Vai Athletica’s utility sports bra tries to solve the female runner’s eternal problem: Where do I put my key, credit card, phone, sunblock, ID and pepper spray when I’m out for a run? This sounds like a lot for a bra to handle, and it is. So when Vai Athletica’s PR representative asked me to try out a review sample, I decided to take the utility sports bra for a test run.

How does a bra hold my phone?

I know how sports bras have held my phone in the past: by jamming the phone down the front and hoping for the best. Of course, there’s the chance that the phone will fall through if the bottom of the bra while I run, or eject out the top if I lean over to tie my shoe.

The utility sports bra holds your phone in the back instead of the front. The back straps are lined with gel grips to hold your phone securely. If this sounds like a curious design, I have to concur that my experience bears this out. I contorted myself in front a mirror, trying to see what I was doing while manhandling my iPhone 11 Pro Max into the straps. By the time I wrangled it in there, the emergency call screen was on and I couldn’t reach around to turn it off. Help! Fortunately, my husband was able to intervene before an embarrassing bra-call to the paramedics. This probably would have been a lot easier if I had a smaller phone.

The bra also has a little pocket in the left shoulder strap for a key fob or lip gloss, two side pockets for credit cards or ID, and a place to attach a carabiner if you want to hold pepper spray or sunscreen.

The sports utility bra in practice

This is a good-looking, comfortable and well-fitting bra. It comes in four attractive colors: charcoal gray, dusty rose, ice blue and maroon. I felt secure–my boobs and my phone would not escape. The phone felt odd there between my shoulder blades when I started my run, but I got used to it after a half mile or so. The key pocket was easy to access on the strap, and my key felt secure in there—much more secure than just sticking it down the front of a regular, pocketless sports bra, which always makes me worry I’m going to lose it. The side pockets also felt secure.

Verdict

So, who will get the most use out of this bra? I think the ideal demographic is somebody with a smaller phone who plans to leave it in place while listening to music or a running app through headphones. This doesn’t seem a practical design for somebody who likes to stop for frequent texting and photos. I would have had to see Bigfoot or a UFO to make it worth wrestling my phone out of the straps in public. People who like to run with just a sports bra on top will probably be most comfortable with the side pockets. If you’re wearing a t-shirt over the bra and you need to access the side pocket, say, in a café line, fellow customers might suspect you of self-groping.

I’m sure I’ll get a lot of use out of this bra because it’s cute, comfortable and I like the strap and side pockets for keys and cards. Who doesn’t like good-looking workout clothes? Alas, I’ll probably still be stowing my phone elsewhere.