[leadin]A new product puts flashlights right on your feet.[/leadin]
The idea might sound weird, but we’ve tested lighted footwear before and it does actually work, although the lighting is pretty funky with very long shadows thrown by the low angle beam.
The Night Runner 270 clips directly onto your laces. Designed for use by runners, the light creates “270 degrees of visibility” in front of the runner. It also has two red lights facing backwards for traffic visibility.
This product is designed mostly to increase visibility of runners to traffic, but the company claims it will also light the path ahead to about 30 meters. We’re guessing the rapidly moving light might be hard to use alone, but could be a good secondary light to enhance a headlamp.
It was fully funded through a $43,000 Kickstarter campaign this spring and is now available online for $70. We haven’t yet tested them, but if you’re planning on logging many nighttime miles this fall and winter, it may be worth investigating.
Night
- Two ultra-light LED light units
- Back-facing red taillights
- Battery life – 4 hours (high) 8 hours (low)
- Three different light intensity settings
- Li-ion rechargeable battery
- 75+ lumens per unit (x2)
- 30+ meters in beam distance
- Bi-lateral ‘wing’ design
- Water-resistant
