Gear: Sports Bras

For long runs, having proper gear is important.  For women, nothing can cause more pain than the wrong sports bra.  Sports bras need to provide support and compression without chafing.  So what should you look for?   Flat inner seams and synthetic fabric without too much give.   Seams that are even slightly raised will cause chafing and possibly even bleeding during long runs.  The chafing becomes even worse on hot days when sweating leaves your skin grimy with salt as the wrong bra is rubbing your skin open.

Before you start trying sports bras, make sure you know your bra size.  If the bra is too loose, you'll get no support, if its too tight you'll chafe no matter what you do!

I spent the summer evaluating four different bras.  I should note that I don't care too much about how the bras look since I always wear a shirt over them!

Nike Pro Bra:
Pros: Easy to find - every sporting goods store has the Nike Pro Bra.  This bra is relatively cheap as it can normally be found on sale for as little as $25.   It provides good support and compression, and is great for running for an hour or less.  It is also easy to wash and can be dried on low.

Cons: Raised seams (pictured below) along the bottom band of the bra can lead to chafing to the point of bleeding.  Even when using anti-chafing balm, I've still chafed and bled from these bras.

painfully raised seam!

Lucy Race Me Bra:
Pros: Good support and compression.  Easy to wash and can be dried on low.

Cons: I'm not a huge fan of clasps on sports bras, but I'll deal with it for a good bra.  This bra's clasp area also has raised seams on the inside which chafed my back to the point of bleeding on a long run.  Additionally, its only available on Lucy.com for $49.  The price comes in a bit high for this one.

Raised seam at clap hurts!

Under Armor Armor Bra
Pros: Good support and compression.  No chafing anywhere even on a long run!  Easy to wash.

Cons: $57 is a bit pricey.  Cannot be machine dried.  This one also has a back clasp which I'm not a huge fan of but since the clasp doesn't chafe its not too bad.

Brooks Infiniti Bra:
Pros: Good support and compression.  No chafing at all, even without anti-chafing balm!  Easy to wash and dry.  No clasp.  Not badly priced (between $35 and $48).

Cons: I haven't seen this one at stores, so you may need to order online.

The winner for me this summer was the Brooks Infiniti Bra.  I ended up ordering a bunch more of them when I found they were on sale for $28, as I'll need them through my fall Goofy Challenge Training which includes many long runs.