We absolutely love running here at Sport-locker.net and, after consuming our body weight in mince pies over the festive period, it was about time we got back out on the road.

But the summer evenings are a distant memory now and the shorter days mean darker nights and running can become dangerous if cars can’t see you!

So when our friends at Nike Running sent us their highly reflective Vapor Flash Jacket we were intrigued to see whether or not this would get us out pounding the pavement in the dark winter evenings.

The only way to find out was to chuck our keen runner Sam Van Gelder out in the dark to see if ‘the brightest jacket on the road’ lived up to its billing!

Initial Impression

Having reviewed the Lunarglide+ 3 Nike Running shoes in the past, it’s fair to say I was beyond excited to see the Nike Vapor Flash Jacket in action – Nike do like to set the bar high.

And as I tried on the jacket in daylight, I honestly thought that this was a fairly run-of-the-mill bit of running gear.

Thanks to the perforations at the back and underarms it felt well ventilated. The elastic cuffs and adjustable hem helped keep in the heat, whilst the dropped hem made for a thoroughly comfortable fit. It’s just a nice, normal running jacket, I thought to myself.

I couldn’t have been more wrong…

Reflectivity

Night running can sometimes be tinged with a feeling of dread for some dedicated runners, as safety can be compromised.

But it’s safe to say that this will definitely no longer be the case when wearing the Nike Vapor Flash Jacket.

As soon as you put on this jacket and begin running at low light, or even complete darkness, it transforms into a beacon of safety – traffic will be able to spot you from a mile away. Literally!

It’s hard to put into words just how visible the jacket becomes – it’s incredible.

Just look at the difference between the two photos here.

Technology talk

For all of those interested in the technology behind this, here goes.

Glass spheres in the fabric reflect light directly back along the same path as the oncoming beam rather than scattering it in all directions, making it easier for a driver to recognise a runner.

Below is a video of how the laminated face of the twill jacket produces stunning 400-candlepower reflectivity for 360-degree visibility in low-light conditions – a sight to behold:

Flip Reverse it…

When such high visibility isn’t required, you can reverse the jacket to the toned-down matte side. It just gets better and better!

As you can see by these photos, it’s a slightly more toned down take on hi-visibility, but yet you still will be spotted by drivers with the inclusion of the reflective pops (including a Nike Swoosh for good measure).

 

There’s also a front zip pocket to store that Nike+ enabled iPod/iPhone in as you run.

Here’s a video of how the reverse of the jacket looks:

Don’t forget about the price tag…

The only downside is that all this amazing technology comes at a cost, and a great one at that. The Nike Vapor Flash jacket will set you back a whopping £200 – so let’s hope you’ve still got some Christmas money left over!

Conclusion

That said, I can no longer imagine running at night without my Vapor Flash Jacket.

What’s more, the jacket is made of 100% polyester and is completely machine washable.

Take a bow, the Nike Vapor Flash Jacket! It’s a truly stunning piece of running equipment and an essential for all you night runners out there and worth every single penny. A night runner’s dream!

What do you think of the Nike Vapor Flash Jacket? How important is hi-vis to you? Let us know via the comments section below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages.