Once I started developing some actual breasts, I started looking for a sports bra that would both provide support as well as not being so compressive that I looked super flat chested and masculine (read more about the challenges here). That’s where the Brooks Dare Strappy Bra comes in. This bra offered both a wide band with smaller cups and has molded cups that don’t flatten everything out. I tried searching out some other options that actually had band and cup sizes, but very little exists in the 38A size range. In this review, I have broken down my observations by comfort, level of support, and how well the bra fits with my gender expression. As with all my reviews, I will come back and revise this if I have any additional insights going forward.
At the time of writing this entry, my bra size is 38A and I am reviewing a size 38A/B.
Comfort
The Brooks Dare Strappy Bra has fit comfortably without any digging in around anywhere. The straps are fairly easy to move around to adjust to any pressure points. I’ve only had one run with this bra with any significant chafing, and that was probably more due to the tank top than the bra.
The molded cups provide some padding which is useful for any sensitivity to cold weather or wind. This is definitely true for me, and I have used the bra for less intense activity for this padding (as well as some added shape, more on that below). On the heat end, I haven’t had any issue with getting super sweaty causing any problems. I’ve only had one issue with a bra getting uncomfortably sweaty on a run though, so this may just not be a personal issue for me.
I frequently run with a heart rate strap, and some bras I can feel over restricted breathing with the strap underneath the bra (although maybe I need to try a larger size when running with the monitor). This one has done better in not feeling overly restrictive with the heart rate strap underneath.
Support
The molded cups are a bit too big for my breasts and a bit too midline, but definitely better than some bras that create the uniboob effect. Because of the gap, there is definitely less support than I would hope for. On the other hand, the bra does better than others I’ve tried that have molded cups, which is a huge positive given that the molded cups provide some extra shape. Based on the level of support due to the cup gap, I start feeling some discomfort around 3-4 miles into a run. Because of this, I won’t wear it on runs over 5 miles or on strenuous trail runs. This is still far better than trying to run without a bra though, so it’s not as if it fails to provide any support. If you are able to fill out the gap, this bra probably provides a lot more support, so I would definitely recommend trying one on if you are able, although it may be hard to find odd sizes such as 38A/B.
Gender Expression
This is where the Brooks Dare Strappy Bra stands out for me. Most of the sports bras that will work for large band sizes with small cups have a lot of compression. This results in a flat chest look which can cause dysphoria. The molded cups of the Brooks Dare Strappy Bra however keep and enhance the shape of the breasts. This can feel absolutely wonderful and offsets the lack of perfect support for me on a lot of my shorter runs. I will even use it outside of running for exactly this reason (as well as the padding). While I have an everyday style bra that’s a bit more comfortable for casual stuff, this one works great for activities such as hiking where I’ll be getting sweatier.
Summary
In summary, the Brooks Dare Strappy Bra is great for my shorter runs when I don’t want to feel over compressed by my sports bra. The shape isn’t perfect and thus is lacking a bit in support for my chest, but it does better than most for molded cups. And those molded cups help so much with my gender expression. I highly recommend this for people in a similar situation, although being able to try on in person to make sure they provide enough support for your chosen activities.