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Tried and tested – these sports bras will keep you comfortable as you clock up the miles
For female runners, choosing the right sports bra is comparable to getting the right running shoes – if it’s comfortable and it fits right, you’ll run better. A good sports bra for running might feel tight in the changing room, but keeping your chest secure and reducing bounce helps alleviate back and breast pain. A good sports bra will protect your cooper’s ligaments, which stop your breasts from sagging.
But how should a sports bra fit and how can you ensure you find the best one for you? To make things easier, we’ve explained everything you need to know about running bras below and rounded up the best running bras on the market – tried and tested in the Runner's World lab and by our editors.
There are two main types of sports bras:
If you’ve never worn a sports bra before, start with your usual bra size. It should fit snugly, without being so tight that you can’t breathe. Adjust the strap and ensure that the back band is at the same level all the way round your body – if the back band rides up, the bra is too big. You should be able to get no more than one finger under the band, and the material shouldn’t pucker.
As with shoes, sizes and measurements vary across brands, so it’s a good idea to try a few and find the one that fits you best. Find more information on how your sports bra should fit, how often you need to change it and why your sports bra is chafing in our guide.
We spent over 100 hours testing 36 bras from the best brands on the market – both on the road and in the Runner's World lab. Our panel of 38 women – aged between 18 to 55 and with bra sizes ranging from an A to a K cup – each put three bras through their paces, trying them out on the road and in 16 other activities, collectively. The bras, which ranged in support from low to high, were all triple-tested and judged according to their design, comfort, fit and overall performance. In the lab, we then conducted multiple wash tests to analyse shrinkage and colour changes and gave scores for both. Those which scored the highest collective marks received our Runner’s World Expert Tested seal of approval and these are listed below.
The 'Editor's Picks' bras listed below are those which have been tested – and highly rated – by the female editors and contributors on our team. Over the years, we've tried and tested our fair share of running bras and, as technology has evolved, so have our expectations when it comes to comfort levels, bounce control and fabric quality.
Our test’s highest scorer is an affordable high-impact bra that you can rely on. With light padding, adjustable straps and a zip-up fastening, this compression bra is supportive for every activity, from the road to the gym floor. Thanks to a claspless back, nothing digs in while you’re stretching and a soft fabric panel stops the zip chafing when things get sweaty. It isn’t made from the fanciest of fabrics but feels comfortable all run long.
Wired sports bras are a bit of an acquired taste, but if they work for you, this design has a lot to offer. With individual cups, this high-impact bra provides support without compression and the breathable fabric feels smooth. Testers felt secure and the bra reduced movement while running – although if you wear a bigger cup size, you may find you prefer more coverage on your runs than this style offers.
If you like wired sports bras and wear smaller cup sizes, this high-street offering is a contender. It’s available in sizes up to an E cup but our testers wearing the bigger cup sizes found the support better for cross-training than pavement-pounding. For runners who it does suit, this versatile bra – made with fabric that keeps you dry as you clock up the miles – is comfortable, adjustable and secure.
If you wear cup sizes G to K, it’s likely that finding a well-fitting compression bra is a bit of a challenge. This is a supportive solution that helped testers go the extra mile with no discomfort. The adjustable straps can be worn normally or as a racerback – although the clip’s a little fiddly. The sports bra comes up small, so sizing up is recommended but overall this is well-designed and looks good, too.
Style: Hook-and-eye back with adjustable straps
Get set with this lightweight offering that’s made just for running. Brooks’ unique technical fabric feels luxe and supportive to wear while the easy-to-access adjustable straps and racerback clasp make it simple to fit this compression bra how you like it. There are no built-in cups but the bra feels secure as you run, especially for our testers with smaller boobs. We’d give it extra points for the attractive design.
Style: Hook-and-eye back with adjustable straps
From sprint sessions to marathons, this technical sports bra is built to give you maximum support by counteracting the figure-of-eight motion your boobs naturally make on the run. What it lacks in style – it’s not a design to wear on its own – the compression bra makes up for in comfort, thanks to adjustable straps and a nifty clasp that combine for a secure fit, banishing unwelcome and uncomfortable movement to the past.
If you go as hard in the gym as you do on the road, this sports bra will work for both. Our testers found it supportive for running, but where it shone was under pressure in CrossFit and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts. The compression was more comfortable for smaller boobs and the straps proved a bit of a puzzle, but while exercising in it, your skin is kept dry and the high neckline provides unrivalled coverage.
Style: Hook-and-eye back with adjustable straps
This specialist running bra is the one to choose for comfort that goes the distance. It features lots of unique design details that make it a top performer, including two fastenings, moulded cups, padded adjustable straps and fabric that feels luxe. The cups provide individualised support for each breast and really delivered for our testers wearing bigger cup sizes – to get the fit just right, it’s worth trying on a few sizes.
Style: Padded bra with double fastening
Set new PBs in this innovative sports bra that is worth indulging in if it’s normally a challenge to find a bounce-free fit. It’s not just the straps that are adjustable – the design features an 'overband' that sits across the top of your boobs and can be altered to achieve the support you need. This high-quality bra fits true to size and is comfortable for even the longest of runs.
Style: Hook-and-eye back with adjustable straps
Available up to an F-cup, Sweaty Betty has created a sports bra that gives you all the support you need and it looks great. The soft padded straps sit comfortably against your skin and can be fastened in a racerback or classic design. No matter how far you run, the sweat-wicking fabric and mesh panels will do a good job of keeping you cool. Available in several colours.
