Baring all about Bras
Gear reviews are forever going on about shirts, shorts, and shoes. But to speak of vital underwear garments like bras: well that’s a whole other story. But I’ve had enough of this self-sanctioned censorship.
I need to talk out about my long hunt for the ultimate bra that runs free and wild and at one with me.
At my local outdoor sports store, I recently asked about lightweight running bras. Their meagre selection sent me straight out their door and onto the web, where I discovered the ultimate in sports bra retail.
First off, I found the aptly named, Booby Doo, which specialises in sports bras for the active woman. Their full range of brands covering cup sizes from A to HH left me a tad mesmerised. Once I surrendered my size, I then had to indicate whether my ‘impact’ was ‘low, medium or high’. Soon enough I discovered Booby Doo was probably designed for the less slender woman than I: bucksome women were definitely better covered by their range. I eventually did settle on one from their Sportjock range. Though it was indeed the right size and definitely did the job, its cotton lycra fabric made it soon heavy with sweat and a bit too weighty to carry.
Bras aren’t just for keeping boobs in place. Especially when you are a woman who’s a little less well endowed, bras are sometimes just good for covering up the goods. This is when sports sites like Gear for Girls and Girls Run Too come into their own. Both have a range of fashionable bras that take into account that, if you do a lot of sport, you probably don’t need much support.
Lowe Alpine Dryflow Bra
However, even these bras can have too many clips and hooks to be comfortable on the run. For the ultimate in simplicity, the best buy has to be Lowe Alpine’s Light Dryflo Bra. It’s an easy slip-on number for a quick cover-up and a steady hold-up. Coming in a convenient black colour, sweat stains don’t show. And its dryflo fabric means that, even after a hard old run, it’s still as dry and as light as when you first put it on.
If I am planning to wear an extra layer anyway, I sometimes end up wearing sleeveless vests that have simple built-in bras. North Face has a range of great vaporwick tanks. These have a mesh liner that you slide into without any need for finicky fasteners. There’s even a little pocket built into the bra for stashing your key between your shoulder blades.
TwinSkin Tank
Salomon has also tried to mimic this style with its Impact Twinskin Tank. However, they’ve given the option of an adjustable inner bra for slight changes in sizes, which indeed may suit some. But what I like most about the Salomon Tank is that it makes me feel like a Power Ranger with its funky frontal insignia. Definitely worth a purchase just for that superwoman look.
So here’s hoping that your undergarments support you in your sport, whilst still being sufficiently seductive when sweaty!
