Best sports bra for large breasts: Ultimate support for bigger busts
The bigger your bust, the more support you need, and these sports bras are guaranteed to keep you comfortable during high impact exercise
When it comes to bras, anyone whose cups runneth over will tell you that it’s all fun and games until you set off for a swift 5k or 7am HIIT class with inadequate support. Workouts can be tough enough without adding avoidable pain and discomfort to the list – and that’s why it’s essential to invest in a supportive sports bra.
For the uninitiated: exercise in an ill-fitting bra is an absolute non-starter at the best of times, and straightforwardly masochistic for those of us with bigger busts. It’s painful, distracting and is enough to make one consider giving up on exercise altogether. What’s more, it can cause bruising, rubbing and even lasting damage to posture.
If you want to perform at your best, then a top quality sports bra is an essential investment.
There is a wealth of sports bras on the market – but how many of these truly cater for women with large breasts? Here we’ll explain what to look out for, and reveal some of our very favourite options.
The best sports bras for large breasts: At a glance
- Best all-round high-impact sports bra: Maaree Solidarity High Impact Sports Bra | Buy now from Maaree
- Best lightweight high-impact bra: Sweaty Betty High Intensity Sports Bra | Buy now from Sweaty Betty
- Best for maximum support: Bravissimo Panache Wired Sports Bra | Buy now from Bravissimo
- Best cheap high impact sports bra: Next Sports High Impact Non Pad Bra | Buy now from Next
How to choose the best sports bra for a bigger bust
What kind of sports bra is suitable?
Sports bra come in three main types: low-impact, medium-impact and high-impact. Low-impact sports bras are, as the name suggests, suitable for less strenuous activities or for smaller busts. Medium-impact bras are more of an all-round choice, as these often have enough compression and support to allow larger bosoms to tackle everything from low-impact to high-impact activities. High-impact sports bras provide the most compression and support possible – if you need a bra that keep you comfortable during the most hectic of workouts, or the most punishing of runs, then this is the type of bra to go for.
How can I tell if my sports bra fits?
A sports bra should fit more tightly than a regular bra but shouldn’t make you feel suffocated or as if you can’t breathe deeply. The straps shouldn’t be stretched taut over your shoulders – you should be able to get a couple of fingers under the strap without too much trouble – and you should be able to get a finger under the lower band or around the edge of the cup. Any sagging, bagging, wrinkling or gaps between the skin and bra is a sign the bra is too big.
Is it comfortable when you’re standing?
Does it dig in anywhere? Do you feel like you are too constricted? Any feelings of discomfort will only be exacerbated midway through an intense Bikram yoga or weights session.
But by the same token, does it feel tight enough? Anything that feels loose is going to be a waste of time – you need the bra to support and hold your bust in place.
Is it secure when you’re moving?
We recommend jumping up and down or running on the spot when you first try a sports bra – this will give you a good indication as to what your bra is capable of. You should experience little to no movement in the chest area but still be able to move your arms easily without restriction.
What does it look like?
We can’t say that sports bras, especially those that are designed for larger busts, are the height of elegance but that’s not to say that there are no great-looking options on the market. The straps are almost certainly going to be thick, there is going to be full coverage at the front with plenty of reinforcement material at the back. Most of the bras in this round up include a cross-back feature which contributes extra support.
How do I look after my sports bra?
Most bras can be machine washed but the best way of caring for any bra is to hand wash and air dry if possible. This is to help maintain any elasticity in the structure and prevent material fraying or sagging.
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The best sports bras for large breasts 2023
1. Maaree Solidarity High Impact Sports Bra: Best all-round high-impact sports bra
Price: £64 | Buy now from Maaree
Designed by a professional sportswear tester, it’s little surprise that this bra has won a whole heap of awards. It was so popular when it first launched that it sold out and garnered a waiting list of some 4,000 people.
If you are expecting big things you won’t be disappointed. This is a blooming brilliant bra for women with big breasts: it manages to hold you in securely without feeling like your chest has been wrapped. The USP is the Overband® – a curved panel that runs over the top of the breasts, to provide extra support and reduce upward motion when exercising. The reduction of upward motion ‘stabilises’ the movement of the chest.
