Lululemon’s sports bras are my current favorites to wear on my runs. I’m always curious to try their new run styles in hopes of finding a new favorite. The pace perfect bra caught my eye thanks to its handy back pocket for phone stashing. For short runs where I don’t need to bring much, the phone pocket is a nice alternative to my waistbelt or the phone-in-waistband trick. So, I decided to give it a try.
I got my pace perfect bra in midnight navy. The color is similar to other lululemon dark blues, but just a hair less deeply saturated compared to other similar shades.
I got my usual size 2, the same size I wear in other lulu bras. The pace perfect runs true to size in my opinion. Note that the cut around the front armhole has a bit less coverage than similar bra styles. It still covers everything, but watch out for this if you are busty and/or wide-set in that area.
For support, I would rate it as medium or medium-light. I was surprised to note that it feels just a little bit less supportive and secure compared to my energy bras and stuff your bras, which are my go-to lulu running bras. Although I was hoping for slightly more of a locked-in feeling, it still has enough support that I could get away with running in it. With that in mind, I would not recommend this style for larger cup sizes as a running/high impact bra.
The bra is impeccably comfortable and does not cut in anywhere. The back phone pocket is easy to reach and fits my iPhone 7 easily–it’s in the pocket in the above photos and you can see that it’s not a tight squeeze. There’s also an extra fold of fabric that goes over the top of your phone so that if yours is larger than mine, you can secure the top of the phone underneath an extra layer of fabric.
I have pretty narrow shoulders, but having the phone in the pocket does not bother me. I actually prefer this storage option over the stuff your bra pocket style, since my phone isn’t comfortable in the RSYB’s front pocket. The pace perfect phone pocket is double-lined with mesh and luxtreme to help keep it dry.
One small note: the slits for removable bra cups are quite a bit smaller than my other lululemon bra styles, which makes the cups a little tricky to get in and out.
From a design perspective, I had issues with the seaming in front. In the photos on lulu’s site, the bra looks smooth and clean from the front. In reality, I found it a tad bit lumpy. The side princess seams look a bit bulky rather than flattering. There’s also two center seams at the inside of the cups that are visible on me, as you can see in the photo above. The seams looks really out of place and disrupt the smooth look at the front. There’s also a seam across the top of the cups that creates a subtle shelf effect, though admittedly it’s not obvious.
The verdict? Ultimately, I decided to return this one. The design of the pace perfect bra is very appealing in theory, but in practice, the execution didn’t quite work out for me. For the time being, I still prefer my other lululemon bras.
If you’d like to try the pace perfect bra for yourself, you can find it here.
Also wearing: lululemon speed shorts in inky floral (old print, no longer in production)
P.S. If you like the phone pocket, Senita Athletic’s Sarah sports bra has one, too. The designs have some subtle differences, but Senita’s is notably less than half the price.
No photo with your phone in the bra? That’s the whole point. ?
I agree..also wondering if phone is safe from sweat.
The phone pocket fabric is double-layered, so I would think it would be pretty well protected, especially if your phone is also inside a case.
Thank you! ?
Yeah I totally spaced on that, and then it started storming and I lost my picture light. Ugh. Anyway, updated with new pics. ;)
I also returned this bra. The band fit, but I felt like the bra part didn’t fit at all (was too loose). Never had that problem in a Lulu bra.
Yeah, I think the looser bra part is what made it feel less supportive to me. It’s not supposed to be for larger cup sizes, so I’m not sure why that part is not as tight as my other bras.
Thanks so much for the review! I was looking at this one .
You’re welcome! Hope it helps. :)
I appreciate the review. Definitely not for me. The sides are cut to low, would cause spillage for me. Need more support than that bra offers with the girls.
I ordered the free to be serene bra for lululemon to try.
We just got a pure barre studio where I live that I wanted to try. Little behind the times here…
Does anyone have input to pure barre workouts and there monthly rates? My gym membership is super cheap, offered through my work. They have lots of classes but nothing like barre. Thought barre would be nice for keeping my back strong. I have had back injuries in the past. I would appreciate the input, Let me know what you all think?!?
I did Pure Barre for a year. Super expensive. I totally regret the money I spent there. It’s not a total workout. You’ll still need to do weights and cardio. Rates are about $150 a month (if you get a deal). I don’t think it helped my back much. I say try Pure Barre if you can get free of cheap classes, and see if you like it. In my town, tons of barre classes opened up after Pure Barre so now there are cheaper options.
