 This Product
REI Co-op Active Bralette 2.0 | |||||
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| Awards |  Best Value Sports Bra for Everyday Comfort |  Best Low-Impact Sports Bra with Inclusive Sizing | Best Budget Sports Bra for Activewear | ||
| Price | $35 List $24.39 at REI | $46 List $36.80 at Amazon | $34.95 at Backcountry Compare at 4 sellers | $34 List $35.00 at Amazon | $35 List $23.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A soft, breathable, and date night attractive bralette best for smaller chests that is a budget buy for everyday wear, backpacking, traveling, restorative yoga, and swimming | The sufficient compression, soft recycled material, and supportive rib band work together to make a comfortable sports bra, perfect for any body or occasion | We never knew how easy it could be to wear and care for a sports bra with sewn-in pads. This bra keeps you snug during your hardest moves and gives you a classic athletic style | In fun colors and athletic fit, this bra features a handy back phone pocket | A budget buy for comfortable and decently supportive sports bras that get the job done |
| Rating Categories | REI Co-op Active Br... | Girlfriend Collecti... | Nike Swoosh | Senita Sarah | Fittin Padded |
| Comfort and Fit (40%) | |||||
| Support (30%) | |||||
| Style (15%) | |||||
| Quality (15%) | |||||
| Specs | REI Co-op Active Br... | Girlfriend Collecti... | Nike Swoosh | Senita Sarah | Fittin Padded |
| Material | 86% polyester, 14% spandex mesh | 79% recycled plastic bottles (RPET), 21% spandex | 72% polyester, 28% spandex | 72% polyester, 28% spandex | 60% nylon, 28% polyester, 12% spandex |
| Support | Low impact | Low/medium impact | Medium impact | Medium impact | High impact |
| Size Range | XS - 3XL | XXS - 6XL | XS - XXL | XS - XXL | S - 3XL |
| Support Type | Encapsulation | Compression | Compression | Compression | Encapsulation |
| Strap Style | Racerback | Crisscross | Racerback | Racerback | Racerback |
| Adjustable | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Padded | Yes, removable | No | Yes, sewn-in | Yes, removable | Yes, removable |
| Neck Line | V neck | High neck | Scoop neck | Scoop neck | Square neck |
| Key Pocket | No | No | No | Back pocket | No |
The REI Co-op Active Bralette 2.0 features a shaping bralette cut with an adjustable cross back. The material is a soft polyester and spandex mesh that is breathable, sweat-wicking, and quick-dry. It comes in sizes XS-3X, and REI advertises it for C cups and lower. It is a good budget option for a low-impact hiking or outdoor adventure bra, especially if you are an REI Co-op member.
Remarkably flattering, the REI Active has a feminine fit that accentuates the chest and is most appropriate for C cups and smaller. This bra is comfortable with minimal seaming, gentle support, and a soft mesh that breathes on scorching summer days.
The REI Active is a bralette with a wrapped-front neckline and two flattering crossed front panels that allow it to double as an everyday bra or swimsuit top. The bra has two removable pads, which shifted more than we liked, and some of our testers preferred the fit with the pads removed. While the fit flattered every body type we tested, we were not impressed with the size inclusivity. The bra only supports cup sizes up to C, and women with larger chests had some issues spilling out during movements like twists or forward folds.
The bra has minimal seams, which gives it a weightless feel. The power mesh ventilates and breathes, so it helps you stay cool during sweaty days outdoors. We love this bra for low-impact summer fun, such as paddle boarding, ultimate frisbee, and hiking. It is a no-brainer choice for any day you want to mix being active with water play. One tester enjoyed taking it for a long hike and then a paddle on her pack raft. We noticed no chafing, pinching, or scratching in everyday wear.
With adjustable cross-back straps and a broad waistband, the REI Active feels weightless and provides soft support for low-impact outdoor and everyday adventures.
The REI Active's flexible material allows for an easy on-and-off. The cross back is adjustable, adding additional security for vinyasa yoga flows or more bouncy mountain bike rides, although some testers found the low v-kneck too revealing for yoga. The back straps are adjustable and crossed, which helps you tailor the fit of the width of your shoulders. It is designed more for sustained outdoor recreation than the uses of traditional activewear. It provides very little support, and we do not recommend it for working out.
Our testers felt this was an affordable price for an outdoor recreation bra that offers unconfining support for natural adventures like hiking, road biking, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The support is indeed in how comfortable this bra is. The front strap is wide at the curve of the shoulder and then tapers, giving a weightless feel. The waistband is broad and supportive, but the back is relatively strappy. The material is a lightweight, quick-drying mesh. These features make it an exceptionally comfortable backpacking and hiking bra. It never chafes or pinches under a heavy pack and gives the perfect balance of breathability, comfort, and support for the trail or travel. Finding a more affordable hiking or travel bra of this quality is challenging.
We were impressed with how the REI Active accentuated varied body shapes, and it topped the charts for style in our lineup.
Our testers agreed that the REI Active was one of the most body-flattering fits of any sports bra, with dual encapsulating cups meeting in a wrap neck. One A-cup tester appreciated the feminine style and how the bra accentuated the chest area. The bra is attractive as a swim top and our first pick for date night. The minimalist seams are elegant and come in a limited variety of solid but attractive colors. The REI Active looks and feels so good that you may not mind stripping off your sweaty bag of a sun hoodie to splash like a nature goddess into an alpine lake. Although not included with the bra, it can pair with matching REI Co-op Active underwear.
The REI Active is one of the most effortless bras to care for, and its wrinkle-free and quick-dry mesh make it an excellent choice for travel.
If you hate the long tag of detailed care instructions for delicate undergarments, you will love how low-maintenance the REI Active is to keep fresh. Simply machine wash warm and tumble dry low. If you like saving energy, then it air drys in a snap. REI also claims to be Climate Neutral Certified and buys carbon credits to offset the production of products. The wrinkle-free material makes it an excellent choice for travel. It would be one of our first picks for an international trip because it can double as a casual bra or swim top. We recommend it to thru-hikers and bikepackers who want one bra to take them the distance because of its odor control, breathability, and quick dry fabric. The fabric is resilient and won't crinkle in the front. Although the care instructions allow machine drying, this bra dries quickly after swimming or hang-drying after a normal wash cycle.
If you want a comfortable, breathable, bargain outdoor adventure bra, consider the comfort and mountain chic style the REI Active will give you on the trail or in the water. It is best for smaller chests under a C-cup and not ideal if you need a bra with substantial support for traditional athleisure wear activities at the gym or running path. If you like recreating in hot weather, the lightweight mesh will ventilate your skin, wick sweat, and dry quickly.
