MEC Envoy and endurance athlete Jasper Blake (not pictured above) took the Hi-Vis Beacon Jacket out for a spin in Victoria, BC. Here’s his take on this new glow-in-the-dark piece designed for running on dark days and nights.
I had the chance to try the new Hi-Vis Beacon Jacket by New Balance on a recent run along the Ogden Point seawall and (somewhat appropriately) Beacon Hill Park. It was a typical Victoria morning – cool, overcast, a bit wet, and quite dark – but I stuck out like a ray of sunshine. The Beacon jacket might be the most highly visible piece of clothing ever made for running. If you haven’t seen it yet, fear not – you will soon. It’s hard to miss.
The Beacon jacket combines three key elements that make it incredibly visible. The colour alone is eye-popping, with neon yellow and green that would make the 1980s proud. There are also strips that reflect light to make you visible to cars or bikes. The final feature is the glow-in-the-dark material that literally makes you glow in the dark. To activate the material, you “charge” the jacket under intense light for 10 minutes, and it turns it into something other-worldly. (For the super hero buffs out there, think Green Lantern.)
New Balance has nailed the timing for the launch of this jacket. The days are getting shorter with more grey, overcast weather, especially on the west coast. Safety was rarely a consideration for me years ago, but that’s changed as I get older and think of my kids, and the consequence part of my brain gets bigger. Now I find I’m always aware of the safety aspect, and for that reason alone, there’s no question that this jacket will become a regular part of my clothing arsenal this winter.
I’ve also started wearing this running jacket when I bike my five-year-old to kindergarten using the trail-a-bike. It gives me more peace of mind knowing that cars will see me long before they actually get to me. The Beacon jacket is far more effective in this regard than any other jacket I have for biking.
Aside from the obvious safety aspects of this jacket, it’s remarkably well-designed for running. The technical fabric is extremely lightweight while providing a very effective barrier to the elements. I experienced both light drizzle and wind during my run but I never felt cold or wet. Plus, the fabric is light enough that I didn’t feel hot or suffocated, which can sometimes be an issue with running jackets. There’s also spandex incorporated into the material, which adds a level of elasticity not always found in jackets. The extra stretch makes the jacket feel great on when you’re actually moving.
The only aspect I didn’t like was the fit. I typically do well in size small upper body apparel, but I was swimming in this one and definitely needed an extra small. At 5’5”, I’m not very tall but I have a long torso and arms, and was surprised that a small seemed to be too large (particularly in the sleeves). I had plenty of bunched up fabric through the arms, which can be annoying during a run. When you’re trying on this jacket, consider going a size down from what you normally would in order to retain some of the more functional fit that’s nice to have when you are running.
On a whole, I think this jacket is excellent on many levels, and is a great choice to include as part of your winter running line-up.