Y'all, I have tried me some sports bras.

Lest you run away with an inflated sense of my athletic prowess, picture, if you will, a 5'ten" 13-twelvemonth-old who made it onto the middle school basketball squad and would cheerfully pass the brawl to the opposing squad, lest she seemed too mean or aggressive. She besides came to two practices a week with her leotard and tights on under her basketball game clothes, so she wouldn't take to change when her mom picked her up to drive her to ballet class.

Meanwhile, over in ballet class, she had big boobs and flat anxiety. She was also still 5'x", and thus never invited to take partnering classes.

So (dorsum to the present), in spite of the fact that I tend to flail from one concrete activity to another and have a soft little abdomen similar a bowl full of jelly, it's however rare that I exercise less than a few times a week. I've washed dance classes at the gym, sessions on the elliptical, a New year's day's Solar day yoga class with friends that was both soul-opening and body-breaking, and I once helped a friend train to hike Mount Kilimanjaro, but for the last 9 months or then I've been running.

BRAG AHEAD: I can now run 5-6 miles at a fourth dimension with some regularity, and my furthest distance so far is 9 miles. I'1000 starting to consider grooming for a half-marathon. WHO AM I? Only likewise bear in listen I can only run faster than 6 miles/60 minutes if I'thousand on the treadmill under a fan watching a precisely calibrated medley of CW shows and superhero movies on my telephone, then ho-hum your gyre and don't sign me up for the Olympics nevertheless.

All THAT is to bring me to the indicate that once I started hit the 4+ mile marking several times a week, all of a sudden things started pain. My feet blistered, my knees ached, my shirts chafed my arms, and my sports bras started trying to impale me.

Non because of the bounce, though! Honestly most of the sports bras I've tried that fit correctly (and are the right shape for me) take done a fantastic job of giving me back up and stability (seriously, there are so many bully full-bust sports bras out there at present (although not in every size range (more on this shortly))). No, what's getting me now is The Chafing. Skilful gravy, the chafing. The straps on ane bra, the seams on another, the underwires on this one, the back clasp on that ane: they're having trouble going the distance. Let's break it down! (Each pic takes you lot to a retailer with the production in stock.)

The Ones I've Tried:

Panache Sport: Available in sizes 28 DD-H, thirty D-H, 32 C-H, 34-38 B-H, 40 D-GG.  I reviewed information technology here.

Panache Sport sports bra red

In terms of looks and comfort, this is my favorite D+ sports bra on the market place.

Original: The original bra is an underwired encapsulation-mode sports bra with an adjustable racer-back clip (too chosen a J-hook) and astoundingly flattering molded cups. Seriously, my boobs expect phenomenal. It offers dandy back up without making you lot feel like your boobs are being squished to your chest. The ring starts out pretty house, simply I observe it stretches inside a few workouts. I loved information technology for hiking and pole dancing, and it served me well when my runs were 2 miles and under, but for longer-distance running? Yowza. Sore, angry ruby patches of skin at the center gore from the underwires, sore, aroused red patch of peel on my back from the dorsum squeeze. Fortunately, the lovely Lisa of Le Piège des Boobies ("the booby trap" in French) in Brooklyn recommended a bra liner, which wicks sweat and provides a protective bulwark between the bra and your peel. I can't await to attempt this out!

Sweet Nothings Panache Sports Top Review

Sports Height: 2d verse, much like the first (review here), merely this fourth dimension it's built into a sports top. As I mentioned in my review, I found the top a trivial narrow through the body, with the event that it kept riding up on me, but for those of you who are not shaped similar me, you might love it! I wasn't nuts about this colorway, just there'southward a great black version in the Fall/Winter collection that's still available at a few retailers.

Panache Sport Non-Wire Bra

Wire-Free Sports Bra: I sought this out hoping to go some relief from the chafing problem I was getting with the original bra. For a wire-free bra it works very well, although there's still something going on at the back clasp that's rubbing and irritating my peel while I run (hopefully a bra liner will solve that problem). With no wires and a smooth molded loving cup, it's very comfortable, but I wouldn't wear information technology for running without the racerback hooks clipped, and I'll requite information technology a miss for activities like yoga or dance that involve a lot of inversions or upper body movement. The cups seem to kind of tip my boobs up and towards the center, and so whenever I bend over I have to readjust when I stand up up.

