7 Best HYROX Running Shoes in 2025

How we test HYROX running shoes

In addition to running, rowing, lunging, and sled pushing in each tested shoe, we also take them through a series of lab tests to get over 30+ data points for a more comprehensive picture.

We use specialised tools and machinery to measure parameters like forefoot traction, energy return, midsole dimensions, stack height, drop, and weight, among others. These characteristics are essential for peak performance in HYROX, and having objective data allows us to shortlist the truly best options for the sport.

What’s more, none of our lab tests are sponsored – we buy all the tested shoes ourselves.

What makes a good HYROX shoe

The shoe choice for HYROX is complicated by the fact that this race combines running with functional fitness exercises. The two involve entirely different biomechanics and mutually exclusive shoe characteristics.

On the one hand, you need a fast, cushioned, and light shoe with great energy return to run the 1 km sprints in between each workstation as fast as possible (8 km in total). After all, the goal of the race is to complete the entire course as quickly as possible.

On the other hand, you need a stable and planted trainer with a super grippy outsole to be effective for movements in the RoxZone (SkiErg, sled pushes and pulls, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer’s carries, sandbag lunges, and wall balls).

The most acclaimed race running shoes (think Nike Alphafly) fail in functional fitness, while the most stable cross-trainers (like Nike Metcons) are a disaster for sprinting. But here is the good news – a lot of running shoes fall in the grey area between the two polarities, providing great grip and stability without sacrificing your running speed.

A more well-rounded shoe design will help you find a good balance here.

There is a good reason why the PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite 3 became the first official HYROX shoe. Okay, sure, the race is sponsored by PUMA, but aside from that, this is a good example of a versatile shoe that helps you run fast without feeling too wobbly and awkward at the stations.

A closer look at the PUMA Deviate reveals the following characteristics:

• Excellent outsole grip
• Moderately soft platform
• Good energy return

We believe that these shoe features are essential for any HYROX shoe if you want to remain stable and surefooted in the RoxZone and keep your best pace when running in between.

But given the individual needs and preferences, you might as well consider the following parameters:

• Stack height
• Heel-to-toe drop
• Heel shape
• Arch support
• Heel lockdown
• Fit and toebox space
• Breathability
• Durability
• Weight

Wow, that’s a lot of boxes to tick!

But don’t worry, you don’t have to. You can choose which of these points are must-haves and which ones are optional for you.

Top 3 features to look for in the best HYROX shoes

If you are new to HYROX and don’t know where to start, we highly recommend checking if your shoes of choice have the five characteristics described in the sections below.

Excellent outsole grip

More specifically, grip on:

• Artificial carpet-style turf. Most functional fitness stations in HYROX are covered with a specifically designed turf surface called the Centr x HYROX Perform Turf.
• Polished concrete, smooth wood, or rubberized indoor track surfacing. Depending on the HYROX venue, these are the most common surfaces for running splits.
• Rubber flooring. Transition zones and some stations (wall balls, row, ski) are covered with rubber mats.
• Wet floor. It should also be noted that the venue flooring can get wet from sweat during the meet.

Most running shoes are designed for dry concrete roads and pavements and may not even have a full-length rubber outsole to provide the best grip on HYROX surfaces.

To give you an idea of how important grip is for HYROX, some Pro and Elite athletes even turn to trail running shoes for the benefit of higher traction!

Sled pushes and pulls are where you need that grip the most in HYROX. Seasoned athletes all agree that this station can make or break your entire meet’s performance, so shoe choice is critical here. However, good traction is also helpful at other stations, i.e. for safe landings from burpee broad jumps.

Slipping or losing your footing in HYROX means that you lose precious seconds of your time and, what’s even worse, put yourself at risk of getting injured.

So when you check the bottom of your future HYROX shoe, you want to see the following:

• Good rubber coverage (specifically in the ball of the foot area)
• Some defined texture or even small lugs on the rubber
• High outsole friction

We follow an acclaimed SATRA TM144 method for testing each shoe’s outsole grip to let you know its coefficient of friction (CoF).

