My New Favourite Sports Bra
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Thursday, October 8, 2009
If there's one thing a curvy girl needs for a successful run, it's a good sports bra. In fact, make that an excellent one. I usually wear an enell (enell.com, as endorsed by Oprah!), but it has started rubbing as my ribcage has narrowed. With the Bupa Great North Run looming, I set out to test some of the leading brands to try and find a suitable alternative.
Shock Absorber Max Sports Bra Top B4490
This bra offers some serious engineering, with two sets of back hooks, dual-layer front and shaped, padded and adjustable straps. I felt secure but, while it had good support, it failed to completely control the dreaded bounce.
Details: 28-40 back sizes, up to HH cup, £28.50. More information and stockists from www.shockabsorber.co.uk
T-rating: 4/5
Royce's new Impact Free
With super-strong, supportive fabric and stronger straps, it promises "better comfort than ever before". I tried this out on a speedy interval run and found it to be the most comfortable of all those I tested. The soft material and full-cup style ensured no rubbing or chaffing and allowed a full range of movement. However, while soft on my skin, the jersey didn't feel as secure as some of the thicker fabrics on other bras.
Details: 28-40 back size, up to J cup, £29.50. More information and stockists from royce-lingerie.co.uk
T-rating: 3/5
Marks & Spencer Extra High Impact Racerback Sports Bra
This extra high impact sports bra offers a racerback design, easycare fabric and the shape retaining qualities of added stretch. It gave good support and was comfortable, but for me was the least supportive of the four I tested, despite its claim of total bounce control. It was the cheapest though and, as such, offered decent value for money.
Details: 32-40 back size, up to G cup, £20. Available from M&S stores and http://www.marksandspencer.com
T-rating: 3/5
STAR BUY
Freya Active AA4391 soft cup sports bra
This was far and away my favourite, managing to combine comfort with seriously impressive bounce control. The underband ensured everything stayed where it should do, and the wide straps kept me chafe-free. The mesh fabric at the front also kept me cool even when the going got sweaty and, to cap it all, the structured cups even gave me a good shape under clothing. No obvious faults or oversights.
Details: 28-40 back size, up to H cup, £26. More information and stockists from http://www.freyaactive.com/products/freya_active.aspx
T-rating: 5/5 - I've found my new favourite sports bra
- Emma Firth is part of Team Telegraph and will be running the Bupa Great North Run on September 20. For tips and advice on running, visit www.bupa.co.uk/running
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