Style: Hook-and-eye back with adjustable straps
A high-support running bra featuring the Flyknit technology Nike uses in its running shoes. Nike has made this bra 30 per cent lighter than its other bras; it also contours to the body well and has a barely-there feel you'll love. Unlike other bras on the list, you'll have to convert your everyday bra size into Nike's XS, S, M, L, XL sizing. Due to the compression design, this is probably best suited to A-C cups; we tested a 32C and wore a size S and found it extremely supportive and comfortable.
With underwiring, padded straps and a mesh front for breathability, this Freya Active sports bra is an excellent choice for runners looking for serious support. The flattering design is available in sizes up to 38JJ and comes in black, beige and white. It’s the best running bra for larger chested women, with size F-J cups.
Style: Wired with hook and eye fastening
A pullover style with no hooks or zips, this bra claims to offer chafe-free comfort. We were worried at first that the lack of straps would mean the bra would be difficult to adjust, but when testing, it offered a comfortable fit. On the run, it didn’t rub and provided a good amount of support. We liked the built-in moulded cups (if you always end up pulling the padded cups out of a running bra, you will too) and the fabric is buttery soft, even after multiple washes. All in all, a great bra that didn’t chafe, had good sweat-wicking properties and wasn’t too difficult to take off at the end of a long run.
Sizes: 30AB - 40 DD/E
Our former deputy digital editor Jane McGuire wrote: 'Lululemon’s Run Times bra isn’t cheap. It’s an investment, but one that has been carefully designed by the brand in its research and design lab. It comes in my regular bra size, which I like – I often struggle to convert 32C into a XS, S or M based on different brand’s guidelines. It’s high support, so I know it’s built for running and the bra has padded, adjustable straps, which allows me to tighten them for full support. You can also cross the straps on the back, if you feel you need the additional support. My verdict – one of the best bras I've worn all year.'
Style: Hook and eye fastening
A seriously good and affordable sports bra from a trusted brand – we were impressed. Available in your normal size, this high-impact bra offers a good amount of support and stays comfortable, even on longer runs. The straps are adjustable, which is handy, and the classic bra fastening makes it easy to remove, even when wet.
Style: Hook and eye fastening with adjustable straps
A high-support, multi-sport running bra that was given a score of 92/100 by a range of women of different cup sizes in a recent Good Housekeeping sports bra test. One tester wrote: ‘Despite lack of underwire, I felt well supported. The upper and lower clasps gave 360 support. It felt good and I would happily buy!’ The bra has a full back opening to make getting it off after a run that little bit easier, but a few testers found it difficult to clip the top hook. All the testers found it was true to size and agreed they felt supported during their workout, with most testers also loving the look.
Style: Hook and eye fastening with adjustable straps
A good choice for D+ women, this bra feels as good as it looks, thanks to the wide, comfortable straps, which convert between straight and racerback styles. The underwiring is soft enough not to be noticeable and the bra has separate cup encapsulation to support the breasts. The back closure is easy to operate, even when sweaty, and the only downside we could find is that the bra needs to be washed by hand, which can be irritating if you’re running most days.
Style: Hook and eye fastening with adjustable straps
Many runners are already familiar with Shock Absorber’s Ultimate Run bra, but this latest design may be even better. Laser-cut material on the bust helps absorb movement from all angles, and its three-layer fabric construction feels like a second skin. A lot of work has gone into the bounce-level testing at the University of Portsmouth – the leaders in breast health. Best for C-E cups.
Style: Hook and eye fastening with adjustable straps
Unlike many high-impact sports bras, this design from Triumph is extremly light and avoids the heavy-duty look. Its back clasp makes it easy to get in and out of, plus its straps can be attached together for an extra-secure racerback style. Breathable, secure and good-looking to boot.
Style: Hook and eye fastening with adjustable straps
This affordable, high-support bra from Gymshark is designed to keep everything in place as you clock up the miles. While it's not specifically designed for running, it is supportive enough to withstand most high-impact training. There are no adjustable straps and the bra is available in XS-XL sizing, rather than your normal bra size. That said, for a high-street brand, it's a good option.
Style: Pull over compression style
This won Best In Test in our Gear Awards 2021 – and for good reason. Although primarily designed for cyclists, our 34C tester, who tried a size small, tested the bra during multiple high-intensity run sessions and during long, steady runs and found it provided excellent support. It features the same Overband technology as Maaree's Solidarity High-Impact Sports Bra, which reduces upward and side-to-side motion, and teamed with its adjustable ‘slot and snap’ clasp racerback design, provides great bounce control and an uber-supportive fit. It’s also made from material saved from landfill and picked from the oceans, so it scores points for sustainability, too.
A relatively new invention in the world of running bras, these front-fastening alternatives make it easier to get on compressive, tight sports bras before you head out the door, and off when you are sweaty. We've rounded up our favourites here.
This sports bra really is a dream come true. It's easy to get on and off, thanks to the front- zip fastening, it's buttery soft against the skin and the zip has never rubbed, even over a marathon distance. It's an investment, but if you can afford it, it's one of the most comfortable running bras we've ever worn.
This sports bra from Brooks is designed to offer maximum support as you clock up the miles. You can't adjust the straps, but we found the sizing to be true to size, despite the slightly unusual cup sizing. Some testers did experience slight chafing from the zip over long distances, but, on the whole, this is a good bra from a brand that knows a lot about running.
Sizes: 30A/B - 40 DD/E
This high-support bra has all the quality we've come to know and love from Nike, but with the addition of a zip to make it easier to get the bra on and off. The racerback design makes it extremely supportive as you move, and the in-built cup support removes the need for additional padding.
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