best in class

The Very Best Sports Bras

So comfortable that you’ll forget you’re wearing them.

Best Sports Bras
Photo: Marcus McDonald, Getty Images
Best Sports Bras
Photo: Marcus McDonald, Getty Images

In this article

The best sports bras should be simple yet supportive and well-constructed so that they don’t lose too much stretch over time. There are tons of options out there, some of which are good for lower-intensity movement like yoga and Pilates, while others are better suited to high-intensity workouts like HITT and sprints. To find the best sports bras for a range of activities and intensities, my fellow Strategist writers and I spoke to fitness experts, including runners, yogis, dancers, movement trainers, cyclists, and boot-camp trainers. Then we tested out their recommendations for ourselves. While you’re here, if you’re looking for something to wear with any of these bras, I’ve also written a guide to the best yoga pants for women.

What we’re looking for

Size range

I wanted to include sports bras in a wide selection of cups and bands. Athena Kasvikis, the founder of Behave Bras, recommends buying multiple styles in multiple sizes when you’re first trying out any bra from a new brand. “All brands size their products differently, so while that isn’t awesome for consumers, it is a reality that you can compensate for by trying on multiple sizes at home,” she says. But in general, you can look for something that fits your standard bra size.

Material

The material of your sports bra can make or break your workout. It’s best to wear something breathable and lightweight, like nylon, polyester, or Lycra. That way, it’ll wick away moisture while providing the right amount of support. Mesh panels or cutouts are perfect for ventilation, giving added airflow so you won’t overheat. I note the material makeup of each bra so you can pick the one that’s right for you.

Bra style

Depending on the intensity of the workout, compression or encapsulation is a necessary sports-bra feature. Most cup sizes need a bra that will fit snugly against the chest to prevent movement — i.e., it needs to pass the no-bounce test. Compression keeps large breasts in place during low-intensity workouts, while encapsulation will support each breast individually (think of an everyday bra) during high-impact activities like running. Kasvikis recommends finding a style that works for your breast shape. “Smaller breasts may do better with compression,” she says, “and those with larger breasts should consider encapsulation sports bras.” But if you’re looking for the best of both, try a hybrid sports bra. This style pushes down, securing breasts in molded cups to prevent movement and underboob chafing.

Best sports bra overall

Size range: XXS–6XL | Material: Recycled polyester and spandex | Bra style: Compression with built-in support band

I regularly wear Girlfriend Collective’s Paloma bra with the (unusually size-inclusive) brand’s matching yoga pants and love how minimal it looks — the cut is similar to many tank tops I own, except the bra is obviously much more compressive and supportive. My fellow Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst owns no less than five of these and says the compression fabric (made from recycled water bottles) and racer-back design make them suitable for just about any activity. Lauren Roxborough, former head of marketing for hot-yoga studio Y7, is also a fan and says the bra is her favorite for an active, sweaty class. Natalie Holloway, co-founder of Bala (maker of our favorite wrist weights), likewise relies on hers for intense workouts and lifts weights in them, too. “They are not restrictive in your movement and show no-to-little sweat, especially when you wear the black,” she says. If black is too boring for you, there are ten colors to choose from. And the bra is so comfortable that you’ll probably end up wearing it all the time. Brodie Lancaster, a longtime remote worker, wears it for WFH, saying it stays put, is structural, and supports her chest without becoming uncomfortable. “If anything,” she says, “it encourages me to sit up straighter, for which my osteopath is grateful.”

Best less expensive sports bra

$6
Photo: Retailer

Size range: XS–4XL | Material: Polyester and spandex | Bra style: Compression with removable pads

I really like Old Navy’s PowerSoft material, which mimics the performance fabrics used by much more expensive athleisure brands. Especially if you’re a heavy sweater, Spiked Spin instructor Stacy Maharaj recommends this racerback sports bra. “It’s great for support and absorbency, and it’s very fashionable,” she says. It’s also moisture wicking and offers light compression for a comfortable level of support. “It’s all-around great for high-intensity workouts and training.” Old Navy’s workout pants are just as comfortable and affordable, if you’d like to complete the look.

Best sports bra for low-intensity workouts

Size range: XXS-4XL | Material: Polyester and elastane | Bra style: Compression with removable pads

“I wear this mostly because it’s sexy,” says writer and model Kendra Austin of the BeyondYoga Lift Your Spirits Bra. For Austin, who has a larger bust, it’s her go-to for lower-intensity exercises like walking, yoga, and Pilates. It also works well for smaller busts (and offers a smidge more support). Although BeyondYoga rates this as having medium support, it’s specifically designed for yoga, and while it might be supportive enough for a medium-intensity flow, it probably isn’t ideal for a bouncier activity like running or trampolining. It’s also a good option for a range of bodies, going up to a size 4X or 30-32. Currently, there are nine shades to choose from — five core neutral shades — and four limited-edition seasonal colorways. One thing to note: Some of the seasonal shades are available in a smaller size range and only go up to an XL (14-16).

