Gear Review: Brooks Dare Crossback Run Bra

When Brooks redesigned its entire line of sports bras, they focused entirely on running. From impact ratings to seam placement, each run bra in the Dare collection has a singular purpose: to provide run-ready support.

The Brooks Dare Crossback Run Bra is the result of that focus.

Brooks built the Dare Crossback to provide the high-impact support you need for running while being more comfortable than ever before. Fleet Feet reviewers put some miles in while wearing the new bra to see how it fits, how it feels and how much support it provides.

The Brooks Dare Crossback Run Bra looks and feels like a premium piece of running gear.

Brooks cut the bra from its DriLayer HorsePower fabric. The nylon-spandex blend fabric is smooth and soft, and it wicks moisture (read: sweat) away from your skin to keep you comfortable.

One reviewer says the fabric feels luxurious and makes for a more comfortable feel.

“My favorite feature is the material,” she says. “The luxe materials and seamless design definitely feel like a step up.”

Brooks took care to keep seams to a minimum in the Crossback, so you don’t get any annoying hot spots or chafing. Plus, it’s a pull-on style, rather than a hook or zippered closure, so there isn’t any hardware to jab you.

Another defining feature of the Crossback is its streamlined construction that makes it easy to wear under casual clothes all day.

“I love that it looks good under my shirt,” one reviewer says. “The wide straps disappear under clothes where thinner ones can create more lumps.”

The Dare Crossback is an encapsulation-style bra, which means it has molded cups that secure your breasts individually, rather than compressing your entire chest to mitigate motion.

One Fleet Feet reviewer who wears a 32AB says she noticed a clear difference between the Dare Crossback and compression-style bras, but the support worked for her.

“I think most women are used to the feeling of being a little squished, which I tend to associate with support,” she says. “The Dare Crossback doesn’t have that same ‘squished’ feeling. It feels different on the run, but I still feel secure and comfortable.”

Testers also noted how the Crossback kept them cool and dry. Brooks solved the sweat problem by using the wicking, quick-drying fabric but also by punching vent holes just above the bust that help release excess heat and moisture.

“This is the first comfortable bra I have ever run in with lightly padded cups,” one reviewer says. “They offer shape and modesty, yet they don’t feel hot and clammy on the run.”

The Brooks Dare Crossback Run Bra is a comfortable and supportive bra built specifically for running.

Brooks’ soft, smooth DriLayer HorsePower fabric is easy on your skin, and the streamlined design lies flat against your body to disappear under your shirt. Molded cups offer encapsulation support, and lightweight pads provide shape and coverage.

Runners looking for support don’t have to compromise on comfort in the Brooks Dare Crossback Run Bra.