I thought it wasn’t worth the money.
Not all people like to work out at home, but if you are open to it… I love the physique 57 videos. You can buy DVDs or they also have online membership to unlimited videos (if you want more variation than a DVD). Booty Barre by Tracey Mallet is also excellent. Both combine mostly barre work (you use a chair) with floor/mat work, and are great workouts. They include upper body (including back) weights, abs, and cardio, and are designed to be “full body” – much more so than traditional barre. Booty Barre has more ballet-like moves, so it is even more back-focused since there is a particular emphasis on posture, keeping your back straight while your leg is up in the air, etc.. Might be worth a try before you pay for studio classes… I’m glad to hear what Sara F said. I have been wanting to try pure barre and haven’t bothered yet. Now I won’t.
I got the FTB serene too! Wearing it now in fact. :) I find the straps a touch looser than I’d like, but I still kept it. Still working on the review for that one though. Glad I could save you the trouble on the pace perfect though!
I like the look of the Pace Perfect bra. Too bad it didn’t work out. I know it wouldn’t work for me, either.
I actually love the Enlite Bra. I tried it with skepticism but after running in it a few times, it is officially my favorite bra I have ever run in, and all I ever want to run in. (And it doesn’t even leave a mark on my skin, unlike every other bra I’ve ever worn.) Buuut this is speaking as someone who could never run in an Energy bra. If you are comfortable running in an Energy bra, I would suppose the Enlite wouldn’t be particularly exciting.
I actually was interested in the enlite bra, but it doesn’t come in my band size (30). :( Many people were saying they went down a band size, so that doesn’t bode well. And I’m not paying $98 for a bra that doesn’t fit, since the band being too big totally defeats the purpose. :\ If they expand the size range I’d definitely like to try it, though.
I was looking at this too and now glad I didn’t get it. I’m too busty to run in Energy bra so this for sure would not work. I haven’t yet found a lululemon bras that does since Strap it Like it’s Hot.
Thank you for another detailed review :)
Yeah, if the energy doesn’t work for running for you then this one definitely won’t! Glad to save you the trouble. :)
I actually liked the Pace Perfect Bra but did not want to pay retail for. Will gladly pay md price for it. I’m a 34B and it’s plenty supportive and had zero movement or bounce when jumping around in the dressing room. I still like my RSYB. I’m addicted to the chapstick pocket in the front. Lol!
Glad it worked for you! Maybe if it doesn’t work for lots of people you’ll get your MD wish. ;) I hope they re-release the RSYB this year, but since it’s already nearly July, I’m not holding my breath. :\
Thanks for the review! I’ve been curious about this one. My hesitation was that I could imagine cramping up reaching for my phone behind me during a long run. I think I’ll stick to my energy or all sport bras. Like you, I only wear Lulu for running. (I always have my small Nathan handheld with me, which perfectly fits my iPhone, though I have a smaller version.)
Yeah, since I didn’t go running in it (obviously) I’m not sure if it would be comfortable to take in and out. But at least once it’s there, it’s comfortable and doesn’t move. My waistbelt bounces a bit and I don’t like to hold things in my hand, so I’m still searching for my ideal phone stashing option…
If you like the design concept, check out senita athletics. I think LLL borrowed this design from their Sarah sports bra, which was originally designed for an insulin pump.
https://www.senitaathletics.com/collections/tops/products/sarah-sports-bra-teal
I actually mentioned the Senita bra at the end of the post. :) When I first saw the pace perfect, I also wondered whether lulu “borrowed” the design. But, the two styles have enough differences (and it’s reasonable to imagine that two people could both independently come up with the back pocket idea) that I wanted to give lulu the benefit of the doubt…while also giving Senita a shoutout. ;)
☺my bad, i somehow missed that this morning. My friend Katie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last year, so i came across their site when looking for blogs that talk about staying active while managing blood sugar. I like that they’ve offered it in different patterns and colors. Lll has been so monochrome this year.
Yes I agree, their patterns are super cute! They do a great job of that.
I love my Pace Perfect bra. It worked for me. I’m 34C and got size 4. For me they are medium support and works well for my runs. I really love this bra. I put my iPhone 7 in back pocket so it’s handy since I love running with music. I use my Bose wireless blue tooth headset. I bought navy, black and the black and white print.
Nice! Glad the sizing worked out for you. :) I need to get some wireless headphones too!
Did u run in the bra to see how it worked? Thx
Nope, I didn’t run in it since I was planning to return it.