It can't have escaped your attention that Christmas is just around the corner. The race calendar is full of Turkey Trots and Pudding Dashes, Marcothon is in full swing and night time runs are rewarded with beautifully lit trees in people's windows. Speaking of lighting, it shouldn't just be the trees that are as bright as Rudolph's nose... if you are out running at night, you need to be seen too. 

We recently put some Bodylite items to the test, and as you'll see - they would make for ideal Christmas gifts for any runner who doesn't hibernate or trade the road for a treadmill through winter. 

First up, what is Bodylite? Bodylite is the brainchild of Irish runner Padraic George. As a father of three young children, during autumn and winter he found daylight running opportunities were hard to get, so running during low light or darkness became commonplace. A headlamp wasn't cutting it, and so using his skills Padraic created a light designed specifically for running. He told us: "I wanted a product that had a strong light at the front, focused on the ground in front of me, lights at the back to keep me safe and with storage for phones/music etc."

There was no product like this on the market and so Padraic was delighted to create the Night Runner belt which gave him the confidence to go running on the road any time of the day or night. From those beginnings, Bodylite has grown to include a range of other items, all offering runners high visibility in low light level conditions. 

We trialled the NightVision Gilet in tandem with the NightVision Light. First impressions were that the gilet is a nice looking piece of kit, and not only that, it feels high quality. The blend of 88% Nylon and 12% Spandex definitely offers both flexibility and comfort. The gilet is ideal with a long sleeved thermal top underneath, and it certainly kept my core warm on colder runs. I really like the pink detailing on the zip and logo, which looked striking when paired with a pink thermal underneath. 

Where the gilet really comes into its own though is in its ability to have the NightVision Light attached via 'industrial strength' velcro at either the back or front (if you have the gilet zipped up). The light attaches really easily and stays put - it is light and very bright and is fantastic from the point of view of 'being seen', but when attached at the front it is also brilliant at helping you see the path ahead. 

The light itself is 244mm x 34.5mm x 15mm and boasts featherlight weight of just 78g. It is equipped with a robust lithium battery, ensuring long-lasting performance and it is easy to charge via USB connector. 

The light has three light settings - High, Low, and Blinker Light. The makers say that the light has a run time of around 2 hours on high, which is probably more than enough for night time running... it definitely is for this particular runner! After an hour in the dark I am keen to get home for a mince pie and a cup of warm tea! 

There are loads of other products you can attach the light to including the NightVision Vest which features adjustable waist and shoulder straps - this is ideal for wearing over a more substantial winter running jacket and is also available in the hot pink colour way, which I trialled, or a more conventional night vision yellow. 

If you'd like to know more, visit the Bodylite website. 

Image: Bodylite Facebook