Shock Absorber Run Bra - BEWARE !!!

miss v

Hi ladies,

A quick warning about the Shock Absorber run bra. I bought this for the cork marathon in June 2012 and wore it only a few times before the big day. A week or so before the marathon I was out on my long run and the side straps snapped open mid run (i was with someone thankfully so managed to get it fastened up again). I thought i had fastened it wrong but it happened again on a short run a few days later. As i didn't have time to change it before heading to Cork I just taped the side straps so it wouldn't happen mid marathon !!! I was outside the 28 day return policy to return it so I contacted Shock Absorber about this issue on the 13th June. Warning to everyone that they are the worst company in the world to deal with, I have been chasing them ever since, i have had to do all the emailing, all the phone calls, pay for a courier to send the bra back to them, chase them up to confirm they got it and 7 weeks later I am still waiting for a response / return / refund / explanation / phone call / letter / carrier pigeon. I want to warn you all in advance before you buy one too. I have basically wasted a lot of money, as you all know sports bras are not cheap, and now i don't even have a bra to show for it. I am so annoyed and disgusted about the service I have received. I had a quick google the other day about this, and it seems the fault has happened to a lot of people and they are all getting the same lack of response from Shock Absorber. The only response I saw on a UK sports website was that you should not wear this bra for non-running sports as sideways arm movement will cause it to open !! what the f*** !!!!

Can anyone recommend a good sports bra to get instead ? I had a look around Dublin today and it seems to be all shock absorber everywhere, which only made my blood boil further .

miss v

ZombieMed

figleaves.com have some great ones if you're willing to shop online.. good return policy too and advice on whether the sizes seem large or small - read the comments. M&S are pretty good for sports bras too.

Maldesu

I've bought online from Nike and have found them nice and comfortable. I've had shock absorber before and didn't like them at all.

An Bhanríon

I have been wearing Triumph sports bra for a few years while out running.

Not the cheapest but they last well as long as you take care of them, e.g. handwash them or put them in a pillow case when washing so the machine doesn't destroy the elasticity.

Available in large department stores in Dublin, e.g. Clerys, Arnotts.

Best of luck with your search...

RacoonQueen

Last year I picked up two shock absorbers on rainbow kirbys recommendation. They were good for about a month and they they reverted to the same crappyness I remember from shock absorbers. Poor quality bras. Always chafe. Not comfortable and never fit right.

Best sports bras I've ever had are anita extreme control - http://www.lessbounce.com/Sports-Bras-Non-wired/Anita/Anita-5527-Extreme-Control-Sports-Bra_ct486bd196pd42.htm

Couldn't get them for a while but I see they've updated colours etc now so must pick up a couple. They don't chafe, they're comfy, they fit and they provide great support. £41 a pop though...

miss v

thanks ladies. lots of great recommendations there. Glad i am not the only one who thinks shock absorber stink !!

I was looking at lessbounce.com yesterday, thanks RacoonQueen for the bra brand advice.

rainbow kirby

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Best sports bras I've ever had are anita extreme control - http://www.lessbounce.com/Sports-Bras-Non-wired/Anita/Anita-5527-Extreme-Control-Sports-Bra_ct486bd196pd42.htm

Couldn't get them for a while but I see they've updated colours etc now so must pick up a couple. They don't chafe, they're comfy, they fit and they provide great support. £41 a pop though...

Was tempted. Clicked link. Non-standard sizing which doesn't include mine.

noddyname

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Was tempted. Clicked link. Non-standard sizing which doesn't include mine.

I was just on this website as I've been on the hunt for a good sports bra for a while, just purchased a lovely sports bra on sale for £20 and they've free worldwide shipping at the moment - what a bargain!! Thanks a million for the tip

sconhome

Sorry to butt into a ladies specific thread.

Our manager in Galway chose Shock Absorber over all the other brands, having tried them all she found it the most dependable and comfortable running bra around.

Another thing she noted is that they make different style bras for different activities with a Run specific bra as well as a general sports bra.

Miss V you have been really unfortunate in your dealings with the company. Generally, I've found them very good to deal with and quite a reliable product. If you want to PM me info on your dealings with the company we can try help resolve your issue. Even if it is just to light a fire under them.

hot to trot

I agree about shock absorber. I have a few of them and I have bad scars under my boobs and across my chest where they have cut me. They arent the most comfortable and its hard to find other brands in shops. I dont go near them anymore either. I find Royce or Odlo ( got in 53 degrees north )
more comfortable but thanks for the link above will give them a go .

rainbow kirby

amphkingwest wrote: »

Run specific bra

This might as well be a gymnastics-specific bra, the fecking thing is impossible to put on!

RacoonQueen

rainbow kirby wrote: »

This might as well be a gymnastics-specific bra, the fecking thing is impossible to put on!

