Well it's starting to get not so light out for my morning runs, at which point I would normally switch to another time of day. But thinking about sticking with mornings. For those of you regular pre-dawn or late-night runners, what do you use for visibility? Lighted vest, headlight, knuckle lights, some combination? Any other advice for running in the dark?
Thanks.
Dave
I use a reflective vest and a blinking light. I've heard great things on the knuckle lights, but don't use them.
Skirt Runner
I wear reflective arm bands that have red LED lights in them and wear white or bright colors. It doesn't get super dark where I live (Brooklyn), there are so many street lights and such, so that's usually enough for me.
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
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Uffda
I don't run with a lighted vest, just a reflective vest. I did race overnight a month ago, and I really like the knuckle lights I used. I ran with them off mostly, unless I encountered a vehicle. I do own a headlamp, but I've never actually ran with it. I live in town, so the street lighting helps.
- Andrew
I live out in the sticks and most mornings I only turn on a light when I meet traffic. Once you get use to it you will be surprised how easy it is to see in the dark. Once in awhile you will have a overcast morning where you can't see squat, I use a headlamp in the winter and knuckle lights in the summer for these mornings.
Hip Redux
Right, there are two different kinds of lights - what you use to be seen, and what you use to see. Like, a reflective vest will work for one but not the other. Knuckle lights work for both, etc. Depends on what you really want to accomplish.
#artbydmcbride
I have a couple of these
http://www.relaxreflect.com/
Runners run
I use nothing to help me see, just be seen
I have 2 RoadID lights that I attach to myself. I wear a white one in front and a blue one somewhere on my back (waistband usually). I don't need them to see so much as I want to be sure that the paper lady sees me and doesn't run me over. She says that they can be seen for quite a ways (not miles and miles, but more than sufficient to get someone's attention). And, she likes the blue one because it's not a normal color for a moving light and it makes her pay more attention. YMMV.
But The Smile That I Sent Out Returned With You.
Think also about your visibility from the side, if you do a lot of crossing roads, driveways etc. Things that require headlights to hit you from the front or back to illuminate may not make you as visible from the side.
I set my husband up with quite the light show when he was commuting home at dusk on his bike, you couldn't miss him. lol
Former Bad Ass
I use one knuckle light. I really do not want people to know I am out there (for crime reasons), so I try to be as inconspicuous as I can. I wear some reflective clothes but not a reflective vest. I do run in a big city so it's pretty well lighted throughout.
Damaris
This is a very timely thread Dave, you must have seen what I saw this morning around 6:00 am when I looked outside; which was basically nothing!
The thought of having more crap to carry is a complete deal breaker. I have spent three years shedding things to carry or worry about while running, to the point where I now get dressed and head out the door sans anything but my Garmin. The last thing I want is to have to add any singular thing to my routine.
I would be fine with just a florescent colored yellow or green top, and the reflective features on my shoes and shorts if I can get away with it. I did run this past spring in the morning darkness for up to 20 minutes without a problem so there is that.
We will see I guess...
Good stuff.
I use a headlamp when I go running at night (not very often). It is useful to be able to see cracks in the sidewalk, pot holes, or large sticks on the road that I might otherwise trip over. When I go running in the morning it's usually not dark for more than the first 20-30 minutes and so I don't worry about it. There's usually enough light from streetlamps, etc. for cars to see me, I'm more worried about seeing what's in front of me. I do wear light-colored clothes (at least my shirt) when I go out when it's dark to be more visible.
race obsessed
Used a blinky light last night on my waist. But the big issue when street lights are not around is the loss of depth perception. It sucks to stomp hard expecting a low spot but being incorrect or jarring the F out of yourself when you step in a low spot you were not expecting.
I am quite observant of my habitat so I have not that much worry about someone running over me.
hop, hop, hop...
If it's warmer I wear eye-searing neon colors, reflective armbands, and a hat with lights. Once it gets dark early and the weather gets a bit cooler I'll be wearing my Nike Vapor Flash jacket. (love that thing!)
MM #8764 / HF #6535 / Double Agent #668
PRs: 5K - 27:43, 10K - 57:14, HM - 2:06:18, FM - 5:22:42
~How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were supposed to be?~