As the nights draw in why restrict your running to poorly maintained and badly lit pavements. Running with a head torch means you can mix up your exercise by combining pavements and off road paths, it really is a whole new experience !!
Following a conversation with Unilite Lisa I was very pleased to be given the opportunity to receive and write about their popular neon coloured model. I was also delighted to receive a draw string bag and flask.
In summary the Unilite Neon Sport-H1, has a 175 lumens beam that’s more than sufficient for everyday use, it’s light, affordable, comfortable to wear and only needs one AA battery. The adjustable headband has plenty of scope for all sized heads and when the strong housing is combined with water resistance then you’ve just about got everything covered. Oh, and it comes in a choice of funky colours !!
When I say funky, that’s neon pink, green, blue and yellow 🙂
The Sensible section
At this point I’d like to say that wearing a head torch for the first time can take some getting used to, so I’d recommend practising in semi lit environments first.
I’d also suggest running slower initially because both balance and self awareness are effected due to there being far fewer points of reference. That said, you soon adapt !!
Night lights come in all shapes and sizes so in many ways the right head torch for one person may not be the best one for someone else. Naturally brighter lights tend to be heavier and more costly but ask yourself, do you want to light up the path ahead of you or the valley the path runs through ?
A link to the Unilite website description is HERE but what I’d like to offer are my observations on my recent five mile run.
Head torch running really can be both safe and exciting.
The Fun section – Lets go for a run !!!
My running commentary starts as I ran down Titchfield Hill under the bright streetlights and along the freshly tarmacked pavement (no head torch required).
I then took a 90 degree left hand turn along a completely unlit path that’s both quite narrow and has no lighting whatsoever.
Now, at this point of the blog I dabbled with adding some photos but I decided this almost defeats the object as the flash would have given a false impression.
The head torch gave me a good spread of light from right to left and a surprisingly long sight of around the seventy metres that’s claimed. From previous experience you often have to adjust the angle of your light, depending on your location and the terrain.
The 45 degree scope that this torch offers means you can concentrate on the immediate four metres in front of you. Being able to adjust your light to your surroundings gives you a real sense of being in control.
One point to note is that if you tilt it too much then all you’ll see is the first two meters, which, on the one hand doesn’t give you long to react and on the other hand your breath can cloud your vision on a cold day, which can be quite off putting. That’s not Unilite’s fault, that’s head torches in general !!
It’s quite liberating running at largely the same pace as you would normally while passing through an area that would have otherwise been off limits.
Once I’d finished this section of my run I was then confronted with a mixture of car headlights and only occasional street lights. Being able to adjust the beam downwards makes it safer for you and the motorists in that you aren’t shining your light straight at them but you still have great vision.
The next obstacle that your head torch helps with is the combinations of a grass verge and the pavement. Yes you would probably see the grass and tarmac changing with the street lights but you’ll see it a lot earlier and in much more detail with your own personal light source.
Ultimately if you have confidence in where you are striding then you can maintain your pace and feel comfortable that you aren’t going to fall. Once back onto the main road I chose to switch my head torch off but that’s the flexibility you have. There’s no need to stop it’s just a flick of a switch with this unit.
Fast forward another mile or so and I turned off on the southerly section of the map above. This area is predominantly field tracks and a very rough farm road that has uneven concrete so it would be idea as a testing ground. Let the real Unilite fun commence !!
I know from experience that around the first corner of this lane there’s a large pothole. The Unilite beam gave me a reassuring illumination of this hazard and I’m sure that even if I didn’t know it was there I’d have picked up on it with plenty of time.
As I’ve said your senses do start to work overtime when you have limited light but it certainly makes for quite a buzz as your anticipation levels, as well as adrenaline, are heightened. This was demonstrated a mere 500 metres further along the path.
I thought I could hear voices which can be a little unnerving when you can’t see where they’re coming from !! Yes, I jumped and made a weird noise when two other runners passed me, coming from the other direction, at quite a speed.
Now, whether they eat more carrots than your average person or they know this farm road so well that they felt comfortable running in the dark, I don’t know, but they obviously saw me because they’d already moved onto the other side of the road.
That’s the beauty of a good head torch, people see you !!
As I weaved my way along the farm road it struck me that I’d been wearing my Unilite head torch for nearly forty minutes and I’d hardly felt I had it on. The lightweight nature of this torch also lends itself to being carried and then used, as and when you need it.
With your eyesight focused on a particular beam of light it’s funny how small details become more noticeable. With the wind having picked up there was a swishing of the trees and as I approached the main road it almost looked like it was raining leaves.
Returning back to the roads near the house I tilted my Unilite torch down but it still picked up the dark green refuse bins and the dropped curves that lie in wait between the street lights on any road !!
Stay bright, be seen and experience a new way to run when you wear a Unilite head torch. I’ve run with mine three times now and love it.
One final thought, if you haven’t come up with any “bright” ideas for Christmas presents or you’re still “in the dark” about what to get the runner in your family then look no further than this great accessory.
One final, final, thought, when you get back home and the front door opens, remember not to shine your light in their welcoming faces !!
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Thanks for reading.
Roger
irunoffroad 