Best Sports Bras for Busty Gals

| June 24, 2013 | 17 Comments

Big boobs are celebrated in our culture everywhere but on the athletic field. Let’s face it: When you’re running and playing hard, bouncy breasts are not an asset. They inhibit comfortable movement, and the jiggle can be embarrassing. Thank God for the sports bra. Can you believe this baby was only invented 30 years ago?

I’ve battled my breasts at the gym since eighth grade, when I seemingly sprouted C cups overnight. I’m now a DDD (or F, depending on the brand), but I will never let “the girls” stop me from being active. Here is my tried and true list of the best bras for extra-curvy girls.

I field-tested all these sports bras for support, comfort, fit, and style.

Panache Sports Bra

The good:

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Panache Sports Bra

This bra looks great (i.e. super sexy) under a t-shirt. It’s cute and comfortable with padded straps, and it comes in a wide variety of fun colors with matching boyshort panties (yay!). This underwire bra is lined with soft, padded cups to give you great shape and lift. It’s not too low cut and could be worn alone at the gym–you won’t look like an exhibitionist. The wicking fabric and mesh keeps you cool and dry.

The bad:

If you’re not used to molded cups, you will not like this. This bra makes your boobs look bigger, more lifted, and just generally more noticeable. The seaming is also visible under a thin shirt. It’s a massive bra and takes up a lot of real estate in your suitcase or gym bag. The Panache is more supportive than a regular bra or an over-the-head tank bra, but I still bounced around a lot when running hard.

Best for:

Lower impact activities like biking, hiking, and skiing.

From B – H cup. $68; panache.com

CW-X Ultra Running Bra II

The good:

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CW-X Ultra Running Bra II

Wow. This bra is probably the most supportive of the bunch. It pretty much eliminates “the jiggle” entirely. The padded straps mean there’s no digging or pulling when you move. Plus, there are 17 micro-adjustments (hooks and Velcro) you can make on the straps and back closure to get a customized fit. This is my new jogging bra. I have yet to find anything else this supportive and comfortable.

The bad:

There is no underwire here. This is a true compression bra, and it’s not very sexy, unless you’re a fan of the uniboob look. Because it provides no shape, if you have to walk around in public after a run or race, you’ll probably look and feel like you’re wearing an ace bandage around your chest. It comes up really high in front, so it’s not compatible with scoop or v-necks.

Best for:

Running or any other high-impact activity like tennis or Zumba or trampolining.

From D to DDD cup,  $70; cw-x.com

Elomi Energise Medium Control Sports Bra

The good:

Elomi Energise Sports Bra

Elomi is a brand known for making sexy, well-fitting bras in larger cup sizes. I have a couple of their sexy day bras that offer great shape and fit. The Energise is a happy addition to my lingerie drawer. This underwire bra provides amazing lift and separation without padded cups, reduces bounce, and could easily go from work to a workout.

The bad:

It’s not supportive enough for high-impact activities. And the oddly placed seaming across the nipple area is very visible, even under thick cotton t-shirts.

Best for:

Low-impact activities like hiking, biking, yoga, and weight lifting. I can’t wait to wear this under a turtleneck come ski season. Va va voom!

From D – GG. $64, barenecessities.com

Enell Sports Bra

The good:

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Enell Sports Bra

Both Oprah and Christina Hendricks are fans of the Enell, because it truly does provide superior support for big-chested ladies. The bra fastens in the front, and has a high back which supports stressed back muscles (your back gets tired from carrying around huge boobs all day, am I right?). It’s constructed from Naturexx, a wicking fabric that keeps you dry. There’s no underwire, for those who prefer a classic compression sports bra.

The bad:

The Enell is more like a corset or a harness than a bra, and it’s really hard to get on. Give yourself an extra five minutes at least. Also, it’s ridiculously unsexy. I felt like an eighty-five-year-old grandma with a bad back and a host of other problems when wearing this. If my husband saw me in the this bra/chastity belt, I think he would run for the door…or at least he would ask me if it was time to have a serious talk about assisted living. Frankly, I need assistance just getting in this thing. There’s just a ton of fabric and too many little hooks to work with here.

Best for:

Women who want extra back support and plus-size gals. Just to give you an idea, Enell has it’s own specific sizing from 00 – 8. With my 38 DDD cup size, I fit a size 2! So, there’s a huge range of sizes here.

From 00 – 8  (32 C – 50 DDD), $64; enell.com

Freya Maximum Control Sports Bra

The good:

freya-maximum-control-underwire-sports-bra-34d-charcoal_10467_500

Freya Maximum Control Sports Bra

We have a winner, ladies. The Freya is my favorite all-around sports bra in this collection. Why? Because it provides awesome support (almost no bounce), gives great underwire shape without padded cups (the girls are lookin’ mighty fine), and is comfortable. It comes in a few snazzy colors with cute panties to match.

The bad:

I’m not gonna lie, this bra kind of gives you that 1950s’ bullet bra effect, which I personally like. I’d even wear it under a clingy black dress for that retro pinup look. But, if you’re not comfortable with slightly pointy breasts, you will not like this bra. The only real bummer: sizing is limited up to 38 band size.

Best for:

Everything. I’d still probably opt for the CW-X if I were going on a run, but I wouldn’t hesitate to jump on the treadmill at the gym wearing this.