Here is an overview of HYROX shoes with the best forefoot traction, according to our lab tests. The higher the number (CoF), the better the grip:

Moderately soft midsole

Running shoes are primarily designed for linear forward movement, specifically for activities like running and walking. Who would’ve thought that people would start shuttling heavy kettlebells in them?

Gladly, there are running shoes with decent midsole firmness to provide decent power transfer for the RoxZone.

Weighted stations like Farmer’s carries, sandbag lunges, and rowing machines call for firmer and less compressible soles for better output. Mushy and spongy foams will result in instability and muted energy transfer.

Example of a HYROX shoe with moderate cushioning softness (22 HA)

We cut shoes in half and use a Shore A durometer to measure the softness of their midsole foams. The lower the HA reading, the softer the foam: 0-20 HA = soft, 20-30 HA = balanced, 30+ HA = firm.

We measure both primary and secondary foams (if any) because some shoes can mix plush compounds for shock absorption and firmer ones for stability.

In our experience, running shoes with a midsole firmness of at least 15 HA could be recommended for HYROX.

Here is an overview of midsole softness in the most popular HYROX shoes. The higher the HA number, the firmer the sole:

Good energy return

Super shoes are very popular among HYROX athletes because they are packed with advanced PEBA (or other supercritical foam) and carbon (or nylon plates) which provide exceptional energy return during the running splits of HYROX.

These shoes feel notably bouncier and make toe-offs feel springy and propelling.

But do you necessarily need a super shoe to compete in HYROX? Not at all!

Given the shorter distance of running splits (1 km) and the total running distance (8 km), you can choose any running shoe that you would otherwise pick for a 5K/or 10K race.

Ideally, you would want a mix of great energy return and stability for the workstations. But if you want an edge in speed and hope to shave some seconds off your PB, you are better off with shoes that show the highest percentage of energy return (60% or more).

We use specialised equipment and follow the industry’s ASTM F1976-13 standard to measure the precise energy return (%) of all shoes in our lab.

Other important things to consider in HYROX shoes

In our opinion, grip, midsole firmness, and energy return are the most crucial characteristics of a HYROX shoe.

However, depending on your personal needs and preferences, you may find other shoe characteristics just as important:

• Say you want maximum cushioning at a minimum weight?
• Or you have wide feet and need a roomy toebox?
• Or maybe you want the most breathable shoe ever known to mankind?

Let’s dive into these nitty-gritties and fine-tune the perfect HYROX shoe for you.

Stack height

HYROX doesn’t put any cap on the shoe’s stack height, so it all comes down to the athlete’s personal preference.

However, choosing shoes with a 40+ mm heel stack still comes with a price as you are:

• sacrificing stability at the weighted stations
• raising your chances of getting injured
• making it harder for some reps to count (i.e. sandbag lunges only count if your knee makes contact with the ground which can be harder to do on a taller platform)
• potentially losing seconds fitting your thick-foamed shoe into the rower’s heel cup

A higher heel stack almost always implies a higher forefoot stack. Please note that shoes with a forefoot stack of 30+ mm make it nearly impossible to bend the foot in the forefoot (especially if there is a carbon plate involved). This can be a major hindrance when doing burpees and lunges.

To find some middle ground, a moderate heel stack of 30-38 mm is generally recommended, especially for beginner athletes. This setup provides enough cushioning without making you feel too disconnected from the ground or compromising stability.

If you do opt for a higher-stacked shoe to reap the benefits of enhanced shock absorption and energy return, you might as well choose a wider platform (at least 90 mm in the widest part of the heel). This will help to compensate for some of the instability caused by a tall and narrow base.

Having extended contact points with the ground helps you stay planted and surefooted at the workstations and sharp turns, especially closer to the finish line when leg fatigue kicks in.

Heel-to-toe drop

The difference in stack heights between the shoe’s heel and forefoot is referred to as the drop. The higher the drop, the higher your heel sits above the toes inside the shoe.

The most common heel-to-toe drop in running shoes is 8-10 mm, but you can also find some low-drop options (less than 4.5 mm) and even zero-drop shoes.

When choosing the right heel-to-toe offset for you, consider the following:

• Your strike pattern for running: High drop is better for heel strikers while low-to-zero drop caters to forefoot strikers. For more nuances, see our comprehensive guide on the heel-to-toe drop in running shoes.

