Clothing Review: Tera Kaia Toura Baseware

Sports bras: either you love them, or you hate them. But they are necessary to support your chest while being active. And trying to find a good one is hard. However, I’ve found one that works.

About a year ago, I was reading “For the Love of Climbing,” one of my favorite climbing blogs by Kathy Karlo (not sure if she still blogs but you should check it out) and she mentioned a brand called Arêt. Kathy loved her Toura sports bra from them and recommended the product. She also mentioned it on her social media pages. At some point after reading her post, I thought I would take a leap of faith and buy one because I was in the market for a new sports bra.

I checked out Arêt’s (now Têra Kaia) website to see what would fit me best. According to the site, the products are basewear pieces, which means they’re not just a sports bra. One could wear it as a swimsuit top because they’re water friendly. I think that’s cool. There were a lot of cute colors, and I found the size for me.

What’s also neat about Têra Kaia is that it’s owned and run by women. The website states Têra Kaia was started in 2016 by three outdoorswomen who became fed up with standard outdoor bras and swimsuits that didn't fit over their muscles and quickly fell apart in the outdoors. I’m all about supporting women-run businesses, so this was up my alley.

The Only Sports Bra I Want

After my first bra came in, I’ve loved it since. I love it so much that I got another one but in a different color. The Toura low cut is comfy, breathable, and it fits me well. They come in pretty colors, and I like the strap design on my back.

The Toura come in low cut and high cut. The low cut is made for smaller chests, high for larger breasts or if you want a more modest bra. I think at this point my chest and back have more muscle than curve, so I opted for the low cut. Plus, I think the low cut looks better on me, especially when I wear tank tops over it.

When wearing the bra, I don’t feel like I'm suffocating or squishing my chest. It doesn’t feel like I'm trapping a lot of heat and sweat under it when I’m climbing, which is nice. It’s not a pain in the ass to take off or feels like a straitjacket after climbing when my arms are tired. #athleticgirlproblems

Maintaining the bras is easy too. According to the care guide, the bra’s anti-microbial and sweat-wicking properties mean you can wear it for weeks, and it won't get gross. Extending the time between washes is less wear and tear on it. It’s best to let it air dry, but you can put it in the dryer after washing.

If you’re looking for a new sports bra, I do recommend the Toura. It might be a little pricy, but it’s worth it. You do have to order it online, but I think they do an excellent job of sizing. I don’t want to wear any other bra for climbing or doing other activities for that matter. If you buy one, let me know what you think!

Until next time, happy bouldering!