ARES apparel
Apparel is optional in DeKalb ARES — there is no mandatory uniform. The pieces below help with two practical things: being visible on a race course or at a scene, and being identifiable to a partner agency or to other amateurs as part of the ARES team. Members buy their own.
High-visibility safety vests
The single most useful piece of ARES apparel. Required by most race directors at public-service events; expected by most served agencies on a scene. Look for an ANSI 107 Class 2 vest — that's the standard that meets the daytime visibility requirement most agencies reference. Lime green or fluorescent yellow with reflective striping is the conventional color.
Two main paths to get one:
- ARRL ARES Deployment Vest — the official ARRL piece. Mesh bib-style, ANSI 107 Class 2, with "AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS" printed on the back and an ARES logo + microphone clip on the front. Inexpensive ($25), foldable, lives easily in a go-kit. ARRL store →
- The Vest Guy — ARES Communications collection — more substantial vests with multiple radio/notebook pockets, pen slots, mic loops, etc. Customizable with embroidered callsign and name. Several styles ($70–$155) and colors; higher-spec than the ARRL vest if you want one piece that carries gear as well as marking you. thevestguy.com →
ARES-marked polos, t-shirts, and hats
A vest covers visibility; a polo or hat covers identification — useful at meetings, in the EOC, or in any setting where high-vis is overkill but signaling "I'm with the ARES team" is helpful.
- ARRL ARES Hat — neon yellow with reflective accents and an embroidered ARES logo. $20 from the ARRL store (members only). ARRL store →
- Etsy — ARES amateur radio — the broader independent-makers market. Embroidered polos, t-shirts, patches, and customizable items in a wider range of styles than the official channels offer. Quality and price vary; read reviews. etsy.com →
Callsign and name identification
Whatever you wear, the most useful single addition is your callsign and first name in a place that's legible to someone standing a few feet away — an embroidered patch, a sewn-on cloth panel, or a velcro/hook-and-loop placard on a vest. Both the ARRL vest and The Vest Guy items have positions designed for this; Etsy makers can produce callsign patches inexpensively.
Also useful: a clip-on or lanyard ID card identifying you as a DeKalb ARES member. Not required, but it speeds introductions when you're meeting partner-agency staff for the first time.
One reference example
Some ARES groups publish formal apparel guidelines for members. Williamson County (TN) ARES is one example — they specify vest color, lettering on the back, callsign placement, and so on:
Williamson County ARES — Apparel guidelines →
DeKalb ARES does not publish a formal standard. The pieces above are recommendations, not requirements.