If you do any type of aerobic or cardiovascular activity, you need to have a sport bra that can keep up with you. If you are well endowed in the breast region, you need a little added support or you'll have everyone at the gym stare at you when you are on the treadmill. There’s nothing wrong little bounce and giggle but when your breasts are getting more of a workout than you, it’s time to pull out the big guns … for the big guns. I wasn’t blessed with a large chest but thanks to a skilled surgeon and a few weeks of discomfort, I had the breasts I always wanted … and then some. Now, they aren’t “porn star sized” or something that looks wrong for my frame – but they are kind of hard to miss. This means that when I hit the gym I need a sport bra that will support my breasts when running on the treadmill, doing crunches and Step aerobic classes. I have about twenty different sport bras – everything from Body Works to Spalding and Champion. It’s hard to say which one is the best – but dollar for dollar, this one offers me the best fit and has help up nicely after about forty washes.

Design & Appearance

This sport bra is a little different from the usual ones you’ll find at sport stores and in athletic-wear sections of retail stores. The sewn in side panels offer your breast a little bit of room to move but not so much that it defeats the entire purpose of a sport bra. The zipper is nicely placed and lays flat, no puckering or warping. The real appeal to this bra is that it has a thin inner layer of material that helps to pull sweat and moisture away from your skin. It looks rather plain at first glance and I’ll admit that it isn’t a flashy piece of clothing but when you are at the gym or working out – fashion takes a backseat to practicality. It covers enough that it can be worn without a shirt or tank top but because the back is rather wide open, you run the risk of getting a nasty case of sunburn [that’s personal experience talking].

Comfort

Some sport bras are comfortable, some aren’t. Compared to the other sport bras I own, this is about a seven out of ten for comfort. The breaks under the arms are low so there’s little chance of your skin getting chaffed or irritated when you are sweating and the inner layer of material helps to pull sweat away from your skin. The thick three quarter inch stuff banding at the bottom of the bra gives you a little additional support if you are well endowed but over time it will start to lose its shape and get a little warped. The zipper is strong and the stitched areas are double layered so there is no chance of it rubbing against you or scratching your skin. The back straps may initially feel awkward if you are used to wearing a full “T” back style but you do get used to it. I was tempted to dry and dye the white one but after my other failed attempts I opted to just wear it under a t-shirt to hide those embarrassing sweat marks.

Colors

This is only available in black or white so if you are looking for something with a little zip to it [pardon the pun], you’ll have to look at other Champion products. I had the white one but it turned too quickly – I am a heavy sweater and tend to stain and discolor white or light colored clothing when I am working out. I should have known better than to try out the white one but I though that maybe the blend of material would release the stain when it was washed. Even though this only comes in two colors, it is still a great sport bra.

Price

Well, these certainly aren’t cheap but you can find them on sale if you scope out the sport supply stores and watch for specials. These have a retail price of $30.00 - $34.00 but I picked mine up for $22.00 on sale. Even at the suggested retail price this is still worth it since you do get a lot of protection, a great design and material that gives you freedom to move around but keeps the bouncing to a minimum. This was a great investment for me since I train my legs and back hard once a week and feel the results of it for a few days. Being able to slip this on and zipper it up the front instead of having to put it on like a one piece sport bra saves me from a little discomfort of getting in and out of them.

Care

You can machine wash this with like colors but I would strongly recommend against using bleach for the white one. While it won’t damage the material the first few washings, over time it will weaken the elastic and you won’t get the same support from it. Since I have a lot of sport bras I usually wash them [all dark] in hot water to make sure that the sweat and iron are fully removed from them. If not this could lead to staining and discolorations, especially under the arm. The manufacturer suggests that you wash this in warm water with a non-bleach detergent and tumble dry. I treat this just like all my other clothing, it doesn’t get special treatment but it does get washed in hot water. Since this is a nylon and spandex blend of material it dries quickly so if you don’t want to toss it in the dryer, line drying takes about twenty minutes. You should be careful when removing this from the dryer since the zipper portion does retain a lot of heat and can easily burn you if you aren’t paying attention.

Things To Know

I’ve had good luck with most of the Champion clothing that I’ve purchased and when I’ve had a problem, they have always responded to letters quickly and helped me get a replacement. If you don’t have a full bust line then this bra isn’t for you. You are better off sticking with the non zipper version and saving a few dollars. Providing that you wash them and remove all the sweat and mineral deposits, this bra will last a long time and can be considered a sound investment. There are a ton of different sport bras available from Champion so if this one doesn’t sound like the right one for you, check out their website for low and high impact bras and other work out essentials.

The Bottom Line

So far this has been a great sport bra, the white one didn’t hold up as well as the black one but I can’t blame the manufacturer for my excessive sweating. If you are a heavy sweater, do yourself a favor and stick with the black one but make sure that you wash it thoroughly to remove sweat and iron deposits. If you are well endowed and don’t feel that regular sport bras give you the support that you need, this is one to check out. To see other styles and designs, stop by their sport bra section of their site - www.championjogbra.com - but be warned, it is an addictive place!


As always, thanks for the read!

^V^ Freak ^V^

© 2003 Freak369


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Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): $22.00