Best sports bra for medium-intensity workouts

Size range: XS–XXL | Material: Nylon, Lycra, and polyester | Bra style: Compression with mesh racerback

If your idea of the perfect sports bra is one that you’ll immediately forget you’re wearing, this Brooks racer-back is a solid choice. It’s more supportive than an everyday bra yet lacks the intense compression of the Lululemon style below. It’s one-piece and seamless, so you can just slip it on over your head. Writer and outdoor-gear tester Maggie Slepian was so confident in this bra that she wore it for 23 days straight while hiking the 485-mile Colorado Trail, and it performed admirably. “The racer-back style narrows enough through the back and shoulders for a full range of motion, which was necessary, since I was doing the same repetitive motion for 12 hours per day,” she explains. When she’s not thru-hiking, it’s also her go-to sports bra for cycling and running.

Best sports bra for high-intensity workouts

Photo: Retailer

Size range: Cup sizes B–DDD | Material: Nylon and elastane | Bra style: Hybrid with adjustable cross-back straps

Lululemon is another brand we regularly recommend here at the Strategist. We’ve sorted through dozens of its sports bras (and other stretchy offerings), but this one is ideal for high-impact activities because of its molded foam cups, which add shape and separation to eliminate any jiggle-jiggle. This bra is also liked by Dominique Coleman, another Spiked Spin team member, and Alexa Javens, a fitness manager and coach at the Williamsburg workout studio Session. “It’s great for all activities but especially training and running,” Javens says. As someone who wears a C or D cup, she feels more supported in a bra for high-impact sports and says that even though this one has a hybrid design, it’s still comfortable. It’s made from quick-drying fabric, and “most Lululemon bras are already pretty sweat-wicking,” she adds, though she still sticks to black or navy to avoid showing any sweat stains.

Best sports bra for large busts

Photo: Retailer

Size range: Cup sizes B–J | Material: Polyamide, polyester, and elastane | Bra style: Encapsulation with three-row hook-and-eye closure

Kasvikis’s company makes wireless bras for bigger breasts, so she’s well aware of brands that make good big-boob-friendly sports bras. Panache is one of them. Its sports bras are sized like regular bras and come in 28-to-40-inch bands and B-to-J cups. Kasvikis says this sizing is more helpful than mono-size bras when you’re trying to find the right fit. “S, M, and L are sizes that may be too broad and too ambiguous to fit both your cup and band well,” she says. “You’re going to need the cup and the band to fit well to feel comfy in a sports bra.” This Panache bra is designed to encapsulate instead of compress, which means there are individual cups for each breast to fill instead of being squashed down; Kasvikis, who wears size 32GG, says that works well for larger chests. “It’s great because you still have two boobs under a shirt,” she says. The straps are padded, and thanks to the uniquely curved stitching, the bra has enough lift to give a great shape without wires.

Best high-support sports bra for large busts

Size range: XS-6Luxe (cup sizes A-I) | Material: Nylon, spandex, and polyester | Bra style: Encapsulation with removable pads and adjustable straps

Personal trainer Kiana Jones says her large-busted clients are big fans of this bra from SheFit, which has over 70,000 five-star reviews. “Your boobs will literally not move,” she says. “It’s crazy.” Crafted from two-way stretch fabric that reduces bounce, it has seamed cups to keep the breast shape natural-looking under clothes and adjustable straps to customize how high and tight the bra sits. The brand offers a fairly inclusive size range (up to a size 1), with the biggest a 6Luxe (when I cross-checked the measurements on the site, it translates roughly to a size 26/28).

Best sports bra for small busts

Size range: XS-2XL | Material: Polyester and spandex | Bra style: Compression with removable pads

Smaller busts don’t need as much support, so it isn’t necessary to go for something with super-sculpted cups or restrictive straps. This one from Nike offers “light support,” but according to personal trainer Tamara Pridgett, who has a small bust, it’s more than enough. “I can wear this when sprinting, hurdling, jumping, and lifting without any issues,” she says. She also likes that it’s comfortable and easy to take on and off. “And the cups don’t get frumpy,” she notes. Another bonus is the longline cut. It’s a bit longer than the average sports bra and functions more like a crop top. It comes in a range of colors (new ones are added occasionally), is made from up to 50 percent recycled polyester, and fits up to a 2X.

Best longline sports bra

Size range: XXS–XL | Material: Nylon and Lycra | Bra style: Compression with supportive chest band

This bra is very size inclusive: It’s available in XXS to 3X and has A-to-DD+ cup versions. Kasvikis says it’s compressive and has a flattering longline design and racerback for extra support, making it great for “activities like Pilates, yoga, and barre because it provides enough compressive support without wires to work for activities that don’t tend to have much bounce or quick, intense movement.” Athleta says the fabric is buttery soft and the design features a bonded chest band, so we think this longline could double as a crop top.

Some more sports bras we’ve written about

Our experts

• Kendra Austin, model and fitness enthusiast
• Dominique Coleman, Spiked Spin team member
• Natalie Holloway, co-founder and CEO of Bala
• Alexa Javens, fitness manager and coach at the Williamsburg workout studio Session
• Kiana Jones, certified personal trainer
• Athena Kasvikis, founder of Behave Bras
• Stacy Maharaj, Spiked Spin instructor
Denajha Phillips, National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer
• Tamara Pridgett, certified personal trainer
Candace Taylor, chief inspiration officer at 305 Fitness
Hollis Tuttle, fitness and nutrition coach

Additional reporting by Tembe Denton-Hurst, Lori KeongDominique Pariso, and Jenna Milliner-Waddell.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best workout leggings, gym bags, workout gear, flattering sweatpants, running shorts, and compression pants. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

The Very Best Sports Bras