Anita Active Performance Sports Bra
by EMILY OWEN
THU, MAR 07, 2024 09:45
£48.00
VERDICT: 8/10
Very comfy sports bra for high-impact exercise, and low-impact cycling
Breathable
Comfy
Supportive
Width on tops of shoulder straps
Has a rather nylon-y feel
WEIGHT:
65g
CONTACT:
www.anita.com (link is external)
How we test
The Anita Active Performance Sports Bra is designed for high-impact
exercise. It's by no means a budget option, with its £48 price tag tending towards the pricier end of the scale, but by heck did it keep my tatas in place. It's one of the comfier sports bras I've tried, too; it's so
breathable and supportive, I kept forgetting I was wearing it.
As someone who needs a fair bit of, ummm, scaffolding, if you will, to be
able to break a sweat with their 36Cs, I can struggle to find sports bras
that offer the right level of comfort while being supportive enough. The
Active Performance is ticking both of those boxes – congrats to those
clever bra boffins!
It's made from nylon (62% polyamid nylon, 21% polyester, 17% elastane
according to the label), which is covered in small holes to keep things breathable. Unlike some sports bras, there's no additional padding over the cups.
The band is elasticated and wide, and has a traditional fastening at the
back with three clasps, and the shoulder straps are adjustable.
Fit & sizing
There's not a lot I need to say about the sizing other than it's accurate.
The fit's great too. The bra has stitching between the cups to prevent the uniboob, without separating them out too much. I wore it all day under a
tight cotton top and it looked great, with no flattening or visible seams
along the front.
Comfort
I found this bra really comfy. On the occasions I wore it all day, I kept forgetting I was wearing it, which is where the Anita Performance is
getting a big high-five from me. I haven't had this experience with a
sports bra before – normally I want to take it off after a few hours, like
a pair of uncomfortably fitting shoes.
The extra width on the shoulders seems to help, and the top of the straps
has a more robust fabric, which helps them hold their shape more easily,
and reduces pressure on your shoulders.
The fabric's really breathable, too. I didn't notice it getting damp and
sweaty until after I took it off. Again, you just forget that you're
wearing it.
That said, and it's just personal preference, I'm not crazy about the kind
of fabric it's made from; it reminds me of water-resistant plasters. And it looks a little more nylon-y in the flesh than it does in pictures online.
I'd place it in the shire horse category of sports bras: sturdy and
dependable. It gets the job done, but it's by no means a sexy thoroughbred.
Support
I feel as though I keep repeating 'I forgot I was wearing it', but that is
the best way I can describe the level of support. When cycling, everything stayed put. Exactly what you want.
It's designed for high-intensity exercise and so I tried it running, too.
It allowed me to focus on my exercise rather than my body. I was able to concentrate on the task at hand – wondering what a heart attack feels like and presuming I must be close.
Value
As I said, it's on the pricier side for sports bras, but I think you are getting what you pay for. It costs £48, and to be honest I'd be prepared to pay more. I also have a Shock Absorber Active Multi, which costs around
£38, and if you're looking for high support, I definitely think the Anita Performance is worth the extra tenner – I've found it far comfier.
If you're on the hunt for a bra mainly for cycling then you probably don't
need such strong support, in which case there are plenty of cheaper options
out there. The Sundried Power Sports Bra, which impressed Anna a couple of years ago, could be worth a look, for example. It's still £22, and
currently on Amazon (link is external) in limited sizes for £7.34.
Conclusion
This is one of the best sports bras I've used – supportive and breathable, and I kept forgetting I was wearing it. It's not a budget option, but the
£48 is fully justified.
Verdict
Very comfy sports bra for high-impact exercise, and low-impact cycling
Make and model: Anita Active Performance Sports Bra
Size tested: 36 C
Tell us what the product is for
Bra seller Boobydoo says: "The Anita Performance Sports Bra has been
designed with a wide underbust band and ergonomically shaped straps to
provide you with maximum support during high impact workouts. The cups are pre-shaped to provide a comfortable fit and breathable hi-tech fabrics
ensure you keep cool and focused on the task at hand."
Anita says: "Refined tech features, smart design and the right details in
the right places - no question about it, with the performance sports bra a
real all-round stylist goes to the start. The wide underbust band,
breathable mesh inserts, ergonomically shaped strapsand the innovative
design of the pre-shaped cups ensure perfect wearing comfort. The colour contrasting hole pattern sets highly fashionable accents."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Anita:
Sizes: 32-42
Cups: A-G
The label lists:
62% polyamid nylon
21% polyester
17% elastan
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
It seems pretty robust. I have another Anita I bought three years ago and
it's still doing well after lots of washes. I rate Anita as a brand.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
It's really supportive and breathable.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
As I said above, it seems pretty robust. I have another Anita I bought
three years ago and it's still doing well after lots of washes.
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
It's a really flattering fit for a sports bra.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
Sizing was accurate.
Rate the product for weight:
6/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
So comfy considering it's designed for high-intensity workouts.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
There are quite a few sports bras designed for high-intensity exercise in
the £34-£40 category, for example Shock Absorber or Panache. It's the comfiest high-intensity sports bra I've used, so for me it's fully worth
the extra.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
No washing issues.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed
purpose
Worked exactly as designed, and I found it more comfy to wear than other high-support sports bras.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
How comfy it was. I kept forgetting it was on.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It's a bit nylon-y. It's practical rather than pretty.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's very good; it does exactly what you need from a high-support sports
bra and is really comfy while doing it.
Overall rating: 8/10
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