runlites: a review

I received one pair of half-length RunLites for my personal use for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

Living in the South, almost year-round high temperatures make running early in the morning or late at night a physical necessity.  Locals are used to 90+ degree heat, but combined with 100% humidity and blazing sun, intense exertion becomes a dangerous thing.

Unfortunately, there are dangers to be found running or cycling under cover of dark. Not only can poor visibility lead to unfortunate trips and falls, but the darkness can also make runners and cyclists virtually invisible, putting them at risk of being tragically struck by motor vehicles.

Whether I am alone or with my group on my early morning runs, finding just the right lighting situation has been a challenge. Blinking lights clipped on my shirts, shorts or shoes are great to make others aware that I am there, but don’t really cast any illumination, but carrying a flashlight or wearing a headlamp can be cumbersome.

RunLites provide a great solution.

These full-length and half-length gloves give the early bird and night owl athletes the ability to illuminate their activities and make themselves more visible with a super bright, rechargeable light unit contained in the glove itself.

The gloves are available in a run of different sizes, based on the measurement of the circumference of the dominant hand. With my hand measuring at just over 8.25″, I selected a Medium, which fit snugly and securely.

A velcro strap on the top of the wrist holds them firmly in place and makes it easy to take them on and off. The USB cord is included for recharging the batteries (which are good for up to 48 hours). The lights can be turned on and off via a convenient button located near the top of each unit.

Another nice feature is the cross-crossed bungees, good for securing things like an iPod, ID or keys against the palm.

Since my running group has been heading out before the sunrise, and we run in an area with somewhat questionably paved sidewalks, I knew I would have the perfect opportunity to put these RunLites through the paces.

How bright are they? You have your choice of 40 lumens or 80 lumens for each unit, or, as I put it “Hey! Don’t shine that in my eyes!”

Even at the lower intensity of 40 lumens, we had a really light on the path ahead.

I have no doubt that oncoming traffic saw us, just as well as we were able to see the ground ahead of us.

I confess, I felt a bit like Iron Man, and may have been making those arc reactor “pew pew” noises in my head (or maybe out loud) as I ran. I couldn’t help myself.

While the fabric was reasonably lightweight, I did find even the half-length gloves to be a little warm on a humid Florida morning, I appreciated that part of each glove was made of a terrycloth-like fabric, which was fantastic for wiping away the sweat. It all balanced out.

I also loved the hands-free aspect of the RunLites. I hate carrying anything in my hands, so knowing that I can get the benefit of great lights without any effort is huge for me.

Additionally, as I get more comfortable with my cycling, having RunLites will give me the flexibility to go out earlier or later in the day as necessary. It will almost be like having headlights on the front of my bike: not only will it be safe, but it will give my hands a little extra cushion on the handlebars, so it’s a win all the way around.

For more information or to order your own pair of RunLites, please visit their website here.

Do you do your workout activities in the early morning or the later evening?

How do you stay visible and safe in the dark?