We all have our favourite bra and underwear brands. You know, the ones you feel naked without (obviously!) All jokes aside I would be lost without my go to favourites.
But what about sports bras? Do you have a favourite brand? Or do you just get what is on offer at your local store? The world of sports bras has expanded rapidly in recent years. There are many more brands and styles on offer.
This combined with the proliferation of online shopping has made access to great sports bras so much easier. No longer do we have to settle with squeezing ourselves into whatever our local store has for sale.
There are many brands out there that you may not have heard of. But do they make great sports bras? In this article I will be running my eye over 8 sports bra brands you should know. Read on.
Anita Active
Let us start with Anita. A European brand and a personal favourite of mine. Their sports bras are so lightweight, supportive, and comfortable. What is not to love about that! All their sports bras are rated ‘high’ impact so all will give you the support you need during any activity.
Try the DynamixStar if you like racerback and the Momentum’s if you want good everyday support. The Extreme Control and Extreme Control Plus have a shaping function designed to create an attractive bust shape. And the Air Control is promoted as the ‘worlds lightest sports bra’. Cannot argue with that!
Their sizing can be a little confusing (being European) so spend a bit of time finding a size conversion guide. Once you do, I would highly recommend an Anita Active sports bra. They are a touch expensive but, in my opinion, so worth the money.
Berlei
Berlei is likely the most well known and popular sports bra brand on my list. And with good reason, they are a renowned Australian brand that have teamed up with the Australian Institute of Sport to test and measure the bounce reduction of their sports bras.
They do a range of sports bras catering for different activities and sizes. Their Electrify Mesh range are high impact and cater to more ‘standard’ sizing. The Shift is Berlei’s most supportive sports bra and caters up to a F Cup. If you need larger sizing, then you will need to turn to the Full Support and ProElite. Both cater for larger back and cup sizes with the ProElite being the more supportive.
Berlei sports bras are comfortable, supportive and sit in the reasonable to high price range ($60-100). Unfortunately, they have chosen to specialise in the underwire space with only one of their offerings being wirefree. That said if you are a fan or underwire, they are well worth a look.
Bonds
Bonds is a brand synonymous with Australian underwear. There are not many of us that would not have heard of the brand Bonds. They have been around for over 100 years and you find them pretty much everywhere.
But what about their sports bras you ask? Admittedly they do not do a big range of sports bras. Just a couple of styles in the more affordable range. These styles are rated ‘Medium’ impact and as such are suitable for activities that do not create a lot of breast bounce.
If you cycle, gym or play golf and are after a more affordable bra from a brand you know. Then try a Bonds sports bra.
Freya Active
Back overseas again. Freya is a subsidiary of the Wacoal group based in the UK. It was launched with the mission to make women with larger busts look and feel great. A great mission to have if you ask me.
Their sports bras succeed in satisfying that mission. They don’t make a lot of styles, but the styles they do make a comfortable and supportive. Catering up to a K cup! The Epic is their highest support sports bra with an impressive 92% bounce control. The Sonic is rated ‘medium’ impact so be careful what you use it for. And the Core is a great everyday option for the larger busted lady (K cup!)
I do like Freya Active sports bras. My only criticism is they have specialised in underwired styles. Great if you are a fan but a few more matching wirefree styles would give us women more options. That said, give them a try as you cannot argue with their support.
Glamorise Sport
Another foreign brand that makes awesome sports bras for larger ladies is Glamorise Sport. They make a range of sports bras that fit up to a 28 back and a J cup. Well done Glamorise, I applaud you!
Given they support larger women many of their sports bras are rated ‘medium’ impact and as such aren’t suitable for higher impact activities like running. Two exceptions are the Adjustable Wirefree and High Impact Underwire. Both are rated ‘High’ impact and are perfect to keep you moving when you up the ante.
So, if you are plus size or have a bit more up top then a Glamorise Sport sports bra is well worth considering.
Panache Sport
Panache is well known for making lingerie for D+ women. This expertise is carried over to sub-brands Panache Sport and Sculptresse.
Panache Sport only make a small number of styles with the top two imaginatively named the Wired and Non-Wired sports bras. Imagination aside these sports bras do the job. They are comfortable and supportive and look the goods. They cater up to an 18 back and HH cup. If you need to go bigger Sculptresse by Panache make up to a 24 back and JJ cup!
Panache sports bras are a favourite among active women and I can understand why. They really do keep the girls in check. It is a pity they do not make more styles. A true racerback option would be a great addition!
Shock Absorber
OK, if I had to nominate my number one sports bra brand, then Shock Absorber would be it. Why? Quite simply they are ‘da bomb’. They specialise is only designing and manufacturing sports bras and they are exceptionally good at it.
Based in the UK, they have won numerous awards over the years for their efforts. And deservedly so. All of their sports bras are University tested and rate highly in bounce control.
So, if your sport is high impact then a Shock Absorber sports bra is for you. They cater for a broad range of cup sizes (A-HH) so will suit most women. The downside is they are a bit expensive, but the extra dollars are worth it to keep the girls under control.
Triumph Triaction
Who knows where Triumph originates from? If you said Germany, you would be correct. They have been around for over 135 years (not bad) and know a thing or two about bras.
Their sports bra sub-brand Triumph Triaction makes a wide range of sports bras catering for a range of sizes and activities. I personally cannot fault the quality of Triumph sports bras and they sit nicely in the more affordable price range ($35-75).
Given their quality and support it is no wonder they are a favourite among many Australian women. If only they catered to a larger size range.
My Final Thoughts
As I always say, everyone is different and what suits your running buddy may not suit you. We are all unique but luckily for us there is now a much greater selection of sports bra brands to choose from.
Take the time to seek out a brand that best suits you. One that is comfortable, accommodates your size and is supportive enough for the activity you intend to use it for.
After all a great workout starts with the right sports bra!
Yours in Support.
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