Respro Star hang tags

Don’t want to clutter expensive luggage with stickers, huge swathes of day glow ruinous to your street credibility? Then Respro’s clever, reversible bag tags might be the solution for greater nighttime and low light visibility alike.

The beauty is in their simplicity two UV stabilized nylon strips measuring a substantial 21cm long clip on to the nylon closure straps of pannier, rucksack and messenger bags. Available in either Chevron or Stars patterns one side is impregnated with Scotchlite, the other day-glow yellow. Despite stiff composition, the press-stud closures are very malleable while still being secure-there’s enough play to catch the eye of others but not so they flutter uselessly in the fashion of some trailer/tag-along flags and at a pinch you could even get them on to some helmets. However, attempts to mount them on racks as emergency illumination proved less successful.

Clever graphics and high standards of manufacture are what you’re paying for and some fairly vigorous manipulation has failed to make an impression upon the materials suggesting they’ll be stalwarts of the gloomier months for several years before time comes for their replacement. Used in an urban context, grime, vehicle fumes and other pollution can dull the day-glow but gentle, citrus-based degreasers quickly rejuvenate without being overly hash in the way some detergents are. Not bike specific broadens the appeal to other outdoor activities and they might just be cool enough for pre and teenagers to wear them too.

Summing up, more durable and arguably neater than stickers but only as permanent as required, as additional safety aids they represent good value for money. The flashing LED impregnated type hold the trump card when it comes to outright visibility but given there’s no running costs they’re a dependable lifeline should your lights let you down.

Verdict

Simple, tidy reflectives for bags and panniers.