Whether out for evening jog or a hike under moonlight, visibility is important. Vollebak’s latest, the Solar Charged Jacket, ensures that outdoor enthusiasts are never without light. Like something out of the comics, the jacket stores light energy to maintain a glow for up to 12 hours.
Just like glow-in-the-dark toys from peoples’ childhood, the Solar Charged Jacket fuels itself in sunlight. The easiest way to charge it up for the night is by wearing it outside during the day. Whether it is two minutes or two hours, the jacket will store the light energy and glow as soon as it gets dark. Longer time in the light will be reflected in a longer glow, and just a couple hours in the sun will grant users up to 12 hours of soft, green light. Even on a cloudy day, the sun’s light is bright enough to charge it up.
If the jacket spent all day in the closet or in a bag, the glowing effect can be achieved in as little as two seconds with a smartphone’s flashlight. If users want to be visible during a nightly run or bike ride, they can also charge it using car headlights or a standard 60-watt bulb.
In broad daylight, the glow won’t be visible. Instead, jacket owners can enjoy a more subtle light gray. The core glowing ability of the jacket comes from an ultra thin layer inside of a translucent mesh. For those worried about washing off the magic, the phosphorescence is engineered into the membrane itself, inside of the fabric. No amount of washing or rubbing will remove its glowing property.
Outside of its luminescence, the Solar Charged Jacket is also a high-performance rain jacket. The waterproof membrane keeps the user dry during the heaviest of downpours while remaining soft and breathable to prevent excess sweating. The thin fabric also makes it compact enough to roll up into one hand. Unlike many other shells, this jacket maintains a large amount of elasticity, making it perfect for movement.
The Solar Charged Jacket is currently available in a variety of sizes on the Vollebak website (via uncrate).
