Bosom Buddies: Sports Bra Reviews
After miles of testing—and plenty of boob sweat—we found award-worthy bras for every cup size.
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Finding the perfect partner can be a difficult task. There are so many choices! You can go sleek with a barely there feel, supportive with a little bonus padding or risqué with wires, extra straps and zippers—you do realize we’re talking about sports bras, right?
From banning bounce to hiding high beams, running bras have a lot of work to do. But our testers persevered to find the best-fitting bras from A to DD (and beyond!). A spring in your step is a good thing, but when it comes to your chest, it’s all about minimizing motion.
Know Your Size
You may have heard this stat before: Experts estimate that 85 percent of women wear the wrong bra size. Even if you think you’re measurement is on the money, it can’t hurt to double-check. It’s preferable to be fitted by a pro, but if you’d prefer the DIY approach, use this method…
– Put on a normal bra with thin fabric and find your tape measure.
– Exhale and wrap the tape measure around your ribs, just under your breasts.
– Round this measurement down to the nearest inch and use it to find your band size in the table below.
– Wrap the tape measure around your back to meet your breasts at the nipple to measure the fullest area of your bust.
– Subtract your rib cage from your bust measurement, rounding up to the nearest inch . Use the difference to find your cub size in the table below.
Awesome A’s
Perfect Fit for A Cups
Shoulder size and build are just as important as cup size when choosing the right bra. Take the time to try on different styles and get crazy in the dressing room—run in place, do jumping jacks and lift your arms overhead to make sure straps are long enough and the bottom band stays put.
WINNER: Sugoi Verve
Taking care of business is downright beautiful in this feminine racerback design. Removable cups allow you to hide nipples and enhance shape when desired. One tester: “This was the best overall for fit, comfort and support!”
$45, sugoi.com
Helly Hansen Dry Revolution
Silky softness, with just enough support, made this quick-drying compression bra a top choice for one tester healing from breast cancer treatments.
$50, hellyhansen.com
Zensah Seamless
Simple styling yields winning comfort—and the dazzling rainbow array of color options lets you mix and match to your heart’s content. “I hate chafing seams and tags. I loved that this was seamless, supportive and soft!”
$36, zensah.com
Bubbly B’s
Perfect Fit for B Cups
Compression (stretchy fabric) and encapsulation (separating the breasts) both work for B’s, making personal preference the driving decision factor. But beware of extra cup fabric—if it doesn’t stretch tightly across your chest, your bra is too big, which can lead to painful chafing.
WINNER: New Balance Shapely Shaper
With three-way motion control, this is one smart bra. Encapsulated comfort in a center support frame minimizes movement and left testers raving. “I would defi nitely wear this for a shirtless run and loved how it looked under shirts too—the styling meant no back boob!”
$42, newbalance.com
Brooks PureProject Seamless
Different knit zones—bomber tough zone at the bottom, softer in the center and a tight tensile strength on the sides to prevent lateral movement—mean graduated support that doesn’t just compress your chest. Plus, this style lets users adjust the soft straps for a perfect fit.
$58, brooksrunning.com
2XU High Impact Support
A double-hook closure system takes a little time to get used to but keeps your chest locked tightly into the cradle construction. Cushioned and adjustable straps give shoulders a break for all-day comfort with no painful digging.
$80, 2xu.com
Cool C’s
Perfect Fit for C Cups
A mix of compression and encapsulation provides best support for C cups. Because your ladies are at a size that borders on sensitive, make sure the band is nice and snug—it’s the bottom, not the top, of the bra that gives the majority of the support. Adjustable shoulder straps ensure cups hit at each bull’s-eye.
WINNER: Lorna Jane Sorority
“As perky and supportive as your favorite gal on Greek row,” was one tester’s cheeky summation of this sassy style. The lower neckline won praise for minimizing fabric without flashing your running buddies, as did the T-back design and breathable mesh.
$66, lornajane.com
Saucony Bounce Trouncer
For the runner girl who desires a super customized fit, this model has straps that move from straight to cross-back, as well as an adjustable rib-cage band for a truly dialed design.
$48, saucony.com
Skirt Sports Kelly
Not only are the Velcro straps adjustable, they’re substantial enough for both narrow and wide shouldered girls. Even testers who normally prefer their bras metal-free had nothing but kudos for the hook-and-eye closure. “It held me tight without squishing me flat!”
$60, skirtsports.com
Dynamite D’s
Perfect Fit for D Cups
Encapsulation (i.e., providing separate support versus the squished effects of compression) is key when it comes to the curvaceously endowed. Back or front clasps allow for a more supportive fit while making changing out of a sweaty bra less of a feat.
WINNER: CW-X Xtempo
Being able to “run sprints without worrying and without needing to double up” gave this bra a gold star with testers. Underwire provides extra support—and was so comfortable that testers barely noticed it. With a front-closure system, you don’t needto dislocate your shoulders to get dressed and undressed!
$65, cw-x.com
New Balance Delightfully Sculpted
This smooth-fitting crowd-pleaser recognizes that every girl and her chest are unique and gives the gift of a customized fit. Molded cups, adjustable straps, personalized closures and flexible underwire make wearing this bra a breeze.
$58, newbalance.com
Roxy Inspire
When style is just as important as support, the shapely structure of the Inspire is a winner. A clasp makes a secure fi t for stacked fitness buffs, and the open mesh back is a welcome, and sexy, counterbalance to the heavier material used for the cups. Three words: “Love this bra!”
$48, roxy.com
Divine DD’s and Beyond
Perfect Fit for D+ Cups
You truly can get the support you need in just one bra, but it may take some time and testing. Look for all the things you love—soft fabrics, pretty designs, wide shoulder straps, adjustability and encapsulated support. Don’t settle. Your perfect partner awaits!
WINNER: Moving Comfort Maia
Uniboobs be damned in this sexy and supportive number with encapsulation to frame, not flaunt, your assets. Testers raved about the silky, smooth fabric. “With less stretch than other bras I’ve tried, this gives consistent support no matter how long I run.”
$56, movingcomfort.com
BodyRock Sport The Lauren Bra
With soft fabric and frisky designs, you may find yourself wearing these bras as much for lounging as for running. Testers declared the zip-front closure an “uplifting” alternative to the typical pull and squish method and reached for this high-intensity ready style on the regular.
$77, bodyrocksport.com
Skirt Sports Jill
Much like a bear hug, this bra provides a Goldilocks-perfect hold. Padded straps, contoured encapsulation, cushioned closures and compression where you need it keep motion to a minimum without feeling restricted.
$65, skirtsports.com