help with reflective vest?

[cmn1771]

Im looking to buy a reflective vest. not only for safety, but also to keep my jacket from ballooning up. when i ride, my jacket blows up like a balloon. so i thought a vest over it might keep it flat to my body.


anyone got any links where i can buy one?
any advice?

-Matt

[B650E]

I just bought one from my local hardware store in their "safety" aisle. They have either lime green or bright orange, both have 1" reflective tape over the shoulders and around the waist. Cost: $10.

[Yokota]

You can check out the following website -
http://www.newenough.com/protective_apparel

Look at Vest - Scroll down, view military spec vest

Yokota
Lakewood Washington

[cmn1771]

I just bought one from my local hardware store in their "safety" aisle. They have either lime green or bright orange, both have 1" reflective tape over the shoulders and around the waist. Cost: $10.

does it fit snug over your riding jacket? how does it fasten, velcro? size?

thanks
-Matt

[The Burggie]

harborfreight has reflective vest. Reasonable too.

[Daboo]

The ones at our hardware stores seemed a little light weight for the abuse I give mine, so I bought mine at a place that sells Carhartt work clothes. The Carhartt brand was nice, but pricey. I found another store that sells the same kind of clothing in a bright yellow that was only $25.

One of my vests has a velcro closure. That works fine, but the velcro catches on the Frogg Toggs and rips them up. So I bought a second vest that has a nice zipper closure. Both vests are fairly heavy weight, compared to the ones for bicyclists (and cheaper too!), and are heavier than the ones I found at Lowe's and Home Depot.

Chris

[B650E]

I just bought one from my local hardware store in their "safety" aisle. They have either lime green or bright orange, both have 1" reflective tape over the shoulders and around the waist. Cost: $10.

does it fit snug over your riding jacket? how does it fasten, velcro? size?

thanks
-Matt

It has adjustable straps on each side, so one size fits all. I have it adjusted to fit snugly over my jacket and it closes with velcro in the front.

[chuckp73]

I bought one of these, at Northern Tool. Also available on-line.

Not the cheapest, at $17.99, but good quality and very high visibility, zipper closure. Velcro closure is also available. This one is mesh, but they also have fabric versions.

[John Y]

I got the M7148-C3 Class 3 eye-grabber from Safety Depot.com for $16 plus shipping. It fits well over my riding jacket, zips up and doesn't flap around a lot. The link to the page is: http://safetydepot.com/class3limeyellowsafetyvest.aspx

[cmn1771]

i got the lime colered hi viz from home depot. $10.00 i added some velcro for tighter fit. works good.

thanks
matt

[QuantumRift]

ICON makes about the best ones I've seen, and of course I have one. It is zippered and has elastic adjustments do you can keep it snug around your body or jacket. Plus it has some neat pockets (I have the dayglo green one) and it has the great 3M reflective stripes on it as well. I not only use it for riding on my Burg, but for the bicycle as well and even when walking the dog around the neighborhood. They go for around $40-$45 at bike shops, online, etc.

[mrbongo]

And don't forget http://cyclevests.com/ which make an excellent vest with lighted bars using a battery pack and stuff called 'glowskin' (ooooh ahhhh!).

[TechArtGuy]

Those vest are actually manufactured by a company called Safe Lites. I helped to write the review on them at webbikeworld.com. If you do get one be sure to hand wash it only or use a very gentle cycle. The washing machine sure does a number on those EL panels panels if it's not gentle wash. And, if you get it with the regular power pack instead of the pro, don't wear it in the rain as the regular one isn't very water resistant compared to the pro.

[QuantumRift]

I don't do well with *anything* that requires gentle or hand wash...I am usually OK with it for a couple of times, but then eventually, it all ends up in the standard wash....OW!

[MentalBlockage]

You can check out the following website -
http://www.newenough.com/protective_apparel

Look at Vest - Scroll down, view military spec vest

I have one of these and it is very durable. It's a little more money to start but it will last for a long time.

[QuantumRift]

Yes, that's the ICON vest I have and was talking about earlier. I got mine for about $40 and it's worth the price.

[tsc3047]

I'm not sure if a vest is really a safety item more than it is a piece of mind. You gotta take for example in my town here. A school bus on a four lane highway straight away clear and sunny. The bus is about 50' bright yellow, and has 8 red strobe lights flashing, and stop signs deployed. Then an 18 wheeler at full 60mph speed rear ends the bus killing one inside. The point is doesn't matter what you wear, drive, or do if they aren't looking, they aren't looking.