Ripping off the bra as soon as you get through the door may be an act of the past. Many are now choosing to go about their day without a bra. Reasons range from challenging gender stereotypes through to comfort but there are some considerations to take into account when you’re planning to go on a hike.
When hiking many women will benefit from wearing a sports bra. Going braless whilst on a hike may result in chaffing and pain through the increased movement of the breast tissue. Individuals with a larger cup size may also experience back pain as a result of in sufficient support.
Of course, this is all personal choice and is very dependant on how it affects your body. Here, I will go through some considerations to aid your choice and should you decide to keep the girls in their place, which type you should choose.
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Should you wear a bra whilst hiking?
I personally wear a bra. A sports bra on longer more challenging hikes. I am not an advocate for wearing a bra all the time and frequently wonder around the house and garden without one. Here is why I choose to wear a bra whilst hiking.
1) Chaffing
I have tried walking to the corner shop without a bra, yet this amount of walking causes the discomfort to start. I can only imagine how raw this sensitive area would become after hours of hiking.
T-shirts, especially those who are baggy will move around, back packs will also hold the fabric closer to your skin. Take my advice, before choosing to hike braless, test whether it works on a shorter trip or bring a bra to pop on just in case!
2) Pain
Boobs were not designed with adventure in mind. They bounce and this can cause huge discomfort. Wandering on the flat, may not cause you much issue.
Yet, hiking is physically demanding on the body when the pace is increased. When you include inclines, steps and possibly the odd scramble then a hike can be considered alongside a workout or run. Simply put, if you have to cross your arms coming down the stairs in your pjs, then hiking braless is not for you!
Although I do believe muscles and bodies can adapt (there are cultures where women do not wear bras!), many larger breasted women may find they get back pain with prolonged periods without proper support.
3) Modesty
Tops get wet. Wet tops can become transparent. Think rain and think sweat.
Rain may be an easy save, especially in cooler climates where you chuck on a jacket. On the other hand, multiple layers on hot days are not your friend.
Unfortunately, for us ladies, boob sweat is real. It is completely natural but you may feel uncomfortable showing it (and any resultant loss of modesty if your top becomes see through). When you are alone, this is not a huge issue and everything will dry out. In more public areas, you may start to get some strange looks.
Before you go on the hike, test your tops. A lot of sport tops are a lot better at both wicking sweat away from the body and maintaining their opaque nature. This will give you more freedom with your choice.
4) Extra layer
Super hot day and fancy a dip? Having a bra on can give you more freedom. Should you find a nice swimming spot, it is perfectly acceptable to strip down to your bra and jump on in.
This way you are covered, your main bulk of clothing is dry and if your choice is a sports bra then it will likely dry rapidly. Alternatively, if you decide to change then you only have to carry wet underwear and not a whole clothing set.
Personally, you can see I would recommend wearing a bra when hiking unless you are already used to regularly going braless for long periods of the day. Ladies, you know your bodies. Ultimately, it is your choice and if you are comfortable then go for it!
So if you have decided on wearing a bra, I will go through some options to consider when hiking.
What type of bra should you wear hiking?
The favourite bra is real. Comfortable, forgiving and very faded it joins us as regularly as washing will allow. This bra may also be the perfect hiking companion (test and adjust!). Hiking is different to everyday life so do not assume that your favourite t-shirt bra will be up for the task. Like everything, it is all personal preference but I will cover some points to think about.
Bra Type
There are so many types of bra for every occasion with balconette, push up and plunge to name a few. Here, I am going to focus on what is usually considered the three most comfortable types. So basically, your everyday bra.
1) T-shirt bra
I love a good t-shirt bra. I find them comfortable and they are my day to day go to. They provide enough support and are comfortable for low level activities and if I am going for an afternoon stroll this is what I will wear.
If you plan on wearing this for longer hikes, check that your straps are fitted correctly. There is nothing more annoying than having a bra strap constantly sliding down.
It is also worth checking where the strap buckles sit. Does your rucksack make them dig into your skin? Any irritation early on will become increasing uncomfortable.
2) Bralette
Many women find these super comfortable. They provide some support with no annoying underwire in many cases to break and dig in. These bras can come with wider straps and no seams which can further increase the comfort especially when wearing a rucksack.
3) Sports Bra
This is what I would fully recommend and what I wear on my long distance hikes. Sports bras are normally the perfect choice for a number of reasons.
Firstly, they provide adequate support for the active nature of hiking. Secondly, they usually use fabrics with good moisture wicking material. Unlike a session in the gym you will be in your own sweat for hours at a time and if you’re camping a hot shower may not be waiting for you at the end of the day!
This sweat can build up and cause anything from spots to irritation as bacteria thrives in damp environments. Finally the straps are designed to be both supportive and remain in place with fewer buckles to dig in.
So what sports bra should you opt for?
Types of sports bra
There are several different styles of sports bra and a lot of these features are useful in one way or another.
1) Level of support
So many of you will be aware of low, medium and high support levels. Again, this is mostly a comfort question. The more support the less bouncing you will have on your wanders.
I personally keep to medium level for hiking. High support is perfect for a workout but when I have worn these for longer periods I have found them uncomfortable. Medium offers the girls a bit more breathing space whilst still stopping them from flinging all over the place!
2) Compression or encapsulation bra?
Many will think of sports bras as a tight crop top. Squishing the girls to your body. This can be comfortable and offer good support.
For those of you which are gifted with a larger bosom try an encapsulation bra. These offer a cup of support for each breast and can offer some more support through the use of a underwire.
3) Padding or no padding?
Even within this the padding in some bras can be removed to give you the choice. Padding is mostly considered aesthetic and can give your breasts a more round and perky appearance.
I also find that the padding can stop the shape of your nipple appearing on cold nights. Another test to do if you are not sure which one you prefer is see how walking around feels with and without the padding.
Some women find that the fabric can be too thin without padding and if you have sensitive nipples you may not like the sensation.
4) Straps
I will admit, this is mostly an afterthought in my collection of sports bras but it does come back to bite me at times. My favourite sports bra is not adjustable. It is a simple pull over one. Luckily it works for me.
The issue lies in where the straps and buckles sit, especially if you are hiking with a backpack might end up digging in. Of course, having a correctly fitting bra is paramount to comfort and breast health but if you can, test where the buckles sit and try to fit them in a way that they do not sit on the top of your shoulders.
Again, try it out. If it is still comfortable after walking for ten minutes then you will likely be ok. If not, don’t attempt a long hike in that bra!
Some women have also found having wider straps more comfortable under backpacks as it becomes less of a pressure point.
Many sports bras have already considered a design which prevents the bra straps from slipping down whatever position your body is in. So here I would say it’s personal choice. Some people like the straps crossed, others a racer back. So long as it fits correctly, provides adequate support for you and is comfortable then it works for it.
Should you choose to wear a sports bra, I hope you found these pointers worth consideration.
Conclusion
There we have it ladies. I recommend wearing a sports bra whilst hiking but it is completely up to you! Just ensure that you are comfortable and if wearing a bra that it is correctly fitted (find NHS advice on bra fitting here). Hope this helps you have a comfortable hike in the future. Happy Hiking!
