Next up in my (unfortunately somewhat neglected) sports bra review series is the Shock Absorber ‘Run’ bra. As I mentioned in my last Shock Absorber review (the Level 3), SA have a handful of bras which cater to a specific sport. Unfortunately since I’m neither a master criminal, a millionaire or a bra charity I’ve only gotten my mitts on the ‘Run’ version, however I find this concept really interesting, and it makes sense to cater the design to the supposed activity since the sport dictates the movement you’ll be doing and therefore the support you’ll need, right?
Shock Absorber claim:
“When you run, your breasts move in a repetitive figure of 8 pattern. This continuous up & down and side-to-side movement can cause rubbing and chafing. That’s why we created a bra specifically for running.” I’d have to agree, however I think I actually prefer their ‘strap ‘em down’ effect that the Shock Absorber Level 4 achieves since the movement that they speak of above is pretty much eradicated. The Run doesn’t stop movement entirely which is more comfortable for long sessions of wear, however I found I was still very much aware of my boobs whilst running even though they didn’t cause physical discomfort at all. The ‘Run’ range starts at a 30 band so I went for a 30F, however I found the band in the 30 to be super snug on me and like the Shock Absorber 3 and 4 I definitely would not want to have a 28 band in them.
The cups were a good fit and were a nice shape and for those who struggle with cups coming up to high around the underarms due to small frames or narrow shoulders, it’s definitely better than the standard Level 4. The Shock Absorber ‘Run’ is a really comfortable and nice fit with some fantastic features including soft spongy pads beneath the band hooks area to add an extra barrier for comfort. Despite this bra being specifically designed for running, I think this would be a great feature for mat sports like yoga, pilates, gymnastics etc. since when you lie on your back it feels soft and smooth. Other neat features include the ‘wide, padded straps with non-slip technology’ and the ‘reflective tape positioned for high visibility’ – both incredibly handy for running. Best of all? It’s machine washable!
The fabric is really soft and comfortable 88% polyamide, 11% elastane, 1% polyester mix, with what can only be described as ‘air hole’ technology to help prevent sweat build up and allows skin to breathe. Some things I really struggled with with the Shock Absorber ‘Run’ bra was how tight the band is (they don’t make a 28 band but I was more than happy in the super firm 30!) and the small size range (30-36 A, 30-38 B-F). I also found the bra difficult to put on or remove, despite seeing it described online as having ‘full back opening for easy on and off’. This was (for me at least) definitely not true as I’ve had to have either a mother/boyfriend/friend around whenever I plan on wearing this bra to do up the upper clip. As you can see I was an object of ridicule when trying to remove it in front of bosom buddy Becky Mount who thought it would be funny to document…
The racket and ball sports styles look interesting (particularly the some what sinister looking ball sports one…). I can’t comment on how these bras compare in terms of fit, comfort or performance, however if the Run style is anything to go by if you regularly play one particular sport it would definitely be something to look into (they have a handy interactive site which has a bit more information on the different styles). All taken into consideration, it’s a great bra indeed but has some minor flaws for my personal preference. I’d prefer to feel like my bra was an all-rounder whereas this one might be better suited to someone who focuses solely on running more than anything else.
