I’m fine with writing about conquering a ropes course or hiking with my family, but I’ve never thought of writing about the bra I was wearing when doing it. Sports bras were just functional, right? It took wearing a sports bra designed by a woman in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to realize they can be functional and comfortable. Let me tell you about Tamara Brunow and H2W Apparel.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by H2W Apparel. I also received complimentary product for the post. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.
What is H2W Apparel
H2W Apparel was started by Tamara Brunow, after a particularly crummy 16-day stretch of work in 2011 when the Missouri River had flooded. Brunow owned a construction company, and was raising three kids on her own, so you can imagine those long days both professionally and personally. And long days in an uncomfortable bra is miserable, right?
And one day, she decided there has to be a better bra and if she couldn’t find it, she’d design it. She had the engineering chops and she was a woman who was all too familiar with cute but unbearable bras, so though many trials and errors, she designed the bra that you’ll find in the H2W Apparel line.
The bra has custom-molded cups that offer the support you need but not a total uni-boob look to it (you know how sports bras can be), and a mesh lining that allows the skin to breath. The bra zips in the front, making it easy to take on and off, especially post-workout.
And the design feature that really makes the bra stand out? The bra has a patent-pending ergonomic H-back, which eliminates the annoying strap from slipping down.
“I think you hit a point in your life, you realize the cute things that sell are not functional. “I just want to be comfortable,” said Brunow.
I tried the H2W Sports Bra
Brunow sent me a few of the bras and pants to try out before writing this. I tried out the bra with the H-back, you guys. And, for real, it’s not a bra you immediately want to rip off as soon as you enter your house.
Right before Christmas, I wore it on a 2-mile hike around Hitchcock Nature Center right before Christmas, and then kept it on to do some last-minute shopping that evening. It was comfortable and worked well (plus it didn’t look like I was wearing a sports bra).
The bra for every woman
I want to point out that Brunow intended for her sports apparel to be for every woman, especially the women often overlooked by the sports industry.
“We want women of all sizes to wear our clothes. We want to be an inclusive brand.”
When she was designing her bra and researching performance fabrics, she concluded that anyone over a size 12 was pretty much ignored by the sports industry.
“Once you’re beyond a size 12, you’re on a raft by yourself,” Brunow had concluded. So, she set out to change that.
Her bras include sizes that fit women who wear up to a size 24. And she wasn’t done with bras – she went on to design super comfy workout pants, too. Her pants, Gym and Swim, are scaled large so that the XXL works for women in sizes 24-26.
The Gym and Swim should’ve been in my life four months ago when I tried moonlight kayaking. They’re comfy and they’re waterproof. The pants have nylon latex in them, like in swimsuits. And my favorite part, these pants don’t slide down, so no more plumber’s crack. H2W also has soft leggings available.
The colors are limited, just black or gray bras for now, but as the company grows, Brunow will add more colors. She told me she’s had women request a nude or white bra.
In case you’re wondering what H2W stands for (as I was), it stands for Brunow’s personal mantra: “Happy, healthy, whole.”
I love it, don’t you?
Where to buy H2W apparel
You can buy H2W Apparel online and locally in a handful of stores right now. In Omaha, it’s available at Nearly Naked Lingerie at 171st and Center streets, and Karma Yoga at 156th and Dodge streets. In Council Bluffs, you can find apparel at Hello Gorgeous Hair Salon at 1010 S. Main St., suite 500. And, further beyond, products are available at Teal Creek Boutique in Fort Calhoun, Neb.
Online, you’ll find H2W Apparel prices to be pretty reasonable, especially for how comfortable they are. Bras are $60, and pants range from $15 to $25.
If you buy one, let me know what you think of it!
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