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In 1993, Enell launched the first sports bra for larger breasts, finally providing support for most women who were resorting to two bras over their chests. In spite of the leaps the high impact bra has undergone, the problem persists for women outside of the A to D cup range. Knix wanted to tackle this dilemma by developing an all-inclusive sports bra befittingly called the Catalyst.
“There is no product more difficult to create than high impact sports bras,” says Joanna Griffiths, Knix founder and CEO. “For that reason there has not been a ton of innovation. It’s also a category where size inclusivity is perhaps the most needed. There are so few options for women with DD cups and larger. Without the right solutions we run the risk of certain groups of women not participating in sports, which, for a whole slew of reasons—both physical and emotional—is really far from ideal.”
No one woman should ever be ashamed of her body or feel ostracized from running or other activities due to the shortage in bra sizes. After three years of development, 23 rounds of design sketches, and 42 prototypes, the University of Portsmouth: Research Group in Breast Health deemed the Catalyst as the most supportive bra to enter the market, reducing breast movement by 76 percent, says Griffiths.
“We wanted to make a product that served women up to a 42G cup. We hope that by bringing a best-in-class product to the market and in a broader size range, we will create a catalyst for change and encourage the incumbents to give a hard look at their size offering and ask, ‘Is it enough?’”
The bra has an ergonomic clasp in the back, adjustable straps, and perforated holes for ventilation. The bra is currently available on Knix.com. We’ll be writing a more in-depth review and giving the Catalyst a test run next month.
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
