Hyrox Gloves: Do They Help or Slow You Down?

Overview

The gloves question comes up constantly in Hyrox communities. Some athletes swear they are essential for the sled pull and farmers carry. Others say gloves reduce feel on the SkiErg handles and slow down the wall balls. Here is the honest breakdown.

Why Athletes Use Gloves

Grip fatigue is a real limiting factor in Hyrox — particularly on the sled pull, farmers carry, and to a lesser extent the SkiErg and rowing. Gloves protect against bar and handle abrasion that builds up across 60 to 90 minutes of repeated gripping. For athletes with a history of hand tears from weightlifting, thin gloves or grips can make a meaningful comfort difference.

Grip Impact

The downside is that gloves reduce tactile feedback and can slightly reduce your gripping power on smooth handles. On the SkiErg and rowing, where you want a sensitive grip that responds to load changes, gloves can feel disconnecting. Most competitive athletes do not wear full gloves — they use chalk instead.

Sled Pull Gloves

This is the station where gloves make the most sense. The rope pull creates friction and abrasion across the palm. A thin gym glove or gymnastics grip on the pull rope reduces this meaningfully. If you are doing this station without gloves, the rope can leave your hands raw for the rest of the race.

Farmers Carry Gloves

Most athletes do not use gloves for the farmers carry. The kettlebell handle requires full finger engagement and gloves reduce tactile control. Chalk is significantly more effective for improving your grip on smooth kettlebell handles than gloves. If your gym allows chalk, use chalk — not gloves — for the carry.

Verdict

Use chalk if allowed — it outperforms gloves for most stations. If chalk is not allowed at your venue, thin gymnastics grips are the best compromise. Skip thick gloves entirely. The marginal friction protection they offer is not worth the reduced feel and grip power.