As my family, friends, colleagues, Instagram followers and anyone I’ve ever spoken to for longer than five minutes knows, I ran a marathon.
I have talked about it endlessly but there is one aspect of training long distances that rarely gets mentioned: chafing. If it is ever referred to, it’s never in the detail of what you’re about to read so if you’re easily squeamish, keep scrolling.
I never expected the searing pain post-pavement pounding to be my skin, rather than the muscles. In fact, the latter was nothing compared to the long-lasting redness and scabs that came, went away and reappeared at the end of every elevated mileage run. For many training, between their legs is the most painful area, but for me, it was the rubbing from my sports bra.
Not only is this a hugely sensitive area, but it’s not the most attractive either to be covered in scars, especially if a beach break is on the horizon. So with red raw underboob and post-scar streaks across my chest, armpit and breast, I set upon the mission that you’re reading about today: finding a sports bra that won’t chafe - even through marathons, ultras and Ironman. A feat I wasn’t entirely sure was possible.
Finding the perfect sports bra is not easy at the best of times – without even throwing in the added challenge of over three hours of running. You must consider feel, fit and function in equal measure and yet the three don’t always go hand in hand. For the biggest busts, style often must be comprised to allow for fit, while feel tends to take a backseat to supportiveness. Can’t we have it all?
The importance of choosing the right one cannot be understated. The wrong sports bra can actually hinder your performance where research undertaken by the running specialists at Brooks and biomechanical experts at the University of Portsmouth suggests that poor support can shorten stride length by as much as four centimetres. That’s one whole extra mile during a marathon, and take it from me, you’ll be pushed enough on race day without having to contend with more than the designated 26.2 miles.
How should you check for size?
New Balance’s Senior Category Manager of Apparel Merchandising, Eimear Donnelly explains, “Start with the band – this should be snug but not tight or uncomfortable, and there shouldn’t be any gaps or overspill and it shouldn’t ride or pull up. The band should sit snugly level underneath the bust.
“The straps need to be wide enough to provide support – no spaghetti straps for running! Again snug, but not tight or digging into your skin – you should be able to fit a finger between the strap and shoulder.
“And for the cups, no gaping or overspill – if the bra is gaping, it’s too big; if there is overspill, it’s too small. You should look for bras labelled “high impact”. This means they will support you well (if they fit well) and limit the uncomfortable bounce.”
What is the best sports bra for running with bigger breasts?
“Look for a bra that opens at the front for a bigger bust or limited shoulder mobility”, Donnelly adds.
Any tips to prevent chafing
“Chaffing is caused by friction between the bra and your skin”, says Donnelly. “A great fitting bra will go a long way to prevent chaffing”.
Shop below for sports bras that minimise chafing through high-intensity and endurance-testing training.
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Alo Yoga Power Play High Impact Bra
You will have likely spotted Alo Yoga on your Instagram feed but don’t dismiss this brand as being all style, no substance. It has some of the loveliest products on the market with comfort and support combined. You can’t dismiss the style points either, in fetching hues of red and violet as well as a more neutral black.
There are adjustable straps for support as well as hook and eye closures to ensure the perfect fit, but when it comes to the chafing credentials, the performance fabric and soft skin feel will keep you going through the longer miles. As an added bonus, it’s easy to slip into versus the overhead-challenging designs.
Buy now £67.00, Alo Yoga
Nike FE/NOM Flyknit
With the stretch design of this innovative Nike FE/NOM Flyknit bra, you don’t have to contend with seams and bounce as you take on the longer runs. It works through a compression design that keeps everything in place and secure as you move. The beauty of the design is that if you prefer a tighter feel, you can size down whereas if you find the former too restrictive, you can size up. The durability is also a testament to the quality construction.
Buy now £70.00, Net-A-Porter
Adidas Ultimate Alpha Bra
Removable cups and adjustable straps are all well and good when you’re looking for a design to be tailored towards your fit but these are the very things that can cause problems during high intensity sweat sessions.
