Where can I find hi vis with a difference?

Sprockety

It wont be long before I start commuting (waiting for CycleScheme bike) however my route to work is full of children walking to school and also cars taking the same route. I live in a rural area and for some of these children there is no option but to go in the car. I work in a Primary School so on my journey there will be children and parents that I encounter every day so I have to do it 'right' if that makes sense. Especially as the class I work in, will also be doing the 'Lets Bike' training scheme this year.

However the few people that cycle this route dont wear much hi vis. If it is, its the yellow tabard type, which not only do I get very hot in as its nylon, it looks very boring (although safe) and flaps around in the wind. Im sure also some drivers have almost yellow hi vis blindness and it is seen so often that it is almost ignored. I did think of a pink tabard, however because its nylon I just end up hot and bothered.

I just wondered if there was any decent high vis that was patterned, stripy, stars or even chevrons like you see some of the backpack covers? My ideal would be a waistcoat or a Sam Browne type belt with stars on or something. It would encourage the children I work with as well that wearing hi vis could be cool as well as safe. I do have an Altura Night Vision jacket in red, but thats too hot to wear at the moment.

Any ideas?

cougie

Google ? There are lots of shops selling hi viz stuff just like you need.

crossborderreiver

The reflective parts of high viz clothing are only effective in the dark when headlights bounce off them so a Sam Browne belt won't make any difference in the daytime or at dusk. When driving, I find cyclists wearing orange jackets/tops stand out far better than those wearing yellow.
If you really want to go down the Blue Peter route, reflective sew on, stick on or iron on shapes can be bought from sites like this http://www.cyberglow.co.uk/category-con ... m?catID=54

furrag

http://www.vulpine.cc/Shop/All/All/COTT ... ET/ITM1002

jejv

Sprockety wrote:

Where can I find hi vis with a difference?

I just wondered if there was any decent high vis that was patterned, stripy, stars or even chevrons like you see some of the backpack covers? My ideal would be a waistcoat or a Sam Browne type belt with stars on or something. It would encourage the children I work with as well that wearing hi vis could be cool as well as safe. I do have an Altura Night Vision jacket in red, but thats too hot to wear at the moment.

Your question is ill-conceived.

If you want to be "Hi-Vis" you should seek the largest area of a uniform colour - like the clothing you see on people working on a road. There are Standards for Hi-Vis clothing such as EN471.

The point of large solid areas of colour is to help a viewer notice the wearer faster. Jazzy designs are disfunctional, because they slow down recognition. To an extent, they behave as camoflage, compared to a plain design.

The "Hump" backpack covers that you refer to are not, and do not seriously try to be Hi-Vis, though that hasn't stopped their successful marketing.

I'm not aware of any cycle clothing that seriously attempts to follow EN471, or seeks to adapt the ideas of such standards to the needs of cyclists - which would be a valid and welcome thing.

The cool jazzy chevron and spot patterns of retro-reflective material on an Altura Night Vision are a poor substitute for the 50mm stripes of material on EN471 Hi-Vis clothing.

jejv

Here's a good backpack cover:

http://www.colan-uk.net/Motorcycle-Trai ... l-Bag.html

In Fluorescent yellow, OK.

It's tougher, better designed, and costs less than any of the Respro stuff.

Initialised

You could get some tape an make a custom design on whatever you wanted.

DrLex

Retro reflectives have some novel items.

Headhuunter

Furrag wrote:

http://www.vulpine.cc/Shop/All/All/COTTON-VISIBILITY-GILET/ITM1002

Jeeeeez, 95 quid for a dayglo vest thing!

bails87

Look at stuff aimed at runners. IT'll probably be thinner/lighter than other stuff.

andyrr

Mavic Vision h20 jacket in orange supposedly exceed the European safety standards - whatever they are.
It certainly looks prettty bright and in dull conditions I think that bright an orange would stand out pretty well, better then a yellow fluo waistcoat or Sam Browne belt. Not sure if it is currently available - there is a gillet as well as full jacket.

fill_uk

What about one of these in yellow?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sportful-reflex-2-windproof-cycling-gilet/

I have one in black so cant comment on how bright the yellow one is but its comfy and waterproof and i dont get too hot in it. Plus folds up small.

jejv

andyrr wrote:

Mavic Vision h20 jacket in orange supposedly exceed the European safety standards - whatever they are.

EN1150 http://www.safeways.nl/media/downloads/ ... 0_engl.pdf

Your Vision H20 (and the Mavic Vision) look quite good. I think I'd still go for the boring fluorescent yellow, though.

Mavic do seem to have thought a bit about where to put the reflective stuff.

I'd like something with retro-reflective material on the inside of the lower arms - to make hand signals easier to see.

andyrr

The only item of clothing that springs to mind as a high-vis-type thing and non-boring is the Foska bones skeleton jacket - probably way too warm, isn't high-viz as such, just a jacket that stands out and is different.

Use some stickers ?
http://www.probikekit.com/uk/bikes-fram ... vival.html

Fluo yellow does now seem to be a bit ubiquitous now whilst I occasionally have seen the mega bright orange jackets and they seem almost to glow in low light conditions.

bails87

I think the pinky-orange is easiest to see, to my eyes anyway. So I bought a dirt cheap (like £3-4) hi viz + reflective vest from ebay. No idea what (if any) standards it's made too, but it's really bright and the reflective bits are great.

I bought it to chop up into pieces to make a backpack cover, so wasn't fussed about breathability etc, but it's pretty thin, probably becasue it's so cheap.

Oh, and 'shapes' aren't really going to look like shapes when they're reflecting main beams back at a driver, they'll just look like a blob of light. I think you're overthinking this a bit. Just make sure you've got decent lights (and backups) and get something that's comfortable to wear that's as bright as is possible for your budget/style/comfort requirements.

submers

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tenn-Coolflo-Jersey-Yellow-Grey/dp/B005ZQYJME/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347431652&sr=8-1-fkmr1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tenn-Coolflo-Breathable-Cycling-Jersey/dp/B0052DGAFO/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347431652&sr=8-2-fkmr1

http://www.snickersdirect.co.uk/snickers-workwear-2533-visibility-tshirt-class-snickers-high-visibility-tshirt-p-89893.html

http://www.snickersdirect.co.uk/snickers-workwer-8033-hivis-fleece-class-snickers-high-visibility-fleeces-p-90437.html

The Rookie

You can get Hi-vis in a cotton mesh that meets EN471, it's available in a variety of colours and 'breathe's OK.

jejv

The Beginner wrote:

You can get Hi-vis in a cotton mesh that meets EN471, it's available in a variety of colours and 'breathe's OK.

As in meets EN471 requirements for a "Background Material" - Chromaticity, Luminance, Colour & Light Fastness,... ?
Do you have a link ?