Editor’s Note: We reviewed our sports bra selections on December 12, 2022 and have added new recommendations from our most recent round of testing. We’ve updated shopping links to retailers currently offering sales and replaced any bras that are no longer available.
With so many choices, it can be a stressful experience to find the right sports bra. And, without definitive terminology among brands to describe support, the process feels even crazier. “There is no industry standard that exists anywhere in the world for what a low, a medium, or a high impact bra is,” says Julianne Ruckman, senior project line manager for run bras and women’s apparel at Brooks Running. Our sport is both high intensity and high impact, so it’s important to find the right support.
Bra shopping is like running shoe shopping: You need to test a couple of models to find the one that’s best for you. To help you narrow your search, we’ve provided a guide on bra fitting and sizing, and included our recommendations (like the ones below) to help you on your quest for the best—and most comfortable—support just for you.
Support
As you run, your breasts move in a three-dimensional, figure-eight shape: up and down, forward and backward, and side to side. “When we think about how we’re trying to control those motions, we’re trying to control it from the bottom-up, the top-down, the side-swing, and then we’re also trying to hold it back,” says Ruckman. “There’s three different vortexes of that movement that any bra should be trying to achieve.” Essentially, you want a bra to control breast movement from all angles to prevent neck, shoulder, back, and chest pain, as well as underarm chafing.
And yes, AA and A cups, you should consider wearing a sports bra, as well. “What science has showed us is that no matter what [amount of] breast tissue you have, at some point it will start to sag because it is not rooted to any muscle or bone,” says Ruckman. “The more you can support that unsupported ligament and the fat and fiber within the breast, the less quickly it will change.”
Fitting
For the best personalized service, head to your local running store or a lingerie shop to have an expert fitter take your measurements. But if you have a tape measure handy, or a long piece of string and a ruler, here’s how to measure yourself at home.
→ Band size / Wearing a regular, everyday bra (or one that feels most comfortable), measure as tight as you can under your breasts. Add four inches if it’s an even number or five if it’s an odd number. If your measurement is 26, for example, your band size is 30. If it’s 27, your band size is 32.
→ Cup size / Loosely measure the fullest part of your breast, over your nipples. “You want the tape to be loose because you want to make sure that what you put over your breast is encapsulating your tissue and not compressing it down,” says Ruckman. Subtract the initial measurement from the previous step—not your calculated band size—from this number. For instance, if your over-the-breast measurement is 33 and the tight under-band measurement is 27, then 33 minus 27 gives you 6. Refer to the chart below to determine your cup size.
→ Finding your bra size is only the first step. / We recommend buying a few different sizes of the same bra to check for the best fit. You may think you want to size down for more compression, but that puts you at risk for chafing.
You should be able to put two fingers under the straps and bottom band. “If it’s too tight, you’re going to feel tension and it’s going to be uncomfortable,” says Ruckman. “You want the bra to be snug to the point that it’s offering the right support where it needs to, but not so tight that it starts to become a distraction.”
If your bra uses a hook-and-eye closure, you will want it to fit comfortably enough on the loosest setting. This ensures that when the band stretches after a couple wears, you have the remaining hook-and-eye settings to tighten it.
Compression vs. Encapsulation
Besides cup and band size, what also factors into the type of bra you should wear is how fibrous your breast tissue is. Runners with denser tissue will likely prefer encapsulation (think underwire or molded cups) over compression. “If you have fattier and less dense breasts, tissue compression will typically feel better because softer breasts compress more easily against the chest wall,” says Ruckman. You don’t need to determine exactly how dense your boobs are; Ruckman’s team has found that runners naturally gravitate toward the kind of support they find most comfortable.
A Note on Phone Pockets
Some brands offer bras with pockets so you can run without your smartphone bouncing in a jacket or yanking down your shorts. A bra with a back pocket between the shoulder blades provides a secure place for your phone, but is often hard to reach. For easy access, consider a bra with a front pocket.
Still, there is the question of whether storing your phone in your bra can raise your breast cancer risk. According to Dr. Diana Medgyesy, a medical oncologist at UCHealth in Fort Collins, CO, the evidence says it does not. “There is no conclusive data to suggest that cell phones are linked to cancer,” she said. “This is an evolving field since cell phone technology and the use of cell phones are changing rapidly.” Use your own discretion on whether or not to run with one.
