Comfortable To Wear & Keeps You Dry – Champion Action Tech Sport Bra
Written: Apr 21 '05
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Pros: CoolMax liner design, five colors to choose from, hold up well after washing.
Cons: Suggested retail price of $29.99.
The Bottom Line: A good sport bra for running and exercising but not for the hard core gym rat.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Champion Action Tech Sports Bra |
As I’ve mentioned in most of my sport bra reviews, these are pretty much all I wear. They are a lot more comfortable then regular bras, last longer and don’t leave you feeling like the life is being squeezed out of you when you are wearing them. Most of the time I go for any type of sport bra that has an inner liner to pull away sweat. This is something that you really have to read the tags about, just because a sport bra has a liner in it, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is there to pull sweat away from your skin. Champion’s Action tech bra has the CoolMax design, which is a lot like the Under Armour HeatGear and ColdGear systems that absorb and evaporate sweat and help maintain an even body temperature. The downside to this is that it isn’t as effective as the Under Armour type of wicking, it gets the job done but doesn’t pull it away fast enough for those who sweat like a pig during the summer months.
Champion Action Tech Sport Bra
If comfort is something that you are looking for them this is the sport bra for you. It doesn’t cut or dig into your shoulders and no matter what you are doing, this has the freedom to move with you through every stretch, reach and flex you make. I have several of these and they are really nice to have for doing cardio exercises at the gym, running, jogging or even hitting the mall. About the only downside, in my opinion, is that it doesn’t provide enough protection when you are really busting your buns on the treadmill – it will give you support but if you are running for more than twenty minutes you will feel it. This is what I consider a mid-level sport bra – great for those who work out or do anything sport related but not for those who insist on pushing things to an extreme level. If you do any type of marathon training, work out for more than a half hour at a time or need something that is going to give your breasts extra support you may want to check out some of the other sport bras from Champion because this one isn’t for you.
This does have a good bit of stretch to it and it’s made of a spandex poly blend, the inner liner doesn’t shrink if placed in the dryer but you will want to use low heat and pull it out after about fifteen minutes. So far I haven’t had any problems with this sport bra outside of the bottom band getting a little twisted but that is something that eventually happens to all my sport bras so I can’t say that is a negative. This is one of the more comfortable sport bras on the market, even after twenty to thirty washings it still feels smooth and soft against my skin and hugs my body but doesn’t bind or feel constrictive. That is what you want from a sport bra, something that will give you support but not leave impressions in your shin when you take it off.
Colors
You can pick this up in five colors – black, white, red, navy blue and off white. I try to stick with the darker colors because I sweat a lot and any of the lighter ones that I wear get stained from sweat and mineral deposits. The red really isn’t red in my opinion, its more of a maroon so if you are looking for a loud bright red colored sport bra, this isn’t the one for you. If you are someone that has to be color coordinated when you work out then this is a sport bra that you definitely have to check out.
Sizes
In my opinion this one runs a little smaller than what Champion claims on their tag so if you have never worn these before you might want to try them on at a local sporting goods store to see which size would be the best fit for your body shape and frame. Getting a good fit is essential when it comes to protecting your breasts so make sure you get something that is going to cling to your body but not be so tight that it is uncomfortable to wear. I started off with the large size but it just didn’t feel good when I was working out so I moved up to the extra large one. The numbers are only there on the tag as a guide, if you are unsure about which is best for you; look for them locally before you start buying them online.
Small – 32, 34B
Medium – 34, 36B
Large – 36, 38BC
Extra Large – 38, 40C, 40B
Price
These carry a suggested retail price of almost thirty dollars and personally, they aren’t worth that much. That doesn’t mean that this isn’t a good sport bra but for thirty dollars I want something that is going to have a better design to it and a lower cut around the armpit. You can find these for less when you shop online but again, you have to know the right size first. Some places don’t accept returns on sport bras for the same reasons they don’t accept returns on underwear. When I find these on sale for about twenty dollars I do order them but anything over that amount and I pass on them. They are a good sports bra but for thirty dollars I can get great ones from other companies.
Care & Cleaning
Most of the time I toss my sport bras in the sink and wash them by hand to make sure that all the mineral deposits and sweat are removed from them. This helps to extend the life of the bra and kill off any bacteria that might be breeding in it. Yes, there are bacteria in sweat. These have been in the washer a lot when I am pressed for time or have a whole load of gym clothes to do and so far they have held up nicely to warm and hot water as well as the dryer. I like to pull these out when they are almost dry and hang them up so there’s no chance of the liner shrinking. The liner is attached to the sport bra and if it gets too hot there is a chance that it could shrink a little and after that its only a matter of time before it starts to pull away and rip around the seams.
The Bottom Line
This is a cut above the average run of the mill type sport bras that you find at places like Wal-mart and Target; it will give you a good amount of protection when doing aerobics, cardio and light running but if you are into extreme sports or need something that is going to keep you dry as a bone in the summer months then you may want to go for something a little more industrial. This is comfortable to wear and washes up nicely but you may want to shop around to get the best price. For thirty dollars I expect a lot from a piece of clothing – especially a sport bra. Champion puts out a great line of products just for women so if this one doesn’t seem like it would be the best pick for you; there are others in the Champion line to choose from.
As always, thanks for the read!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2005 Freak369
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Under Armour Heatgear Leggings
Everlast Racer Back Bra
Under Armour ColdGear Bottoms
Champion Comfort Zip Sports Bra
Under Armour Women’s Heatgear Sports Bra
Under Armour Heat Gear V-Neck T-Shirt
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): see review
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