The Best Sports Bras (2024)

To determine what makes a good sports bra, we spoke with breast biomechanics researchers, sports-bra consultants, specialty-lingerie shop owners, sportswear designers, and textile scientists.

Imagine hopping on a treadmill (or swinging a tennis racket) without a bra. What would your posture and muscles be doing to deter breast movement? How would your shoulders look? Are you wincing just thinking about it? If you regularly find yourself in that tense position during exercise, it’s time to get a new sports bra, said Deirdre McGhee, a breast biomechanics expert and an associate professor at the University of Wollongong in Australia. The same thing applies if you find that your sports-bra straps dig into your shoulders (or are too stretched out), if the band rides up in the back, if the centerpiece of the bra (called the gore) isn’t lying flat on your chest, or if the material is pilling. The list goes on.

A sports bra that fits well will make exercising much more comfortable and help shield you from muscular injury or pain. McGhee provided assurance that there’s no evidence that excessive breast movement will cause a tear or damage the fibrous tissue of your breasts—a common misconception. But tension on your breasts can encourage poor posture and subsequently impact the rest of your body during exercise (meaning more shoulder or neck pain, for example). A sports bra that fits correctly should ease any discomfort not only from your breasts but also from any other muscles that work to keep your breasts in place.

A sports bra is a complex piece of clothing that employs several parts—band, straps, seams, and more—that work together to reduce breast motion. According to biomechanics lecturer Jenny Burbage, the band at the bottom of the bra is key. It should be wide, fit firmly, and provide most of the structural support of the bra.

No bra can eliminate 100% of movement, but your breasts shouldn’t be leaping out of a good sports bra. No matter the style of bra—whether it’s compression (which limits motion by squashing breast tissue against the chest wall), encapsulation (molded cup-style bras that hold the breasts in place), or combination (a mix of the two)—your breasts should feel supported. With that in mind, we looked for options that offer the following benefits:

Adequate coverage and support: Proper support can be achieved in different ways, through molded cups, underwires, or firm compression to keep your breasts in place. A quality sports bra should rise high on the chest and sides to help control any movement or spillage. “Sideboob is boob,” said Holly Powell, owner of The Pencil Test lingerie boutique in Portland, Oregon. Some people prefer bras with thicker fabric or light padding, to prevent the nipples from showing through.

Adjustable straps and bands: Most of our favorite sports bras have adjustable straps and bands that rely on either Velcro, sliders, or hook-and-eye clasps, to let you tweak the fit until it’s snug. Breasts don’t simply bob up and down during exercise; instead they move relative to your torso, or trunk. Adjustability means you can get closer to that Goldilocks fit, regardless of whether you’re running a marathon or doing gentle yoga. Plus, as sports bras age, they stretch; hooking the band tighter or shortening the straps can help extend the usable life of a bra. Though the band is the key player in limiting motion in an encapsulation or combination bra, the straps (whether racerback, U-back, or J-hook-style straps) are an important secondary support. They should neither dig in nor slide off.

Quality, moisture-wicking materials: The materials should be stretchy enough that you can move around in the bra and put it on or take it off with reasonable ease, but the materials should be rigid enough to control bounce. Our experts used the term “stretch and recovery” to describe how a fabric bounces back after being stretched, to keep the breasts securely in place. “If a person is putting on the bra and has to stretch it to get it on, it needs to spring back so it supports them,” said Lori Wahl, who at the time of our interview was an apparel, textiles, and design instructor at the University of Idaho’s School of Family and Consumer Sciences. Bras should also wick sweat away from the inside of the cups to the outside, so that it evaporates more quickly. Great bras have separate layers of fabric for the inner lining and outer shell, to help with moisture transportation.

To test sports bras, we recruited a panel of people with cup sizes ranging from A to JJ and band sizes from 32 to 44. Testers wore a variety of bras during high-impact cross-training sessions, on long runs in the park, on short runs to the store, and anywhere you might wear a sports bra in between. They also reported on any signs of wear after washing.

The Elomi Energise Sports Bra offers the best blend of size options and support for people who wear larger band and cup sizes. This structured encapsulation bra uses UK sizing, and it comes in band sizes 32 to 46 and cup sizes D to K (US sizes D to O), encompassing 61 total sizes.

