Why are sports bras for large breasts SO hard to find? As a 26-year-old CEO, sports bra designer, and 32DD chest girl, this has bothered me my entire adult life. Despite the fact that the average bra size in America alone is a 34DD, and that 22% of women, ages 18-49, report that they wear sports bras several times per week, sports bras for large busts are few and far between. Let’s discuss why that is and what bigger busted women can do about finding better sports bras.
The Start…
I was 22, in my first year of graduate school, studying to get my MBA, and getting ready to submit a business idea. Actually, the entire college was submitting business ideas to a Shark Tank-styled college project in the hopes that we’d get accepted into an entrepreneurial class that offered the opportunity to earn seed funding for startups.
I had a million business ideas, but this high-impact sports bra design stuck out to me. I sat in my parent’s basement during this time, night after night, drawing out sports bra designs. In October of 2019, I submitted mine.
To my astonishment, I was accepted into the program. A year later, I was backed by real investors at my pitch. Today, that design has been manufactured in real life and I’m waiting patiently (actually, really not that patiently) to get the logistics set up to sell the best sports bra for large breasts I have ever tried. You can learn more about my start-up venture here.
With all of that being said, sports bras for large breasts are nearly impossible to find. Even as a 32DD, I’m always shocked to see the lack of selection in high-impact sports bras, especially considering the athletic market size. As a sports bra designer and CEO, let’s discuss why that is and what my bigger busted gals can do about it.
This Post Is All Sports Bras for Large Breasts
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The Origin of the Sports Bra
The first commercially available sports bra was the “Free Swing Tennis Bra” introduced by Glamorise Foundations, Inc. in 1975. That was only 48 years ago!
Since then, while many styles, colors, and sizes have been introduced to the market, the sports bra really hasn’t changed that much. Not to mention, take a scroll through huge Fortune 500 athleticwear companies like Lululemon or Nike and see the limited selection of high-impact sports bras available, and an even more limited selection of sizes in the D range and up.
Why is it so hard to find sports bras for big busts?
Why Bigger Bust Sports Bras are More Expensive
If you want to get right to the nitty gritty of this sports bra dilemma, the reason is money. Isn’t it always? It’s much easier for brands to produce a narrower size range (i.e. XS-XL) than it is for brands to produce specialty bra products and sizes (i.e. 32D, 34D, 36DDD, etc.).
Not to mention, specialty products like a more structured sports bra for bigger busts requires more time (a.k.a higher labor costs) and more materials, (a.k.a higher material costs) – overall, making the bra more expensive to produce and decreasing profit margins for businesses who are used to a 40-60% market-up per retail product, especially in the fashion and merchandising segment.
Do you see how this is not exactly appealing for the average business person? In addition, have you ever heard the saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”? The women’s activewear market segment is valued at USD 172,258.8 million in 2022 and it’s projected to reach USD 272,311.5 million by 2030. Meaning, the women’s activewear market is not exactly hurting for money or innovation for that matter.
What It’s Like Trying to Bring a Better Quality Sports Bra to You
As a sports bra designer who has experienced this manufacturing issue firsthand, I can confirm that it’s real and it’s frustrating. While my patent-pending high-impact sports bra design has been fully developed for over a year now, finding manufacturing that is reliable and cost-effective has been a challenge. It’s also an expensive start-up venture that doesn’t leave a lot of room for small businesses or entrepreneurs to come in and make a change, due to unattainable start-up costs.
While regular bras and sports bras have been primarily designed by men (hmm, waiting for the part where they tell me what it’s like to exercise with breasts…), I’m still determined to get this sports bra for bigger busts right for you.
In the meantime, let’s talk about some sports bras that might be right for you while you’re waiting.
Best High Impact Sports Bra for Large Breasts
If you’re in the market for a highly adjustable sports bra that is high-impact, SheFit might be the bra for you.
I did an in-depth review of this high-impact sports bra on my YouTube channel, you can check that out here.
Overall, I think this is the best high-impact sports bra for large busts, specifically designed for exercise, on the market currently. It’s supportive, highly adjustable, provides a full-coverage look, and I did not experience any breast pain during exercise.
Like all good things, they’re never perfect. As a girl who wears sports bras for exercise and for everyday wear, I was bummed that I didn’t find this sports bra to be comfortable outside of exercise. But, it’s not specifically designed for that anyways so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything, I just wish this bra had that feature!
