Review: Bendon Sport

When I wrote about the importance of a sports bra last month, I mentioned that I’m a fan of Shock Absorber bras, and that my bra size limits my selection. When people at Bendon Sport read that, they wanted to change my mind! Bendon sent me the Extreme Out High-Impact style, and asked me to try it instead of my Shock Absorber next time I hit the gym because it is specifically made for DD-G cups. I learned that Women’s Health brought a Bendon Sport bra (the Max Out style) on The Today Show in the US last year, where it was crowned “the Porsche of sports bras.” Bendon bras have been worn and tested by many high profile athletes, including the entire Australian netball team, and a variety of runners (including Allison Roe, the former marathon world record holder). So I have to admit, I had pretty high expectations for this bra before I even received it.

When I put the bra on, I noticed right away that it is very comfortable – there are no itchy seams or pinchy bits. There are tags on the band, but they are long and silky, so I didn’t even don’t even notice them. I actually was thinking that the bra was tagless until I specifically checked! I was very pleasantly surprised to see that that the Bendon Sport bra gave a very natural and seamless silhouette. It shaped my chest more like an everyday T-shirt bra than than a lumpy, unattractive sports bra. I know that the gym isn’t a fashion runway, but it was still nice to know that my assets looked their best! I went to the gym with my boyfriend that day, and even he commented on the difference and improvement my new bra made in my appearance. The fabric was light and quite breathable, so I was comfortable throughout my workout. Another happy surprise was when I found that the straps are convertible, so I had the option to wear them normally or to crisscross them – perfect for wearing underneath racerback workout tanks! It actually wouldn’t be so bad if the straps were to poke out a bit, however, as they are relatively slim (compared to some other fuller-figure sports bras) even though they were comfortably cushioned.

The only disappointing thing about the bra is that it doesn’t come in my size. I wear a 30 band, but Bendon Sport’s size range begins at 32. I was optimistic when the bra came in a size 32, and wore it on the tightest hooks. But the Extreme Out bra seems to run true to size, and was just too big for me. I was comfortable in my yoga and Pilates classes, but an incorrect bra size is very apparent when you want to run on the treadmill! You guys know that I’m very particular about wearing well-fitting bras, so I will sadly have to retire mine. Don’t let that deter you, though – if you are within the size range of the Bendon Sport bras, I think they will work wonderfully for you. The sports bra is very high-quality, and has a sturdy three-row, three-column band to anchor firmly to you. I was also glad to see that the cups had comfortable foam-covered underwires for extra support, and busty ladies know how critical support is!

To get your own, you should act fast! Between now and Tuesday, February 24, Freshpair is offering 10% off all Bendon Sport items. Use the coupon code FPBENDON at the checkout. As always, if you have any more questions about this product, just leave a comment or make a post in our forums and I’ll be glad to help!