• Your ankle mobility for squats: High drop is better for poor ankle mobility because a wall ball rep only counts when your thighs are parallel with the ground.

If you are a beginner HYROX participant, we recommend choosing shoes with a standard drop of at least 6 mm.

Heel shape

Because one of the HYROX stations involves a rowing machine, you want to choose shoes with a more traditional rounded heel shape.

Stay away from shoes with unconventional heel designs or protruding (flared) elements that don’t fit into the Concept2 rower heel cups.

Arch support

If you have a case of flat feet (or low arches) paired with moderate or severe overpronation, your HYROX shoe must have proper arch support as well.

Based on the level of arch support they provide, all running shoes are divided into neutral and stability categories. Here is a quick overview of pronation types and the shoe types recommended for them:

Unfortunately, the choice of stability shoes for HYROX is quite limited, so athletes with overpronation may opt for neutral shoes with higher torsional rigidity, as well as firmer and wider midsoles to support their biomechanics.

Heel lockdown

A good HYROX shoe will provide a comfortably snug and secure rearfoot experience, minimising the risk of heel slippage and ankle wobbling. This is especially important for sled pushes when you are exerting force on your tiptoes.

If you are a beginner, choose shoes with moderately stiff and padded heel counters as they provide a good amount of rearfoot support and lockdown. An extra pair of eyelets may come in handy as well if you use a heel lock lacing for a more secure fit.

We check each shoe’s heel counter stiffness manually with a push-and-squeeze test and rate it on a 1-5 stiffness scale (5 being the stiffest).

TIP: Choose more flexible heel counters if you have sensitive Achilles and stiffer ones if you have moderate-to-severe overpronation (to prevent excessive inward rolling of the foot).

Fit and toebox space

HYROX races keep you on your feet for a good 90 minutes straight, so you better be wearing a well-fitting pair of shoes!

In addition to the snug heel fit discussed above, your HYROX shoe must accommodate your foot shape without any hot spots or pressure points.

There are a few things you want to consider when looking for a perfect fit on a HYROX shoe:

Size (shoe length): Knowing your current foot length will help you get the right shoe length and fit in the first place. Studies show that up to 60-70% of people are wearing shoes that are too small or too tight!

Fit (shoe width): Shoe width varies greatly, even in a standard D medium width. Our lab tests show that the widest part of the shoe’s upper (ball of foot area) ranges from 90 to 100+ mm! Athletes with wider feet should either opt for a wider-fitting medium-width shoe or consider an alternative wide/extra wide width (not available in all shoes, unfortunately).

Toebox width: Shoe toeboxes come in all shapes and sizes, from narrow and pointy to rounded and spacious (from 70 to 80+ mm). We measure the width of each shoe’s toebox in the big toe area to let you know how much toe space to expect.

Toebox height: Measuring the toebox height of all tested shoes, we found that some uppers sit extra close to your toes (23 mm), while others leave plenty of vertical space above them (33 mm). This is especially important to know for people with black or ingrown toenails, hammer toes, and similar toe deformations.

Breathability

Maintaining your peak performance for up to 90 minutes generates a tonne of heat and sweat inside the shoes!

This not only affects comfort but can also result in foot swelling, blisters, or, worse, foot slipping inside the shoe which compromises control during sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, and other exercises.

Choosing shoes with breathable mesh uppers and perforations helps to regulate the in-shoe temperature and airflow.

We test each shoe’s breathability using a smoke-pumping machine, a LED light, and even a microscope. In the end, each shoe gets a 1-5 breathability score.

Durability

Running shoe designers didn’t necessarily imagine that their products would be used for sled pushes or burpees on rough carpeted turf.

If you want your pair of HYROX shoes to last a little longer than a few training sessions and a race, it makes sense to check their durability in the following areas:

Outsole durability: When the outsole starts to show signs of wear and tear, it also loses the initial grip it offered. To test how well each shoe’s outsole rubber stands up against abrasion, we take it through our Dremel and sandpaper test. The shallower the damage, the better the durability.