Sportsister has teamed up with specialist retailer Less Bounce to do a readers test on sports bras. We gave six bras to Hereford Triathlon Club to try out and below is their low-down on style, functionality and value for money.
According to Selaine Messem, Less Bounce founder, research has shown up to 56% of women experience breast pain when exercising. This is due to the large displacement of the breasts, which in addition to the discomfort can cause embarrassment.
Clearly different sports require different levels of support, as do different size breasts. It is a complicated area with a huge selection of styles on offer, which is why the Less Bounce website is so good - you can do a search based on your requirements or email them directly for advice. And then when your bra arrives, if it is not suitable, you can return it via the freepost service with no questions asked (provided it is unused with labels still attached), so you have nothing to lose.
Conclusion:
All the bras scored very well on performance and comfort, with all offering a very good level of support. A couple of the bras were so well received that the wearers commented that they were the best styles they had ever worn and that they would definitely buy them themselves. The main negative was on styling, with a few commenting that the styles were too traditional and that they preferred a crop-top style, but then that is down to personal choice.
Highest score:
All the bras scored above average but two were definitely the winners: the Tri-action Workout and Pure Lime Compression 09, with scores of 24/25 and 22.5/25 respectively. Pure Lime gets a special mention because it would have scored full marks, except it was slightly the wrong size for the tester (she was so enthusiastic after the test that ordered the correct size straight away) .
Tri-action Workout (black) £19.99
Tested by: Julie 36B
Used for:Running cycling and walking
Comfort: 5
Style: 5
Sizing: 5
Performance: 4 - Still a little bounce, but minimal
Love it/hate: 5 - Love it, very comfortable.
Would you buy it/ value for money? Yes - very good value for money
I liked the style a lot and the band underneath feels supportive without squishing me. I was concerned that the Velcro straps would run after the wash, but they were fine - it washed well generally. An excellent bra which I didn’t have to struggle to get into, excellent value for money and nice looking too. This truly is one of the most comfortable bras I have ever worn, I will definitely be adding some more to by wardrobe - well done the makers. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 24/25
Pure Lime Compression 098 £34.99
Tested by: Laura 28F
Used for: Running - road and cross country.
Comfort: 5 - The most comfortable I have ever tried
Style: 4.5
Sizing: 3 - Hard to tell it was a little too small for me
Performance: 5
Love it/hate: 5 - love it
Would you buy it/ value for money? Yes - excellent value for money
I loved the fact that it was the only sports bra I have tried where I felt supported and actually held up rather than compressed. This bra is fabulous especially for a larger cup size, I still can’t get over the great support and the feeling that my breasts were where they should be, I am only 19 and sagging is the last thing I want. I am thrilled and shall be ordering the correct size for me today. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 22.5/25
Tri-Action Powermove £23.99
Tested by: Nicola 34A
Used for: Cycled in a horrendous summer storm
Comfort: 5 - I didn’t feel it at all despite getting soaked, there was no chaffing
Style: 4 - Plain and simple but stylish
Sizing: 4 - Good width across the back, good for women with muscle
Performance: 4
Love it/hate: 4 - Liked it
Would you buy it/ value for money? Probably, fine and simple enough to wear as a normal bra.
I liked the straps as they are a tear drop shape which is very pretty and comfortable. There was nothing that I did not like and it washed fine. I normally wear crop top styles but this gave me just as much support and looked good, if you want to look feminine whilst training/competing it is good as it emphasises your bust rather than flattening it. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 21/25
Shock Absorber Classic Sports Bra B102 £23.99
Tested by: Claire 36C
Used for: Run and cycle ride – I have based the test on running
Comfort: 5
Style: 2 - Looks like a traditional style of bra which I am not so keen on
Sizing: 4 - Fitted well and didn’t move up or down
Performance: 4
Love it/hate it: 3 - Good fit and comfortable – it just didn’t look so great
Would you buy it/ value for money? Possibly, the price was about right
The straps sit quite wide on the shoulder so it does not look great when worn with a running vest (they show a lot), but the first time I wore it I ran for 90mins in the rain and it was comfortable and did not chaff . It washed well. I used to wear this kind of bra when I started running and have since found more modern styles which I prefer. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 18/25
Shock Absorber Max Support Bra B517 £25.99
Tested by: Catherine 32B
Used for: Ten Mile Run
Comfort: 4 - Pretty comfy
Style: 1 - Grandma style
Sizing: 3 - OK but made me look pointy!
Performance: 5 - Very supportive
Love it/hate: 3 - Performs well but looks bad
Would you buy it/ value for money? No, but only based on the look
It was very supportive and comfortable to run in and I didn’t notice I was wearing it at all which was great, however it gave me a weird shape, the seams showed through my top and it was an old fashioned style. I prefer the crop top styles, the Shock Absorber range is very good quality, I have a crop top style that I have had for ages and still looks great – it was just that this style was not for me. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 16/25
Tri-action Extreme : £26.99
Tested by: Jo 36C
Used for: Ran and did PE lessons at school.
Comfort: 3
Style: 3
Sizing: 2
Performance: 5
Love it/hate it: 3
Would you buy it/ value for money? Yes, but it seems expensive
I liked the fabric, it allowed for extra sweaty areas around the armpits, cleavage and chest band. But I didn’t really like the traditional style, I prefer a crop-top and also I wouldn’t usually buy white. Click here to buy this bra on lessbounce.co.uk.
Total score: 16/25
About the club:
Hereford Triathlon Club are a friendly club based in the middle of some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside. We’ve got a complete range of members, from people who just want to have fun and keep fit, to members of the GB amateur squads. We have men and women, young and old with a complete array of bumps and bulges. Our main aim is to have fun and do the best that we can. We hold weekly swimming, running and cycling sessions and our members compete in the full range of competitions from beginner triathlons to Ironmen races. For more information go to our website - www.herefordtriathlonclub.co.uk
Thanks to Nicola, Laura, Julie, Jo, Claire and Catherine of Hereford Triathlon club for taking part. If you would like to take part in a tried and tested feature contact us at [email protected]
Danielle Sellwood, Sportsister
The Sports Magazine For Women
Read more tried and tested features:
