Padded sports bras

[ny biker]

Just wondering how people feel about padded sports bras.

Personally, I hate them. If I'm wearing a sports bra (or a tank top with built-in bra), then I'm expecting to get hot and sweaty. And I don't deal well with being too hot; it makes me feel weak and unable to continue exercising. So my primary concern is comfort. I want airy wicking fabrics. Having thick foam inserts in my bra is just ick.

As a 38A I have a hard enough time finding a bra that fits without having my options narrowed more and more by the proliferation of padded sports bras. I don't care about shape and I don't care if the headlights are on. (I can wear a regular padded bra with a t-shirt and a sweater and you'll still see them poking through anyway.) I just want to be comfortable while I'm exercising.

Just wondering if I'm in the minority on this one. The manufacturers seem to think that I am.

[Eden]

I'm with you - I think its stoooopid to pad a sports bra. I get it that I'm an A cup and you know what I'm fine with that. I want something that won't make me hot and offers a little compression for comfort (yes even A cups need some....). I don't need to pretend I'm a B.

(honestly I hate it that as an A its hard to find any bras that aren't comically - in my view at least- padded....)

[zoom-zoom]

Try being an f'ing D and every danged sports bra is some double-layered beast with a thin layer of some sort of thin padding sort of garbage...then all strappy cycling and tri tops have an additional built-in, worthless, shelf-bra...4 layers of fabric over my danged boobs.

[SadieKate]

I'm with zoom-zoom, every word of it. You know, designers, sport bras are made in all kinds of colors so we can coordinate our bras with those cute tank tops. Then, you can ignore the whole shelf bra thing all together (especially since many of the less endowed don't get enough "headlight" protection from them anyway).

And I'm sick of the only really supportive sport bras having hooks right over my spine where my hydration pack sits. Oh yeah, that is soooo comfy on a rigorous mtb ride.

Of course, front zip bras for the endowed have their own problems (like requiring 4 hands to install). I don't have an answer but then I'm not a engineer.

[shootingstar]

I'm an A and smaller than NYCwoman because my bone frame is smaller.

I don't mind a very thin liner material on a bra I wear for exercising/cycling simply because I do get off and on my bike to do other stuff where there are other people. And I say this even for long touring rides/trips.

I don't wear tank tops with built in bras or anything like that. Nor do I wear cycling jerseys tight/snug/quite fitted across my body. Tight tops make me feel hotter.

I view the very light extra lining...to minimize abit of the "headlights" and also to give even shape.

[Crankin]

Personally, I love the light padding in sports bras; I haven't been able to find many, though, so I settle for the double layered bras that help with the headlight syndrome. I have some padded non-cycling tanks from Athleta, that I wear for yoga.
I am a 32 A. I do wear tanks with shelf bras, but it makes me self conscious (I like the Terry Eurohalters because they come up high and cover a lot more than most tanks, but are very cool). I wear fiberfill padded bras with regular clothes (i.e., padded, but not bullet bras) so I look somewhat in proportion; I'd like the same option for my sports bras.
Frankly, I would love to just be a B cup, but years ago, I made the decision not to have augmentation years ago. So, wearing a padded bra is just something that makes me feel better about how I look in clothes.

[rubywagon]

Personally, I love the light padding in sports bras; I haven't been able to find many, though, so I settle for the double layered bras that help with the headlight syndrome. I have some padded non-cycling tanks from Athleta, that I wear for yoga.
I am a 32 A. I do wear tanks with shelf bras, but it makes me self conscious (I like the Terry Eurohalters because they come up high and cover a lot more than most tanks, but are very cool). I wear fiberfill padded bras with regular clothes (i.e., padded, but not bullet bras) so I look somewhat in proportion; I'd like the same option for my sports bras.
Frankly, I would love to just be a B cup, but years ago, I made the decision not to have augmentation years ago. So, wearing a padded bra is just something that makes me feel better about how I look in clothes.

+1. I just received the Handful sports bra they sell here on TE that has removable headlight hiders/liners and I couldn't be happier with it. It does its job, but gives me some shape as well. I am seriously going to order more and throw out every bra I own. I had my implants removed 2 years ago and I need all the help I can get. Especially after two kids.

[tangentgirl]

They have padded sports bras? That just seems silly. Maybe I didn't notice it before because I just completely disregarded those ones as I combed through the bra racks?

Lining, sure. Extra holding power, absolutely. Padding sounds like a bacterial nesting ground. (Do bacteria nest?)

[ny biker]

They have padded sports bras? That just seems silly. Maybe I didn't notice it before because I just completely disregarded those ones as I combed through the bra racks?

Lining, sure. Extra holding power, absolutely. Padding sounds like a bacterial nesting ground. (Do bacteria nest?)

