Best Reflective Windbreaker For Biking or Walking: Mens 3M Super Bright Reflective Jacket

If you walk your dog at night (or cycle to and from work), reflective clothing is an important piece of safety gear. 

And there is good news: technological breakthroughs with reflective fabric enable night walkers or riders much more visible than in the past.

Example: 3M’s Scotchlite fabric reflects light back to its source—making you more visible to an oncoming vehicle. How visible? Here’s a picture of one of the jackets we tried for this article, lit only by a phone camera flash:

Best Reflective Jacket

(Yes, that picture is out of focus—that’s what the reflected light does to the camera. Bonus: if you are a celebrity, you can outwit the paparazzi!)

That jacket is our pick for the best reflective windbreaker: 3M’s Super Bright Reflective Jack by TR. Very effective at reflecting light, at a price that is easy on the wallet.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Excellent reflection! The entire jacket is reflective, not just a strip or band.

• Waterproof.

• Lightweight.

• Elastic at wrists keeps water out.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• No ventilation—this coat is great for winter, but without ventilation, it would be too warm in spring/fall for some folks.

• Arms are a bit tight.

• Pockets could be deeper. And oddly, the front chest pocket is just for show.

• Zipper could be improved. It’s ok, but a better quality zipper would be more helpful.

• Great at night, not so much during daylight. If you need a visible coat that works both day and night, we’d suggest this next pick,

Best for Day & Night Visibility: Pyramex RJ3210XL RJ32 Series Jackets

If you work outside, a jacket needs to be visible both in the day and night, as well as poor weather conditions. (It also is nice for dog walkers). In that case, we’d recommend Pyramex’s RJ3210XL jacket.

Very good quality, at a price that doesn’t break the bank.

What We Liked

• Warm!

• Water resistant!

• Professional look.

• Pocket for cell phone or radio.

• Machine washable.

• Elastic bands at waist and wrist.

• 4 outside pockets.

• Concealed hood with drawstring.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Sizing runs a bit small.

• Zipper could be beefier.

Best Winter Reflective Jacket: SCREENSHOT Men’s Reflective Padding Jacket

Most reflective jackets are designed as windbreakers—that’s nice for cool weather, but what about winter?

In that case, we’d recommend SCREENSHOT’s Men’s Reflective Padding Jacket. Yes, this is a reflective puffy jacket, one of the few we found in this category. The brand has a good reputation for quality.

What We Liked

• Thickly padded.

• Hood.

• Elastic drawstring at waist and risks.

• Front pockets.

What Needs Work

• A bit pricey.

Best Jacket With More Sizing: Fangfei 3M Reflective Coat

This reflective jacket is basically the same as the first pick in this article, but has more sizes available. It goes to an XX-Large. 

The pros and cons are the same as above:

What We Liked

• Excellent reflection! The entire jacket is reflective, not just a strip or band.

• Waterproof.

• Lightweight.

• Elastic at wrists keeps water out.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• No ventilation—this coat is great for winter, but without ventilation, it would be too warm in spring/fall for some folks.

• Arms are a bit tight.

• Pockets could be deeper. And oddly, the front chest pocket is just for show.

• Zipper could be improved. It’s ok, but a better quality zipper would be more helpful.

• Great at night, not so much during daylight. If you need a visible coat that works both day and night, we’d suggest this next pick,

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!