What to bring to HYROX: race-day checklist and kit rules

What you really need for a HYROX race fits in one gym bag: photo ID, your ticket, the shoes and kit you trained in, fuel you've already tested and dry clothes for afterwards. Where first-timers come unstuck is the rules. Your own chalk earns a 2-minute penalty. Headphones and phones aren't allowed on the race floor. Several event pages won't accept a photo of your ID on your phone.

This checklist is built from the HYROX Season 26/27 rulebook and the official HYROX FAQs and event pages, checked in October 2026. The rulebook is global. The event pages and regional FAQs are where the differences live, and we flag them where they matter. Racing DEKA, ATHX or another hybrid race? The bag list carries over, the kit rules don't, and there's a section on that near the end.

The HYROX race-day checklist

Three piles: what goes in your bag, what's on you at the start, and what you'll want after the finish. One packing tip: do it the night before, with the after-race pile at the bottom, so you're not digging through recovery kit in the bag drop queue.

In your bag

• Physical photo ID. Government-issued, and the actual document, not a photo of it.
• Your ticket barcode or QR code, downloaded from your HYROX account to your phone or printed. The phone goes back in the bag before you race.
• Race shoes, plus whatever you travel in.
• Race kit: top, shorts or leggings, socks, sports bra. Nothing new.
• A warm layer for the queue at check-in, the warm-up and the wait before your wave.
• Permitted accessories you've trained with: gloves (not grips), knee sleeves, a weightlifting belt, wristbands.
• A marker pen for your start time and lap plan (more on that below).
• Pre-race food and a drink. Breakfast if you're travelling early, and a snack for the wait.
• Energy gels, if you use them. They move to your pocket before the bag goes to bag drop.
• Any prescribed inhaler or medication.

On you at the start line

• Timing chip on your ankle. HYROX USA, Australia and Hong Kong specify the right ankle.
• Your wristbands, visible. Judges use your wristband to assign your weights.
• Your bib number, and your start time written on your arm. The rulebook requires the start time to be clearly visible there.
• Closed-toe shoes.
• Any fuel or water you plan to use, carried from the start.
• Nothing from the banned list. No phone, headphones, ear plugs or camera, and none of your own chalk.

For after the finish

• A full change of clothes, socks and underwear included. There are no showers.
• A towel, body wipes and deodorant.
• Recovery food and a drink.
• A spare bag for sweaty kit.

And hand your timing chip back at the finish: HYROX charges for lost ones.

Check-in: the ID and ticket rules

The rulebook asks for government-issued photo ID and your registration confirmation at check-in. Some event pages are stricter about the ID:

• London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Helsinki all ask for a physical copy of your ID. Digital copies and photographs aren't accepted.
• Paris asks for a physical ID card.
• Other event pages we checked simply say you must bring ID.

Bring the physical document wherever you race. It's the one item that can stop you racing, so pack it first.

Your ticket is the barcode or QR code in your HYROX account. The HYROX USA FAQ says you don't need to print it and can show it on your phone, and HYROX Australia and Hong Kong say the same. The UK and US FAQs also say athlete tickets must be personalised at least two weeks before the event to be assigned a start time and to download the barcode.

A few more check-in rules from the event pages and FAQs:

• You check in yourself, on the day you race. Checking in on behalf of others isn't allowed.
• What you collect. The London event page lists an athlete wristband, a venue access wristband, an ankle strap with your timing chip and a bib number, and says you can't race without all four.
• Timing. Registration opens 90 minutes before your division's first start wave. The HYROX UK FAQ says to arrive 90 minutes before your start time to register, drop your bag and warm up, and the HYROX Benelux FAQ suggests an hour to an hour and a half. You need to be in the start tunnel 10 minutes before your start.

Each of our race guides, from Dubai to Chicago, has that event's check-in details and how to get to the venue. If you haven't picked a race yet, the race finder lists what's coming up.

HYROX gear and equipment rules

The rulebook's clothing and accessories section is short, and it works as a whitelist:

• Closed-toe shoes at all times, with one exception: you can take them off at your wall ball target. They go under the rig, and you carry them to the finisher stage.
• The permitted list: knee sleeves, gloves (but not grips), a weightlifting belt, wristbands, hydration packs, prescribed asthma inhalers and respiratory devices.
• Anything not on that list is prohibited by default, unless the Race Director has given you written permission before the start. Prohibited items are confiscated, and you collect them from the Customer Service desk after you finish.
• What you start with, you finish with. Permitted items can't be handed to you or taken from you during the race. The rulebook treats that as outside assistance, which can mean disqualification.
• Chalk belongs to the event, not you. Only event-supplied chalk is allowed, only at the workout stations where it's provided, and the penalty table names those as the sled pull and the farmers carry. Your own chalk, event chalk carried elsewhere, or chalk at the wall balls is a 2-minute penalty.
• Racing in a uniform or a weight vest for charity? Both are still allowed, as long as they don't affect the safety or performance of other racers. Helmets, breathing apparatus and compressed air cylinders are not.