How We Test
Our testers wear bras in sizes spanning from 30A to 36F. They’ve put in the sweat, stretching, and mileage to evaluate each bra’s fit, comfort, and support both on and off the run. In our reviews, we also consider durability, technology, style, and the ease putting on and taking off each bra. We periodically update the list below with the top performers from our most recent testing, keeping the bras from previous rounds that continue to impress us with their performance.
ADJUSTABLE BRAS
Pros
- Reflective detail
- Soft, smooth material
- Adjustable straps with a cross-weave back design
Cons
- Only for C to DDD cups
- Straps have limited adjustability
The AirSupport’s cups are injected with foam and have an internal honeycomb pattern to enhance shape, control movement, and allow flexibility. The bra has a flattering woven crossback design and reflective details to enhance visibility in low lighting—it’s like Lululemon knew we’d want to run in the AirSupport shirtless.
Pros
- Overband tech and underband provides top and bottom bounce control
- Supports C to G
- Adjustable straps and sides
Cons
- May require a couple virtual fittings to find the best size
Breasts move in a figure-eight pattern while running, so it makes sense to design a bra that reduces downward and upward motion. Mari Thomas, who wears a size 34E and is a runner herself, founded Maaree to produce sports bras (like the Solidarity) with Overband technology—a curved panel above the breasts.
One cool perk about the “overband” is that it can be tightened—just like shoulder straps—from the side of each boob. The plastic sliders are strategically placed so you can easily make adjustments without creating any underarm friction.
Pros
- Supports A to F cups
- Molded cups lend wireless support
- Bargain price
Cons
- Digs into sides depending on chest shape
- Padding collects sweat
We tested both Kalenji’s Comfort Running Bra and Essential Running Bra and found the former to provide adequate support at an unbeatable price (for low impact, the Essential is a steal at just $10). For more intense activities, the Comfort offers support with molded cups—instead of underwires—that encapsulate each breast. One 32A tester appreciated how the design gave her boobs “a nice shape,” but said the padding collected sweat over the duration of her run. While the sides slightly dug into our 36D tester’s skin, she said the bra “kept everything in place with reasonable comfort and with a minimum amount of bounce.”
Pros
- Moisture-wicking material
- Supports C to DDD
Cons
- H-back-only, straps can’t be crossed over
- Band size runs small
Gel-cushioned straps ensure you won’t get raw markings from all-day wear and intense activities. The Spot Comfort is also extremely breathable and moisture-wicking; mesh on the adjustable straps and front panel promotes ventilation. The bra is lined with molded cups for non-underwire support, and the back hook-and-eye closure makes it easy to take off. One thing to consider: size up. One tester found the fit a little too snug, even on the loosest hook-and-eye setting.
PULLOVER BRAS
Reebok Running Essentials High-Impact Sports Bra
Reebok Running Essentials High-Impact Sports Bra
Pros
- Soft, silky fabric
- Mesh racerback wicks away moisture, provides ventilation
- High neckline
Cons
- Caused some underarm rubbing for testers
Reebok made this racerback for intense workouts that require breathable, high-impact support. To do it, the bra uses a fast-drying material called “Speedwick” and open mesh paneling between the shoulders. Our testers said the combo helps dump heat and improve ventilation, while still remaining comfortably compressive during their runs. The high neckline also provides extra coverage and support. However, the armholes share a similar high cut, which may cause some underarm friction for certain breast types. Sizing is 2XS to 2XL: band size 30 to 44, cup size A to D. For a lower-cut option, try Reebok’s Lux Racerback.
Pros
- No clasps
- Seamless design
- Supports A to G
Cons
- Snug at first, but stretches out while still providing support
Knix popped up our radar with its innovative Catalyst bra, which supports A through G cups, and reduces 76 percent of breast movement (according to the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth). We revisited The Catalyst to see if its reputation still held up, and it did. This bra has become a mainstay on our list of Best High Impact Sports Bras for Runners.
