I still haven’t tried out my new bra. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did an all day wear test at work, which went fine. It’s very comfortable, and perfectly adequate as a bra. But is it a backpacking bra? That is the question that I have yet to address.

Because the weekend that I was going to hike, I got sick again. And then the rains started. And they aren’t scheduled to stop for a while.

I have some backpacking bras that I really like. And by some, I mean three of the exact same brand and style in different colors. They’re triathlon bras, which means they dry really fast and have good support. They zip in the front, which makes for issues when doing crossfit, but rarely when backpacking. The problem I’m starting to have with them is that they are wearing out.

And of course they aren’t made anymore.

So I’m trying to branch out and find a new bra that will work for me for backpacking. A backpacking bra, to me, has to be lightweight, comfortable, not bunch up under my pack’s shoulder straps and – most importantly – dry quickly.

See, I sweat a lot when I backpack. Not just when it’s hot out. If I’m moving at the pace I like to move at, chances are, I’m going to be sweating. Especially when there’s hills to climb, because I love hiking uphill and I tend to go faster. Which leads to even more sweating.

And while I’m moving, sweating is fine. It helps keep me cool. My shirt and pants are quick drying, so when I stop hiking for the day, I don’t have long before those two articles are dry. And once your shirt is dry, there is nothing quite so uncomfortable – and heat sucking – as a wet bra.

So I need to get out on a hike. Soon! And I need to sweat (easy part). And then I need to come home and leave that bra on and see how long it takes to dry. If I’m not satisfied, then the hunt must continue.

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