The BEST big-booby sports bra EVER!

That's it! I'm calling it. I've found the sports bra to end all other sports bras. This may sound hyperbolic, but I mean it with every fibre of my exercise-loving-being. I mean, no sports bra will ever make you feel like you've got tiny little C Cup boobies, but this bra comes pretty close! Bounce isn't even a thing when wearing this bra... it is magical!

Ladies, let me introduce you to the Shock Absorber Active D+ Classic Sports Bra.

Previously I've been a long-time fan of the succinctly-named Panache Sports Bra - in fact, I own six of them - so it was going to take an impressive sports bra to make me switch my allegiance.

From a design/manufacturing perspective, there are around 16 different pattern pieces to make the Shock Absorber Active D+ Classic Sports Bra work and none of it adds bulk or discomfort. This bra is an engineering masterpiece for busty sports bras! I am very impressed. And my mind is boggled. 

 There are more pros with this bra than cons, which I have listed below for you, so pay special attention to what I say about sizing!

FEATURES

• Wire-free;
• Moisture-wicking fabric (very nice for the sticky, warmer climates);
• Wide Under band (soft band, yet firm fitting);
• No padding or moulded cups;
• Wide, adjustable straps; and
• Padded hook & eye (clasp).

PRICE

The Shock Absorber Active D+ Classic Sports Bra costs $109.95 and can be purchased in Australia from Brava Lingerie here. I think this price is reasonable because I tend to find with busty sports bras that there is a direct correlation between price and quality, AND this bra is also an engineering masterpiece! Worth. Every. Penny.

PROS

• COMFORT - this bra is so damn comfy that I could actually lounge around all day in it. No rib crushing, no wires, comfy under band!
• WIRE-FREE - we all know wire-free is generally only good for comfort as opposed to function or bust shape, but every other wire-free bra can take a lesson from this bra. Not only is it wire-free, but they've nailed the bust shape. Well done!
• WIDE BAND - the under bust band is a strong, firm elastic which means it has no bulk and sits a couple of centimetres below your breast-tissue, making it supportive, firm-fitting but not about to crush your ribs. Yes, please!
• PADDED HOOK & EYE - this is GENIUS. The part I hate most about yoga or any mat-work exercise is how my bra back clip usually sticks into me. But not in this bra. Need I say anymore? 
• SHAPE - this bra is so comfortable and creates such a lovely bust shape that I would consider actually buying a couple more of this bra to wear as an everyday bra. It is THAT GOOD. 

CONS

• NECKLINE - the neckline comes up a little higher than I normally like, but because this bra is such a sleek fit, it actually doesn't bother me at all! I'd still wear it as an everyday bra under the right tops.
• SIZING - is a big issue but one you can overcome if you follow my instructions below. I wear an 8G in most bras (and all my Marvell Lane swimwear) but I had to size up in both band and cup for this bra. The size advice on the Brava Lingerie website says to size up in the band. I did this and ordered a 10FF which is the sister size to 8G. But the cups were way too small. In fact, I sized up to a 10GG in this bra and the fit is perfect. This is around 2 cup sizes larger than my usual size.

How to nail the fit? You can do this two ways:

1. GO INTO A SPECIALIST STORE LIKE BRAVA LINGERIE AND GET FITTED PROFESSIONALLY. If you've never done this before and you're a D+ cup, then I recommend you do this as soon as possible because you're probably wearing the wrong size bra and just don't know it. Side note: Bras 'n' Things, Myer and David Jones don't carry a wide range of fuller-bust sizes, so I tend to find that women who get fitted here are often fitted into bras sizes in which they carry stock as opposed to what their "true" bra size is; OR
2. SIZE UP IN THE BAND & CUP. Based on my fitting experience, the way to get the right cup size is to follow this rule: +1 Band Size & + 1 Cup Size = Shock Absorber Size. For example, if you're normally a 12G bra, then size up to a 14G. You simply go up 1 in the band size and up 1 size in the cup size. I would email the Brava Lingerie team to clarify your size before buying. I know my +1 & +1 formula is not the equivalent of my size, but this is what Brava suggests.

Happy shopping!

~~

REVIEW NOTES

*This review is not sponsored in any way by either Shock Absorber or Brava Lingerie. I purchase and pay full price for my lingerie so that my reviews can remain independent. This is merely me helping out the busty community and telling everyone when I discover a bra worth knowing about!

*Special shoutout to Marvell Lane and Brava Lingerie customer, Tanya, who cornered me at the Tuscany launch last year and told me I "MUST TRY THIS BRA". Thank you, you were right. I love it.

~~

All fuller bust bra reviews by Marvell Lane is designed to help women from a D cup, E cup, F cup, G cup to an H cup find lingerie that will work for them and that is worth spending their money on. 

~~

Marvell Lane Musings is the blog space Rachael Calvert started for her fuller bust swimwear label Marvell Lane. I created Marvell Lane as a swimwear label designed fashion-conscious women with large busts. My dream is that Marvell Lane will become the go-to swimwear label for fuller busted women with designs from underwired bikinis to wire-free bikinis and amazing one pieces you'd love to wear all day. 

My current fuller bust swimwear size range goes from 8D, 8DD, 8E, 8F, 8G, 8H, 10D, 10DD, 10E, 10F, 10G, 10H, 12D, 12DD, 12E, 12F, 12G, 12H, 14D, 14DD, 14E, 14F, 14G, 14H, 16D, 16DD, 16E, 16F, 16G, 16H. So I hope that you find your cup size in our swimwear range and if you don't then get in touch so I know which other sizes people are looking for!