Help - need a non-annoying running bra.

[Verbena87]

Upping my mileage and really struggling. I’ve always run in Shock Absorber Multisport bras, but current ones (which are, Tbf, now older than my school-age child) have started to leave red welts where the band chafes my chest under my boobs. I use body glide already.

What are we wearing, especially in this heat, for long (2-4 hours) runs?

My not-sports bras are 30E. My shock absorbers are 34DD because I find their bands ridiculously tight.

I do not want…

• sweaty fabric
• anything that comes up high under the arms - the panache ones for example chafe my armpits to buggery
• to be too hot
• whatever that technical fabric is that seems to eternally smell once you’ve worn it for a few decent hill-rep sessions even though you’ve washed the damn thing
• to remortgage in order to purchase the thing
• itchy bits, or anything that rubs because I chafe really easily

i don’t really care…

• whether I look nice in it (can’t convince myself to invest any energy in the futile pursuit of pretty tits while their wider context will be sweaty, red and frowning)
• whether it’ll disguise the fact I have nipples or not
• What colour it is (though white gets sun cream-yellowed and laundry-greyed so is not ideal)

can anyone recommend anything good?

Was going to recommend Panache, but see you don’t like them.
if your old bras are really old, then new ones in the same make might work.
go to Bravissimo and ask the amazing staff there for help. They have a decent selection of sports bras

@redfishcat yes I am wondering about both those things. Is the panache you like the wired one or non-wired? I had a wired one fitted at bravissimo when I was breastfeeding because my boobs were basically udders and needed serious scaffolding, and it did work but rubbed. I’m wondering if the ones without wires are cut a little less high.

I agree with everything you've said and have had the same issues. After years of trying to find the perfect sports bra, the best I've found so far is the Sweaty Betty zero gravity.
I don't like any of the other Sweaty Betty running bras but this one is a really light breathable fabric that doesn't chafe, even over long distances. It's also very supportive - as supportive as the Panache run bra, in my view, but far less bulky. It's not cheap but some colours and sizes do come up in the sale (I got mine half price).

I’ve read that if bras rub then they must be moving about therefore too big. Could this be happening with your current bras? As they will have stretched and become looser over time. I have a very small bust (wear 30DD normally but could wear a 28) and currently wear Asda sports bras. I never felt the need for the scaffolding provided by shock absorbers, thankfully as they’re not cheap!

@FeelinTwentySixPointTwo thanks, that’s good to know. Might try to get to a shop where I can try one on as I’d rather do that then have to order and send back.

@Ryeman yes they could have definitely stretched out, and the elastic is also getting tired and possibly scratchy where it’s beginning to wear out. How far/long are you running in the Asda ones? My old ones are fine for an hour but longer than that seem to start ripping me up a bit, but be great to find a cheaper option that doesn’t! My boobs aren’t massive either but do need support as post-breastfeeding-and-35 gravity appears to have really noticed they exist so they want to flap about if I don’t lock them down!

I like shock absorbers or Nike alpha but do find the bands quite tight…

I like Sweaty Betty too - worth a trip to a shop as they have a few different types. There's a pull on one I like for pilates and weights and I do zero gravity one for running. My longest runs are about an hour though so not sure how it works out for 4 hours. I do hill sprints in it and its stayed comfy.

Oh and second the sale! I've never paid full price for anything from sweaty Betty they have sales all the time.

@Verbena87 I’m not really a runner so maybe less relevant but I do all my football training and matches wearing them plus gym work.

I only wear Sweaty Betty Zero Gravity bras now, all bought on sale, and ran a marathon last year in one.

I really liked my Bravissimo Blaze sports bras, but last time I went to replace them they had been discontinued <sob>. The Bravissimo Swift is so far working well even though I don't like the colour or the weird mesh overlay which serves no apparent purpose. I've run marathons in mine (which take me longer than 4 hours)

I agree shock absorbers are tight, but the ones 10 years ago were much sturdier fabric and I only went one band size up because they do stretch over time. Nowadays I buy my normal size as they are much thinner fabric. As long as you can do it up you're good to go.

Although I might investigate those sweaty betty ones!

I've run marathons in mine (which take me longer than 4 hours)

I'm pretty sure Sweaty Betty zero gravity is the only sports bra I've run marathons in without chafing.
And over the years I've run them in Freya, Panache and various models of Shock Absorber.

Most of those are fine over shorter distances but once you get into 3+ hours and lots of sweat it's a big ask!

Have you looked at the Runderwear ones? They are quite light compared with the Shock Absorber.

Although they never seem to have anything in stock...

I’m a 32gg in normal bras however I used the shock absorber measurement guide and I’m a 34f in their bras. I can’t run in anything else, just recently had to buy new ones as my old ones started to hurt. So I’m shock absorbers all the way.

@swayinggarland I’m hoping the issue might be age and that new versions of the same ones might be the answer yes

@Kuretake hill sprints deffo qualify as strenuous so that’s promising. I sew my own for Pilates but they wouldn’t cut it for anything more than running for a bus!

And @FeelinTwentySixPointTwo i think I may be being convinced about sweaty Betty. Should we all report back here if/when we spot a sale?!

And thank you everyone for the input, feeling less fed up and more hopeful!

I tried Sweaty Betty - but the Power ones I think? - and couldn't get them on and off! Got totally stuck. So gave up on those.

I had a Brooks one as well that looked really nice, seemed comfortable, crossed straps so light and airy. But my God the chafing, red raw spots under each boob and on my back. It didn't have adjustable straps and the strap was very very high up, though it wasn't high under the arms particularly.

Victoria's Secret did some nice ones that were front zip, but they changed the style and the newer ones don't fit the same; they also stretched too much eventually, but I did like the front fastening.

So now I"m in M&S GoodMove, Ultimate Support - you can get them more cheaply on eBay, I've discovered, and they are tight fitting, four hooks (at least in some sizes - I'm 36C) to really hold them in place, padded straps that are also adjustable in various ways, and so far don't chafe. I have to fasten at the front and twist them around as a result. I do get totally sweat-soaked in them, but I think that would happen in any bras as I happens to all my exercise clothes, top, bottom, inside and out. So I can't really comment on the breathability! But fit and function and lack of chafing are ideal for me. Not too expensive, and so far don't smell.

I tried Sweaty Betty - but the Power ones I think? - and couldn't get them on and off!

I'm not a fan of Sweaty Betty bras either - aside from the new Zero Gravity one. It's completely different in terms of fit, fabric, etc to their other models.
When compared to others out there on the market it's perhaps most similar to a Shock Absorber Run, but with much lighter and more wicking fabric than the Shock Absorbers (which tend to chafe when sweaty and wet).