Recommend me some Hi-Vis

[daydreamer]

I'm hoping to finally get on with riding my youngster this year and need to buy some high vis. At the yard where I had my previous horse I was spoilt as all the hacking was on the farm and we never really went on the roads so all I have is a fluorescent yellow over-waistcoat thing. At the new yard the hacking is reached via some road work and then will be a mixture of roads, fields and some riding in the woods.

My horse is dark bay so especially hard to spot so I want the best Hi-Vis possible. I figure this is not something to economise on as it could possibly help prevent any accidents.

What colour do people find stands out the most?
I saw the new reflective mercury equisafety rugs online and they look good - has anyone tried one?

Thanks

 

[gallopingby]

There has been a lot of research about hi-viz and the ‘best’ colours are frequently found to be dependent on the weather conditions. We go for a mix of colours so yellow, orange and pink. l‘ve recently seen people wearing ‘multi’ coloured jackets Or you could consider wearing one coloured jacket and a different coloured rug. The martingale type hi-viz is sometimes forgotten about but you do need to be seen from the front just as much as the back.

 

[chaps89]

I love the v-bands products, they’re the only ones that keep their colour and don’t fade over time in my experience.

I tend to make sure I have hat band and tabard on me then neck strap, tail band and either leg wraps or stirrup wraps on the horse.
Hi-vis exercise sheet if the weather is truly manky.
It’s also worth making sure it is reflective as well as bright for gloomy days or if you have to set off in the dusk.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I swear by V-bandz for high viz.

I use pink all year round mixed with some and orange and yellow deoending on time of year - yellow on it's own mixed in too much on forestry in the summer but is pretty visible in winter and in the Autumn orange mixed in with the heathland we ride on but stands out in summer. We don't ride near anything flourescent pink so that stands out all year round.

For winter, I use Portwest for my high viz coat - I think they are a construction based but have found mine to be brilliant.

In the Summer I use a lot of Karrimor running topsrather than a tabard over a t shirt - you can get long fleece versions too, which are great.

As minimum I have a hat band, t shirt/long sleeved top/tabard or coat and an exercise sheet (V bands do a mesh version) and neck band on horse for off road hacking but will use more (leg bands, bridle and rein covers) if riding on roads.

In the winter I use a mix of mercury and high viz with lights as I hack in the dark in the mornings.

 

[AntiPuck]

Mix of colours is best as different ones work best in different weather. You also need reflective portions and lights to be fully covered for weather/light conditions. BHS recommends at least a tabard on rider and leg bands on the horse, but that is absolute bare minimum imo.

You can attach cycle lights to a riding helmet, via a hat band, for example.

For tabards, Print My Words .com do hi Viz tabards with reflective trim and with huge speed cam symbols on them, those make a big difference, even if you don't have a hat cam yet. They also do hi Viz waterproof or mesh quarter sheets with speed cam symbols on them.

I personally use leg bands, quarter sheet and neck band on the horse, and a tabard, hat band, cycle lights, and hi Viz cuffs (makes hand signals more visible) on me. If lighting is poor, I also use a flashing breastplate on horse and a flashing tabard on me. Plus a hat cam.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Depending on the time of day you will be out on the roads I find that basic Hi viz yellow shows out the best. Having reflective stripes is all well and good but unless it's getting dark and cars have their headlights on the reflective stripes do nothing. Our horses wear yellow hi viz blankets, hi viz boots front & back & a hi viz yellow martingale. The riders also wear a hi viz tabard. It may seem over kill but with this stuff on the horse they are seen from both front & back, side on as well. Once the hi viz has been bought it'll last you for years.

 

[NeverSurrender]

Another one for V-Bandz, especially as they made a pair of breastplates to size for my mini Shetland and couldn't do enough to help!

I also have a youngster, and have received complements from drivers for the hi-viz ears he wears when we go on road walks - I assumed his breastplate would stand out more being bigger, but they have all said they spotted the ears first.

Mine is grey, so we predominantly wear orange because I think that contrasts better on him than yellow. He has orange ears, an orange breastplate, a yellow exercise sheet, orange leg wraps all round and a pink tail guard - I also have both orange and yellow hi vis for me depending on the weather conditions (instead of tabbards or waistcoats I bought some large mesh/reflective workmen t shirts off eBay, about £6 each and cover you from all angles!) and a multi-coloured hat band.