Of the bras we’ve seen, this one offers the most coverage and support for bigger busts. The Energise bra’s underwire-and-gore design lifts and separates the breasts for support, instead of pressing them together, as a compression bra would. Seams on the cups provide structure to pull the breasts close to the chest, to prevent bounce and movement. The straps are wide, which helps to adequately distribute weight on the shoulders, but they’re not so thick that they limit your range of motion. One 38G tester said this bra is so supportive she can even wear it to do a jump-rope workout, which is usually too uncomfortable to do in other bras. Our JJ-cup tester said they were able to bend over while exercising without spilling out of the top.

It has adjustable straps and is easy to get into and out of. The Energise bra looks and works a lot more like a regular bra than a standard sports bra; there is no yanking it over your head with all of your might once you’re done with your workout. It has adjustable straps and a back hook-and-eye clasp: you simply place your breasts in, and let the pronounced cups do the rest. You can also convert the U-back straps to racerback with the bra’s J-hook, for more-centralized support or to style with racerback tank tops.

It’s durable and made from quality materials. The Energise bra’s material feels soft and sateen-like against the skin. It does look a bit shiny, more like the material of traditional lingerie than the matte fabric of most sports bras. We found that the material was breathable during exercise and that sweat didn’t pool.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The support comes at the expense of style.The Energise bra’s seams come together at the nipple line, creating a pointy cup that many reviewers have compared to Madonna’s cone bra from the singer’s “Blond Ambition” tour. We asked a representative from Wacoal (Elomi’s parent company) about the bra’s construction; they said that the prominent seams add necessary support. For our 38G tester, the support outweighs the retro, pointy look: “It’s a workhorse,” she said.

It can be difficult to find the right size. One tester who typically wears a 43H or 44G had difficulty finding the right cup size, though the band fit her well. “If you had an excellent fit, I bet it’d be even more supportive,” she noted. The Energise bra is not available in band sizes larger than 46 or cup sizes larger than a UK size K (US size O).

For a bra with larger cup and smaller band sizes, we recommend the Anita Air Control bra, which is available with padding and without padding. This combination bra comes in band sizes 30 to 42 and cup sizes AA to H.

Fit and style go hand in hand. Testers could not say enough good things about this bra, calling it a “perfect fit” and “one of the best bras I’ve tried in years.” Our 32C, 32G, and 38DDD testers agreed that this bra looks as terrific as it feels, noting that it gave their breasts “a great, natural shape with a slight minimizing effect,” versus the more “suit-of-armor” style of the Elomi Energise and other encapsulation bras.

The bra’s contoured cups come in padded and non-padded versions. Testers varied in their preference for one or the other. Our testers with band size 32 thought the foam pads helped to minimize breast motion and were more likely to reduce chafing. But our 38DDD tester thought the pads were “notably uncomfortable” and offered no added support.

Its comfortable fabric helps to keep you cool. The microfiber mesh material helped sweat escape, keeping testers cool and chafe-free. Testers also appreciated that the fabric didn’t lead to any unnecessary scratching or rubbing. Our 32G tester also liked that the shoulder straps had some light padding, offering gentle support without feeling too thick.

It offers good adjustability. This bra has four sets of three eye-hook clasps, whereas many encapsulation or combination bras have only three. That means there’s plenty of room to tighten this bra to get a better fit or if the bra stretches out over time. It also has adjustable shoulder straps, for a more secure fit.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The support is really good, not great. Our 32C tester, a frequent long-distance runner, noticed a little breast motion, or “jiggle,” while running. They noted this is still a great bra for gentler exercises, like shorter jogs, bike rides, or yoga—not marathons.

It could use more side coverage. Our 38DDD tester found this bra fit true to size and was appropriately snug in the band, but she noticed she had “a more-than-average amount of ‘spillage fat’ coming out the sides of the cups.” If you typically struggle with breast or other tissue spillage on the sides of your bra, you may find more success with the Elomi Energise or Shefit Ultimate.

