Sports Bra Review

Evaluating sports bras from A to DD

A good sports bra is a necessity for active women. Sports bras are much more supportive than regular lingerie, and experts say you should wear a dedicated sports bra even for low-impact exercises like walking. Finding the right sports bra is important not only for your comfort, but for the long-term look and feel of your breasts. The Cooper's ligaments, which support the internal structure of the breast, can stretch when breasts bounce up and down without support. Once these ligaments stretch, they become less effective at holding up the breast, which leads to drooping and premature sagging.

There are two main types of sports bras to choose from. Compression bras are most common and support your breasts by compressing them together and holding them firmly against your body. These bras are usually pulled over the head, and are recommended most often for women with A or B cup sizes. Reviewers say these bras provide a good level of support for small- and medium-chested women, although some complain about the "uniboob" effect, a term some reviewers use to describe the look when breasts are pushed together.

Large-breasted women can use compression bras for low-impact activities, but experts generally recommend encapsulation sports bras for women with C cups or larger. These bras have a separate internal cup for each breast, and many include underwires for even more support. Reviewers say you don't necessarily need underwire in a sports bra, and some women say it chafes or constricts, so this choice seems to be a matter of personal preference. Instead of pulling these bras over your head, encapsulation sports bras include a hook-and-eye clasp or zipper, which make them easier to get on and off. In many cases, the straps are adjustable to help large-breasted women dial in the perfect fit. Encapsulation bras aren't limited to large-chested women; some athletes with A/B cups may prefer this type of sports bra for high-impact sports like running. 

These two types of sports bras come in a wide variety of styles. Racerback styles, in which the straps curve inward in the back, are very popular because they provide a greater range of arm movement than the typical sports bra with straight up-and-down straps. Racerback sports bras come in T-back or Y-back designs, depending on where the straps meet in the back. Compression bras can also come in camisole designs with thin spaghetti straps, but these are usually only recommended for A-cup women or B-cup women who engage in low-impact sports. Encapsulation sports bras are typically less stylish than compression bras because they have full coverage and wide straps to evenly distribute the weight of large breasts.  

The vast majority of experts recommend getting a personalized fitting when shopping for sports bras to ensure you get the right size. If you shop on your own, you should look for bras that don't dig into your shoulders; a good bra should hold your breasts completely (no bulges on the sides or bottom), and fit comfortably around your torso. You should be able to put two fingers under the straps. Nearly all sports bras are made with a blend of polyester, spandex or nylon, and manufacturers add their own proprietary moisture-wicking treatment. This keeps sweat away from your body and makes vigorous exercise more comfortable. You should avoid all-cotton bras, which become wet and heavy when they absorb sweat.

Although you can find cheap sports bras at any department store, the best sports bras cost around $30 to $40. This may be a big investment for some, but most reviewers say a high-quality sports bra can completely transform your workout routine in terms of comfort and support.

Most sports bras should last six to 12 months, depending on how often you wash them. You can help your sports bra last a little bit longer by washing it in cold water and letting it air dry. Heat can break down the elastic in sports bras, so if you must put your sports bras in the dryer, use low-heat settings. If your sports bra is stretched out or losing its shape, it's time for a replacement.

A number of sources enlist the help of women to try out sports bras, with the best coverage coming from fitness magazines. Some of these articles are several years old, but the sports bra market stays pretty consistent from year to year. Because large-breasted women have the most trouble finding supportive sports bras, most reviewers focus on bras for this audience. Running Times magazine has one of the best tests of sports bras, complete with balanced analysis and tester comments. Runner's World, Health and Shape magazines also have useful reviews that provide good details. Other sources, like Fitness, Women's Health and Redbook magazines, test sports bras but provide little analysis to accompany their picks. As a result, user reviews become very important for filling in the details. Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com have the most comprehensive coverage of sports bras, with some popular models attracting hundreds of individual reviews.