What actually matters for the sled and the wall balls
Most gear talk is noise. Two stations turn a kit choice into seconds on the clock, and both are about grip.
The sleds. The sled push is 152kg including the sled for Open Men and 102kg for Open Women. You move it with a low body angle and steady drive through the balls of your feet.
A soft, tall road shoe squashes under that load and your foot slips. A stable sole with grippy rubber is the whole trick.
The typical Open Men's sled push is 3:10 and the top 10% do 2:25. Good shoes will not win the race here, but shoes that slip can cost you minutes and wreck the run after.
See the splits on sled push and sled pull. The sled pull is one of only two stations where chalk is allowed.
The wall balls. This is the biggest single gap in the race. The typical Open Man takes 7:15 and the top 10% take 5:00.
Kit barely helps, and there is one hard rule: no chalk at the wall balls. Using it is a two-minute penalty.
Gloves are usually a no here too. You want your hands on the ball, not peeling off wet gloves before 100 reps. Train the grip instead.
The standard: hips below the knees, the ball strikes the target, and you catch it or let it drop. Details are on wall balls and in the rules and penalties guide.
Everything else — the farmers carry, the sandbag lunges, the burpee broad jumps, the SkiErg and the row — is decided by training and pacing, not by kit.
What HYROX gear has to survive
HYROX kit is not tested when you are fresh. It is tested at station six, with wet hands and tired forearms.
Every item you bring is one more thing to manage. Bring less, and only bring what you have trained in.
Shoes: the only decision that really matters
You need one shoe that can run 8 km and grip a smooth floor under a loaded sled. Those two jobs pull in different directions, so every HYROX shoe is a compromise.
Running is about half of a typical race. That is why a running shoe with good grip is the usual starting point. Gym trainers are great at the stations but feel heavy by the eighth kilometre.
What to look for:
- Grippy rubber under the forefoot. The sled push is where a slick shoe lets you down. Check the outsole, not just the foam.
- A stable base. Very soft, very tall shoes can roll under a sled or a loaded lunge.
- Enough cushioning to run 8 km. A flat lifting shoe is the opposite mistake.
- A secure midfoot. Your foot should not slide inside the shoe when you drive forward.
- Closed toes. The rulebook requires them for the whole race.
A carbon plate is fine on the sled if the rubber grips. Some stiff plated shoes feel awkward in lunges and burpees, so test yours on both before race day.
Current examples, by type
These are current models, checked on the brands' own sites and in 2026 reviews. They are examples, not endorsements. Fit beats any list.
| Type | Who it suits | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| HYROX race shoe, carbon plate | Faster athletes racing for a time | PUMA x HYROX Deviate NITRO Elite 4, PUMA x HYROX Deviate NITRO 4 |
| Running shoe, no plate | First races and most age-group athletes | PUMA x HYROX Velocity NITRO 5, HOKA Mach 7 |
| Running shoe, flexible plate | Runners who want some spring but still need to bend the foot | Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 |
| Gym trainer | Strong lifters who train mostly in the gym | Nike Metcon 10, Reebok Nano range, PUMA Activate NITRO |
PUMA is HYROX's official partner and now makes shoes built for the race. That does not make them right for your feet.
Race in shoes you have already trained in. A new pair needs a few runs and at least one session with sled work first.
Socks, and why they are not a detail
Wear socks that cover the ankle. The sled rope runs past your lower legs, and every lunge drags your back foot close to the floor.
Low socks leave that skin exposed. A mid-crew running sock fixes it for almost nothing.
Gloves: optional, personal, and a time cost
Gloves are allowed. Gymnastics-style grips are not.
Gloves help on the sled pull rope and the farmers carry handles. They cost time if you take them on and off with wet hands.
Decide before the race. Anything you start with, you carry to the finish. You cannot hand kit to a friend mid-race.
What to look for:
- A thin glove with a grippy palm, not a padded lifting glove.
- One you can pull on in one movement with sweaty hands.
- A pair you have trained in, so your grip plan matches race day.
Cheap rubber-palmed gardening gloves are a legal option for the farmers carry. Racing without gloves and training your grip is just as valid.
They are no help at the wall balls, where you want your hands on the ball.
Kit for the roxzone
The roxzone is the corridor between every run and every station, and it is timed. Anything that flaps, catches or needs adjusting costs you time in there.
- Fitted top and fitted shorts or tights. Nothing loose near the sled rope or the sandbag.
- Empty pockets. Phones, headphones and earbuds are banned.
- Hair tied back, drawstrings tucked, laces double-knotted.
- Timing chip on your ankle. You get it at check-in, and a chip worn anywhere else may not record your time.
- Everything else goes in bag drop. You will not see it until you finish.
Watches and heart rate straps
A watch is optional, but it helps you pace. Set one simple screen before race day: lap time and heart rate.
- GPS off. Most races are indoors, so pace by lap time, not the watch's distance.
- A chest strap over wrist heart rate. Wrist readings lag and jump around at the grip stations. A chest strap reads far better.
- A mode you have practised. A lap button or multisport profile, used in training first.
Examples: Amazfit is HYROX's official wearable partner and timekeeper. Its current watches, such as the Balance 3 and Cheetah 2 Pro, have a built-in HYROX race mode.
Garmin (such as the Forerunner 570 and 970), Apple and COROS watches do the same job with a multisport or hybrid profile, or a third-party app. For chest straps, the Polar H10 and Garmin HRM 600 are current.
Rules that decide your kit
From the HYROX 2026/27 rulebook:
- Allowed: gloves (not grips), knee sleeves, a weightlifting belt, wristbands and a hydration pack.
- Banned: headphones, phones, earplugs, cameras, VR headsets and smart glasses.
- Chalk: only HYROX's own chalk, and only at the sled pull and farmers carry. Your own chalk, or chalk anywhere else, is a two-minute penalty.
- Shoes: closed-toe shoes all race. You may take them off at the wall balls, but you carry them to the finish.
- Water: on offer at least once each time you pass through the roxzone. Drink it. Pouring it over yourself is a two-minute penalty.
- Food: anything you want to eat, you carry from the start.
What you do not need
A weight belt, knee sleeves, a hydration pack or a watch you have never used. The first three are allowed, but none of them make the sled lighter.
Your own chalk is not an option at all. It is banned.
Spend your money in this order
- Shoes with a stable base and grippy rubber, that you have run in.
- Socks above the ankle, and a fitted top you have trained in.
- A chest strap, if you pace by heart rate.
- Gloves, if you have decided to race in gloves.
- Everything else, which is optional.
The most expensive kit in the hall will not make up for a training block you did not do.
