I bought myself a Noxgear lighted vest (the Tracer 360) a little over a year and a half ago. I was training for my first marathon and I had to get my runs in around my full-time job. In order to do this I had to run many times at oh-dark-early AM or in the PM during the winter months. I live in a very rural area and it’s super dark since there are no street lights on our Neck. C.J. (my beloved four-legged running buddy) loved to join me for my training runs but I refused to take him when it was dark for his own safety. I joked after getting my personal vest that if I ever were hit by a passing vehicle, they were aiming for me because there is NO WAY that they couldn’t see me when I had my Noxgear Running vest on! If they only had such a gadget for dogs…
Turns out they did! And, of course, still do! And it has changed both my and C.J.’s lives.
Of course I had to get one. C.J.’s eyes when I would leave for a run without him were heartbreaking. They said “But why can’t I come with you? Have I been a bad boy? I’ll be good, I promise!” Worse than that was the way he moped after I would return from a run without him. I’d get the silent treatment. Not kidding. He was pissed!
Let me introduce you to the Noxgear LightHound visibility vest. I measured C.J.’s chest girth as per the recommendation on the size chart and ordered the size vest I thought would be best for C.J. Once my order was placed, the product arrived within just a few days. I had to test it out the day I got it! After adjusting the vest to C.J.’s size and conformation, I charged it. It was showing that it was completely charged within minutes! Which means they sent it to me charged and it maybe lost a little bit in transport. SMART company! They know people like me. When I get something I want to test it out ASAP! I had a short 4 mile training run to do after work the day it arrived and C.J. got to join me for this one. This is when I realized my life was about to change.
Not only was the LightHound vest well-fitted, it was super bright and the LED color options are even better than MY OWN vest’s! Because we are in such a rural area, C.J. is able to run with me off-leash. He’s very obedient, but I still worry about him when I cannot see him, especially in the dark. He likes to chase deer (and we have plenty of them here on the Eastern Shore of VA) so I always worry about him chasing a deer then getting hurt during the chase and me not being able to find him (I have worked in the animal care field for over 20 years now and have seen even the most well-trained dog succumb to injury or death due to the dog-owner’s overconfidence in their pet’s obedience). The vest is completely uninhibiting to C.J. He can walk, run, jump, lay, roll over, sniff, play, eat, drink, pee, poop, and could probably conduct an orchestra with the vest on!
Some other features of the vest that I like are the snap loops to contain the extra length of the vest straps, it’s USB rechargeable, has a long battery life, it’s reflective in addition to being lighted, it’s machine washable (yes, you read that correctly!), and it’s rain proof. The LightHound vest is even better than the Tracer 360 in my personal opinion!!! The Tracer is not as reflective (except for the small waist strap) and the battery pack is kind of bulky (it’s not rechargeable!).
Since I got my LightHound vest for C.J., I use it for EVERYTHING that he is a part of in the dark! I do not ever worry about the lights burning out because, well before the vest needs a recharge, a red warning light will appear when it’s on. I know when I see this red flashing light for the first time, I’m okay for a good hour (in my experience). I used to put a lighted collar on him when he’d go out for night-time or oh-dark-early potty, but now I use the LightHound every time! I wasn’t happy with the collar because I’d lose sight of him if his head or body was positioned in just the right way. If he’d be behind a tree and his neck was blocked I couldn’t see him! If he had his butt end completely facing me I couldn’t see his collar. With the LightHound vest he cannot get away from me! I can see him from over a quarter of a mile away!!!
I recommend this product to anyone and everyone that has a dog who does anything in low-light conditions. The reflectivity of the vest is great for dawn or dusk. The light options are amazing for darkness! This is one pawsome product.
AnimalWhiz 