The search for a sports bra can be a daunting one. Just as each body is uniquely different, so is each person’s wish list of features. For me the search for the perfect sports bras has been a journey, actually a quest to find a combination of features that to me seem basic and classic. Currently I have 4 of the exact same bra meeting my needs but they are all wearing out as they are over 10 years old. My check list doesn’t seem outlandish and yet there are very few contenders that I could even find. Here are my seemingly basic requirements, ok maybe i'm a bit particular:
Color, has to be black. It's classic, goes with everything and hides the dirt, need I say more?
Versatile, I'm going to use this for all the different activities I dabble in, skiing, running, hiking, backpacking, yoga, working out, lifting weight. These are just my outdoor active hobbies.
Functional, this bra has to be able to perform and look good under clothing, my Alpine Fit clothing to be specific, because of course I'm wearing a Rendezvous long sleeve or Ridgeline Racerback Tank for all my previously listed activities. There are going to be times that I wear just a sports bra, but that's not most of the time. While I love the aesthetics of straps everywhere, they just don’t work for the versatility that I need. Of course the most important part of a functioning piece of adventure clothing is fit!
Simple and basic racerback design that isn’t too long. I'm a petite woman and I don’t need a sports bra down around my belly button! It's not the look for me.
Padding, let's talk padding…Look I want some padding, actually require some padding. Its what makes me feel confident and good in a sports bra! And damn it! I should be able to feel that without a removable cup! It can’t just be me that despises a removable cup. Those things that float around all willy-nilly and are always folded and never even with the other side. It’s not the only way to have padding. In fact it's the lazy way, trying to serve multiple different requirements with a half measure that doesn’t please anyone fully.
Finally in an ideal world, my dream sport bra would also be made in the USA with domestically produced materials.
So with my multi point and very specific list of criteria you can see why the search for a replacement sports bra has been a long one. Which brings me to this summer. Title Nine puts out their list of finalist for Pitch Fest 2022. Looking over the all company's website that will shortly become my friends and colleagues,I noticed a bra company. It's a racerback sports bar, its a classily simple design, it comes it black and right there in big bold words SEWN-in Light Lining or Unlined! No removable cups! They offer two different options. Wow, I'm impressed. And the company was started by a woman. Credit card out, take my money, done! Converted to customer in under 5 minutes didn’t even finish going through the finalist list.
The Alta medium impact lined black in a small medium from Lume Six is what I ordered. Learning more about what Lume Six is doing just increased my love for them. On top of the extended sizing, they are offering sizing options within one product. They have their standard sizing and in addition you can choose different band and cup sizing. This stands out in the world of apparel companies. It means you have to have a bigger product offering and carry more inventory. Which is an intentional choice since it is costly for a company to have a larger range of sizes. For the end customer like me in this case it means there are more options to find something that feels good and fits well. This not only resonates with me personally but also with Alpine Fit teams since we do the same with our two different fit options of body sizes.
That Alta shockling meets most of my criteria and the most important ones. It's not made in the USA of domestic materials and it's a high price point. Not sure if i’ll be able to replace all 4 sports bras in one go. Lume Six is a new company just starting out. They could check all of my boxes some day. I look forward to seeing what they do. For now i'm thrilled with they are doing.
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P.S. The Alpine Fit workshop has a full size run if you'd like to touch, feel, try on Lume Six sports bras. 700 West 41st Ave Suite B, Anchorage AK 99503
