beating the dark with runlites sling

I received one pair of  RunLites Sling and RunLites LED Lights for my personal use for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own.

Earlier this year, I was gifted a pair of half-length RunLites gloves to try out.

I loved them for their illumination and their comfort, and they have come in handy for those early morning runs, when I am out and about well before sunrise.

And while they were incredibly bright and very comfortable, they were a tiny bit warm on those super humid Florida days. It was manageable, but it would have been nice to have something a little lighter and less “there.”

Introducing RunLites SLING:

This version of RunLites provides the same convenience of handsfree illumination but without the glove, making it perfect for summer running.

The RunLites SLING are sold separately from the LED Light Units, but also work fine with any existing RunLites Light Units you may have. The Light Units are rechargeable via the included USB cable and click on and off with the touch of button, located on the top of each unit.

There are two intensities of each light light unit: 40 or 80 lumens. All it takes is a click of ta button to choose the appropriate one. And both are BRIGHT.

The light units slide snugly into each SLING, and are easily secured in place with velcro.

And the SLING fits on by way of elasticized loops on the second and fourth finger, and secures around the wrist with an adjustable, reflective velcro strap. There are two sizes available (S/M and L), so I just estimated based on my measurements via the sizing chart, and found the S/M to fit perfectly.

I took the SLING out for a few test runs well before sunrise, when it is still pitch black. My regular running routes do boast a few street lamps, but they are few and far between, and there are stretches of road and sidewalk that don’t reap the benefits of that light.

As you can see, armed with RunLites, street lamps aren’t at all necessary.

At 40 lumens, I was comfortable with my visibility. When I clicked up to 80, the light was actually bouncing off the reflective stop and road signs down the block.

I was able to light my own way, and I was definitely visible to any vehicular or foot traffic.

What I loved most was the feel. With the palm-free design, I barely knew I was wearing anything.

Held in place by the fingers loops and the wristband, the SLING remained in place without any shifting or need for adjustment. The less I know something is there, the happier I am during runs.

Best of all, the RunLites SLING retail for only $15.95. The rechargeable Light Units are sold separately, but are interchangeable and can be switched in and out of other RunLites glove products, so only one set is necessary.

While the SLING have been lighting up my regular training runs, I am really looking forward to using them at the Ragnar Trail Alafia River in December. The idea of being in the woods with just the moon and stars to light my way was a bit terrifying, but I’ll have a little bit of of added brightness and security with the SLING.

How do you light your way in the dark?

What do you think of the new design of RunLites?