INTRO TO NATHAN SPORTS LOW LIGHT RUNNING GEAR
WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: Ever since I moved out to the county, my winter running months went from well-lit sidewalks and street lights everywhere to running on the side of the road with car headlights to light my way. My family would ask how much safer I felt running, but I would answer that I thought it was less safe because now I was legitimately worried about cars not seeing me and hitting me.
Robbe must really care about my well-being as he asked if I wanted to test out some light-up gear from Nathan Sports, and I’m very happy I accepted. I’ve needed more high-visibility clothing and even some light-up gear, but I refused to wear those multi-color light vests that make you look like you’re at either a rave or some Disney on Ice event with the plastic light-up toys that cost $50 and will break by the time you make it home. Check out what Nathan Sports has to offer and see if it shines in all the right ways.
NATHAN SPORTS HYPERNIGHT STEALTH JACKET
WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: The HyperNight Stealth jacket is an extremely lightweight windbreaker/water-resistant jacket that’s covered in a reflective camo print on both the back and the front. My size medium fits me perfectly and keep in mind it isn’t a slim-fit style.
I had to weigh the jacket and it came out to a featherweight 4.1 oz. The jacket is so light that if you hold it up to any light source, it’s practically see-through. The back also has some vents to keep you from overheating. While it is extremely light, I was running in high 30s to low 40s degree weather and it did a great job keeping me warm enough but not overheating. With it being so light, it also dries very quickly, which is another benefit.
One of the most obnoxiously annoying things with running jackets is when they swish loudly to the point that’s all you can hear. Luckily this jacket is very quiet and doesn’t have that swoosh from your arms swinging. It has one chest pocket that you can pack the whole jacket into. My only complaint is that I wish there were front pockets. I started with gloves on a few runs, and as I warmed up, I had to try stuffing them into the chest pocket, which made it bulge and feel awkward.
Seriously, this jacket is awesome. It’s one of my favorite lightweight jackets to date, and so long as it stays above freezing, it will be my go-to outer layer for morning miles.
PRICE: $120
NATHAN LASER LIGHT 3L HYDRATION PACK
WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: For those who run with hydration packs and would like to be more visible, Nathan has you covered with the Laser Light 3-liter Hydration Pack.
The most interesting aspect of the pack is the 6-lumen Light Up Thread that’s looped through the back of the bag. The power button sits on the front strap and has 3 cycles between solid, fast-blinking, and slow-blinking lights.
Maybe it’s just me, but I would have liked there to be some lights on the front chest straps as it would have helped the cars see me better when I was running on the side of the road against traffic.
The pack includes a 1.5-liter bladder, and the main pocket has separate storage for the bladder, so you can also stuff it with some snacks or even an extra shirt or other small gear. If you’re looking to carry more gear on a longer run/hike, you’ll probably need a bigger bag.
One of the chest straps has a front vertical zip pocket that just fits my iPhone 13 Pro, or it can hold nutrition gels if you’re out for a longer run. I actually opted to put my phone in the bottle pocket on the other strap so I could easily grab it when needed.
The pack is a unisex fit and is one size fits most. I was able to get a nice snug fit which is appreciated as I’m not the slimmest dude. The pack didn’t bounce around when running, and I didn’t get any neck chafing. The one thing I struggled with was getting the bladder hose to stay put. I’m not sure what my problem is, but it’s probably just my ineptitude.
The laser light bag is perfect for those runners who are concerned about the dangers that come with getting miles in the dark and also don’t feel like bringing a handheld with them.
PRICE: $120