I recently received a packing list for a trip. It said to bring my “favorite sports bra.” I stared into my athletic-wear drawer, suitcase open, puzzling over the word favorite. As a health editor, I own maybe 20 sports bras, but I wouldn’t say I like any of them. Some look good; some actually provide support; none do both. I do not have a favorite.

In fact, I’ve never had a favorite. I wear a size 32E or F, so it’s a challenge to even find a sports bra to begin with. Small, medium, and large sizing doesn’t work for me, and brands often expect me to squeeze into a 34DD which…isn’t happening. So I’m used to settling for a poor fit. I’ve done jumping jacks in the back of a class with my arms over my chest to stop bouncing. I’ve finished half-marathon training runs literally bleeding from too-tight hook-and-eye closures digging into me. I’ve wistfully walked past strappy workout tops with built-in bras, because I know they will be zero help.

This problem isn’t just mine. When I tell people it’s part of my job to work out, one of the first questions I get—regardless of the woman’s size—is: “Why are sports bras so terrible?” And, “Can you help me find a good one?” I admit, I haven’t had a great answer. Sports bras have sucked basically since they were invented. The first one was made from sewing together two jock straps in the 1970s, and everything we’ve wiggled into since has been a derivative of that initial creation. Made for a man, stitched together for a woman. They’re either flimsy (but cute!) or ultra-restrictive—either way, it seems no one is getting the support they need.

That packing list? It was for a trip to ­athletic-​wear giant Lululemon’s headquarters in Vancouver. I was going to be trying a new bra that the company said would solve our problems. “Sports bras have always been trying to eliminate breast movement,” Laura Dixon, Lululemon’s innovation design director, tells me. The goal is to keep us strapped down and bound—running like we don’t have boobs at all basically. But the bra’s design team (all female, by the way) decided to work with our breasts’ natural motion instead. The result: the Enlite, ($98, lululemon.com) a sleek, simple bra with four straps (two over the shoulders and two that crisscross the back) and a pair of hook-and-eye closures. When they hand me one, it doesn’t look very supportive.

Before I test it, the Lululemon team has me hop onto a treadmill wearing the “favorite” bra I’ve brought along, which holds me like duct tape, with four sexy hook-and-eyes. I’m plugged in to a 3-D motion capture system, and I see a model of my boobs being tracked on a computer screen nearby. Strapped into the bra, there’s not much movement.

Then I try on the Enlite. I’m dubious. I can feel space between my breasts—never a good sign for me while running—and I feel nostalgic for my duct tape. The straps aren’t adjustable, and it seems like they’ll fall off once I start to move. There are only two measly hooks. But then I start running. And those concerns? None of them is a problem. Having room between my breasts is comfortable. The straps stay in place. I run for a few more minutes and realize I’m not thinking about my boobs at all. This has never happened to me before.When I finish my treadmill time, one of Lululemon’s research scientists runs the numbers: My breasts were bouncing less in the Enlite bra, but more important, she says, they were bouncing more slowly. In other words: Women aren’t bothered if their breasts move as long as they don’t ping-pong around. The Enlite bra achieves this by differing the design depending on your size—smaller sizes have less fabric, while larger sizes have thicker straps—but the experience is the same: a comfortable run in a nonsucky sports bra.

Testing out the Enlite bra in Vancouver

Want to know how to find your unicorn magic bra?

• Seek cup sizing when you can. It’s more likely to offer a customized fit, says Dixon: “Nothing should be digging in, cutting into, or poking the breast.” And your entire breast should be covered by fabric; if you’re spilling out, the bra is cutting into you, and it won’t do anything for breast movement in those unsupported areas.

• Those removable pads? They may make you sweat more (they’re an extra layer), but they don’t impact support much. Take them out before washing in a lingerie bag (roll them up to reinsert them).

• Keep in mind the activity you do most: For cycling, yoga, or anytime you side-stretch, avoid underwire. Go for more coverage if you like high-impact workouts.

There are a lot of bad sports bras out there, sure, but now I’m a believer: We can all find a favorite.