I get annoyed with people running or walking in the dark without reflective gear. It’s none of my business if people dress smart, but it’s hard enough to be seen in the daytime and with so many distracted drivers, so it’s important to do whatever you can to be seen and stay safe. I get especially annoyed with dog owners who refuse to wear any reflective gear, let alone make sure their furry kids are adequately prepared. It’s one thing to choose for yourself to run or walk without it, it’s quite another to make that choice for your innocent dog. A few weeks ago, I ran by a woman who was walking her Corgi with a Noxgear Lighthound Visibility Vest. I couldn’t help myself, I had to stop and thank her for making sure her dog was prepared. I’ll get off my soapbox, but strongly feel that canines need to be safely ‘dressed’ for nighttime walks/runs and their humans need to make that happen.
Until the Noxgear Lighthound Visibility Vest, I’ve been strapping an old school reflective vest on Autzen, our little rescue mutt. He might be on the smaller side, but he doesn’t feel little when I have to put that on. He knows what it means and he’s hyper so I get a workout in before we even walk out the front door. Because it’s such a production to get that on him, he misses out on runs I would have otherwise taken him on. After testing out this vest, I’m never going back. It’s quick and easy to strap on – one loop goes over the head and the other strap wraps around the dog’s torso. Both the head loop and the body strap are easily adjusted to fit the dog.
Autzen showing off his reflective capabilities
Even better than the convenience, is how much this illuminates. You can choose your colors, keep it solid or set it for flash. No one can miss Autzen when he’s running around in this and the best part is that he loves it, almost too much. He gets excited with he hears the word ‘run’ or sees you grab his leash and now he gets excited seeing this too. That means I need to be careful when I’m putting it on the charger, any handling of the vest will make him think we’re heading out for a run. Fortunately, the battery charge lasts 12 hours, so I can sneak it on the USB charger, when needed. I was a little nervous this wouldn’t hold up with our liquid sunshine, but this vest is all-season and waterproof, including the washing machine. Autzen has short hair and isn’t super messy, but it is machine washable, when needed and super durable for dogs that require more clean up.
My husband wants to get some strobe lights and have a Disco Night with Autzen, but I’m just happy he’ll get some attention off the dance floor. I want people to see my dog at night and this pretty much guarantees that. Truth be told, it adds a little bit of fun to our runs together. Most importantly, I feel safer when he’s sporting his vest. I usually shy away from technology and stick with old-school comfort, but I’m so excited I decided to try something new. The Lighthound Visibility Vest is definitely an improvement to a traditional reflective dog vest. I love it and Autzen loves it, which are both huge, but most importantly, cars can see us better. It’s hard to miss a dog that looks like he’s running around with flashing glow sticks attached to him and that’s really what I care about. My little stinker is safer if drivers see him and this vest makes that happen.
Company: Noxgear
Product: Lighthound Visibility Vest – $69.95 – (Amazon for $54.95)
Thank you to Noxgear for providing us with a sample. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
