Running Gear Review - Safety Vest - Noxgear Tracer360

Today's Review:

Noxgear Tracer360 Illuminated Safety Vest

Noxgear Tracer360 is probably one of the coolest pieces of safety equipment I currently own.  I saw it originally on Kickstarter, and supported the project there because I thought it was a cool idea.  From there, when I originally got it, I started wearing it for my night runs.  I was so impressed with it, that I then ended up ordering one for each member of my Ragnar Relay Las Vegas team for 2013 (see notes about this being Ragnar Compatible later).  Anyone who has run a multi-day relay race has probably had to have some kind of nighttime running gear to include something like a headlamp, tail light, and reflective vest.  Well, Tracer360 covers at least two of these relatively well.  It has reflective parts to cover the reflective vest, and it is definitely visible from behind for a tail light.

Another great thing about the Tracer360, more the company Noxgear, is their customer service and their passion for their product.  As I said, I was a kickstarter supporter of their launch.  After that, I got in touch with the owners, +Simon Curran  and +Tom Walters , and asked if they would be willing to be sponsors for our team for Las Vegas.  By sponsors, I just asked if they could give me a team discount when I bought 12 Tracer360 for my Ragnar team.  They were more than happy to work with me, and they also made some special modifications to the original Tracer360 so that it would be Ragnar Compatible:

NOTE: Ragnar Compatible:  The Tracer360 meets almost all of the Ragnar Safety Rules for a reflective vest.  The ONLY thing missing is reflective material over the shoulders.  The Tracer360 has fiber optic cable over the shoulders, but the Ragnar staff was very specific that it must be REFLECTIVE.  Simon and Tom came up with a fix for that, the Ragnar Ready Tracer360 that had additional reflective pieces that rode on the shoulder to meet the Ragnar Safety Rules.

Manufacturer Facts:

• 360 Degree Dynamic Illumination
• 3M Reflective / Hi-Vix Sport Elastic Belt
• Quick-Clip Buckle & Dual-Adjustment
• Lightweight (6.5 oz.)
• All-Season, Rain-Proof design
• Full Color Spectrum
• Battery Status Notification & Always Bright LEDs

My Take on the Gear:

This is one of the most comfortable, easiest to use, and coolest safety vests I have ever seen or used.  The sport belt sits right under chest level, and has adjustments to hold the two fiber optic cables in place over the shoulders.  The device has a low-profile electrical pack that the safety belt is attached to that sits in the middle of your back.  It is cushioned, and so light weight that you hardly remember it is there.  It has the on-off button on it, near the bottom where most people should be able to reach it.  The two fiber optic cables run from the top of the pack piece, up over the shoulders, to the safety belt in the front, then down under the arms/along your side, and back to the bottom of the back piece.  They are light-weight, and as long as you adjust them to sit snugly on your shoulders, they won't be a problem.

I have been running in a Tracer360 almost every workout since I got them (it is dark here in the Northwest in the evenings, and I don't get to go for a run until after work, around 5:30-6:00 PM, and going on a 4-7 mile run, it gets dark before I get back).  I can't imagine going back to anything else.  It is near impossible for drivers NOT to see me.  There are a good selection of light modes to use from solid colors (in most colors of the rainbow), to slow pulsing between multiple colors, to flashing between multiple colors.  My Ragnar Ready Tracer360 (I have two now, one Kickstarter and one Ragnar Ready) even has a White and Orange Ragnar mode where it flashes between white and orange colors.  Simon did that special, just for us.  What did I say?  These guys rock.  Wearing the Tracer360, it is so light (figuratively and literally) that you almost forget you are wearing it (other than it is flashing, blinking, pulsing, and tough to forget when it is dark out).  It is light-weight, comfy, and I have gotten MANY compliments and comments on it.  

When we wore the Tracer360 at the Las Vegas Ragnar, we could always spot our runner in the long line of runners at night.  They were the ones that stuck out and were visible from over a half mile away.  As we were driving the support van, we passed runners that had tail lights you could barely see to ones that were almost dead.  The Tracer360 won't ever do that to you.  When you turn the Tracer360 on or off, it will pulse Green to let you know the battery is still good.  Or, it will pulse red to let you know the battery needs to be changed.  One thing it WON'T do to you though, is if you are out on a run and the battery starts to give out, it won't just diminish in brightness and leave you stranded.  It will switch to an energy saving red pulse.  This does TWO things.  It lets you know that your battery needs to be changed when you are done with the run, and it DOESN'T leave you stranded without your illuminated vest.  I have had mine start pulsing red only 5-10 minutes into an hour-long run, and it never  gave out on me.  This is an AWESOME benefit for any of you running a team relay.  If the batteries get weak, you will still be able to finish the leg you are on.

Summary:

So, I can't say anything bad about these.  They definitely have the wow factor (you become like a walking disco party, or for you kids out there, a walking rave party), the comfort factor (so lightweight, and fits comfortably enough, you won't even think about  the feel, just how cool you look), and the safety factor (believe me, you can't miss someone in this vest when it is dark out).  The company is run by a couple of amazing guys, and their product is really great.  If you ever bump into me at a race, you can bet I will be wearing mine for my night gear.  These run true-to-size at least for the men's sizes, and for the women, if in doubt, order one size larger.  It is easier to deal with extra fiber optic cable than deal with not having enough.  Hope you can pick one up and try it, and if you are ever driving through my area and see a strobing light running along the road, no it is NOT aliens, it is just me out rocking my awesome Tracer360!