Knix’s newest bra, the LuxeLift, is a hardware-free pullover that also supports A to G cups and has a seamless construction for smooth coverage. Our testers deemed it super comfortable. One said the LuxeLift felt like a “second skin” while running, and another noted that the bra was easy to slip on and pull off—even when clammy with sweat. The bra may seem snug at first, but we still recommend selecting your true size for the best support.
Pros
- Bargain price
- Soft material
Cons
- No-frills design
- Low impact for DD+
A bra that costs less than a box of Franzia? That’s something to toast. The five-star customer-rated Fittin bra is a simple, soft pullover that we kept reaching for pre-run. It has a “butter-soft feel”—yes, we can confirm Amazon’s product description—and uses a four-way-stretch material that surprised us with its supportiveness. In short, the Fittin won’t have runners holding their boobs in the late stages of a workout, a last-ditch resort when budget-friendly pullover bras don’t hold up after the first couple of miles.
POCKET BRAS
Pros
- HIgh neckline
- Three pockets, including back phone pocket
- Easily removable cup pads
Cons
- Phone pocket requires some troubleshooting to slip in large phones
This three-pocket bra has a place for your phone (mid-back), and fuel and keys (either side). It’s an ideal pick for long-distance training when you need to stock up on gels or cash—just in case you pass a coffee shop and need an, ahem, quick espresso boost. To reduce chafing, the Drive 3 uses low-friction bonded seams around each of its pockets. One small critique is that it’s a little bit of a struggle to put on and take off. It also has removable padded cups, which could fold over and crease. For a molded-cup option that’s free of removable padding, we recommend Brooks’s Dare Crisscross bra. It has a unique strappy design and zonal perforations to help evaporate sweat.
Pros
- Three pockets
- Supports A to C cups
Cons
- Middle pocket fits most phones, bounces
Compared to bras with a hard-to-reach back pocket between the shoulder blades, the Pockito makes storage simple with a total of three pockets located on the front and sides. Test editor Amanda Furrer wore the Pockito during a fall marathon and found it made her mid-run fueling much more efficient. “My gels were easily accessible in the middle pocket,” she said. “It was nice that I didn’t have to pin them to my shorts hem like I used to before races.”
Tracksmith Allston Pocket Sports Bra
Pros
- Easy-to-reach, roomy front pocket
- Supports A to C
Cons
- Low impact for D+
In addition to the Allston, we also tested Tracksmith’s Run Bra, a sleek racerback that displays the brand’s signature red racing stripe around the exposed elastic band. It looks sharp at a starting line and supports A to D cups. But, we’re featuring the Allston for its easy-to-reach hidden chest pocket that can stash keys, cards, cash, and your phone. The bra’s band is brushed with Inverno blend lining, an Italian micro-nylon and elastane mix that pulls away moisture and feels silky smooth. Our tester appreciated how easy it was to grab her iPhone midrun, despite the fact that its rectangular outline was quite obvious.
Pros
- Various colors and patterns
- Back pocket
- Supports A to DD
Cons
- Pocket is hard-to-reach and snug for a phone
“This is the bra with the Koala Clip-style pouch in the back for phones, and I loved it,” said test editor Morgan Petruny. “I did some toe-touch hamstring stretches expecting my smaller iPhone 7 to topple out, but it didn’t. And when I took out my phone at the end of my run, it was bone-dry even though I was sweaty.” The storage-friendly Sarah is a lightweight racerback, with a low open-back design to help you stay cool during hot workouts. It’s a moderate-impact sports bra for A to DD cups, and is made of a stretchy-yet-supportive blend of fast-drying polyester and soft, accommodating spandex.
BREASTFEEDING BRA
Cadenshae Breastfeeding Freedom Bra
Pros
- Drop-down cups
- Nursing sling under layer for privacy
Cons
- High Impact support for A to C cups only
A to C testers will have enough support to run in Cadenshae’s nursing sports bra. “I absolutely love how this bra fits,” said our A/B cup tester. “Though designed for breastfeeding, it feels just like a normal sports bra.” The drop-down cups are easy to remove and allow some room for growing—or shrinking—breasts. A sling provides some additional coverage, as well. Larger-breasted runners will want to save the Freedom for low-impact and medium-impact activities.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
