[ Gear · Gloves ]
Hyrox gloves: when you need them, when you don't
Gloves are the most over-recommended piece of Hyrox kit. Beginner advice says always wear them; experienced racers almost never do for full races. The real answer depends on the station.
On the sled pull (rope, hand-over-hand) gloves protect the hands and grip better in sweat. On the farmers carry (kettlebell handle) most racers prefer bare hands, the friction is what stops you dropping. On rowing, wall ball, and burpee broad jumps, gloves are pure friction loss.
[ What to look for ]
- Thin palm, under 2 mm. Anything thicker reduces handle feel on kettlebells.
- Fingerless or three-quarter fingers. Full-finger gloves grip poorly.
- Open palm or mesh top. Sweat needs to escape.
- Tacky palm material (silicone, leather, or rubberised) for rope work.
- Lightweight enough to slip on/off mid-race if you change your mind.
[ What to avoid ]
- Lifting gloves with thick padded palms, kills handle feel.
- Full-finger CrossFit gloves, too thick on the rope.
- Hand-grips designed for pull-ups, wrong shape for kettlebells.
- Cheap one-size gloves, fit matters enormously for a 60-min race.
Gloves, frequently asked questions
The plan does.
Right kit, wrong plan: still slow. Right plan: any decent kit will do. Take the quiz, see your Week 1 free.