Product Review: Brilliant Reflective Strips

Disclaimer: I received Brilliant Reflective Strips to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I received this product just at the right time, summer running season. Running during the day time in the summer is way too hot, there is the risk of sunburn and overheating, so running at night has become a part of my life. I love night running but sometimes having all that gear can be cumbersome, a reflector vest can be heavy to run in and cause some uncomfortable chafing. So rather than spreading body glide all over my torso before a night run, I have opted to ditch the reflector vest forever and am now a loyal brilliant reflective supporter.

The Product

There are two types of brilliant reflective strips that I was able to test, the iron on strips and the stick on strips. I found them to each have their own uses, so here is more about each of them.

The iron on strips are only used for clothing. They come with an amazing set of instructions for how to get the best results, and not damage any of your clothes either. I found it very easy to do when you follow the directions. I did have one of the strips not adhere all the way which I was a little nervous about. Half of the strip was still on the shirt but the other half was loose and dangling. But I read on the packaging that this is normal, and to re-iron the strip. So I just ironed it per the directions and the strip took to the shirt.

The stick on strips I found to be much more versatile. I worked well on clothing but there were so many more applications for them. I put them on my bike and helmet so that I could be more reflective when riding my bike. I felt like it was more stressful to apply the stick on strips because unlike the iron on strips you have to peel off the back of them before applying where the iron strips can just be placed where you want them. So it was crucial to make sure I put them in the right spot the first time.

Run Test

In order to test the product thoroughly I wanted to make sure I had at least one shirt with the iron on strips and one shirt with the stick on strips. In both cases I found them to be pretty fashionable and not look out of place. I found that with both of them if didn't feel like they were on the shirt at all. I know sometimes when you do iron on decals you can feel the decal and it is sticky or rough but I didn't notice any of the strips feeling this way. Basically there are no downsides to adding them to my clothing.

One thing to note is that the iron on strips cannot be added to every type of material. Some polyester materials will melt with an iron is used on them so you really need to take the time to choose the right clothes, that way you don't ruin your iron or shirts.

Conclusion

The one difference that I think these strips made was the confidence boost that I had when exercising in the dark. Knowing that I was more visible to passing vehicles gave me so much reassurance. That alone should be enough to get you to start adding these to all your athletic apparel. When you're not spending the brain power wondering if you will be seen you can focus more on your workout and get the most out of your training.

Make sure to follow Brilliant Reflective on their social media for the latest product releases and for inspiration on where to apply your strips.

IG: brilliantreflective
T: @brilliant_safe