Overall, if you experience breast pain during exercise, you’re in that D+ range, and you’re looking for a highly supportive, highly adjustable bra, I highly recommend checking out this sports bra!
SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra – Buy Here.
SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra
ultimate Sports bra from shefitPros:
Very supportive
High adjustable
No Nipplage
Good Coverage
Easy to Take On & Off
Lot’s of Colors to Choose From
Cons:
Not Comfortable Outside of Exercise
Sometimes Hot/Chaffes a bit (but bearable)
Expensive
They Charge Shipping
Best Running Sports Bras for Large Breasts
Lululemon Sports Bras for Large Breasts
Lululemon sports bras for large breasts are my go-to sports bras for running and high-impact activities. I’m one of those odd girls where I’m small-framed but bigger-chested (I wear a 32DD). I am definitely larger-chested, but I fall on the smaller end of large-chested women. Meaning, there are women out there that struggle even more than I do to find supportive sports bras.
Lululemon sports bras are perfect for women in the D-DDD range. Anything larger and I think the SheFit bra might be a better option for you. This is simply because breasts are so heavy. I think SheFit does a better job of stopping the bounce which can be painful for women in the DDD+ range.
Likewise, my only complaint with Lululemon is that they’re expensive. This is to be expected for sports apparel in this segment, but it’s still a lot of money! Also, they are sold out of my size a lot which can be frustrating when I’m trying to coordinate workout outfits.
Check out a few of my go-to Lululemon sports bras I’d highly recommend for bigger busted women looking for a good running bra for exercise:
Luluelmon Running Sports Bras – Pros & Cons
Pros
Comfortable + supportive
Lots of color options
Offers sales frequently
True to size
Cons
Expensive and/or overpriced
You can check out this Lululemon sports bra review on my YouTube channel.
Best Front Closure Sports Bra
Overall, I think SheFit’s Ultimate Sports Bra “takes the cake” for the best front-closure sports bra that is functional and supportive for high-impact exercise. But, I think it is important to have options and SheFit’s sports bra might not be in your budget.
If I was not going to purchase the SheFit sports bra and I wanted something more comfortable for wear outside of exercise, I think the next best sports bras would be also followed:
Best Front Closure Sports Bras
1.) SheFit’s Ultimate Sports Bra, $75
best for high impact exercise + running
2.) Lululemon Enlite Front Zip High Support Bra, $108 (ouch)
best for comfort, functionality, high impact support
3.) Under Armour Women’s UA Infinity High Zip Sports Bra, $65
best for underboob support, medium support, full coverage + price
4.) Outdoor Voices Powerhouse Bra, $78
Best for comfort, coverage and medium support
Cotton Sports Bras for Everyday Wear
Now that we’ve covered the best sports bras for exercise, let’s talk about some everyday sports bras that are great for errands, or wearing around the house.
Cotton bras tend to be less expensive because they’re not as intricate as a high-impact sports bra and they use cheaper materials. I find that Target has the best budget bras for women. They’re not always big-bust friendly, especially when it comes to sizing, but for the price, you can’t beat it.
It’s also hard to find bras that are 100% cotton so you’ll notice a lot of these bras are a mix of fabrics. Also, ribbed fabrics are in right now and I find them to be so comfortable. Check out some of Target’s cotton sports bras for everyday wear.
Cotton Bras – Pros & Cons
Pros
Affordable
Comfortable
Lots of styles to choose from
Cons
Not always supportive
Nipplage
Sizing isn’t always inclusive for bigger busted women
Nursing Sports Bra
Lastly, we have nursing sports bras. Nursing bras are something that has really evolved over the years. I don’t have any personal experience with nursing bras as I am not a mom yet, but I dug through thousands of reviews so you don’t have to.
Check out some of these highly-recommended nursing bras from Target that are affordable, functional, and cute!
There you have it ladies, some of the best sports bras for large breasts for every occasion & why sports bras for large boobs are so hard to find. I hope you found a sports bra that you might love. I know bras can be soooo expensive so I did my best to find bras for every price range.
See you in the next one!
This Post Was All About Why Sports Bras for Large Breasts Are So Hard to Find & What to Do
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