From 30 DD – 38 H, $60; www.barenecessities.com 

All in all, every brand sizes their bras a little differently. So, even if you’re a specific size in one brand, you might be a different size in another. I recommend going to a department store to try them on in person (Nordstrom carries a lot of these) or ordering a few sizes online and sending back the ones that don’t fit properly. Fit is everything. If you look and feel good in your sports bra, you’re going to enjoy your workout or outdoor adventure so much more.

Looking for some high-tech panties too? Click here.

Category: Gear

Jennifer Davis-Flynn

About the Author ()

A.K.A. "Jenn 2," I'm here to to engage the wonderful community of women adventurers currently wandering the earth! When I'm not skiing, I love to speak Russian, sing jazz, and ride my bike. Find me on Google +

Comments (17)

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  1. Jennifer C. says:

    Thanks for the tips! I just wish sports bras weren’t so expensive!

  2. Victoria says:

    Well, I was going to criticize the omission of Moving Comfort from this list, but I just went to their Web site and it looks like they’ve revamped their product line and options are pretty slim for those of us requiring underwire support (only 2 options). Makes me sad because I’ve depended on one of their styles for years (and glad that I stocked up and bought several a couple years back).

  3. marijka says:

    I want the features of the Freya but with the natural, rounded cups of the Elomi without freaky seams. Why do manufacturers of sports bras think big boobs shouldn’t be shaped like boobs?? What I *do* like about all of these is that all of these have regular straps rather than those t-backs that dig into my neck and back muscles, and they actually let you have two boobs. 🙂 Thanks for your reviews, and for turning me on the two brands I’d never heard of.

  4. Kim says:

    Actually Freya has two other sports bra styles without the seams – so much less pointy (more rounded). http://www.freyalingerie.com/active/sports/moulded-sports-bra/moulded_sports_bra.aspx?colour=cosmic%20blue
    Check out http://www.boulderfields.com for the best in sports bras AA – K cups!! Founded by a busty endurance athlete who just wanted some EFFECTIVE support!

  5. Jennifer Davis-Flynn Jennifer Davis-Flynn says:

    Thanks for all your comments! The thing about Moving Comfort is that they only go up to DD. Just not big enough for me. However, I have heard from my sources that they are retooling the Maia bra for Fall (http://www.movingcomfort.com/Maia/350011,default,pd.html), and fingers crossed, they will be introducing bigger sizes.

    As for that Freya bra mentioned above—it’s great for those who like molded (padded) cups. I’m not a huge fan though. Thank you for the recommendation about Boulder Fields!

  6. marijka says:

    LOVE the Boulder Fields recommendation, too – thanks! But since I live in nowhere Kentucky and there are NO choices other than b-cup-pullover-hanes-uniboobs, please join me in an e-mail blitz to Zappos that includes the link to this review. I’ve shopped them since Beta (12 years?) and love their free returns and service for those of us who have no convenient options. Thanks again for the (ahem) supportive information! 🙂

    • marijka says:

      A sentence was somehow lost: meant to add that Zappos carries very, very few sports bras with these features, and only one of the brands you’ve featured – but not any similar models.

  7. Lauren Schaad (@laurenschaad) says:

    Praise the lord this is a great post!

  8. Leah says:

    All great bras, especially Enell! Oakley’s new line, and specifically the Reducer Bra is another great option for busty ladies.

    http://www.oakley.com/women/products/reducer-bra/531830-82B

  9. Randi says:

    Jennifer, I got so excited when I found your article. I, too, am an F-cup. I’m also a beginning runner, and would love to avoid knocking down passers-by with my boobage when I run. I’d also love to avoid the bounce-related muscle ache with which I am sure you are familiar. I decided to look into getting the CW-X, since you thought so highly of it. Alas, it looks like it only goes up to DD. Now I am sad. Still, thanks for this article.

    • Jennifer Davis-Flynn Jennifer Davis-Flynn says:

      Randi, you’re right. I think they discontinued the DDD size! How annoying. I can’t find it anywhere…just a few places where it’s “sold out.” My next choice is the Freya Maximum Control Sports Bra.

    • Kathi T says:

      Randi check out the Wacoal bra in my comment, it goes up to very large cup sizes including H.

  10. Pam says:

    This is great information. I’m looking for a similar article for hiking pants for “curvy” gals. If I find a pair that fit my thighs, they gape at the waist. I found one that fit great when walking or standing, but no give in the fabric meant they were way too tight when sitting.

    • Jennifer Olson Jennifer Olson says:

      Oh my goodness, I have the exact same issue with pants! I think this is a great idea and will be on the lookout for hiking pants that fit muscular/curvy women–I tend to just go with leggings for most day hikes because elastic helps!

  11. Kathi T says:

    In my opinion, THIS is the best sports bra for busty women… Wacoal Sports Underwire bra.

    I was constantly frustrated by low support sports bras that let the girls bounce painfully. The Wacoal bra put the girls on lock down… I can run and jump… no pain, minimal bounce.

    It’s easy to find online, and Dillards carries it.

    http://www.dillards.com/p/wacoal-underwire-sports-bra/501833311

    • Amy says:

      I have both the Enell and the Wacoal. There is no comparison. The Enell is indeed a compression corset, and while it’s ugly, it works. The girls just don’t move. Not like, only move a little. They Do Not Move. On the other hand, I would never wear the Wacoal sports bra running. “Minimal” is too much for me. I’m hoping the cw-x is as effective because it’s prettier, but I have never met a bra that comes close to the enell.

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