Anyone where a reflective vest? I would like to hear thoughts, suggestions or any comment that relates to reflective vests.

I originally bought a Icon mil spec vest. Works great and does not block too much wind if you have it over vents. ID pocket on vest is useless. Still it is a pain to have to put a vest over a jacket. My main jacket is a grey Olympia AST which is the best jacket I've owned. If I was to do it again though I would just by the jacket in Hi Vis.

unless the vest fits snugly its going to be a pain.
the cheap vests are really designed for no more than walking or cycling pace, say sub 15MPH. there are some which fit better but they are more expensive. the real issue is at speed they tend to balloon out, shift position and contribute to additional wind noise.

I'd agree with two wheels if you want the reflective vest look buy a jacket with that look as glowcat13
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/member.php?u=3337

Although I have a flourescent jacket similar to
http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/dsShop.aspx?shopid=8
I wouldn't count on wearing Hi Vis as 'the' means of staying out of trouble
yes you are more visible to some of the :censored: myopic :censored: out there, but by no means all. treat it as an adjunct, a bonus if you will but there are other ways of improving visibility and safety. relying on a flourescent vest potentially transfers some repsonsibility for seeing you onto the :censored: cager, but you'd be far better to concentrate on your riding skills and road position first in my books. however if wearing the power rangers gear floats your boat and makes you happier when riding do it. just don't confuse the two

I bought a Fieldsheer On Base vest 2.0, and had a friend of mine tailor it a little to fit more snugly around my Jacket ..it does have elasticized drawstring sides to bring it in tighter, and it doesn't flap around like a lot of lighter vests, i think you are able to get a mesh one as well for a bit more airflow...the little rectangular thing on the left breast for an ID i simply removed.
http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Leather-Vests/FIELDSHEER-ON-BASE-2.0-TEXTILE-VEST/91867.html

I have worn a mesh reflective vest for years and would not ride without them

it is a myth that the vest will balloon or move around. the mesh lets air throught

i got it in xxl and it can go over any jacket, even winter wear.

if you have seen riders in europe wear them all the time, and i think it should be standard for riders.

i have also been interested by the aire tronics inflatable vest for more safety

While I disagree with phdmam about making it mandatory to wear the vest , they are very cheap and very effective , and do not move around enough to cause discomfort while riding . Check out Construction Safety stores for all kinds of colours and styles ( plain orange mesh , Hi-Viz yellow/green with pockets ) too many styles to list here . That said I would just get a hi-Viz jacket if this is your main concern ................

**LEGAL DISCLAIMER** -----keep in mind this is only my opinion and I Do Not hold a PhD like Mam does ......:D

Or go high tech .......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B98e5CbzqAo

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:QRGX5BHcucB_6M:http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFiles/High%20Visibility%20Vest_Reflective%20Vest_Safety% 20Vest_640.jpg

These vest are cheap, good and does the job to letting others see you.
Bike convoy marshalls use them here.

I think many 3/4 length jackets today have some reflective material like 3M on them. :thumb:

I am in the Marine Corps and it used to be mandatory for us to wear reflective vests, either orange or yellow, but recently they changed the requirement and it is no longer mandatory, the word we got, was that it was due to their ineffectiveness. i guess they have studies or probably some statistices proving this, but overall i didn't mind wearing it, i have stopped wearing it since it is no longer required but now i have a firstgear hi-viz jacket and really like it, some of the jackets with reflective piping light up a lot better than cheap reflective vests anyway.

Blackhammer,
i was not suggesting that the vests should be madatory, but that they should be a standard piece of ridingware. ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT

i will not ride without it at night.

the friends i ride with always joke that i should always ride tail end of the group so that the leader can see me. also, they make me take off the vest when we take pictures because i overexpose the pictures with the flash of my vest.

i dont know but i think that that is a testimonial of how well you can be seen, especially at night.

AND... no disclaimer necessary.... i do not have a phd in highvisiology!! LOL

AND... no disclaimer necessary.... i do not have a phd in highvisiology!! LOL

I am actually a visiological engineer , it is my expert opinion that any rider should wear whatever they feel comfortable wearing . Anything to help you been seen better is a plus , I like those Hi-Viz jackets for safety because they resemble the Police jackets so much , that when people see them they usually slow down "just in case" .........this could buy you precious time or at least make the motorist notice you . The problem with the old style vest (orange) is that they are too close to a counstruction workers and most people speed through construction zones and as a result they sub-consiously ignore the colour now , this is why the Military says don't bother if you don't want to wear it ......... White helmet , green hi-viz and a gun .........safety combo :D

I've always worn a high-vis/reflective vest whenever I'm on the bike, day or night. The current model is a Class 3 Highway Surveyor's vest, high-vis yellow with 2-inch-wide reflective stripes on the shoulders, around the chest, and around the sleeves.

I got this one via eBay from Southern Colorado Safety (Socosafety). Here's a link to one (size L) currently available on eBay (http://tinyurl.com/yb8u6e8). I made sure to get one that would fit over my riding jacket.

It's made from poly mesh so it's not really noticeably weight-wise over my jacket. I am firmly convinced that it's helped me avoid an accident so far. Although I do look somewhat like a Power Ranger.....

I have a couple of other, older high-vis/reflective vests that I got from various safety equipment vendors online. They are beat up and not good for wearing on the bike any longer, so I keep one in my car and in my truck, just in case I need to change a tire or help someone else on the road at night. Better reflective than flattened, I think.

I bought my hi vis vest from here.

http://www.visionvests.com

Vests are made from tough black beach erosion mesh very durable and passes alot of air.

I also bought one of their Hi Vis Tour Shields that I have attached to the back of my top case. Makes a big difference. I do feel noticed.

Anyone where a reflective vest? I would like to hear thoughts, suggestions or any comment that relates to reflective vests.

Planning to buy some vest too.. Preferably a reflective vest too..

I wear an Olympia vest that fits nice and tight at any speed. It is very ruggedly built too. The hi-vis lime yellow color is very visible during the day and the reflector stuff helps at night. It does block air from the vents of my jacket, so I sometimes take it off when it is very hot. It definitely works. I see people do double-takes all the time while starting to pull out onto the roadway. I wear they see me coming up in their rear view mirrors also. I also wear a white helmet, with lots of reflective tape, which makes a big difference. Sure, you can't ride thinking you don't need to pay attention because you are visible, but it is a major aid to being seen. It just makes sense--if you are easier to see, you are easier to avoid.

Mine is a Kushytani. (the y must be an i but the word is censored if I try to send?)
I wear it only when it's dark or rainy weather. On the picture the left and right look black, but on mine there are also reflective stretch surfaces. It's good quality.
The back is the same as the front (exept the zipper :rolleyes: )

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/1072/sicherheitsweste.jpg (http://img697.imageshack.us/i/sicherheitsweste.jpg/)