This reflective material is strategically placed to mimic the shape of a runner in motion from 600 feet away, to a car driving 35 miles per hour. The white fabric alone helps runners stand out in the dark, and like other apparel in this lineup, it also reflects light with 3M Scotchlite Carbon Black strips. The lightweight, reflective hood folds up so you can tuck it away on dry runs. The jacket features zippered side pockets and multiple interior pockets for extra storage. It fits comfortably over a base layer without being too tight or baggy, and while the latest model doesn’t have thumbholes, the sleeves have a slightly longer cut to cover the tops of your hands with reflective strips that move with your arms. I’ll start by saying that I enjoy wearing this jacket. We covered the entire Brooks Run Visible Collection in 2020 and it continues to serve us well. While we love rechargable gear, carrying AAA batteries instead of a charging brick is a lighter load on an overnight trail run.īEST REFLECTIVE JACKET Oiselle Firecracker Reflective Jacket This doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker though. Unlike BioLite 300, Petzl uses AAA batteries so you’ll have to replace instead of recharge. We also love the Petzl Tikka Outdoor Headlamp, which stays put and provides 300 lumens of light for up to 120 hours. The 330 provides a maximum of 330 lumens of light, four light modes (including strobe and a red flood) as well as a rechargeable battery. The company has several models with varying lumens and battery life, with the 300 sitting right in the middle of the lineup. The moisture-wicking headband also detaches from the light so you can wash it in between runs. The biggest complaint about wearing a headlamp is the bounce, but BioLite’s 3D slim fit construction is designed to keep the band in place even while you’re sweating. Even if you run in areas with street lights, cars are more likely to see you if you are wearing a light on your head. Running with a headlamp may seem extreme to folks not familiar with trail running, but it’s the best way to see and be seen. We took this gear (or talked to fellow runners who tried it) on the roads before the sun was up or after it went down in areas that had little-to-no lighting.Īnd while a piece of reflective or high-vis clothing or gear is great if it makes you visible, it doesn’t do much if it bounces around or feels uncomfortable, so we factored that in as well. How We Testedīoots on the ground is the best way to determine if a product is up to snuff, especially when it comes to safety. Placing a light or reflective gear on moving parts-arms, feet, ankles-will also alert drivers that you’re a moving object. While any light will make you more visible to cars, a blinking light can be more attention-grabbing. You can make that decision depending on how dark it is, and whether there are sidewalks or street lights. That might mean wearing high-vis and reflective gear, and carrying a light or wearing a headlamp. The more you make yourself seen, the better. Lights or ClothingĪt the end of the day (or at the very start of it!) you just want drivers to see you when you’re running in the dark. If those reflective pieces aren’t strategically placed it can be hard for a driver to understand what they’re seeing. While reflective material might be better in complete darkness, it only works when a light source hits the fabric. A driver in a vehicle with its headlights on, for example. Then there’s reflective material, or retro reflectivity, which reflects rays of light back to where it came from. “When we catch a glimpse of something in the dark, our eyes struggle to make sense of what they’re seeing.” “Research revealed that the brain is easily confused in poor lighting,” Orton says. (More on Brooks’ Run Visible line and how it helps drivers see runners as human forms below.) Orton also explains that that high-visibility gear should not only make a runner visible, but that the runner is recognizable as human. “High visibility” clothing uses colors and contrast “to provide increased visual recognition,” Orton tells Runner’s World. While they’ll both help drivers see you when you’re running in the dark, they’re two different things. You’ll see clothing billed as either high-visibility or reflective. What to Look For High-Visibility Versus Reflective He was able to shed, er, light on the factors that go into creating reflective gear. In addition to putting these items to work, I talked shop with Mike Orton, an apparel product line manager for Brooks Running. I understand the importance of high-quality, effective reflective gear-not only does it have to make you visible to drivers, it needs to be comfortable and support your workout. Show more The Experts: I’ve been a morning runner for 20 years, regardless of whether or not the sun is up, and I’ve had my fair share of near misses with cars in the dark.
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