Maaree Empower One of the things that immediately stands out about Maaree is that’s a brand created for women designed by women. There have been many occasions when I’ve been trying to extract myself from a sports bra post workout and it’s obvious the designer has never worn a bra in their life, its underwear not a straightjacket guys! The Empower is their medium impact bra, it comes in a range of colours, and we were lucky enough to receive the limited edition print that was especially created for Breast Health Awareness Month, which also supports the CoppaFeel charity by donating half of the profits from this bra. Maaree are so keen to ensure you have the correct support they offer a free online bra fitting service and after reading that 80% of women are wearing the wrong size sports bra I jumped at the chance, confident I would be in the 20% of women who had it right. This style of fitting was introduced during the pandemic, but it soon became apparent it was a great way of quickly fitting women, in their own homes and ensuring the measurements are being taken correctly. After a lovely chat with Mari it turns out my sizing was way off and I jumped from a 36 C to a 30 E, I can’t even blame my post-partum body as I felt like I was fitting into my bras pre baby ok, the Empower comes in XS, S, M, L and XL which the fitting team can help you out with too. This bra is best suited to medium impact sports, like gym
workouts, cycling and weight training for example, it goes on over the head but there is a ‘Slot & Snap’ to get a precise fit under the bust, it makes it easier to get out of too. The clasp isn’t one I am familiar with, I had a few practise goes before putting it on, it is no harder than a hook and eye clasp and is actually easier and faster to undo and its flat shape avoids pressure points during floor work. The bra is constructed with 65% ECONYL yarn, this is a 100% regenerated nylon fibre made from nylon waste like fishing nets, fabric scraps and industrial plastic salvaged from all over the world. The bra provides high coverage so it can be worn as a stand-alone top, particularly good on a hot and sweaty day like today, it provides a flattering, smooth body shape whilst holding everything in place. The Empower was put through its paces during a yoga session, weight training and HIIT class, it felt comfortable throughout and the Overband was effective at keeping things secure especially on the inversions during yoga. Whilst weight training the Empower kept the boobs out of the way and in the HIIT session it proved reliable enough for 85% of the moves, tuck jumps, step ups and sprints got things a little bouncier, but it wasn’t uncomfortable for the short bursts required. The Empower is perfect for medium impact workouts, it is comfortable, supportive, looks great on and uses recycled materials that’s a lot of boxes ticked.
Pros Supportive Flattering fit £49 Adjustable back strap Easy to take on and off Free online fitting Pre-tensioned Overband Technology Limited edition pattern gives 50% profits to the CoppaFeel charity Sustainable ECONYL yarn Cons Slot & Snap clasp takes a bit of practice Non-adjustable shoulder straps For more information on the Maaree Empower click here