The Shefit Ultimate Sports Bra is the most adjustable sports bra we recommend, and it should suit a range of breast sizes. This combination bra, the only front-zip bra we recommend, comes in 10 sizes, ranging from XSmall (based on a bust measurement of 29 to 32 inches and a rib-cage measurement of 22 to 27 inches) to 6Luxe (based on a bust measurement of 51 to 55 inches and a rib-cage measurement of 38½ to 49½ inches). Shefit says the Ultimate fits cup sizes from A to H.

It is the most adjustable of all our picks. The Shefit Ultimate is a zip-front combination bra (it uses encapsulation and compression), and it can be worn as a cross-back or a U-back. You adjust the inch-wide, non-stretchy straps by pulling them up to the desired tension and securing them with Velcro at the shoulders. (The straps are 1¼ inches wide for the six largest sizes.) The 2-inch-wide band is also adjustable, since you can cinch it at the back of the bra and secure it with Velcro. (Watch this YouTube video for a demonstration.)

Our testers appreciated being able to adjust the bra on the body for a secure fit that’s flush to their ribcage. “If you like tweaking your bra’s fit and support over the course of a long workout, I think this is a great bra for that,” our 38DDD tester noted.

It is supportive for high-intensity workouts across a range of sizes. The front-zip bra has impressed and delighted us for years with its effective support during high-impact exercise. Panelists have described it as a “miracle,” and they’ve lauded its ability to keep your breasts moving with your torso in one fluid motion—no matter the exercise. “My ideal sports bra is one I don’t think about at all while I’m wearing it, and this hit the mark,” said one of our testers, who wore a size medium for several six-plus-mile runs (and some burpees). Our 38DDD tester, who wore a size 3Luxe, added that “this thing could hold up a building, let alone my boobs.”

Its front zipper and adjustable Velcro have held up over years of long-term testing. When testers tried the Shefit Ultimate for earlier iterations of this guide, they expressed skepticism about the Velcro’s durability over time. Our 32C tester (who has owned the bra for nearly four years and says it’s her go-to) noted that the Velcro hasn’t worn down at all, though it sometimes picks up garment fuzz in the washer.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It is not for everyday wear. Similar to the Elomi Energise, the Shefit Ultimate bra is focused more on support than style. Our 38DDD tester said the lines of this bra show “so obviously” underneath clothes. One tester noted that the bra’s nylon and spandex fabric are not “quite so soft and smooth as other bras.”

The sizing can be confusing. The proprietary sizing for the Shefit Ultimate isn’t as specific as that of our other picks, which go by band measurement and cup size. Pinning down the right fit may take some trial and error.

The Champion Spot Comfort High-Impact Sports Bra is one of the best combination sports bras we’ve found. It’s available in band sizes 34 to 42 and cup sizes C to DDD. We like the sturdiness of its material and its reasonable price. With vertical U-back straps and a back clasp, the bra is relatively easy to put on and to take off after sweaty workouts, and the adjustable straps allow you to dial in the fit.

It offers great coverage. This bra rises high on the chest and has larger side panels, to prevent breasts from spilling out. The vertical straps on the Spot Comfort bra help balance that out by creating a more open neckline compared with racerback straps, which can cut into the shoulders.

It is surprisingly supportive and doesn’t inhibit mobility. Compared with flimsier racerback compression bras, the Spot Comfort bra restricts breast movement more effectively while still achieving a second-skin feeling—we forgot we were wearing it while running. The Spot Comfort bra has wireless molded cups made with compressive fabric, which holds everything close to the chest wall. You get firm compression without the “uniboob” look.

It feels smooth on skin and wicks away moisture well. The Spot Comfort’s sturdy material didn’t itch or chafe, and it wicked away sweat, even in hot climates. The thicker fabric also prevented nipples from showing, without added padding. And after several years of long-term testing, this bra has held up well, and it accompanied our D- and smaller-cup testers on many runs (and even a marathon).

The band and straps are sturdy without feeling constricting. The vertical straps have extra padding for comfort. And, at 1¼ inches, they’re wide enough to feel like they aren’t digging in, yet they’re slim enough to allow for a broad range of motion. They are easy to adjust with sliders, and due to the band’s hook-and-eye clasp, it’s easier to take this bra off after a sweaty workout than a pull-on, racerback-style bra.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s not as durable as other options. Though the Spot Comfort bra has held up for some of our testers for over five years, one tester reported that the hooks on the back clasp broke after a year. Even so, that same tester also said they would buy the bra again because it’s comfortable and reasonably priced.