Beyond that, the clothing rules only ask you to dress appropriately for the conditions and any local cultural sensitivities. Watches and heart rate straps aren't named on either list. If you want to race with one, or with anything else that isn't listed, ask your event's customer support team before race day rather than at the start line.

Our take on the accessories: gloves are worth testing on a sled pull rope and the farmers carry before you commit to them. A belt and knee sleeves are personal. Whatever you choose stays on you from the first run to the last rep.

Your arm is your notebook

With no phone on course, a marker pen does two jobs. The first is compulsory: the rulebook says your official start time must be clearly visible on your arm. The second is lap counting. The rulebook makes counting your own running laps your job, and any lap screen at the venue is only an unofficial aid. A missed lap costs 3 to 7 minutes depending on the course layout, and on a one-lap course it's a disqualification. Write the number of laps per 1km on your forearm next to your start time.

What's banned on the race floor

The rulebook's forbidden list applies at all times:

• headphones
• phones
• VR headsets
• GoPros and other body cameras
• helmets, breathing apparatus and compressed air cylinders
• ear plugs
• smart glasses, AI glasses and any eyewear with cameras, audio recording, live streaming, data transmission or augmented reality

The one exception is medical. If you use a medical device that needs your phone nearby, you need the Race Director's approval in advance, arranged through your local HYROX customer support team before race day.

Two conduct rules also shape what you carry. Gel wrappers and cups go in the bins provided, because littering can earn a 2-minute penalty. And the water at the aid stations is for drinking only: pouring it over yourself to cool down is a 2-minute penalty too.

Fuel and water: what to carry during the race

Per the rulebook, water is available at least once before, during or after each pass through the Roxzone, and a sports drink may be on offer as well. Any nutrition you want has to be on your person from the start. You can't accept food or drink from anyone except the aid stations, and the UK FAQ spells out that this includes spectators. Grab a cup at the aid station; don't plan on your mate passing you a bottle.

One market difference matters here. The rulebook lists hydration packs as permitted, and the UK and US FAQs say you can carry water and energy gels if they're on you from the start. The HYROX Australia FAQ and HYROX Hong Kong FAQ ask athletes not to take private drinks containers onto the track, for safety. Racing Melbourne or Hong Kong? Plan to drink at the aid stations.

How much fuel do you need? Jeukendrup's 2014 review of carbohydrate intake during exercise found that for efforts of about an hour, a mouth rinse or a small amount of carbohydrate can help performance, and that for efforts of two to three hours the recommendation is up to about 60g of carbohydrate an hour, from drinks, gels or bars. The same review says to practise your race nutrition in training to cut the risk of stomach trouble. In practice: if you expect to finish around the hour, a gel is optional. If you'll be out there closer to two hours, take carbohydrate on during the race, and check the grams of carbs on the label, because gels vary.

Breakfast is the fuel you control most. Eat what you'd eat before a hard training session, early enough that it's settled by your start, and bring a pre-race snack for the gap between check-in and your wave.

Bag drop, changing rooms and no showers

The HYROX UK and USA FAQs set the same bag drop rules:

• One bag per athlete, no larger than cabin luggage.
• Everything inside it. Loose items aren't accepted, the bag must be securely closed, and liquids must be tightly sealed.
• Drop it 45 to 60 minutes before your race, as there can be queues.
• No going back. Once your bag is in, keep your timing chip and energy gels with you.
• No liability. HYROX doesn't accept responsibility for lost items, so leave valuables at home.

At Benelux events such as Amsterdam and Utrecht, the HYROX Benelux FAQ says bag drop takes small sports bags and you must collect yours within an hour of finishing. Lockers aren't arranged by HYROX there and depend on the venue.

The UK, US and Benelux FAQs all say the same about facilities: changing rooms, yes; showers, no. That's why the after-race pile in the checklist is bigger than you'd expect: wipes, a towel, deodorant and a full change of clothes make the journey home bearable. Bag drop is for athletes only, so your supporters carry their own things all day.

Test it all in the gym first

The rule of thumb that saves a first HYROX race: nothing new on race day. Train in the shoes you'll race in, sled push sessions included. Try your gloves on a sled pull rope and the farmers carry. Take a gel mid-session, under fatigue, to see how your stomach copes. And run at least one full race simulation in your race kit, so the first time you lunge in those shorts isn't in front of a crowd.

Our HYROX training plan covers where that simulation fits in the block, and our explainer on what hybrid training is covers the bigger picture. If you'd rather have the programme built for you, work with a coach or use RYVOLVE, a hybrid training app with a HYROX training mode.

Doubles, relay and Pro athletes

The checklist is the same for every division, with a few additions:

• Everyone checks in personally, with their own ID. A partner can't collect your wristband for you.
• One timing chip per athlete. The doubles rulebook says doubles race with two chips and relays with four.
• Each of you carries your own kit and fuel. The doubles rulebook repeats the singles wording: permitted items can't be handed to or received from anyone else, and you can't accept drinks or nutrition from anyone except the aid stations.
• Briefings. Relay teams have a mandatory on-site briefing that one member can attend for the team. Singles and doubles racers watch the technical briefing video beforehand, which HYROX USA and Australia describe as mandatory.
• Pro racers pack the same bag. The kit rules don't change with the weights.

