Best Clothing for Hyrox
What to wear for Hyrox β shirts, shorts, compression gear, and apparel recommendations for training and race day.
What to Wear on Race Day
Hyrox involves running, crawling, carrying, and sweating β a lot. Your clothing needs to handle constant movement, heavy perspiration, and occasional abrasion from sandbags and sleds.
Key Principles
- Moisture-wicking fabric β avoid cotton at all costs
- Minimal seams β reduces chafing during 60β120 min of movement
- Close-fitting but not restrictive β loose clothing catches on equipment
- Quick-drying β you will sweat more than you think
Tops
Race Day: Fitted Athletic Shirt
A fitted, moisture-wicking t-shirt or tank top is ideal. Avoid loose shirts that can get caught on the sled handles.
Our picks:
- Nike Dri-FIT Run Division β lightweight, excellent moisture management
- Under Armour Tech 2.0 β budget-friendly workhorse
- Lululemon Metal Vent Tech β premium comfort with anti-odor technology
Tank vs. T-shirt: Personal preference. Tanks offer more freedom of movement but t-shirts protect shoulders during sandbag lunges.
Bottoms
Men: Lined Shorts
5β7 inch inseam shorts with built-in compression liner. The liner prevents chafing and keeps everything in place during burpees and lunges.
Our picks:
- Nike Dri-FIT Stride β 7β with liner, great for running
- Lululemon Pace Breaker β premium quality, multiple lengths
- Ten Thousand Interval Short β popular in the functional fitness community
Women: High-Waist Leggings or Shorts
Compression leggings or biker shorts that stay in place during every movement.
Our picks:
- Nike One Mid-Rise Leggings β versatile, affordable
- Lululemon Align Shorts β incredibly comfortable, stays put
- Gymshark Vital Seamless β excellent compression and no ride-up
Socks
Donβt overlook socks. Youβll run 8km and perform functional movements β bad socks mean blisters.
- Crew height recommended (protects ankles during lunges)
- Merino wool blend or synthetic moisture-wicking
- Cushioned sole for running comfort
- No cotton
Our picks:
- Stance Run Crew β excellent cushioning
- Balega Hidden Comfort β cult favorite among runners
- Darn Tough Running Socks β lifetime warranty, merino wool
Compression Gear
Knee Sleeves
Highly recommended for Hyrox. They support your knees during lunges (100m!), wall balls (up to 100 reps), and heavy sled work.
- 5mm neoprene is ideal for Hyrox (not too thick, not too thin)
- Wear them from the start β theyβre hard to put on mid-race
Our picks:
- Rehband 5mm Knee Sleeves β the industry standard
- Bear KompleX Knee Sleeves β comfortable, good value
Calf Sleeves
Some athletes swear by compression calf sleeves for the running segments. They may help with muscle support and recovery.
Gloves and Grips
For the sled pull, farmers carry, and sandbag lunges, grip can be a limiter. Options:
- Gym gloves β protect hands, improve grip on the rope pull
- CrossFit grips β lightweight hand protection
- Chalk β some venues allow it, check rules in advance
Note: Many experienced Hyrox athletes race without gloves and build grip strength in training instead. Itβs personal preference.
Race Day Clothing Checklist
- Fitted moisture-wicking top
- Lined shorts or compression leggings
- Performance crew socks (bring a spare pair)
- 5mm knee sleeves
- Running shoes (broken in!)
- Sports bra (high impact)
- Headband or sweatband (optional)
- Gloves or chalk (optional)
- Complete change of clothes for post-race
What NOT to Wear
- Cotton anything β absorbs sweat, gets heavy, causes chafing
- Loose/baggy clothing β catches on sled handles and sandbags
- New clothing β test everything in training first
- Jewelry β can catch on equipment and is uncomfortable during stations
Fuel Your Training
Top supplements used by competitive Hyrox athletes