In a sea of removable-cup racerback bras, the Athleta Ultimate Bra A-C stands out from the crowd. We think it’s the best option for a basic, supportive racerback-style bra for those who wear A and B cups, as well as for those who don’t want the added support or feel of underwires or adjustable straps.

It feels smooth and stays put. This bra doesn’t have any hardware to rub against the skin, whereas our other picks all have clasps, adjustable straps, or even a zipper front that can feel bulky. Some testers just wanted the best version of a simple, racerback bra, and this Athleta model delivers. Our 34A/B tester found the fabric felt “substantial, smooth,” and quick to dry. She said it didn't rub or chafe, even during a run in the pouring rain.

It’s made for all-day wear. Our testers found they could wear the Ultimate bra all day, well after their workouts. Our 32A/B tester, a frequent long-distance runner, appreciated the bra’s finished edges and even stitching. It paired well under workout clothes and had smooth lines under most clothes. Plus, the small gap in the back above the band shows a cute pop of skin, and it makes the bra feel more breathable without sacrificing support.

It offers ample coverage and support for small cup sizes. Our 36B tester, who has a wide torso and wore a size large, appreciated that this bra covered the breadth of her chest (there was no side breast tissue or “chicken cutlet” spilling over, she noted). Our 32C tester, who often prefers mounded cups to compression, found the D-DD+ version of the bra offered “adequate shelf space,” without creating too much of a “uniboob” look.

Its cups stay in place after several wears and washes. What separates the Ultimate from dozens of similarly styled and priced peers is that its cups stayed in place during workouts and after washes. There was no fighting to unfold the removable cup and flatten it across your breast, and there was no finagling to get it in or out between washes.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s likely not supportive enough for cup sizes larger than C, especially during high-impact exercise. People with larger breasts may find that this bra—or any pull-on racerback-style bra—doesn’t offer enough support for running or any type of high-impact workout. Our 32C tester, who often finds racerback bras unsupportive or lacking in coverage, said the Ultimate bra was nice to wear, but it created too much “jiggle” during longer runs.

It’s not adjustable. Like most compression bras, the Ultimate bra is not adjustable. It comes only in XXS to XL sizing, with the largest size fitting about a 40C, based on the brand’s size chart. For those with larger cup sizes, Athleta sells the same bra with added fabric in a D-DD+ option. Our 32C tester (who is 5-foot-5 and has a shorter torso) found the straps too long (a frequent issue for her). Our 32A/B tester noted that she would have given this bra a perfect score, if it weren’t for her worry that the almost-tubular straps have the potential to “twist out of shape over time.”

Encapsulation sports bras

If you have a larger band and cup size and want a sports bra with a front closure and maximum coverage: The Enell Sports Bra is a great option. Like the Elomi Energise, it offers among the most support of any bra we’ve tested. But its proprietary 00-to-8 sizing isn’t as fine-tuned as that of our picks, which use cup and band measurements to offer a greater range of sizes. This bra’s high neckline and corset-like design may also feel too intense for some people.

If you have a DD+ cup and smaller band size: The Panache Sports Bra is a well-lined encapsulation bra with molded cups, wide adjustable straps (which you can convert to a racerback with a J-hook), and a sturdy band. It offers serious support, but some testers found that its underwire poked out after continued wear. And it did not wick away moisture as well as our new pick, the Anita Air Control.

Compression sports bras

If you want an affordable compression bra for A or B cup sizes: Champion’s Absolute Workout bra is a great pull-on racerback style that has no padding. It’s a pared-down, basic bra that’s easier to get on and off than similarly styled bras, but it stretches out after a year or so of use, according to our 36B tester. Our new A/B pick, the Athleta Ultimate bra, feels far sturdier and more supportive, but it usually costs $20 more.

