|
Icebreaker
Sprite Racerback Bra
Owner Review by Andrea Murland
January 5, 2014
Tester Information
| Name: |
Andrea Murland |
| Email: |
amurland AT
shaw DOT ca |
| Age: |
28 |
| Location: |
Elkford
& Kimberley,
British Columbia, Canada |
| Gender: |
Female |
| Height: |
5 ft 2 in (1.57
m) |
| Weight: |
130 lb (59 kg) |
I began
hiking frequently in 2006 and have
since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent 2 months
backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on
2-3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage
them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, but don’t have a lot of
experience with winter in the backcountry yet. Elevation is typically
500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk,
Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t
consider myself a lightweight backpacker.
Images Courtesy of Icebreaker
 |
Product
Information
| Manufacturer: |
Icebreaker
|
| Manufacturer's
URL: |
www.icebreaker.com
|
| Year of
Manufacture: |
2012 |
| Model: |
Sprite Racerback
Bra |
| MSRP: |
US $49.99 |
| Size: |
Small |
| Sizes
Available: |
XS, S, M, L, XL |
| Colour: |
Black, Magenta |
| Listed Weight: |
None
|
| Measured
Weight: |
58 g (2.0 oz) |
Care Instructions (from tag):
Machine wash warm inside out with similar colours, do not use
softeners, do not bleach, line dry in the shade, do not tumble dry,
warm iron, do not iron design or labels, do not dry clean
Description
The
Icebreaker Sprite Racerback bra
is a sports bra made from
150-weight merino wool (96%) and elastane (4%). The entire bra is made
from a double layer of the fabric. The bottom of the bra has a 3 cm
(1.2 in) wide elastic band in contrasting colour, with “ICEBREAKER”
woven in white. The neckline and armholes have folded-over elastic, in
the same contrasting colour, to finish the edges. There is also a
stripe
of the contrasting colour under each arm. The bra has four other seams:
one up the centre of the back, one up the centre of the front, and one
on each side of the bust. All of these seams are standard seams on the
inner layer and flatlock seams on the outer layer. The layers are
joined together only at the edges and at the two contrasting stripes
under the arms.
Field
Conditions
SAR practice in the Sprite Racerback
 |
I
bought my first one of these bras
in the fall of 2012, and fell in
love with it, so I bought a second a year later. The first one was worn
extensively for backcountry skiing, including overnight and hut trips,
and then through the spring, summer and fall for hiking and search
& rescue work. It was also the only bra I took with me on a 2.5
week-long trip to Iceland. The second one has now also been used for
skiing. I would estimate that I’ve worn one of these bras for about 45
days, and slept in one seven times. Temperatures ranged from -25 C (-13
F)
to 30 C (86 F).
Review
Comfort & Fit:
These bras have become my favourite sports bras, by far. First, sizing.
I have a 34 to 35 in (86 to 89 cm) bust, which puts me right around the
size small in the Icebreaker size guide. I would say that this is
accurate; the bra fits me perfectly. It is snug without being
constricting, and band stretches and is comfortable around my ribcage,
without digging in. I can get it on and off over my head without
difficulty or feeling like I’m going to rip any stitching. The fabric
is soft and comfortable. I don’t find
the seams to be irritating at all. I willingly sleep in it on overnight
trips. This bra has a construction that I would describe as perfect for
low-impact activities, though with a small bust I can wear it for
everything. I like it for Search & Rescue because it’s quite
modest and not sheer, so I can wear it with a slightly see-through
shirt or change in a parking lot and not feel unprofessional. As a
bonus, the seam up the centre seems to mostly prevent “uni-boob”
syndrome.
Moisture & Odour Control:
I initially thought that this bra was going to be a winter-only item; I
thought with the two layers of wool I’d be too hot in the summer. I was
wrong. The bra transports moisture away rapidly and comfortably, and I
didn’t find myself to be any sweatier than normal when wearing it. It
dries fast, either while still wearing it or when hung up to dry. In
the winter, I don’t get cold when stopped and it’s damp, though that’s
probably more a function of the layers I throw on top as soon as I
stop! As far as smelliness goes, this item is great! I tested that
function on a 7-day backcountry skiing hut trip in the spring, with
warm temperatures and sweating rather heavily. I wore it every day, and
it smelt just fine at the end of the trip.
Durability:
The older of my two bras still works just as well as when new. It looks
slightly more worn, with a tiny bit of pilling, though not in any
particular area. I can’t discern any noticeable stretching. I have
washed it about 15 times, in the washing machine with regular
detergent, and hung it to dry.
Summary
The Icebreaker Sprite Racerback Bra is my favourite sports bra, for
pretty much everything. I love it, and I have a feeling that the two I
have won’t be my last.
Thumbs Up:
Comfortable fabric
Accurate sizing
Great breathability
Good odour control
Styling works for everything I do
Thumbs Down:
Nothing?
Read more gear reviews by Andrea Murland
|
