We run year-round and in all kinds of places and on all kinds of terrain. Cities, national parks, on sidewalks, on dirt singletrack trails, in the heat of the day and sometimes even at night. We love the thrill of exploring new places on foot. It beats the dreadmill (ahem, I mean treadmill) every single time. And yet, sometimes it means we have to run in the dark or we we’re in unfamiliar territory. It hasn’t stopped us and yet it has made us a little more aware of our safety needs. With that in mind, we’ve decided to work up a list of some our favorite and best women’s running safety gear so that you can train safer and smarter as well.
Disclaimer: No amount of safety gear can ever fully protect you. Do your homework, prepare yourself for the run by knowing your area and route. Also be sure to let a friend or family member know where you’ll be running and when they should expect you back. And always trust your gut. It’s far better to skip a workout if the circumstances require rather than compromising your safety.
Nathan StrobeLight
This little light only weighs a few ounces but it will increase your visibility when running in the dark. It makes our list of some of the best running safety gear for women because it’s versatile, affordable and effective. You can clip it to a vest or running belt and use one of a few different strobe modes to help motorists and other pedestrians aware of your presence. Plus, the battery lasts for up to 100 hours when used on the flashing mode.
Buy on Amazon | Buy on REI.com
Amphipod Xinglet Optic Beam USB Rechargeable Flashing Reflective Vest
This isn’t a hydration vest. It’s a vest that’s designed to have you easily noticed when running in low-light conditions. We like how the light the vest is (you hardly notice it when you’ve got it overtop a shirt of jacket). We also really appreciate how it doesn’t get in the way of your arm swing nor does it get caught up in your hands mid-stride.
Buy on REI.com
Nathan Reflective Hairband
This little hairband is good at keeping the sweat out of your eyes AND helping you stay visible. The logo and the geometric graphic have reflective stuff on them so you shine. It’s a lightweight and easy to wear piece of gear that easily makes our list of the best running safety gear for women.
Buy at Amazon.com
Title Nine Mad Dash Reversible Running Tights
These running tights are not only reversible, they’re reflective. They pay homage to the Hubble telescope and on one side are in a fun, starry sky pattern. The other side is a solid black. If you want reflective strips while wearing the black side, all you have to do is turn the ankles up.
Buy on title nine
Nathan VaporHowe 4L 2.0 Ultralight Running Vest
This vest helps keep you hydrated which is a fundamental piece of running safety. We recommend this vest for all-seasons and all-conditions. It comes with two 20 ounce soft flasks which are carried in the front two pockets. It also has space for an additional hydration bladder which can be stored in the back pocket of the vest. Out of all the vests on the market, we chose this one for our list of best running safety gear for women because it also has a safety whistle on the front. We wrote a full review on this vest which you can read here.
Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI.com
Amphipod LED Vizlet Triangle
This small, puffy triangle is actually a very powerful LED light. It’s lightweight and easily clips to a running vest, belt or even the edge of your shirt or hat due to the magnet that holds it in place. One press of the power button and the red light will blink to help keep you safe on even the darkest of runs. (Amazon sells these in a two-pack).
Best Women’s Running Safety Gear Recap
Maybe you run in the early mornings before going to work. Maybe you just like to run at night; or at least have the option to. Stay as safe as possible with our top picks for best safety running gear for women.
Like this post? Feel free to share with others and be sure to check out some of our other posts on our Best Running Gear for Women as well as some of our more specific gear reviews.
Note: Many of these pieces of gear are not gender specific and can be used by anyone.