Not sure if they nest but they sure do breed.

[Crankin]

Well, I don't think padding would breed bacteria any more than any other material. Of course, I don't think about stuff like that, for anything, really. All my sports bras get washed in hot water and hung up to dry...
You may think it is silly, but it's not to me. If something makes me feel better about the way I look, than I am going to do it. There's always a lot of discussion about finding larger sized bras and the problems inherent with having large breasts. Frankly, it's almost impossible to even find bras in an A cup size, especially sports bras. Thankfully, I live near a real lingerie shop where I buy my regular bras, after years and years of wearing ill fitting ones.
Off topic, but...
It's the same with petite sized clothes. I am short, always have been. I like stylish clothes. I cannot just walk into a store and buy a t shirt. Even stores that have petite sized pants or skirts rarely have petite sized t shirts/tops. There are 2 places that I can buy things at. On the other hand, there's plenty of larger sizes. Stores increase their plus size departments and get rid of the petites. I know as a society we are getting taller and heavier, but please, there are plenty of flat chested women under five foot four who would appreciate some choices.

[Melalvai]

I'm in between A & B. A is too small, B has extra space. The Italian '1' seems to fit better. It only comes in padded. I have sloping shoulders so bra straps do not stay up. I have a little elastic thingy that is supposed to hold them up--that means they don't fall down as often.

I go without as much as possible. Working from home makes that possible most of the time. I think I'm getting saggy at the ripe old age of 35! lol

[BalaRoja]

As a semi-frequently, self-conscious, nearly 6 foot tall, 38A-cup woman (say that 3x fast), I can understand the idea behind it. There are plenty of times when having a teenage boy like figure can be a bit of a drag. A lot of that is highly individual and pretty complex, at least for me it is and there's no need to get into all the sundry details here.

That said, I stopped using them because they simply were not very comfortable, plus they added bulk. Ultimately, my concern on a bike or during any other exercise, is being comfortable and performing well, so standard sports bras (non-padded) are all I have & use now.

Nonetheless, to be somewhat fair to those making padded sports bras, there is a segment of women, particularly the health club set, that are wearing such apparel much more so for how it looks than how it works. I'm not suggesting that every woman who goes to a trendy co-ed health club at 6pm is merely there to socialize and/or meet potential dates, but there are definitely some. Maybe for those, such a bra makes perfect sense.

Like so many other things that we have to deal with, it seems to me that the best thing is simply to have choices for ourselves while respecting those of other women.

[ny biker]

Like so many other things that we have to deal with, it seems to me that the best thing is simply to have choices for ourselves while respecting those of other women.

Fair enough, but there are not enough choices that come without padding. Every time I look at a sports bra made for A/B cups it has padding. All of the tank tops that I actually like have padding.

The message in all of this is that I'm not supposed to be happy with small breasts, and I have to lie to the world and make them look bigger than they are. Except I'm actually quite content with the way I look and I don't want some clothing manufacturer to tell me that I don't measure up to their standards of beauty. This is how I was born, and anyone who doesn't like it can pound sand.

[redrhodie]

Fair enough, but there are not enough choices that come without padding. Every time I look at a sports bra made for A/B cups it has padding. All of the tank tops that I actually like have padding.

The message in all of this is that I'm not supposed to be happy with small breasts, and I have to lie to the world and make them look bigger than they are. Except I'm actually quite content with the way I look and I don't want some clothing manufacturer to tell me that I don't measure up to their standards of beauty. This is how I was born, and anyone who doesn't like it can pound sand.

Try the Ibex ones. No padding! They're good for C cups and smaller.

I hear you on the 2nd part, too. I got so frustrated trying to find a regular bra in my size without padding, or that pushed me up to my eyeballs . I finally found some, but they were crazy expensive. Now I wear the Ibex bralette light for my daily bra.

[zoom-zoom]

Nonetheless, to be somewhat fair to those making padded sports bras, there is a segment of women, particularly the health club set, that are wearing such apparel much more so for how it looks than how it works. I'm not suggesting that every woman who goes to a trendy co-ed health club at 6pm is merely there to socialize and/or meet potential dates, but there are definitely some. Maybe for those, such a bra makes perfect sense.

Maybe...but why must they add padding to an ugly encapsulation/compression bra for maximum motion control for those of us who are already on the busty end of the spectrum and are wearing the bras for heavy-duty support, not for fashion? That's the part I don't get and it makes me wonder who is designing these bras--certainly not larger-busted athletes. I had breast reduction surgery 6 years ago because my boobs were oversized...last thing I want is to make them bigger or add more bulk up front. I can see padding on A-B cup bras for those who want to look bustier, but that's the last thing I want, especially during hot weather.