If you have an A or B cup size and want firm compression: Our testers loved the all-compression Paloma Racerback Bra from Girlfriend Collective. One tester noted that hers has held up after two-plus years of high-intensity workouts. However, it’s so compressive it can be really difficult to get on or off, especially if you’re sweaty. We preferred the comparably priced but more-breathable Athleta Ultimate Bra.

Combination sports bras

If you want a bra for both high-intensity workouts and daytime wear: The Brooks Maia bra has defined cups that create a flattering shape. Testers appreciated its simplicity, as well as its substantial yet comfortable fabric, which seemed to help prevent the straps from slipping. The bra comes in sizes 32C to 44DD.

If you have a larger cup size and want a wire-free sports bra that is supportive and lightweight: You might like the Anita Extreme Control Sport Bra, which Iris Clarke of Iris Lingerie told us was the best-selling sports bra in her store in 2019. The Extreme Control is a U-back, adjustable bra that has a breathable mesh back panel but no wires or excess padding. It’s supportive for larger cup sizes. But because this bra is wire-free, testers found it did “smooshed” breasts together, which wasn’t great for wicking away sweat.

If you want a soft, stretchy sports bra that can support larger cup sizes for lower-impact activities: Try the Royce Impact Free bra. We like that it has options for G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, and K cups (it comes in band sizes 32 to 40 and uses the UK size system).

If you have a larger cup size and run long distances: You might also like the Shock Absorber Multi Sports Max (28B through 40HH).

Encapsulation sports bras

The Glamorise No-Bounce Camisole Sports Bra is a highly rated budget bra for people who wear larger band and cup sizes (up to 50J). We found the fabric itchy and thin, with no inserts or padding.

Compression sports bras

The Outdoor Voices All-Time Bra is similar to Athleta’s Ultimate Bra, but the All-Time option performed far worse. Our 36B tester found the cups folded in on themselves and moved around on the first wear—and even more so after an initial wash. This bra was also nowhere near as compressive or supportive, yet it cost more.

Lululemon’s Energy Bra was a close second to Athleta’s Ultimate bra in terms of overall compression and comfort. However, our 36B and 32A/B testers found that the Athleta option had a more-secure band, greater coverage, and thicker, more-durable material overall. Some testers also found the strappy racerback a nuisance to take off: “I just wanted to sling-shot the whole thing across the room,” said one.

Testers said the Adidas Don’t Rest Alphaskin Bra offered pretty good support. It comes in sizes 2XS to 2XL. Neither of our 2019 A/B testers loved the band on this bra, though, and the printed logo could lead to chafing during longer bouts of exercise.

Combination sports bras

During testing, we had a hard time getting the Anita Dynamix Star bra on and off, due to its racerback design. The band tops out at 40, and this bra comes in fewer sizes than our Anita Air Control pick.

Wacoal’s Goddess Sports Bra is meant for lower-impact activities, according to a Wacoal representative.

Testers praised the support and great look of the combination Oiselle Queen Bra, but the band also tends to run small, a detail pointed out by reviewers and confirmed by our testers. And compared with our picks, this bra comes in a relatively limited selection of sizes (32C to 40DD).

The Syrokan High Impact Sports Bra’s cups are lined with a smooth fabric. But the bra’s mesh back panel feels rough, and the material is thin, which can lead to “headlighting.”

This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.

1. Deirdre McGhee, PhD, associate professor, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong and co-director of My Breast Health Research and Breast Research Australia (BRA), Zoom interview, November 15, 2023

2. Holly Powell, owner, The Pencil Test, in-person interview, February 15, 2018

3. Iris Clarke, owner, Iris Lingerie, phone interview, February 14, 2018

4. Jenny Burbage, PhD, senior lecturer in biomechanics at the University of Portsmouth, phone interview, September 4, 2015

5. Minyoung Suh, PhD, associate professor at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University, phone interview, September 3, 2015

6. Lori Wahl, apparel, textiles, and design senior instructor at the University of Idaho’s School of Family and Consumer Sciences, phone interview, September 10, 2015

7. Marissa Borelli, activewear designer, phone interview, September 10, 2015

8. Min Zhu, PhD, assistant professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, phone interview, March 15, 2017

9. LaJean Lawson, PhD, sports bra scientist and longtime Champion and industry consultant, in-person and email interviews, May 22, 2018