For more on the formats, see HYROX divisions explained and our guide to choosing a HYROX doubles partner.

What spectators can bring

• A ticket, bought in advance. HYROX UK doesn't sell spectator tickets on site. HYROX Australia does, unless they've sold out, and takes card payment only.
• Children under 12 go free in the UK but must be with an adult.
• As little as possible. There's no bag drop for spectators.
• A phone or camera. The UK FAQ says spectators are welcome to film and take photos from the spectator area.
• No pets. Animals aren't permitted, except service animals.

What they can't do is hand you anything during the race. Food or drink from anyone other than the aid stations counts as outside assistance.

Racing DEKA, ATHX or another hybrid race?

The bag list carries over to other fitness racing formats almost unchanged. The kit rules don't, and chalk is the clearest example. HYROX bans your own; the ATHX FAQ says chalk, knee sleeves, lifting gloves and lifting belts are allowed, while lifting straps and lifting suits are not.

ATHX also runs differently on the day. It asks you to arrive at least an hour before your heat start, which is when you enter its warm-up zone, and the competition runs for 2.5 hours across six zones. You can't leave the arena during that time except for a toilet break, so have everything you need with you before you go in, and check your event's athlete information for what you can take.

DEKA is Spartan's format, with its own rules and event information on Spartan's DEKA pages. Read them for your event before you pack. Our guide to races like HYROX compares the formats side by side.

The night before and race morning

Packing is the easy part. Timing is where the stress comes from, so here's the sequence:

1. Two weeks out: personalise your ticket so you get a start time and a barcode.
2. About three days out: check your start time on the event page's start list. Start times can't be changed.
3. Race week: watch the technical briefing video and re-read your event page for ID and bag rules.
4. The night before: pack the after-race items first and the race-morning items on top. Download your ticket. Put your ID in the bag, not your pocket.
5. Race morning: eat a breakfast you know, then leave so you arrive about 90 minutes before your start.
6. At the venue: check in, write your start time and lap plan on your arm, move your gels to your pocket and drop your bag 45 to 60 minutes before your start.
7. 10 minutes before your start: be in the start tunnel, with nothing from the banned list on you.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to bring to HYROX?

Physical photo ID, your ticket barcode, the shoes and kit you trained in, any permitted accessories (gloves, knee sleeves, a weightlifting belt, wristbands), fuel you have already tested, a marker pen, a warm layer, and a full change of clothes with a towel and wipes for afterwards. Everything has to fit inside one bag for bag drop.

What ID do I need for HYROX check-in?

The rulebook asks for government-issued photo ID. The London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Helsinki event pages ask for a physical copy and won't accept digital copies or photographs, and the Paris event page asks for a physical ID card. Bring the real document wherever you race.

Can I bring gels and snacks to HYROX?

Yes. Snacks go in your bag for before and after the race. Anything you want during the race has to be on you from the start, because you can't accept food or drink from anyone except the aid stations. Bin the wrappers: littering can earn a 2-minute penalty.

Can I bring a backpack into HYROX?

Yes, as long as it is no bigger than cabin luggage. The HYROX UK and USA FAQs allow one bag per athlete at bag drop, with everything packed inside and the bag closed. HYROX Benelux takes small sports bags. Spectators can't use bag drop, so they should travel light.

Can I wear headphones or carry my phone during HYROX?

No. Both are on the rulebook's forbidden list, along with ear plugs, body cameras and smart glasses. If you rely on a medical device that needs your phone nearby, contact your local HYROX customer support team before race day to get Race Director approval.

Can I use my own chalk at HYROX?

No. Only chalk supplied by the event is allowed, and only at the stations where it is provided, which the penalty table lists as the sled pull and the farmers carry. Using your own chalk, or chalk at the wall balls, costs a 2-minute penalty.

Are gloves allowed at HYROX?

Yes, gloves are on the permitted list. Gymnastics grips are not. Whatever you start the race in, you finish in: permitted items can't be handed to you or taken from you during the race.

Can I wear a smartwatch at HYROX?

The Season 26/27 rulebook doesn't name watches either way. It lists what is permitted and says anything not listed is prohibited by default unless the Race Director gives written permission before the start. If you want to race with a watch or a heart rate strap, ask your event's customer support team before race day.

When should I arrive for my HYROX race?

About 90 minutes before your start time, which the HYROX UK FAQ recommends for check-in, bag drop and the warm-up. HYROX Benelux suggests an hour to an hour and a half. You need to be in the start tunnel 10 minutes before your start.

Are there showers at HYROX?

No. HYROX provides changing rooms and a bag drop but no showers, so pack a towel, body wipes, deodorant and a full change of clothes in your cabin-size bag.