15 Best Zip Front Sports Bras to Support You During Every Workout

Anyone who has ever tried to wrestle themselves out of a tight, sweaty sports bra after doing a tough, upper-body workout knows it’s no small feat. This is one reason why a zip-front sports bra may be a better choice, but there are other reasons, too. “Zip front sports bras are good for older people with arthritis at the shoulders or for people recuperating from surgery. They don’t require you to lift your arms or pull something on and off over your head,” explains Dora Lau, the founder of Dora L. International, and an expert in fitting and creating bras for brands like Olga, Maidenform, and Soma.

The trick, of course, is that no two bodies are alike (often, no two breasts are alike), no two workouts are alike, and the needs and support required by each individual varies widely. Adding to this challenge is that zip-front sports bras can be tricky to fit if you’re unfamiliar with them. “It’s much easier to get a zip-front bra on if you bend at the waist and zip it, rather than zipping it standing up. Look for an internal hook that most manufacturers sew into the inside of the zipper to help zip the bra. It can be more difficult to get a zip-front bra on for those with larger busts if the wearer tries to zip it without first using the internal hook or bending at the waist. That’s because the bra is compressive, and the cups are generally smaller than the actual volume of the breasts. Trying to squeeze breasts into small, compressive cups while also zipping the bra up is challenging,” explains Laura Tempesta, the founder of Bravolution whose previous role was as Nike’s Sports Bra Innovation Director.

Meet the Experts: Dora Lau is the founder of Dora L. International and an expert in fitting and creating bras for the world’s largest brands. Laura Tempesta is the founder of Bravolution and is a world-renowned sports bra expert whose previous role was as Nike’s Sports Bra Innovation Director.

Our top picks

As with all bra purchases, it may take some trial and error to find the best fit for you, but these are the best zip-front sports bras available for a variety of workouts, breast sizes, and needs.