May 8, 2018 pedalgoa

Running in the dark: Essential safety running gear for night running :: gear. clothes. tips.

Sometimes you need to get that run in when you can get that run in!

And sometimes it’s before the sun comes up in the morning or after the sun sets in the evening.

Whether you’re running before dawn in the dark or running at night in the dark, it’s important that you take extra precautions and follow safety tips to keep yourself safe when you’re out there on the road.

Of course, day or night, you want to make sure you’re seen by drivers, but at night it becomes even more important.

It’s more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians on the road in the dark, so you want to do your part to make sure they see you before it’s too late.

There are a number of ways to make yourself more visible as a runner.

The more you help yourself to be seen, the more you help drivers to see you! It’s a win-win!

 

So what type of running safety gear can you wear so that you’ll be more visible on the road? Let’s focus on:

 

And here are a few more things you may want when running in cold weather:

 

RUNNING 101

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Bright high visibility clothing

Wearing bright colored clothing can help drivers spot you from a further distance.

When you’re out running during the day with the bright sunlight shining on you, the color of your clothing may be less significant.

Although, it’s always a good idea to wear bright clothes for safety reasons!

You can never be too safe when running when you’re sharing the road with cars!

But if your runs are when it’s just starting to get dark, or later, it becomes even more critical.

There is a reason you find a lot of running clothes and running jackets that come in bright colors.

It’s not just to make a fashion statement.

It’s because these bright colors allow you to be a safer and more visible runner.

So opt bright!

Whether it be your running jacket for cold weather, or your headband that is bright yellow instead of black, every little bit can help!

If you’re running in the dark without lights or very much reflective gear (which will hopefully change soon!), at the very least, it would be best to choose to wear the brightest clothes you have.

Dark clothing choices are far from ideal when running at night or before dawn.

So take a look at a bright colored shirt like this that’s perfect for running as it gets darker since it’s dark and it’s moisture-wicking to help with the sweat.

 



Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!


Reflective running gear

If all you own are dark running clothes, the next best thing may be to get yourself some reflective running gear.

For that matter, reflective gear is a good choice no matter what type of clothing you wear as added safety to be seen at night.

Most reflective gear is easy to put on, convenient, and isn’t a distraction while you’re running.

 

There are a few different options to choose from as far as where you want to have the reflective elements. These include:

 

The type that you wear as a vest can have you be seen from all directions when a car’s headlights are shining on you in the dark.

This can give you security knowing that you can be seen no matter what position the car is relative to you.

There is also reflective gear that you can strap around your arms or ankles.

If you intend to wear the strap around thick clothing or have a bigger circumference to wear it around, check to make sure the strap is big enough or long enough.

Another option is to wear a reflective strap that goes around your waist.

If you go with the waist belt, make sure that as you’re running, your clothes don’t end up covering it up.

No matter the type of safety reflective gear you choose, make sure to cover all your bases and that your reflective running gear of choice can be seen from all directions.

For example, while having a reflective arm band on one arm is certainly better than having no safety running gear at all, think about if that reflective band can be seen from all angles.

If you are running on the left side of the road and have your arm band on the left arm, the band may not be in the best position for a driver to see it if the car is coming up from behind you on the right side.

Better positioning the reflective band may help, as can wearing reflective gear on different parts of your body.

When choosing reflective gear, also consider that not all reflective elements are equal.

Some may appear brighter than others when the light is shining on it in the dark.

The Amphipod Xinglet Flash LED Run Vest is a reflective running vest that also flashes running lights.

See cheaper alternatives HERE.

 

Lights for running in the dark

If you want to take it a step further, wearing running lights may help to have you be seen even better!

There are also a number of different options for running lights to wear in different locations on your body.

While many lights are lightweight and may be hardly noticeably when you wear them, some may be a bit more distracting than reflective gear to you as a runner.

But lights can often provide more visibility. Similar to reflective gear, different running lights offer different levels of lights, with some being brighter than others.

 

A few of the more common types of running lights include:

 

Waist-mounted running lights

There are clip-on lights that are smaller lights similar to what you can imagine on the back of a bicycle.

These types of lights many times give you the option of producing constant flashing lights while you run.

If you go with these clip-on lights, make sure the safety gear you wear allows you to be visible from all angles.

These types of lights are typically clipped on around the waist area.

If you’re wearing a running jacket, you can clip it onto the pocket.

If you only have one clip-on light and you’re running through the neighborhood streets on the side of the road with no sidewalk, be sure to wear the light on the road side.

You can also mount your running lights by wearing a running belt that lights up.

With the UltrAspire Waist Belt, the running light shines at your waist so you can see the path in front of you and so oncoming traffic can see you too.

See cheaper alternatives HERE.

 

Wrist lights or knuckle lights

Wrist lights and knuckle lights are just as they sound.

They act as mini-flashlights that go on your wrists and knuckles.

They are strapped onto your hands for a secure fit, so it’s like you have a flashlight in your hands without having to actually hold the flashlight.

Choosing these types of light for running in the dark is more of personal comfort, as some people may not like the feeling of having the added items on their hands that they are not used to.

You wear the Nathan Zephyr Fire Hand Torch around your wrist so you can shine the light on your running path.

 

Shoe lights

To light up your shoes, there are a couple different types of shoe lights that are designed to go on your shoes.

There’s the type that lights up the front, and there’s the type that lights up the back.

The shoe lights that clip onto the laces of both shoes are forward facing lights that can light up the path in front of you.

This helps you to watch your steps, and it also helps the driver to see you.

The type of shoe lights that go on the back of your shoes tend to be less illuminating, but clips onto the back of your shoes so drivers can see you from behind.

Both of these types of shoe lights can help you become a safer night runner.

The Night Runner 270 Shoe Lights lighten up your shoes.

 

Headlamps

If you’d like your light to be up as high up as possible, there are also headlamps.

These types of lights mount onto your head with straps to prevent the light from bouncing.

Similar to the forward facing night running lights for shoes, headlamps can help to illuminate the path ahead of you.

This can help you see better when you’re running in the dark.

It’s probably one of the better options to give you a greater area of vision as it lights up more in front of you compared to other types of running lights.

The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp is the most popular headlamp out of all Black Diamond headlamps. If you’re looking for a headlamp, this review is the one to read!

An alternative to wearing a headlamp and still get the light coming from your head is to get a clip-on headlight. With this type of light, you wear a hat or visor, and you attach the light to the brim of the cap.

You clip the Amphipod Swift-Clip LED Cap Light onto your hat so you can see and be seen in the dark!

 

HAPPY SAFE RUNNING IN THE DARK!

 

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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!


I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.

Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.

There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.


see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling