In Hyrox, your feet and legs are always working. Whether it’s during your runs, your lunges, your wall balls, rowing or even farmers carries… they never get a break.

So, it makes sense to have a think about what shoes you’ll be wearing and the built-in ‘technology’ – such as grips, foams, plates, shape, etc – that may help or hinder you.

There is some evidence that leading super shoes can improve running economy by as much as 3%. However, this research is obviously focused on fast-running individuals in distance racing scenarios.

In Hyrox, we need to consider not only how fast a shoe can allow us to run, but how stable it is for exercises such as lunges, what kind of drop it has for wall balls, how it allows us to press through our forefoot on the row, and whether it helps/hinders our jump and balance in the burpee broad jumps too.

What we wanted to achieve with this article is to let you know what shoes the best of the best Hyrox athletes are using and why. We also wanted to get their opinion, as elite athletes, on whether shoe choice makes a difference. As you will see, some athletes had lots of thoughts and opinions on their shoes. Others didn’t really care too much about shoes at all. The takeaway for me is that any shoe on this list has proven itself capable of running a sub 1:02 Hyrox… So, at very least, if you pick a shoe from this list then you know the shoe isn’t your limiter for the Top 30

This is the first in a series of 4 planned articles. This one is the shoe choices of the male elites, the second will be the shoe choices of the women elites, the third will be a breakdown of the shoe choices (looking for any patterns), and the final one will be a group test (should we be able to get hold of all of the shoes!).

Final note: We invited all male athletes with a time in the Top 30 of the 2022/2023 season to take part. 26 of 30 replied. If any of the top 30 end up reading this and aren’t on the list… check your Instagram DMs

I’ve chosen these shoes because I’ve been on the lookout for a super shoe. A super shoe is a shoe which has a PEBA foam (polyether block amide foam) compared to conventional EVA foam (Ethylene vinyl acetate foam).

These new foams absorb a lot more shock and give a lot more response back, so they’re a little bit bouncier, they have good cushion, and feel really good on the floor.

In addition to the foam, there’s a carbon plate in the shoe that helps compress the PEBA foam, which further helps with the energy return and propelling you forward.

Just in general, I’ve found I work really well with super shoes, I’ve raced pretty fast in them and just generally enjoy the experience.

Until the Pro 3s, I actually hadn’t had much luck finding a super shoe that has enough stability for the corners and grip for the carpets, but this shoe seems to fit the mold for both. I’m also testing our a pair of HOKA Rocket Xs, but I don’t think I’m going to change out of the Endorphin Pro 3s this year.

I think the difference a shoe makes is minimal to a certain point. As long as you meet the requirements of having enough rubber on the bottom that allows you to move the sleds and grip the concrete. Where there’s a big difference is if your shoes are inappropriate for the carpet, because then you’ll find you cannot grip or move the sleds and that’s where the difference really is.

So, the right shoe isn’t necessarily going to make you that much faster, but the wrong shoe could end up making you much slower.

I recently made the switch to this shoe (from the New Balance RC Elite V1s); in part because I train in the Saucony Endorphin Speeds for the majority of my run training and also because I feel the shoe has a little more bounce. It feels as though it runs closer to a Nike Vaporfly than any other shoes does: I like the high stack (and it’s a very high stack!), and it really feels like I’m getting some extra propulsion out of it. Also, the grip, unlike the previous model, really suits the run course.

This shoe for me has been very successful. In part, this is because I’m comfortable running in a shoe like this. I have not lost in this shoe yet. But, I will point out and caution people that if you’re not used to a high stack shoe it can be challenging, because cornering and doing functional fitness exercises won’t feel natural in a shoe like the Endorphin Pro 3, so that’s something you need to be prepared for.

I really think you want a shoe with a Carbon plate. It takes some of the beatdown off your legs, which really makes a difference, and lets you be really springy. But, at the same time, you want a shoe with a somewhat low profile that lets you do lunges and such without feeling feeling awkward.

If you’re a person racing in trainers: you’re doing it all wrong. Every shoe has a purpose. There are shoes that are meant for training and there are shoes that are meant for racing. Get yourself a race shoe so that you can feel like a streamlined butterfly when you’re full go and ready to race. It really makes a huge difference when you slap on a light shoe with a carbon plate. There’s a physical advantage, but also a mental advantage knowing you’re throwing on your fast shoes.

I have tried a few different shoes (Nike Pegasus; Adidas Takumi Sen; Nike Vapor Fly; Saucony Endorphin Pro. All, except the Pegasus, have very little grip for a 70-72kgs athlete but I know they work for heavier athletes. The Pegasus are “heavy” and slow).

It is a difficult compromise between speed and grip (On any type of “non-long” races I take comfort out of this equation. High level, high intensity sports are never comfortable).

After a few tests I have been using the New Balance RC FuelCell Elite Version 1 (4 races now); they are medium-fast shoes with a carbon plate but unlike the other carbon plate shoes, they have a great grip that works both when moving forwards and backwards.

Running shoes are made for running. The grip on the outsole is designed to help on that frontal dislocation movement. On a sled pull we are walking backwards. So it is very difficult to find shoes with a good grip to Hyrox.

A good carbon running shoe can take 4-5 seconds off of each KM on a good/fast runner (sub 4´/km).

But a bad grip can make a lighter athlete lose 30-45 seconds on each sled and waste lots of physical and mental energy.

We also need to consider that on Hyrox events the floor is usually is slippery, especially around aid stations and on the corners.

If one has to opt: Grip over speed without any doubts.

I prefer to feel the ground when I run vs a big stack height. And the rubber bottom is pretty nice too.

Proper shoes will help some, but it’s your fitness that really separates the athletes from one another.

It’s a very important question actually, one I’ve obsessed over in the passed and one I’ll continue to obsess over…

At the end of the day what you really want is a fast running shoe for running and a stable, grippy shoe for everything else.

Obviously those two are mutually exclusive.

So then it’s a calculation, how many seconds is a particular shoe going to eat from what, and is it worth it in terms of what it’ll gain me back somewhere else?

Which boils down to an estimation because if you’re just one person that’s going to be next to impossible to measure.

Anyway, more than half of the race is running + roxzone (in the Elite field anyway) so any % gained there will have a bigger impact than a % gained somewhere else.

In my experience a shoe that isn’t grippy / stable will hurt you the most on the sleds and perhaps the lunges, and it’s somewhat annoying on the farmers carry.

But they’re really small penalties… which is why you’ll see most of the field in super shoes, because they offer a proven advantage while running, and subjectively I find them even more beneficial if you’re running on wobbly legs

So then you’re just looking for a shoe that’s good _enough_ so you won’t bleed too much time on the sleds

So basically a super shoe with appropriate grip so you won’t slip on the sleds

I did my first few races in the New Balance RC Elite V1, which is still a good choice, though it’s not made anymore so basically impossible to get now

I made the switch to the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 a few months back, which has enough rubber and a bit of a tread pattern that grip isn’t really an issue, and it has a super bouncy foam and an aggressive rocker that I really like.

Oh and there is a station where a super shoe might actually be an advantage: I don’t mind an extra 39mm under my heel when I’m doing wall balls…

I already have and will use the Adidas Prime X Strung in the future.

The sole is very grippy (Continental). That’s an important factor. But the shoe also has a carbon plate. This definitely makes you faster. In addition, there is good cushioning that absorbs tired muscles. The damping is also a small disadvantage. The shoe is not that stable. Running in turns and lunges can become unstable. But that is also a matter of getting used to.

I chose the Endorphin Pros as they have a carbon plate and are very grippy on sleds.

In terms of difference, I’d say around 2-5 secs per km faster.

I’ve started using the Puma Nitro Elite, because it’s a light and stable shoe.
Before, I used to run with the Nike Vaporfly, which was very good for running, but not very stable for stations like the lunges or wall balls.

I work in sales for a sporting goods manufacturer. So I don’t have much comparison to other brands as I haven’t experimented and tried much.

I did my first races with the Cloud X. For the workouts optimal, when running I lacked cushioning.

I then switched to the Cloudflow. Unfortunately, my feet fell asleep during two races, which is very disadvantageous when running.

So I then came to the Hyperion Tempo from Brooks, with which I have contested most competitions to date.
The shoe is for me a perfect blend of comfort and dynamics with low weight. And during the workouts, the shoe offers sufficient grip and stability.

This season I have completed a few races with the Cloudmonster, with which I have also gained good experience. The comfort compared to the Brooks is significantly higher. However, I do not have the impression that I lose energy. In the workouts it lacks a little stability, but that does not really bother.

I’m eagerly awaiting the Cloudboom Echo 3 – I think the shoe is the perfect blend of the Hyperion Tempo and the Cloudmonster.

I think that the choice of shoes can make a difference of maximum 20-30 sec – considered on the whole race.

You need a shoe where you have grip, good stability and also a good feeling whilst you run.

I think one point to consider is that an individual will like different things about different shoes for him/herself specifically.

I’ll start by saying when I was young and could run fast I was sponsored by brooks so I’m slightly biased to them as I’ve worn almost solely brooks for 20 years. But they are also the best shoes!

So my hyrox shoe of choice is the Hyperion tempo for a few reasons:
1) it’s light and feels super fast, basically an old school type racer before carbon was a thing
2) it’s really grippy which is essential for the sleds
3) it’s small stack height makes it ideal for lunges and wall balls where stability is what you need.
4) and I think this is important brooks don’t tend to change much I’d be confident you’ll still get this shoe without changes for a few years yet.

The big with shoes that’s rarely addressed is athlete weight. The only elite athletes wearing carbon shoes are those who are physically the biggest. The reason they can get away with them is their weight in relation to the sled. They don’t need the grip to push that a smaller athlete needs.

I have tried the brooks Hyperion elite which is brooks carbon shoe but the sled takes so much energy that I end up losing time wearing them.

These are a directly, fast, lightweight trainer with good grip.

Shoes make a big difference. You need to decide what you need. Speed or grip!

I love talking about shoes, especially when it comes to Hyrox! I’m using pretty special shoes: S/Lab Pulsar 2s, which are a kind of trail running race shoe. It’s a very, very light shoe. Probably one of the lightest, but it still has many of the abilities of a trail running shoe. For example, it does very, very well on the sleds.

I have tested a lot of them. I own many, many shoes and have Soloman as a sponsor. Before that though I’d tested many Under Armour shoes, Nike shoes like the Vaporfly, and others too, but I am happy with the S/Lab as it’s the lightest and most stable with the best grip of all the elite shoes.

On whether it makes a difference… I think it depends. I think for average athletes completing their Hyrox in around 90 minutes to 2 hours, it’s not going to result in a huge difference. You have many other things you can work on to boost your potential. But, when it comes to the elites, every percentage and every second counts. A few seconds can be the difference between 1st and 2nd place, a spot on the podium, or in elite races it can even mean winning prize money or not.

These are a light, fast and direct shoe with a lot of grip.

In terms of how much difference a shoe makes: not so much. Maybe 5 %. The sled push is most important for which shoe you should wear.

I chose the Winflos because they have a good mix of being a comfortable shoe to run in, not too heavy, and a pattern on the bottom that I like for sled pushing. I love for small ridges and triangle or pyramid patterns for grip.

I think poor shoe choice with the sleds can kill your race and you have to be smart to look at the sole pattern. Being comfortable on the runs matter but the sleds are the biggest place a shoe can really mess you up.

Right now I’m wearing Brooks Ghost 14. It’s my second pair and I’ll stick to them, at least for this season. They have good grip and are light with a big heel, so perfect for fast running. What was very important for me, was the perfect fit and I need them to be very tight at the front part of my foot, so they deliver my whole strength directly on the floor!

A good shoe is very important, especially for the Sleds/Carpet and if you are racing Pro (heavier weights). For the Open category you can choose just a very good running shoe: a bit of grip is still necessary, depending somewhat on how strong you are, but most grips will be enough for those weights. Any shoe you buy you should test on a run and also test the grip on a carpet (if possible with a sled, or try pushing something).

If you do pro and you get to the sleds without any grip, that could be the end of your race.

Test them both ways: push and pull. Some shoes are just helpful for pushing and you’ll slide on the pull!

Only reason I use these shoes is because I’ve been wearing them for all things fitness for so long, so why change?
To be honest, I don’t know and I don’t care how much difference they make. My shoes aren’t going to make me faster or stronger. My training is!

The main message from me is that everyone should put more energy in there training than shoe wear.

I’ve gone with these because Tom Hogan recommended them and I trust this guy.

They feel light and comfortable for the runs but also stable for lunging and squats, and good traction for the sleds so I’ll be using them again in the future.

For me I think psychologically it makes a very small difference knowing I’ll be comfortable and stable in my shoes. But people definitely blow up the importance of shoe choice. As long as it’s a decent runner it won’t make or break your race so much. My opinion

My general opinion concerning the shoe topic is “back to basics”. As you have to run 8k at a fast pace it is important to wear a running shoe which is very direct and has enough grip for the sled workouts. In my opinion carbon shoes are not very useful for a Hyrox, because most of the tracks have direction changes or square curves. For this most carbon shoes are too spongy, I think these shoes do not fit for most of the workouts (too instable). In general I really like carbon shoes for street races, but not for a Hyrox.

I have chosen the Adidas SL20 for my last race, because of the facts above (direct, good stability for the workouts, good grip for the sleds).

I think the shoes can make a difference (specifically: it can go wrong if you use shoes which are not stable enough), but the most important thing is, that you feel comfortable with the shoes.

The Saucony Pro 3s are light, carbon fiber and feel fast. I think they make a big difference.

When competing as an elite it opened up my eyes to other shoes that are available. I was using Brooks launch 9 and they are comfortable, but I don’t believe they are as fast. So I changed.

The reason why I have chosen this shoe is because of the robustness and support they provide along with its light weight and sole with studs that help traction on sleds.

The sole of the shoes can be decisive, and I think these have the ideal sole for Hyrox race.

Until now I have always given more priority to having a shoe that holds well, especially in the heel, arch and toecap, condemning a bit the lightness and propulsion.

For running I have always used the Asics Kayano and this is the first time I have tried Mizuno, and I have to say that I am very happy.

I have never used shoes with a carbon plate, but it is an option that I am considering for next season.

Shoe choice is very personal and in my case I think I will continue giving priority to the stability to perform better and more comfortably the stations, losing some speed and lightness on the run.

There are athletes who have other priorities when choosing the characteristics of their shoes.

I chose this shoe as I prefer a shoe with a carbon plate and feel like I get more of a bounce forward.

It’s always down to the athlete on how the performance goes, but if you find a shoe that you think you can run faster in, then that’s what counts. Hyrox is a head game as much as a fitness game. I’ve just got it in my head that a carbon plated shoe makes me run faster, so it’s good for my mental state for the race. Ha!

In the pro division it can come down to a shoe when it comes to shifting the prowlers. You could lose seconds with the wrong choice of shoe, and that can be the difference of winning or losing. So something grippy as well as bouncy suits me personally.

With the Open category, I’d say pick a shoe that you like.

These are fast shoes with great stability and very good grip.
I think they are very good shoes for the running but the huge difference with others shoes is the great stability. This makes a difference with the lunges and wallballs.

I have been competing in Nike Zoom Fly 4, but recently I bought Zoom Fly 5 and have just done one race in them. I am not sure if the Zoom Fly 5 are better than the Fly Zoom 4 though. Definitely the shape of the heel is not very good for rowing. Both shoes will helps you run faster for sure and the 5s are more stable for lunges.

Both shoes have solid uppers which helps with pushing and pulling: they’re not just socks with a sole. And both are enough comfortable and soft when your running style goes to hell

Well balanced shoes. Good grip for sleds while providing good stability for wall balls and lunges. Probably not the best for running, but a balanced choice
Shoes make a difference at the elite level, especially on the running due to the carbon plate. Might improve your 1km by 3-5 seconds

I use the SCOTT Speed Carbon RC as it’s a shoe that offers me plenty of comfort during not only the running (due to the full Carbon), but also as a result of the super nice stability during the exercises. It also has amazing grip!

I used a Nike shoe for the first time in the World Championships in Las Vegas last year, and on the first sled push I broke them! I looked for a light shoe with a sole with good grip for the sled and that is the Puma Deviate Nitro. I’ve found this shoe very good for sleds and running, although it is a bit unstable in the lunges and the wallballs. I think this shoe helps me cut 2-3 minutes overall.

Hunter said he is currently using the Puma Deviate Nitros and he feels shoe choice “makes a big difference”.

The Puma Deviate Nitros are a change from what he has previously worn: the Brooks Launch 8.

In a YouTube video, Hunter said: “When it comes to racing and training, it’s all about the shoes that I wear. I want to have the best performance in my body, and this transfers all the way into the ground where I’m going to get most of my performance from.”

On the sleds specially, he added: “The most important thing is to have as much rubber contact as possible, just because the carpet lifts up and if you don’t have maximum surface area on it then you have less traction.”

He also warned: “I showed up for my first ever Hyrox in a trail shoe. Because of the sleds, I thought for sure ‘this is gonna have so much grip. I’m gonna be the tough guy.’ But, they did not stick at all and I had the slowest sled time of almost anybody from the pros. So one tip: don’t wear a trail shoe!”

And that’s it! 18 shoes by 28 different Elite athletes.

Before you go though, let us know in the comments which shoes you’re using for your next Hyrox and why.