This was certainly the case during our test – a 10k run up and down hills and over rough terrain provided plenty of opportunity for bumps, but it was comfortable throughout.
This is also pretty chic for a sports bra – the fabric is shiny and the straps are as fine as they can be while still providing optimal support. They can of course be adjusted, made into a cross back and the main back fastening is three hooks wide.
Key features – Largest size: 38G; Material: 85% Polyamide, 15% Elastane; Colours available: 2 (black, coral)
2. Sweaty Betty High Intensity Sports Bra: Best lightweight high-impact bra
Price: £55 | Buy now from Sweaty Betty
This is super lightweight and sleek – and before you put it on you might be forgiven for thinking it’s a little flimsy. But you’d be wrong. Thanks to a ingenious ‘compression’ design and high neckline, this bra offers support for even the highest impact sports including running, HIIT and tennis.
We loved the quick drying fabric, too. It makes the handwashing process a doddle and means you can wear it on consecutive days without worrying about laundry cycles.
There are mesh panels that let sweat out and air in, helping to keep you cool throughout your workout: there is nothing worse than feeling insufferably hot. We can confirm that on an eight-mile run in 22 degrees, we felt refreshed.
In terms of looks, this is a chic, understated beauty – as you’d expect from Sweaty Betty – not at all bulky or cumbersome. We wore it as a racer back for running but disconnected the link to create a U-back for low-impact exercise including Pilates and yoga.
Key features – Largest size: 38F; Material: 76% Polyamide, 14% Elastane, 10% Polyester; Colours available: 1 (black)
3. Bravissimo Panache Wired Sports Bra: Best for maximum support
Price: £42 | Buy now from Bravissimo
If you crave the ultimate in support, then Bravissimo’s Panache needs to be on your shopping list. There is no, and we mean no, movement at all when you’re in the Panache. It’s like armour with a rigidity to the front panel that makes you feel completely held in.
The jump test yielded no movement and we felt super confident to embark on our 5k run. With that said, it’s not a gentle, easy wear. It means business. It’s a solid piece of kit – slightly padded on the straps which means you won’t get any angry red indents in your skin post workout, and it’s very sculpted.
We wouldn’t wear this for more sedate workouts, but it’s definitely one we want in the wardrobe. For longer runs, it’s a godsend – and this would be the one we’d run a marathon in.
Key features – Largest size: 34J/40GG; Material: 49% Polyamide, 14% Elastane, 37% Polyester; Colours available: 13 including black, turquoise, latte and abstract floral
4. Next Sports High Impact Non Pad Bra: Best cheap high impact sports bra
Price: £26 | Buy now from Next
This might not look to be the chicest design on the hanger, but put it on and it’s a different beast: the fit is super comfy and the high neckline is strangely flattering once on.
The support isn’t up there with the most supportive bras here – we’d say this offers medium to high support – but it’s still perfectly good enough for shorter runs as well as Pilates and yoga. There’s enough control here to mean that there’s no chance of runaway cleavage while holding downward dog in the weekly yoga class.
The fit really is excellent: this feels really like a second skin; for the money, it’s outrageously good. For anyone on a budget looking for a great all-rounder – call off the search.
Key features – Largest size: 40G; Material: 4 76% Nylon, 15% Polyester, 9% Elastane; Colours available: 2 (black, white)
5. Hunkemoller HKMX Sports bra The Pro Level 3: Best front fixture high impact sports bra
Price: £34 | Buy now from Hunkemoller
For women with bigger busts the padding on this bra is entirely surplus to requirements – luckily it can be easily removed.
There is no fastener at the back, but the front hooks together before being zipped up. This took us a couple of attempts but once it was fastened, we felt completely secure, to the point of being a tiny bit squashed.
It did well in a yoga class: it was easy to move in, allowing no overspill in plank and performed really successfully during a HIIT session too – there was little to no bounce throughout.
Design-wise, this is exactly the kind of bra that can be worn as outerwear without looking like you’re wearing your smalls.
Key features – Largest size: 44H; Material: 80% Polyamide, 20% Elastane; Colours available: 4 (green animal, grey animal, black, black with grey panels)
