Night runners, blinky red light?

Not sure where is the best forum to put this, but I am thinking of doing more night running now that I have a headlamp. I need to get a reflective vest and thinking about some kind of blinking red light. Somewhere I stumbled onto someone suggesting the planet bike superflash, wich is a bike tail light but also has a clip so it can be clipped onto something. There is also a newer turbo version which is suppose to be super bright and uses a random strobe: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004U5PV5A/?tag=cpf0b6-20
It has good reviews but all the reviewers seem to be using it for the intended bike tailight. I am curious if any runners here have one or have another reccomendation?

I plan on getting a reflective vest like the amphipod xinglet: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044GI7Q0/?tag=cpf0b6-20 and clipping the superflash onto the back.

I posted a similar thread in the bike section but also wanted to get the opinions from runners so thought I would try to post here as well. Maybe more runners in the headlamp forum though, IDK.

Comments?
Other suggestions?
Thanks!

Other suggestion: Obviously you intend to run where there is other (wheeled) traffic possibly coming up behind, so don't wear earphones.

That way you might hear them approach from behind (unles they are one of the silent electrical vehicles). I ride my bicycle on the "shared paths" we have around here, and am constantly scaring the poop out of walkers and joggers who don't hear me announcing "BIKE BEHIND !" because they are wearing earphones. Some of them start to abuse me, until I stop, get off my bike and patiently explain that I tried to warn them but couldn't because they have effectively rendered themselves deaf (it also helps that I'm quite a big bloke with a bit of attitude when the mood takes me).

More suggestions:

Get lights that have a wide field of view so you can be seen from the side as well as from directly in front or behind.

Flashing lights at the right frequency attract the eye better than ones that flash really fast (and usually have better battery life as well).

AA batteries have a lot more capacity than AAAs, lithium primary batteries (not rechargeable) store the most electricity with the lightest weight, and Sanyo eneloops are by far the best rechargeable NiMh batteries if you are using lots of batteries.

The Petzl Signal is very light and can be attached to the strap of Your headlamp, if the strap isn't wider than 1"
http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/headlamps/signal-/-elite/signal
It is not very expensive (around 15$) and can also be used with the headband or attached to a bacpack or ... Cr2032 coincell batteries are not expensive, if You buy them online.

Edit:
Gregozedobe, You should consider a "continuous bell" for Your bike:
http://www.bikes2race.de/glocken-klingeln-hupen/radlaufglocke-dauerklingel-sturmklingel/a-67/
If You press the switch handle, the bike operates the bell like a dynamo. When I was a boy i enjoyed scaring other people with it.

Take a look at Portland Design Works Danger Zone
http://www.ridepdw.com/goods/lights/danger-zone%E2%84%A2

It has slow and fast flash modes. The fast is highly obnoxious, and I really wonder if people would try to hit you to just turn the light off, but the slow flash might be good if you put it on the back of your headlamp's strap. There should be a video somewhere of it in operation. I've seen it for CDN$20, so look around.

I like the Nite Ize Spotlit. 15grams, has it's own clip, is visible from both sides. Only bad thing is cr2016 batteries, and it's overly easy to turn it on (and drain it) while it's buried in your bag.

As one who drives in the early morning darkness, I really appreciate it when runners and bikers wear reflective clothing and use lights. It's what I do when I'm the one running in the dark. I carry a Surefire E2DL, but I'm starting to think I should suppliment that.

Thanks fellas for all the advice.

Greg - thats very good advise I do that already. I do normally listen to music (stereo bluetooth headphones and my phone) and the first time I went out for a night run I realised I needed to hear the cars coming from a distance as soon as possible and left the music at home.

I'll look at the other options mentioned above. But one thing I forgot to mention why I am looking at the superflash is because it has the bike mounts also as well as the clip so it would be dual purpose. The turbo model is supose to have a very eye catching random strobe, and suppose to also be one of the brightest available right now. AAA is fine as well, I have some NiMH AAA already and the thing is suppose to last like 100hrs. I want one thats pretty bright, its all 55mph country roads I run on - I need all the visibility I can get.

I'm not a runner, but, I am a cyclist. I used to commute by bicycle when I worked closer to home, about 11 miles to and 17 miles home, taking the scenic route. In the winter time I was leaving the office at dusk and lighting strategies were all that I could think of. I had a combination of both passive and active features to get the attention of inattentive and distracted drivers and I believe that this combination worked affectively. The idea is that humans are visual animals and we are most attracted to motion. Having a static reflector or light on he side of the road usually doesn't attract attention, but, have that light blink or move and you're much more likely to get someone's attention. The PB Superflash is great for this purpose because it has a somewhat random flash pattern that isn't the same old monotonous repetitive blink. Put this onto the back of a runner and the natural movement as you are running introduces an extra movement that should help. The only problem hat I can see is that the PBSF has a fairly directional beam from it's primary half Watt LED and that may be pointing in the wrong direction at the wrong time. what to do? Use two of them. My second strategy, the static features, are reflective materials plastered onto the frame of the bike as well as on the moving parts of the bike, like the rims (in patches so that the spinning wheel doesn't become a solid glowing piece) and on the hubs and cranks. Of course, a runner won't have these moving parts, but, you can wear reflective arm bands around your ankles and upper arms, reflective materials on the back of your shoes, etc. Combined with a reflective vest it should scream "jogger" to a driver loud and clear.

PCC I agree with those points very much. Especially after the other night with the H51W headlamp on high (over 100 lumens) pointing right at an oncoming car and it rode the white line right up to infront of me and suddenly swerved. Need more light & motion. I plan on a vest like I linked in post 1 with full 360º reflectivity, arm/anlkle reflective straps or both, and headlamp & tailamp.

Your points on the PBSF being narrow angled has also been brought up on my other thread, and a wider angled light with an I think better strobe I may consider is the PDW Danger Zone. On my normal jog it shouldnt matter as the roads are straight and narrow. But I am sure I'll be on other roads now and then.

DIΩDΣ;3751929 said:

. . . I plan on a vest like I linked in post 1 with full 360º reflectivity, arm/anlkle reflective straps or both, and headlamp & tailamp. . . . . .

Click to expand...

If you have a look at Emergency Services Uniforms, they have Reflective Tape below the knee - because headlights on low beam don't shine much higher. Reflective tape on vests may not be illuminated.

If you run on public roads, avoid blinking lights as it attracts drunk drivers.

I would do following
Run in a reflective or white colored shirt
Use reflective rings worn on ankle
I guess use a headlamp?

I usually run with a light in my hand and for the most part need it sparingly on my run.

I use the superflash on my bikes. Ive got several bikes and dont have mounts for all of them, so often I just clip the light to me or my backpack. It works fine, never felt like it was going to come off or any thing.
And the thing does work well, its bright and obnoxious!

Thats as close to helping as I can get, I havent actually ran with it on me.