Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Bra Review: Lynx Sportswear


Ok not really. But I have 2 tops from Lynx Sportswear that I would like to review for you.

First is the Sports bra. I ordered blue. Amber is very proud of me for not getting black.

not black!
Now the pics online showed black trim, and I got white, but I can live with it. They are measurement based, much like Enell. You get a number and a letter. The letters stand for their 3 size ranges, Sprint, Dart, and Zoom. My measurements had me in a 3, and kinda between Dart and Zoom. They actually contacted me (via email) on Christmas day after I placed my order and offered to send both a dart and a zoom for me to try on, with a pre-paid envelope to return the one that didn't fit. The Zoom went on well, but had some extra fabric in a few spots. It doesn't help that I have such a short torso! The Dart is a snug fit, but I prefer snug.

over the shoulder boulder holder view
At first I was worried that the band wasn't tight enough. Again, I prefer a snug fit. But I decided to not make snap judgments. The elastic has 3 loops in the back for some adjustment options. I set it on the loosest and made sure everything was adjusted in there. Then I tested. I jumped, I ran down the hallway, I sat, I stood, I wiggled. It actually felt rather secure. The band does roll up when I sit down, but I get that on all my bras and believe it's the short torso coming into play again.

ignore the weird look on my face. self-portrait curse.
I did a short run in this first. I was very conscious of the band at first, but by the first mile I was distracted and didn't think of it again. I don't notice the bounce, which means there is very little. The white on the front and back are a very fine-weave mesh that gives ventilation. This will be amazing when it warms up.

I also got their support tank. In black. Because they didn't have blue and I like black. This option does not have the Zoom sizing yet, but I'm sure it will happen. Basically, they took the bra and added an extension of the same fabric to cover your stomach. It covers the band and has a keyhole in back. Same clasp design in back. 

these are my snug jeans, hence a slight muffin-top
The fit is the same as the regular bra. Like I said, they just put an extension to cover your stomach. The stomach-cover could be a couple inches longer. I could see someone with a long torso having issue with this.  I, on the other hand, get some bunching in the back because of el short torso.

yeah, i'm short
I wore this under a cold weather top for a long run (10 miles). I will NOT be wearing these on cold days. I thought my nipples were going to have frostbite. (Just what you wanted to hear, no?) That is where the double-layer Enell comes in handy. As for support, I have no complaints. I didn't feel the need to adjust anything. And no, I didn't get frostbite on anything. I did have a couple small chafe spots right where the seams from the middle mesh panel are. I chafe in the Enell on long runs, too. Bodyglide take care of it.

yes, i'm sucking in the gut
I am happy with these. I am looking forward to wearing them this summer when the temperature rises. I will probably also be wearing them to yoga, especially in the summer. And maybe even to belly dance. The company had great customer service. It's a young company that is growing, and I look forward to seeing where it goes.

I know when I sports bra shop, I compare them to what I know, and what I know is Enell. So what makes these different from Enell? These tops are designed for an even larger size range. While Enell goes up to "DDD," Lynx goes up to G, H, I, even J. On the Enell size chart, my bust measurement is one size and my rib cage another. On the Lynx size chart, I fall into a 3 Zoom, but just barely. Knowing that, A.) I sometimes measure just a bit bigger than I fit (even with regular bras), B.) I was wearing a molded bra, which doesn't add much but does add the tiniest bit, and C.) I'm still losing weight, I figured the Dart would be a happier fit for me. I was right. 

I would love to see these carried in stores someday. I don't see them being at the big chain sports stores, but maybe the specialty running stores. Oh, just like buying my Enell! 

Finally, this is a real lynx. And a baby lynx, because adorbs.

9 comments:

  1. Just found your blog. Great review. I also just make it into 5 Dart and was wondering if I should get the Zoom. Based on your review I'm gonna stick with Dart. Thanks!

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    1. They ask for your measurements in the order form, and I'm sure they would offer you the same deal - get both and send back the one that doesn't fit! It was really worth it try both and know for sure that I got the right one :)

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  2. I'm in the market for a sports bra, and given the other reviews of the Lynx, suspected that the rave reviews were only from people who didn't know much about bra fit. But you seem to! So, how does it compare to the Enell in terms of bounce control? What about to your most supportive everyday underwire? I tried the Panache Sport, but I felt it only gave me a little more control than a Panache Tango Balconette.

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    1. I honestly don't notice a difference between the Enell and Lynx in terms of bounce control! I run very comfortably in both without even thinking about my bra. I do chafe a bit at the seams for the middle mesh section on longer runs, but I have bodyglide that takes care of it. I chafe in the Enell on long runs as well.

      I've never really tried underwire sports bras, but I did have the Freya Active soft cup, which I did NOT run in because it has less bounce control. I would say the lynx is just as supportive as my favorite underwire (which is the Fantasie 4510), just a different kind of support. I have worn my Lynx Bra all day a couple times and it is still comfy at the end of the day. The band rolls up on me, but that doesn't seem to affect the support.

      I'm pretty picky about bras, and the ones that don't fit well or aren't comfy get shoved aside. Lynx hasn't been shoved aside yet! It's been in regular rotation since I got it.

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    2. That's quite a glowing review! I don't have an Enell, but can try one on at Title 9 and know of the bra's sterling reputation. If I still can't find something satisfactory at my local specialty place, I'll order one. I currently layer a too-small Freya Softcup Sport with plain ol' pullover sports bra for more movement control, so the comparison to the Freya Active is a valuable one for me. I'm 28GG and the Freya is 28FF, but when I was that size, it felt very secure and supportive.

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    3. If it helps at all, I'm currently a 32FF to G. My Enells are actually a size too small in the bust, so they really smoosh the girls, but the Lynx controls bounce just as much. I also have really sensitive breasts, so any bounce is irritating to me. And Lynx had great customer service when I ordered and responded very quickly, even on Christmas.

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  3. Such a cute picture! Did you get it from zooborns.com?

    Thanks for the sports bra review. I'm slowly sorting through my options for a new sports bra since my old Freya Active underwired ones seem too small now.

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    1. I did a google search for that pic. I'm getting better at linking my sources for stuff like that.

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