I never want to give a driver to excuse of 'I couldn't see you' so we really plaster the hi-vis on!

 

[jsprince]

If you want cheap and cheerful Hi vis for yourself, we use this company at work. www.ppedelivered.com

For the horse I have hi vis rug in orange.

 

[Fjord]

I like orange for hi viz as it seems to stand out nicely, but it really depends on the backdrop you are riding against.

I made an orange tail band and neck strap for my girl and wear a long sleeved vivid orange t shirt for during nicer weather. Horsehoodz make riding tights with hi viz patches on, they are great.

 

[Caol Ila]

I saw the new reflective mercury equisafety rugs online and they look good - has anyone tried one?

A friend of mine just bought a reflective mercury jacket. We hacked together last week, and at one point she asked me, "How visible am I in this?"

I looked back at her and said, "You're not. Just looks like a grey jacket."

I have a combination of yellow, orange, and pink on my horses. V-Bandz do the best things.

 

[Squeak]

Like others, I vary what I wear given the weather and conditions. I often have to hack at dusk over the winter and use this exercise sheet from weatherbeeta because I needed the flourescence and it works really, really well.

WEATHERBEETA REFLECTIVE WRAP AROUND EXERCISE SHEET

Also just a heads up to those who hack not on roads - if you ride places where there are helicopters/ low flying planes (RAF!) hi vis also makes a huge difference to them and means that the pilots can try and avoid you.

 

[maya2008]

Orange at dusk and dawn. As tested most scientifically by us while coming back late from hacks on multiple occasions!

My v-bands waistcoat thingy has lasted in excess of a decade. It is still in good condition.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Mercury is great but isn't designed to be visible in daylight but comes into it's own in dark or murky conditions when headtorches or headlights catch it.

I hack in the dark in the week during winter and my mercury rug and mercury straps on my coat are definitely really visible when it catches the light. At this time of year in the mornings I wear a mix of mercury and high viz as I'm leaving in the dark but coming back in dusk/daylight

 

[Cowpony]

I recommend getting a tabard for yourself with lights on, as well as everything mentioned above. We have to lead ours down a road from the fields to the yard, and you definitely get more respect from motorists if you have lights on in low light conditions/fog etc

 

[cauda equina]

Get something with sleeves, not a waistcoat or tabard
You'll have a much bigger area of hi vessness, especially from the side
I wear Dickie's coats or fleeces - they are cheap and have good pockets

 

[humblepie]

I recently bought a Mountain Warehouse cycling jacket. It was on offer and a really good price. Has vents and pockets. A driver slowed down the other day and said how visible I was. It is very bright orange. Leg bands for horse are good as at the level the driver’s eye is drawn to.

 

[daydreamer]

Thanks everyone. I have ordered a 1/4 sheet in orange and yellow, some leg wraps, a chest strap, hi-vis ears and a hat band for me from V-bandz.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Please, please remember that reflective only reflects when a light shines on it. If you are using anything reflective, it needs to be at headlamp level, not wrapped around your hat, for example. In addition to all the hi viz stuff, I used to use silicone LED jogging armbands threaded onto nylon dog collars to go round fetlocks, round my ankles, and clipped through a plait on the horse's tail. Happy hacking!

 

[MereChristmas]

For winter, I use Portwest for my high viz coat - I think they are a construction based but have found mine to be brillia

part of post used

I have an Executive jacket similar to the Portwest. It has a mesh lining. I did add pleats in the back though because I hate sitting on my jacket.

 

[rextherobber]

I also have a mix of colours on both of us. I have found a tabard with a camera pic on the back has had a very marked effect on the speed at which traffic passes us. (I don't actually wear a camera though!)

 

[Maddie Moo]

I have this jacket which is 50/50 with fluorescent and reflective in orange. I also have a bright yellow hat silk, bright pink and reflective hat band around it. Plus a yellow and reflective short whip. I try to mix the colours up as much as possible. (I don’t have a horse so I use whatever reflective items the owner has! But I try to use a minimum of leg bands and a neck strap)

 

[PeterNatt]

May I strongly suggest that you get yourself a Hat Cam such as the Techalogic DC-1 which films from the front and rear at the same time. You can get a 7% discount if you use code PWAS1 when ordering from their dedicated web site. www.techalgic.co.uk