Finally, Tracksmith has released an adjustable sports bra
Spectate any World Marathon Major or big city race and you’ll likely see Tracksmith’s hare emblem on the runner masses. The Boston-born brand has flourished since its launch a decade ago, creating a supportive community that dons fashionable — albeit, expensive —threads.
This year’s tenth anniversary is a big one for the Hare. For one thing, the brand announced its development on an unconventional super shoe. And another big launch: Tracksmith’s first adjustable sports bra.
While other activewear brands have expanded their sizing, Tracksmith has been called out for falling short on making its apparel accommodating for runners of all shapes. The new Allston Adjustable Bra challenges this critique.
The bra is a successor to the Allston, Tracksmith’s racerback sports bra with a sizeable interior front pocket for stashing a phone and gels. According to Tracksmith, the Allston Adjustable was wear-tested on runners who ranged from sizes 34C to 36DD. The brand considered everything from runners’ breast densities and support needs to their workout intensities and comfort preferences when designing the bra.
There’s one feature missed by Allston Bra fans: the front stash pocket. The choice to omit the pocket was made while testing. Tracksmith’s product team said runners with larger cup sizes found the pocket slightly uncomfortable. But the team is reconsidering this decision; we may see a pocket on the next iteration of the bra. (In the meantime, you can find the best sports bras with phone pockets here.)
The Allston Adjustable has three points of adjustability: the band, the straps, and the back clip. The bra is essentially a U-back bra that becomes a racerback when the straps are clipped together between the shoulder blades. Our team has tested bras like this before, such as the Maaree Solidarity High-Impact Sports Bra, which also clipped in the back.
We didn’t hear any plastic-on-plastic rubbing as our arms swung in the Allston Adjustable, nor did we feel the clip shift during vigorous paces on our runs.
Testing the Allston Adjustable Bra
Deputy social media editor Aly Ellis, deputy health and fitness editor Mallory Creveling, and I tested the Allston Adjustable bra over several runs and cross-training workouts. Our different bra sizes allowed us to see if the bra would provide support and comfort across different body types.
As a 30B-sized runner, I found the Allston Adjustable’s compression satisfactory on my runs. The back clip was easy to clasp while wearing, and I was also relieved that Tracksmith chose to make this bra 'racerback optional'. (I’m the kind of person who’s inept at clasping a hook-and-eye closure unless I can hook it from the front and then slide it around to the back.) The construction of the Allston Adjustable allowed me to hook the three hook-and-eyes across my chest, turn the bra from front to back, and then clasp the straps together for a racerback style if I chose to.
Clasping the straps made me feel more secure during strenuous workouts, like running and pickleball. I unclasped the straps when I did less intense activities, including post-run yoga and short walks on a rail trail. It’s the next best thing to coming home and taking off your bra after a long day at work.
On the other hand, Mallory, who wears a size 30D, wasn’t thrilled with the fit and support of the bra.
'I didn’t really like this bra,' she said. 'I suspected the fit might be weird for me, since the bra’s sizing is based on only one measurement,' she added.
Mallory used Tracksmith’s size chart, which instructs you to use your bust measurement. Following the size guide, Mallory wore a size small, which is for runners whose bust measurements range from 32 to 34 inches.
'Maybe I should have sized up,' she said. 'This is the general problem I have: when the band is tight enough, the rest of the bra is too tight. But when the cups are a good fit, the band is not tight enough.'
Mallory also found the strap’s clasp difficult to hook.
'The bounce control was good, but I don’t think it stands out much compared to other bras I’ve tried. The bra also dug in uncomfortably around the armpits,' she said.
Mallory is notoriously known as hard-to-please when it comes to sports bras. But I knew I’d find another tough critic in Aly.
'This bra was pretty decent,' she said. 'There was some bounce but not a significant amount, which is the best I can hope for these days.'
One thing Aly took issue with, however, was the gapping.
'Maybe this size was too big for me? No matter what way I wore the bra, there was gapping.'
This might be because the bra relies on compression — instead of encapsulation — to provide support. Encapsulated cups can better form around your boobs. Instead, this bra uses tightness, which can create gaps in odd places.
But Aly still continues to wear the Allston Adjustable despite its somewhat odd fit. That’s a big win for a brand Aly formerly didn’t wear — until now.
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