I would normally do my running off road, however the club now only do road running in the winter 🙁

Last night I was dressed mainly in stealth black, which is not good!

Can you get such things as reflective socks, and are they any good?

Ta

Endura do socks with reflective stripes.

https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/endura_luminite_sock_twin_pack-ID_64427

Reflective bits on my overshoes?

Halo. Ultra High Visibility Reflective Cycling Overshoe

I’ve got a top in that material, top stuff

Wiggle’s own brand DHB do them in a range of colours. I like mine.

DHB Flashlight Sock

Ta for details so far, sorry should have really put for running originally 😀

But socks are socks after all.

Does these products actually work I guess is the next question?

These, with whatever socks you like to run in

Yes they do work. In west London, at this time of year in the evenings, in the Royal Parks there are massive packs of more or less completely invisible runners the majority of whom wear all black with no reflectives. The only reason I haven’t cycled in to them (whilst using quite good lights) is because 1 or 2 of them have reflective strips and that makes them noticeable.

The DHB ones are fine for running I use mine for running & cycling, they are just socks after all.

Our club insist on you wearing a reflective vest on training runs on the road at night. I’d definitely consider one if I were you as socks alone probably aren’t enough. In fact I’m a bit paranoid and have a clip on flashing LED like this too

https://www.nathansports.com/strobelight-led-clip-5071n

I don’t think reflective socks would make much difference. Reflective armbands would be better, you can get them with LEDs built in.

Also I just got some of these Million Mile Lights. No batteries required, they just flash as you run. It includes a waist strap, to clip them onto. https://www.batteryfree.co.uk/products/million-mile-light-double-pack

CraigW – they look good, just slightly expensive !

Is the waist strap reflective, or just a waist strap?

Also are they securely held on? The only unbiased review on Amazon said that he lost one whilst running.

A bit at the end of the waist strap is reflective, about 10cm or so.
Not tried them for running yet, so not sure how secure they will be. Maybe I will add some duct tape, to make sure they can’t fall off.

Those battery free lights look swish, for a little less you could get something along the lines of http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLBARB/barbieri-reflective-wrist-ankle-band (Aldi might still have some).

Slight tangential answer – but I recently got one of these. Spendy, but the reflective properties are a big step up from the usual. http://www.lusso.bike/product/nitelife-gillet/
I would be happy to wear this running, but if you want something more specific, there must be a running specific equivelent out there somewhere.

Proviz do a range of running gear, I’ve got the Reflect 360+ gilet for the bike and it’s great.

I don’t think reflective socks would make much difference. Reflective armbands would be better

I beg to differ. Ankle bands/socks are Low down, where dipped headlights are pointing, and clearly moving in a way that is instantly identifiable as a runner. Armbands are higher, and at times could be obscured by the body, at least for those approaching from behind.

Obviously, more is better, but reflectives around the ankles is a brilliant way of being seen.

But most of the socks will be hidden inside the shoes, unless you have really long socks.
Also for socks, its probably only a few reflective threads. That won’t be as visible as a more solid reflective material. And will it get worn out after a few washes?

So proper reflective armbands (worn on the arms or ankles) would be more visible.

But most of the socks will be hidden inside the shoes, unless you have really long socks.
Also for socks, its probably only a few reflective threads. That won’t be as visible as a more solid reflective material. And will it get worn out after a few washes?

So proper reflective armbands (worn on the arms or ankles) would be more visible.

Good points, agreed! Ankles are great for the all round visibility and movement, still.

i clip one of these on my socks (red light rear/white front)
bright little things and have not managed to lose them yet.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/vioo-clip-300-usb-front-rear-bike-light-black-id_8315426.html

I’ve bought some of these things off ebay for £5. Will see how long they last / stay on my shoes

Is it a fashion thing the all black attire? Why not just wear a bright top with reflective patches on it?