Freya Active

Freya Agile: I've merely tried the classic version (D-M cups) and the sports elevation (D-H cups) (reviewed here), but wow: this does not work for me at all, and I've tried information technology at pretty much every size I've worn. The shape is so, so odd on me: the gore doesn't tack, the peak of the cup is shallow, the underwire slides downward my ribcage, creating lots of extra room in the lesser of the cup, and the wires spread way too broad at the sides of my body. However, my body is not every body, and this bra has some extremely loyal fans. Check out Busts 4 Justice'southward reviews of the bra here: she loves it!

Royce Impact Free Sports Bra

Royce: Royce specializes in wire-free bras, and their Touch on Free Sports Bra is available in dorsum sizes from 28-40 and loving cup sizes from D-1000 (Great britain) (depending on band size). I haven't worn this bra in several years, only I remembering affectionate the loftier neckline when I wore information technology for dance classes and yoga. The last thing I want to worry about when I'yard stretching and bending is my boobs falling out, and with this bra, at that place's no chance of that! I remember the band being squeamish and firm, but for whatever reason I haven't felt similar revisiting it– perhaps now that I'yard running more I should try it again!

Shock Absorber D+ Max Sports BraStupor Cushion: When my Panache bras started to chafe, I turned to Shock Absorber'due south D+ Max Sports bra equally a wire-free alternative (I've also worn the Max Sports Bra by the same visitor, and while it's a slightly different cutting, the support is equally good). Information technology's not the loveliest of bras, and while there are dissever cups, it all the same kind of mashes your boobs down. The band is likewise QUITE firm: both Linda's in NYC and the fitter at Bravissimo recommend taking your sister size (one band larger and i cup smaller than your regular size).  I have a few of these now, and they're dandy for running longer distances– or at to the lowest degree they were, until 1 of the seams in the cup's internal side sling began chafing my breast tissue. Ouch. Betwixt this bra, the regular Panache bra, and the wire-gratuitous Panache bra I'1000 able to rotate styles often enough to avert really roughing up 1 function of my body too much, but I'm still holding out hope for a bra that gives me support and condolement without chafing my pare.

The Ones I Haven't Tried Even so:

Freya Active Molded Sports Bra

Freya Active Molded (B-H cups): This appears to be Freya's response to the Brio sports bra, with molded (instead of seamed) cups and a racer back clip, in bold also as neutral continuity colors. While the traditional Active shape is a no-go for me, I'grand curious to see how this one would piece of work!

Freya Active Underwired Crop Top

Freya Active Crop Elevation (B-H cups): This appears to be a hybrid between the seamed traditional Freya Active bras and the newer molded-loving cup models. With more than coverage and thicker, seamed molded cups, this bra tin be worn under a top or on its own. This is i I actually, really want to try.

Enell Sports Bra

Enell (approximately FF-H cups): While non the loveliest of bras, I've heard practiced things about this front-closing compression sports bra, particularly for activities similar yoga or Pilates, where a back clasp could irritate the skin in the center of your back. The sizing is a bit unusual, so I refer you to Butterfly Drove for sizing communication.

Elomi Energise Sports Bra

Elomi Energise (34-46 bands, D-J cups (depending on ring size)): One of the few DD+ sports bras available in band sizes over 40, I've heard rave reviews about this sports bra. Check out Fuller Effigy Fuller Bosom for more than details!

Bravissimo Inspire Sports Bra

Bravissimo Inspire(DD-K cups): Really the just alternative to Freya Active if you're looking for a sports bra in sizes over an H or HH-cup, Bravissimo'south sports bra is slowly running out of stock. The Bravissimo team reports that they hope to reintroduce it in the full size range some fourth dimension in 2016, afterwards they've had time to brand some pattern and fit adjustments.

Shock Absorber Gym Bra

Shock Absorber Gym Bra (B-H cups): I'm intrigued by this shape, which looks a piddling like a regular sports bra with surplice-style external side slings.

Have you tried any of these sports bras? Any favorites? Is in that location a sports bra y'all dearest that I missed?