First Star Wars - Now Bra Wars
Mar 11 '01 (Updated Nov 22 '04)
The Bottom Line Pound for pound sport bras are less expensive, fit better, last longer and feel better.
Sport Bra Vs. Conventional Bra
If you don’t own a sports bra you just don’t know what you are missing. No more playing around with hooks and seams, no more straps twisting or worrying about washing them in the delicate cycle or in the sink. Yes, sport bras rank on my top 10 list of greatest inventions. Even if you aren’t an athlete you can still enjoy and benefit from the use of sport bras. They provide great support and feel better than conventional bras. My biggest pet peeve with regular bras are the straps - they would always twist on me. Since I work out a lot I needed something that will moves with me, something that will hold up to a lot of punishment and won’t cost me an arm and a leg to replace when they start to show some serious signs of wear and tear. Not everyone is going to feel comfortable in a sport bra, it might take some time to get used to the feeling of wearing one, especially if you opt for a racer back one or one that has a lot of mesh to it.
Is a sport bra right for you? Only you can answer that question. If you have never tried one I highly suggest it for the comfort value alone. Don’t worry about having to color coordinate either – I have seen every color from jet black to screaming yellow and the patterns – my god the patterns that they come in. I also have to say that after the birth of my children I found these bras a godsend – the first few days after delivering I felt so uncomfortable in a regular bra and didn’t dare go “au natural” and tried one of my sport bras. It was heaven – enough pressure to keep them from moving around but no so much pressure that it was painful. If you are pregnant or have recently had a child and your breasts are sore, regular bras are out of the question and you need to wear some type of bra-like garment then a sport bra [in a size larger than normal] would be a great thing to invest in.
Comfort
Hands down, sport bras are more comfortable than conventional bras; most are made of a cotton and spandex blend that allow support without a binding feeling. Under wire bras always left me sore and with a feeling like I was being sliced open. You won’t have any pressure marks or indentations from sport bras; they mold to your body but don’t feel like they are choking the life out of you. Of course there are some types of sport bras that are designed just for the “look” and don’t provide any type of support. This is when knowing a manufacturer and what they specialize in is key; companies like Champion, Under Armour and Spaulding are leaders in the sport clothing market and manufacture items that are not only functional but look great too. These companies sell bras that range from ten dollars well up to sixty to seventy dollars, this is where choosing your bra gets tricky since some look identical but are made for different uses or have different linings that could increase the price.
If you are someone that hates to sweat but loves to work out, you will definitely want to look for clothing that has a moisture removal system. This will help to pull the sweat away from you, keep you cool and you won’t feel like you are lugging around twenty pounds of wet clothing when you are done with your workout. One of the best sport bras on the market for those who sweat a lot is the Under Armour Women’s Heatgear Sports Bra. This might cost more than the average sport bra but when you slip it on and work out in it, you’ll understand why it costs more and chances are you won’t have a problem buying more of them in the future. I have several of these and they are the only ones that I wear in the summer or when I know that I am going to be in a facility that doesn’t have air conditioning or adequate ventilation.
Price
Most sport bras run between $5.00 to $20.00 depending on style, material blend and manufacturer. You will spend more than a few pretty pennies for Everlast, Norcross and Nike however I find that Body Company, Hanes and Prospirit are just as good and in some cases better. A majority of the ones I wear for day to day use are purchased at Wal-Mart, Target and K-Mart but the ones that I wear in the gym or when training are of a higher quality and subsequently, a higher price. The most I’ve spent on a sport bra was about $65.00 but that is a rare occurrence and one that came with a lifetime guarantee. It’s a compression type sport bra that I needed when doing high impact aerobics – basically I had a choice between three to four hours of back pain after a cardio workout or investing in one of these types of sport bras. Let me tell you, it’s worth every single penny.
In the case of sport bras it is true, most of the time, that you get what you pay for. If you are looking for something basic to wear from day to day then the cheaper, less expensive ones are your best bet. Sport stores often have sales at the end of a season or when they are trying to get rid of overstock and this is a great time to stock up on items that could otherwise cost an arm and a leg. Remember to try them on before you make a purchase, look for any defects, imperfections or damage and always ask about their return policy.
