Holdbreaker X: The climbing sports bra

Let’s face it; the majority of women hate wearing a bra. They’re tight in all the wrong places and gap in the most awkward spots. You get home from work and immediately take it off, after petting the dog, of course. Freedom of taking your bra off is one of the best feelings of the day. And sports bras? Even worse. Going for a cute uniboob look while it digs into your shoulders creating some back boob action? Want support but also want enough room in the band to be able to breathe? Sorry, you can only pick one.

Female rock climbers know this story well. The more you climb, the stronger you get, the more your upper body expands, and the worse sports bras fit.

A female climber's physique

Climbing changes a female’s body shape. The back, shoulders, and chest muscles get strong. While this makes you a much better climber and able to impress all your friends, it makes finding a sports bra that fits far more challenging. It’s more challenging than spending three hours at the gym climbing hard.

It’s a frustrating situation - getting stronger and better at an activity you love, finding comfortable clothes that fit the upper body becomes harder with every climbing session.

This is why Emine Guler and a group of female climbers designed the Holdbreaker X. A sports bra that fits female climbers, celebrating the muscles you’ve worked hard to build.

The Holdbreaker X design

Emine chose a high-quality Italian fabric and made it double-layered. The inner layer is made with a soft Eurojersey that feels good against the skin. It wicks moisture away from the body, so you won't end up feeling like a sweaty mess. The outer layer is a durable and supportive Eurojersey. The dual construction means the sports bra isn’t going to lose its shape or stretch out the more time you spend wearing it.

Two straps go over each shoulder, slightly longer than a standard sports bra, ensuring they’re not slicing into your shoulders or leaving red tattoo marks after you take it off. The upper section of the bra is constructed in a v-shape, allowing for the back muscles to flex happily, not getting confined or squeezed. The v-shape also keeps the dreaded side boob and back boob look from making an appearance. We want nothing to do with either of those ever again. The open-back design is for when the temps soar or when your climbing gym decides the perfect level of air-conditioning is an inaudible whisper.

Once the Holdbreaker team got the design down, they tested it in the exactly way a rock climbing sports bra should be tested. They rubbed it all over jagged rock outside and plastic holds at the climbing gym. Both of those textures are guaranteed to rip holes in your hands, but the Holdbreaker X will survive unscathed.

In our “buy more” culture, it’s important to look for quality products that will last a while, rather than crap that falls apart in six months. In the long run, you’re probably spending more money on replacing the crap item over and over than buying a high-quality product in the first place. Better for your wallet, and better for the environment.

And then climbing changed

The Covid-19 pandemic has been rough on the climbing community. Gyms are closed and outdoor areas are off-limits. This directly impacts Holdbreaker. Less people out climbing means less people looking for new climbing gear.

You can help out by heading to Holdbreaker’s website and treating yourself to the sports bra your muscles deserve. Or grab one for the strong female in your life. You’ll also find rad Holdbreakers swag like T-shirts and tote bags. Holdbreakers ships internationally.

We’ll get back to climbing soon enough. In the meantime, invest in some quality gear that celebrates your strength. You earned it.