Never gone for the Hi Viz approach myself. Lots of my running kit comes with reflective bits as standard but I just assume nobody can see me and every driver is a nob and blind. If I am running along a pavement in the dark I assume responsibility for myself.
There seems to be a fad for wearing headtorches by the local running club which appears pointless given the strength of them and the routes that they do, Its just kowtowing to drivers and shifting responsibility.

but I just assume nobody can see me and every driver is a nob and blind

I am kind of with you on that one, but you cant not see whats going on behind, so anything that makes your more visible from behind is good in my book

There seems to be a fad for wearing headtorches by the local running club which appears pointless

Might appear pointless, but when you stumble into an unseen pothole you might change your mind and get one.

Might appear pointless, but when you stumble into an unseen pothole you might change your mind and get one.

I’ve got one and I use it for off road running. It is powerfull enough to light part of the ground in front of me to allow me to train off road. The ones I am seeing a lot of runners wearing are very low power so would not do what you suggest anyway. Again they seem more about ensuring other people can see you rather than providing any benefit to the wearer.

The ones I am seeing a lot of runners wearing are very low power so would not do what you suggest anyway.

Dunno, you don’t need much power IME to at least make a pothole visible – I’ve got a crappy little LED headtorch from about 10 years ago, runs on a single AAA battery but it’s enough to warn you. But you could be right, I’ve obviously got no idea why they’re wearing them. And as you say, there are plenty of decent strength torches out there.

There seems to be a fad for wearing headtorches by the local running club which appears pointless given the strength of them and the routes that they do, Its just kowtowing to drivers and shifting responsibility.

Are you suggesting that it’s a bad idea to make yourself more visible to other road users?

Are you suggesting that it’s a bad idea to make yourself more visible to other road users?

I am suggesting its not compulsory and runners should not feel obligated to do so. Other road users have a responsibility to see what is in front of them and if they cant they should alter their speed until they can, or even stop.
Are you suggesting that by wearing hi vis you are safer?

Are you suggesting that by wearing hi vis you are safer?

On the margins yes. I was at the scene of a fatal accident a few years ago. A rural road with no pavements or streetlights where traffic typically travels at 50mph. It is very unusual to see pedestrians on it.

The deceased had been at a function in my town and at 2am was walking home to another town wearing black clothes and not facing oncoming traffic in the lane he was walking in. Hit and killed by a black hackney. I’m convinced that a bit of reflective clothing would have meant the driver saw him a second or two earlier and could have braked sooner or swerved round him.

The fact that the taxi driver was at fault for not driving at a speed where he could stop within the limits of his headlights doesn’t make the guy any less dead.

Which rather makes my point. Always assume people cant see you and never assume anything you are wearing makes any difference. There is no way of knowing if the tragic incident you refer to would have happened if the pedestrian had been lit up like a Christmas tree! I have been almost hit by cars in broad daylight and on occasion been driven “at”
Introducing the whole hi vis/flashing armbands thing smacks a bit of victim blaming to me and is an attempt to shift responsibility. I was once almost killed by a driver who drove straight at me, (again in clear daylight and I was running towards the traffic) on a summers evening and I had a white T shirt and shorts on at the time. I took evasive action and the lady realised (as I shouted and dived into the bushes!) then stopped. She apologised but claimed she couldnt see as the sun was in her eyes. which is was as it was setting behind me.
The issue here is that she didnt even consider slowing or even stopping as options.

Odd question – why not just dump your money into a decent running headtorch and run off road all winter?

Petzel Nao Now Nao+ https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/New/NAO-PLUS#.WByrD_mzKG4) was one of the best purchases I’ve made in the past 18months and is starting it’s third evil dark season of off road running. I hate running on the road and will do all I can to avoid it.

Used on trails and fells around Calderdale. Then gets thrown in the bag on overnights on the bike. Or when out hillwalking/running in winter. Also mountain marathons and the like.

Are you suggesting that by wearing hi vis you are safer?

You seem to be conflating hi-viz with reflective. Hi-viz is useless at night, and can be missed if the lighting is poor, foggy, or against you, whereas reflective is immensely useful once it gets into twilight conditions.
It’s not unusual to come across people walking or running along unlit lanes around where I live, and any bits of reflective show up in your headlights a good distance away, especially if it’s low down on socks and shoes, or elastic bands around trouser bottoms, but reflective material anywhere is a massive improvement over bugger-all.
This fact shouldn’t need pointing out, it’s so obvious.