For this reason, Adidas has forgone these classic design details to create the Ultimate Alpha Bra. The piece is created with a compression fit, complete with mesh for breathability and a specialised fabric that is moisture-wicking yet soft on the skin. The elastic hem secures everything in place and the quality will ensure it will see you through your training, race day and beyond.
Buy now £22.80, Amazon
Sweaty Betty Stamina Sports Bra, Black
Sweaty Betty is known for its fashion-forward activewear that is brimming with performance details, and this sports bra is no different.
It is lower coverage than some of the other options on the list and has medium rather than high support but this may be more comfortable for those with an A-C cup. It is characterised by its compression construction, which will see you through casual runs as well as the likes of boxing, yoga or spinning by minimising bounce. There are the added benefits of an underband as well as waffle perforation that encourages breathability. It’s all about the fabric with this one that is soft, comfortable and has a no-fuss approach to maintenance.
Buy now £38.00, Sweaty Betty
Lululemon Enlite Weave-Back Bra High Support
There is a reason why Lululemon is always a regular feature on ‘best’ activewear round-ups, the Canadian sportswear label boasts quality pieces where design meets performance. It’s a best of both worlds situation.
The Enline was designed from the outset to be worn for running. It’s made to work with you, not against you through park runs and races. It supports natural movement with its design where the cups are built-in and the material is buttery soft.
The lightweight design is easy to slip on and off thanks to the hook-and-eye closure and this won’t interfere or rub thanks to the way in which it lies flush. Similarly. the underband encourages support but it’s covered in the same luxe fabric to prevent chafing. What seems almost unbelievable is the way that it maintains its moulded shape despite continual washing.
Buy now £88.00, Lululemon
Women's UA Infinity High Sports Bra
The Infinity sports bra has a cult following and for good reason. It has a barely-there feel and yet is highly supportive, working overtime to keep you focused on the run at hand, rather than worrying about fiddling with your kit.
The cups are moulded to maintain the coverage and comfort without feeling tight and restrictive as you move. There’s also mesh panels to encourage ventilation and it is one of the easiest designs to get on and off. The sweat-wicking material works overtime to keep you cool, calm and collected.
Buy now £53.00, Under Armour
Varley Let’s Go Staunton Bra
London meets LA at Varley which is known for its stylish fitness clothing that puts design at the forefront. You only need to look at the bold prints to see that this is not your average activewear.
The Staunton was created to either sit seamlessly under your top - without feeling bulky or obstructive - or to be worn alone, letting the Scattered Shadow look shine as you take to the track. You may not think it from just looking at the piece but it has a compression fit to support as well as a long line and wider strap construction.
Buy now £56.00, Varley
Gymshark Open Back Sports Bra
Gymshark’s reputation proceeds it and once you have tried their kit, you will see what the hype is all about. With a design so lightweight, we wouldn’t blame you if you thought that it couldn’t support those 15+ mile runs but it is complete with preformed cups, an elastic underband, a breathable front panel and a mesh back, all of which combine to prove this is training-ready. With chafing in mind, the brand has also left tags out so nothing stands between you and the finish line.
Buy now £24.50, Gymshark
Panache Underwired Sports Bra, Grey Marl
On first look, you can tell that this sports bra takes a different approach to its design. Instead of the typical nylon fabric, it is made from a grey marl cotton polyamide blend that is kind to the skin. That being said, it boasts all the breathability that you need and has impressive sweat-wicking capabilities. One for bigger busts, there’s wire wrapped in cushioning as well as shoulder straps that can be fashioned as a racer back to further enhance the support.
Buy now £45.00, John Lewis
NB Fuel Bra
From the sleek appearance, you can see there is little in the way of design details here and that’s the beauty. New Balance has kept this sports bra to a minimum to ensure that there is nothing that’s going to create distraction while achieving your PB. The seams are smooth, as is the fabric, which is also moisture-wicking. The pads are removable but for bigger busts, it’s worth noting that this is only medium support.
Buy now £35.00, New Balance
