Patagonia Maipo Mid Impact Bra
Patagonia: Did I Just Find The Best Sports Bra?
Devan Dowd
Calling all of my bad-a$$ female adventurers – today we’re talking bras! I know, a taboo topic sometimes, but let’s be honest, finding the perfect, all-around sports bra that can support you hiking up mountains, running down trails, and keep you strong in the gym is pretty dang difficult. Not to mention if you’ve been blessed with a larger rib cage like me, add all these functional requirements married with a flattering fit you can feel confident in has been a challenge. Well – dare I say, I may have found the best sports bra to date thanks to Patagonia’s Maipo Mid Impact Bra!
The Women’s Maipo Mid Impact Bra is soft, breathable and quick drying, providing medium-impact support that offers all day comfort & keeps your girlies in place no matter what adventure comes your way! Crafted with the same fabric used in the beloved Patagonia Maipo Tights, this bra feels like a second skill thanks to its clean, formitting design & wide bottom band that does not uncomfortably dig into your ribcage.
As a 5’3”, 137lb female, normally rocking a 34A bra size, I have found the Small to be the perfect fit. Coming in four unique colors, the Phosphorus Green is the perfect pop of color that looks great but also helps you stand out, especially on warm, early morning runs! I’ve put this bra to the test – through winter hikes, hours of trail running, biking, hot yoga heavy gym sessions and even a 24-hr fitness workout for Haiti! No matter what activity I have put this sports bra through, one thing is consistent: Patagonia has helped unlock a new level of self-confidence I hate to admit I do not always have!
Before we dive into a few of my favorite technical components of this sports bra, I would be doing Patagonia a disservice if I did not take a moment to spotlight this incredible brand.
Since Day 1, Patagonia has declared they “are in business to save our home planet.” This is their reason for being, which can be summed up in their origin story:
“At Patagonia, we appreciate that all life on earth is under threat of extinction. We aim to use the resources we have—our business, our investments, our voice and our imaginations—to do something about it. Patagonia grew out of a small company that made tools for climbers. As the climate crisis deepens, we see a potential, even probable end to such moments, and so we’re fighting to save them. We donate our time, services and at least 1 percent of our sales to help hundreds of grassroots organizations all over the world so that they can remain vigilant, and protect what’s irreplaceable.”Staying true to their core values centered around Quality, Integrity, Environmentalism, and Justice, they are most recognized for their determination to not be bound by convention! So if you’ve heard the buzzword “sustainability” there’s a good chance that it stemmed from Patagonia’s mission. Ringing the bell that consumerism NEEDs to step up in order to give our planet a chance at long term survival, Patagonia is one of the original pioneers for People, Purpose & Planet.
That’s why if you are someone who leverages their clothing to represent the values you stand for, Patagonia is the pinnacle for how consumerism & fashion can truly make an IMPACT in the world.
So with that, here are three of my favorite things about the Patagonia Maipo Mid Impact Bra (including the fact that this sports bra is Fair Trade Certified & is part of the 1% for the Planet Initiative):
- Coverage Where You Need It & Confidence Where You Want It – With ample front coverage, removable padded cups, and a narrow racerback, you can be sure your range of motion will be maximized! Thanks to Patagonia’s Longline Silhouette, this bra offers additional coverage that skims right above the belly-button. As someone who has a history of self-consciousness regarding my large ribcage, I really appreciate how flattering this bra sits on my body. It has even unblocked confidence to not be afraid to workout shirtless (because let’s be honest, this top is too cute to hide under a baggy shirt!)
- Fabric That’s Soft On Your Skin & Kind To The Planet – This soft fabric wicks fast to keep you comfortable & dry all day long. Built with 81% NetPlus® post consumer recycled nylon made from recycled fishing nets, not only does it provide nonabrasive seeming, it also helps reduce ocean plastic pollution! Add in 19% spandex knit with miDori™ bioSoft materials, you can feel comfortable all day long (no matter how much you sweat!)
- Anti-Odor Finish That Keeps You Moving Longer – Although it is obvious after a great workout or adventure, you may show off a bit of the sweat equity you put in to reach that mountain top! But let’s be honest – isn’t it slightly embarrassing when you can literally smell yourself? Thanks to the HeiQ® Pure Odor control the Maipo Mid Impact bra keeps you fresh for longer! And boy was this put to the test during our 24 Hour Sweat 4 Impact workout fundraiser for Brace for Impact 46 – not only did we sweat for 24 hours & raise over $33K to help support our Cap-Haitian community in Haiti, I was able to comfortably wear the same sports bra the entire workout without getting super smelly!
So, if you’ve been wondering “Does the perfect sports bra even exist?” I would say, look no further than the Patagonia Women’s Maipo Mid Impact Bra. Not only will your girls feel supported & you can be confident in day-long AOTDs, but you can be proud that the brand you are representing is truly doing good by the planet! So run, don’t walk, over to Patagonia to get your hands on one of these – I promise you will not be disappointed. Wishing you happy trails & encouragement to #getupandgo chase your AOTDs!
Devan Dowd
Growing up in Massachusetts, Devan has been an athlete all her life. Starting at the age of 4 as a competitive gymnast, she learned quickly the joy that comes from hard work, determination, and a jammed packed schedule. Eventually, gymnastics led to competitive lacrosse, which resulted in her growing some wings and heading to the PNW to pursue a DI College Lacrosse opportunity at the University of Oregon.
On the single off-day each week, she quickly learned to see Mother Earth as her playground and wanted to use every second of free time to find chase AOTDs (Adventures of the Days). These AOTDs were the inspiration for her blog Dabbling in Traveling & youtube channel.
From waterfalls, to snow covered mountains, to sand dune hikes – one thing was certain, something always went awry on these AOTDs. But hey, memories were always made! Not only was UO an incredible college experience, Oregon sparked her love for the outdoors & traveling across the country for games helped introduce her to Colorado in 2014. Staring up at the Flatirons on CU Boulder’s campus, she knew one day she would call Colorado home!
After returning to the east coast upon graduation, Devan’s heart never stopped longing to live in Colorado one day. But luckily the pandemic brought a newfound acceptance for remote work and in Nov. 2021 her dream came true!
By day, Devan is a Product Manager at Capital One. By afternoon, she is a personal trainer, coaching group Crossfit classes at Axistence Athletics (the best Adventure gym you will ever find!). By evening, she pours her heart into nonprofit work, specifically focused on driving sustainable change in Haiti through the Brace for Impact 46 organization (Fun fact – she has been traveling to Haiti since 2015, accumulating 7 trips and 7 months of living down there!).
Brace for Impact works in Northern Haiti to provide sustainable, multifaceted approaches to support child development, education, medical care, job development, and implementation of clean water & sanitation across the community, which touches 40,000 people each day! (Want to learn more? Check out their website www.braceforimpact46.com )
As her friends would tell you (despite trying), Devan does not slow down and is always trying to fit AOTDs into each open moment. Whether it be hiking, paddleboarding, road-biking, running, Crossfitting, weight-lifting, snowboarding or simply exploring different parts of CO with her favorite furry friend Bailey & her husband Jeremy, it’s safe to say Devan has found her “Home” here in Colorado!
Fun fact – Devan had reconstructive hip surgery in 2016 (actually called a Periacetabular Osteotomy… but that’s a tongue twister). After a 22 month recovery period, she proved doctors wrong, returned to play her senior of lacrosse continues to use this experience as motivation to encourage everyone she interacts with to truly treat movement as a gift and to never take it for granted. With that being said, to keep her body active, she needs to make sure her gear can support her so she can remain #PAOStrong!
Devan is excited to join the Engearment team!
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