Sports Bra Shopping That Didn't Suck

by - Monday, August 24, 2015

You know what's a bad idea for a runner? Walking in to a City Sports after a long run all hopped up on endorphins and realizing there's a sale going on.

So bad for my wallet.

But really good given the fact that I was pretty desperately in the need of new sports bras. Definitely hadn't replaced mine in like two years.

I've been wearing Champion sports bras my entire life. No joke since I started needing them when I was playing basketball and softball in middle school. Champions were the first I ever bought (correction, first my mom ever bought me) and I've been loyal since.

I've alway worn one of two styles. Either the simple pull over your head kind evidenced here:

CAN weekend 1 2015

Now a days these are reserved for rec league sports (like softball) that don't require as much support. Also for slip n slide.

Or these with way more support for running:

supportive back   supportive front

More support in general means things stay in place better on runs.

But to my dismay and utter sadness, Champion stopped making these bras. They've phased in some new styles that I'm not a major fan of (too many seams = too many possibilities for chafing). As a result, I haven't bought a new sports bra since...uhhh...2013?

Yea I know, that's really bad since sports bras definitely do not keep their support that long. (Most experts recommend replacing them every six months...sorry boobs!)

So this weekend when City Sports was having a nice sale on sports bras, I figured I'd take the time to look around. Well-endowed runner friends and running bloggers tend to swear by the Moving Comfort brand for their extreme support, and since those happened to be on sale, I decided to try a few on.

I tried on a few different styles: Maia, Juno and Rebound Racer.

The Maia was a no-go from the start for me. Underwire in a sports bra is just not my jam.

I tried on the Juno next and pretty much fell in love (once I was actually able to get it on and clasped). It took some weird circus theatrics to get it over my head and then hooked in back, but once it was all set, I could tell why people raved about this bra. So much support, so little movement, no matter how much I jumped up and down in the dressing room.

juno front   juno back

I actually wore it on my run this morning and it was awesome, except the tag rubbed weird in the back, so I'll have to figure something out with that.

The last one I tried on was the Rebound Racer. This one was easier to put on (thank goodness), but still seemed to have pretty awesome support and held up well to me jumping all over the dressing room. I haven't taken it out on a run yet, but I plan to later this week.

RR front   Rr back



So in total I left City Sports with the two sports bras, a pair of shorts and new head bands, since my old ones were finally too stretched out, all for $105. Considering a good sports bra usually runs like $60, I consider this a major win.

Ladies, do you have a favorite sports bra? What is it? 

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2 comments

  1. I like my Brooks sports bras - I think the ladies have gotten a little larger over the past few years (what's happening?), so it's a tight, yet comfortable squeeze. Also, I still own sports bras from high school...I wear them to work sometimes, or maybe yoga.

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  2. Liska2:43 AM

    I like the Moving Comfort Phoebe -- they don't make it anymore, but I stocked up and still have a stash of unopened ones that I am hoarding like a doomsday prepper.

    Once you find a Moving Comfort style/size that works for you, keep an eye on Sierra Trading Post and the Moving Comfort website (though I think they were recently bought by Brooks so now it might be the Brooks website). At both places, you can get good deals on "last-year's styles" and such. If you sign up for the Deal Flyer emails at STP, they often send 30-35% off coupons that go on top of their already clearance-level prices -- my last several Moving Comfort purchases there averaged about $15-18/bra!

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