latter than the former, given how sheath carrying seems to be the best way to carry it.
