Handful Sports Bra Review

by Guest Writers · Published February 21, 2012 , 1:03 pm · Updated March 19, 2023 , 8:35 am

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I stumbled upon this brand at the Outdoor Retailer show in January. My schedule was packed, but I quickly stopped by the booth because I laughed when I saw their sign, and I had to see if Handful was actually what I thought it was. (It is.) Borrowing from the old saying, Handful is a very clever name for a sports bra company.

I am a 34B (ok, on a good day), which may seem like a blessing to larger-busted women who struggle to find the right jog bra. But I can tell you that being ‘mammary-challenged’ has its own set of issues. While we don’t have to wrestle ourselves into a multi-fastener, iron-clad, lockdown bra like the truly well-endowed, most small-busted women wearing a properly-fitting (i.e. snug) sports bra look like a 12 year old boy in a t- shirt.

Enter Handful, the creation of a fitness enthusiast who couldn’t find The Holy Grail Jog Bra herself, and decided to make one.

The original Handful Bra is made from a soft, nylon/spandex blend that is supremely comfortable no matter how long you wear it. The straps are narrow and crisscross in the back, so they stay in place regardless of movement (it feels a bit like wearing a bodysuit as opposed to a bra). The bra wraps around in a wide band across the back, and is free from all irritating hardware and tags.

The cups have a lightweight, mesh lining that allows flexibility for different sizes. Each side of the cup lining (underarm area) has a slit which is the opening for padding insert and removal (in my case, just insert). The pads provide shaping as well as ‘modesty’ in cold workout rooms. The cups have gathering in the cleavage area to further shape and feminize the profile. In other words, no flattening, and no ‘breadloaf boob’.

Handful is also an approved mastectomy bra, because the addition and removal of padding can help breast cancer survivors during treatment and beyond. The pad pocket also accommodates prosthetic inserts.

I wear my Handful Sports Bra for running, gym workouts, and also very regularly for daily life (I have even slept in it several times unintentionally, and did not wake up with soreness). For my chest size, Handful works well for high-impact sports, though I would likely not recommend it for C+ cups doing high-impact exercise. I believe it would be enough support and coverage for all cup sizes to do medium- and low-impact sports, and it would be a superb addition to the day-to-day bra collection for any cup size. I appreciate the fact that it looks good on its own (without a shirt) for my intense workouts or yoga, and also delivers a wonderful, seam-free, curvy form under a fitted t-shirt for gym or everyday use.

And lastly, just in case you think the company is run by a few fluffy women who aren’t really that active, check this out. This shows the OTHER meaning of the word Handful.

For more info on the Handful Sports Bra, visit www.amazon.com.

Additional pads can be purchased separately. The Handful Bra comes in a variety of colors.

MSRP $40

Sizing is as follows: