Bestvisible Reflective Vest

Have you ever been almost struck by a vehicle while exercising outside. I have had way too many close calls to count. Most of mine occur because drivers aren't paying attention. But I know there are plenty due to lack of visibility on the athlete's part.

During high school one of my good friends was hit during the evening hours while riding his motorcycle home after a performance. Luckily, he survived. Not without a long stay in the hospital though. 

Three years ago my mother was struck by a motorist while riding her bike home from work. Thank goodness she was wearing a helmet because it cracked it in three places. She survived, but now has permanent damage in her left hand. It is so bad that it impairs her daily tasks, let alone everything else. 

One year ago my father-in-law was involved in a hit-and-run while riding his bicycle through a round-about. The man refused to stop even with his young son riding in the backseat. 

I have plenty of other examples and stories, but I think you get my point. Exercising outside can be a very dangerous business. Above all else, nighttime is the scariest time to be out there. Unfortunately, nighttime is when I tend to be outside exercising most often. I have two young girls and I have to wait until they are sleeping until I can get my workouts done most of the time. And the thought of not being around to see my girls grow up just because I didn't try to prevent an accident is a guilt I cannot live with. Or die with.

During the day a bright orange or yellow vest helps, but they offer no help at night. And they typically aren't this vibrant and bright. Most people I know don't even wear a vest at all during the day. The government has realized the benefits of wearing one and requires all cyclists and motorcyclists to wear a vest even when the sun is out while on the Base. I realized most of my warm running gear is dark-colored and makes me practically invisible at night. My bicycle is equipped with lights and reflective strips, but they are hardly noticeable.

In case you don't know what Ragnar is...  It's insane!

Two years ago I ran Ragnar twice. Once in the Wasatch Back and once down in Vegas. It was so much fun! I absolutely loved it! They require a headlamp and a vest between the hours of 6PM-6AM. And I figured out why... the hard way. I borrowed a rinky dink vest from someone that was way too big for me and I had borrowed a cheap-o headlamp.

While running down the highway in the desert at midnight and facing traffic I was literally ran off the road. I was running against traffic on a shoulder less than 4-feet wide with a semi-truck in the lane closest to me and was completely blinded by his brights. My foot slipped off the steep shoulder and rolled which caused me to do a front-flip onto the asphalt. My ankle, knees, hip, shoulder, elbows, hands, and head were all banged up. It nearly took me out of the race. Luckily, fear of coyotes and the adrenaline from the race got me through the next couple of miles. But I wish I had the vest and headlamp I have now back then. It taught me a great lesson.

When running at night it's vitally important to see and be seen.

Bestvisible's Reflective Vest is amazing! They have engineered it so that you can be seen. Its reflective stripes are 30% broader than most other vests and offers 360 degree visibility. That is amazing! There are tons of vests out there that attach a small line of reflective material and call it good. While it may qualify you to run Ragnar it will not give you the best visibility for drivers. 

At 25mph a driver needs 85 feet to stop. 

Are you bright enough for them to stop in time?

I performed a little experiment with my Bestvisible Reflective Vest and our truck...

"The best part about this vest is that it is adjustable and it actually fits me! The vests I borrowed during Ragnar were not adjustable. They were absolutely ginormous. I swear they were made to fit XXXL hefty men even though they claimed "One size fits most." I am sorry, but most of us are not 500 lbs. K, I may be exaggerating a little, but they really were annoying. They were so big they bounced and flapped and moved all around while we were trying to run. 

We even wore a running belt to hold on our race number and cinch the dang things down.

Don't jeopardize your most valuable possession - Your life.

Make sure you do everything you can to ensure your safety while out exercising. I know I don't like to be noticed when I'm out running and bouncing up and down the road, but a little attention is good for you in this case. Even if you plan on using the sidewalk you need to take precautions. Most motorists when backing out of their driveways are only looking for vehicles in the rearview, not pedestrians on the sidewalk. And at some point you are probably going to need to cross the road. Drivers look for vehicles when they're turning, not bodies. Please be safe out there! You don't want to miss my future posts! jkjk.

I have tried Bestvisible's Reflective Vest and I know it works. I trust this brand, but they do offer a "No questions asked, money back guarantee." If you want to try one out for yourself you can check them out on Amazon. They are on sale for $12.99 and you can use my coupon code BEST4OFF for an extra $4 off that! That makes it only $8.99.

And every purchase comes with these bonuses!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hope to see you again soon!