The one you recommended to me is a nightmare. My shoulders are too broad for the top set of clips and they always pop open. Then I'm left with the clips scratching my back/chaffing.

rainbow kirby

RacoonQueen wrote: »

My shoulders are too broad for the top set of clips and they always pop open. Then I'm left with the clips scratching my back/chaffing.

Ugh nasty

I don't really have any problems with the Shock Absorber bras, apart from finding my size! Got another one a few weeks ago, had to go to Bravissimo to get it :mad:

Tempted to try the Freya or Panache ones, but they just don't look like they'd do the job...

RacoonQueen

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Last year I picked up two shock absorbers on rainbow kirbys recommendation. They were good for about a month and they they reverted to the same crappyness I remember from shock absorbers. Poor quality bras. Always chafe. Not comfortable and never fit right.

Best sports bras I've ever had are anita extreme control - http://www.lessbounce.com/Sports-Bras-Non-wired/Anita/Anita-5527-Extreme-Control-Sports-Bra_ct486bd196pd42.htm

Couldn't get them for a while but I see they've updated colours etc now so must pick up a couple. They don't chafe, they're comfy, they fit and they provide great support. £41 a pop though...

I picked up one of these and their new product http://the-lingerie-box.co.uk/bras/sports-bras/anita-momentum-sports-bra-white.html from the lingerie box a couple of weeks ago. €100 for both delivered from the UK was a fairly good price. The comfort. The COMFORT. Unreal. Dunno why I suffered on with shock absorber rubbish for so long, I still bare the scars of my last shock absorber wear from 3 weeks ago. Let that serve as a reminder to me.

ultraman1

can yis not discuss diss in the oulwans lounge.....have a picture of RQ in my head now and am just about tho have dinner....:p

RubyK

I was reading this thread a couple of weeks ago, as I too was in search of a chaff-free sports bra. Have tried adidas, M&S, shock-absorber, Nike (which was ok for a while, but is now a recipe for a painful shower). So I ordered this last week http://www.lessbounce.com/Sports-Bras-Racer-Back/Moving-Comfort/Moving-Comfort-Juno-Sports-Bra_ct483bd207pd94.htm and it arrived yesterday. Wore it for yesterday evenings run and it was v comfortable with lots of support, and most importantly the band didn't chaff at all. The straps are a bit different, in that they have velcro to change the length. If it leaves me scar free after tomorrows LSR I'll be ordering another few

RacoonQueen

ultraman1 wrote: »

can yis not discuss diss in the oulwans lounge.....have a picture of RQ in my head now and am just about tho have dinner....:p

Does your missus know you like to imagine me in my underwear? :eek:

ultraman1

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Does your missus know you like to imagine me in my underwear? :eek:

it what gets me through the tough races and long runs,,,and now dat ur an elistist:pt i mite even forgo the kax

Krusty_Clown

ultraman1 wrote: »

it what gets me through the tough races and long runs,,,and now dat ur an elistist:pt i mite even forgo the kax

Won't your dangly bits get a bit cold?

rainbow kirby

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Won't your dangly bits get a bit cold?

A tiny sports bra for those will do just the job

ultraman1

this may need a thread of its own....

career_move

Look it ultraman, there's people you can go to for help. People who will understand.....put themselves in your shoes even.I mean Ireland is a different place nowadays.

There definitely isn't the same stigma attached to cross dressing/transvestites.

Hijacking this thread is not the answer though!!

RacoonQueen

RubyK wrote: »

I was reading this thread a couple of weeks ago, as I too was in search of a chaff-free sports bra. Have tried adidas, M&S, shock-absorber, Nike (which was ok for a while, but is now a recipe for a painful shower). So I ordered this last week http://www.lessbounce.com/Sports-Bras-Racer-Back/Moving-Comfort/Moving-Comfort-Juno-Sports-Bra_ct483bd207pd94.htm and it arrived yesterday. Wore it for yesterday evenings run and it was v comfortable with lots of support, and most importantly the band didn't chaff at all. The straps are a bit different, in that they have velcro to change the length. If it leaves me scar free after tomorrows LSR I'll be ordering another few

Jaysus just looked at that now. Think I'd rather never run again than try to wrestle myself into that yoke :eek: The band doesn't look like it would provide much support though?

RubyK

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Jaysus just looked at that now. Think I'd rather never run again than try to wrestle myself into that yoke :eek: The band doesn't look like it would provide much support though?

It's a little awkward to get on, but honestly, I found it comfortable and supportive. And after 22.25 miles, not one bit of chaffing from the band Going to buy a couple more.

rainbow kirby

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Tempted to try the Freya or Panache ones, but they just don't look like they'd do the job...

Tried the Panache one. Far more impressed with it than I thought I would be, it's incredibly comfortable - much more than I would have expected from an underwired sports bra. Probably not as outright supportive as the Shock Absorber N109 though - but given that I'm a bit of an edge case size-wise that probably doesn't matter to most people reading this!