Size
It’s been so long since I have bought a bra that I don’t really know what size I wear. Sounds a little funny right? Well, I live in sport bras these days. Size can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer so be sure to try them on when you change styles. Some stores have limited return policies that include sport bras so make sure you try these on before you leave the store and if possible, keep track of which size you wear in a specific brand or from a specific manufacturer. I wear either a large or extra large depending on the manufacturer; a good example of this is the difference between the Under Armour Women’s Heatgear Sports Bra and the Everlast Racer Back Bra; in one I wear a large and the other an extra larger. This is because of the cut of the bra and the inner lining that can be a bit clingy if you are well endowed in the breast department. Each company has a different way of sizing their sport bras so check their websites for information to determine which one would work best for you.
Here are a few sizing charts that you can check out to get a general idea of what size might be best for you to start out with:
Speedo: www.speedousa.com/templates/catalog/e1/SizeCharts/product/size_chart.html
Champion: www.championcatalog.com/html/womensapparelsizes.html
ASICS: www.asicsamerica.com/sizing_charts/app/brasize.htm
Danskin: lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib/danskinonline/size-chart-women.gif
New Balance: www.newbalance.com/resources/images/products/sizing_charts/sizingchart_womens.gif
Durability
I have yet to have a single sport bra fall apart on me. I have managed to poke holes in some of the bras that have mesh on the front or back but that was my own fault. In most cases you don’t have to worry about a separate wash cycle or using a special detergent – these puppies are tough and rugged but there are some exceptions. One of my only complaints is that white sport bras tend to turn to that yucky yellow color around the arms and waist from sweat. After about 20 washes I usually retire these to the sports bra graveyard. Cheaper ones will start to fray around the edges or lose their elasticity but as a whole, you will get a ton of use from a $7.00 sport bra but if you are willing to spend a little more it will last longer, give you more support and you won’t be throwing away money needlessly when they need to be replaced. It’s really important to read the care tags on them; some can’t be bleaches others shouldn’t be used with liquid softener. Most of the time I hand wash my more expensive ones in the sink and allow them to air dry. This way I know they are completely clean, aren’t getting stretched out in the washer and aren’t going to shrink in the dryer.
Where To Buy
This is a real issue when it comes to buying sport bras, especially if you aren’t sure about how some companies size their products. Once you have established the size that’s best for your body shape and frame and you’ve established what you’ll be doing in the bra you can visit your local stores to try on different brands. After that you can take it online to look for the best bargains. One site that I really like to shop at is One Hanes Place, the offer bras from Champion, both zip up and slip over, at competitive prices. If you need hard core sport bras for weight training, endurance training or require something above the average sport bra control, the Speedo Online Store offers you high end products but be forewarned, these aren’t cheap but they will last years if properly taken care of. Even mainstream stores like Target Online Store are starting to branch out and carry these types of bras.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of your body size, breast size or physical structure – I really feel that sport bras are better for women than conventional bras. Some people say that there isn’t enough support for women runners and I say hogwash. You just have to look for bras that are made for this specific type of activity and to be honest, most of the time runners will opt for a compression shirt rather than a standard sport bra. If you are sick and tired of having to fight with uncomfortable bras, ones that don’t give you the support you need and ones that can’t keep up with you at the gym I highly urge you to check out sport bras. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar, they are something that will protect your breasts, alleviate some back pains and so comfortable that most of the time you’ll forget you even have one on!
As always, thanks for the visit …
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2004 Freak369
Related reviews …
Everlast Racer Back Bra
Champion Double Dry Bodywear Comfort Zip Sports Bra
Under Armour Womens Heatgear Compression Shorts
Under Armour Womens Heatgear Sports Bra
Under Armour Womens Heatgear Leggings
Nancy Ganz BodySlimmers Leggings
Fox Forever Hoody Womens Sweatshirt
Stretch Lace Thong
Miraclesuit Long Leg Bodybriefer
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