The complete glove for every fitness race format
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Hyrox gets most of the attention. But the hybrid fitness racing world is bigger than one event — and your grip demands differ across every format. Here’s what you need to know for DEKA, TRYKA, ATHX, Xenom, Deadly Dozen, and the Hybrid Games.
Hyrox is the race that brought hybrid fitness into the mainstream, but it’s no longer the only game in town. In 2026, athletes are racing DEKA in Spartan arenas, competing in TRYKA events across the UK and Ireland, testing themselves across two days at Xenom, and running laps at Deadly Dozen events around the world. The fitness racing category has exploded — and with it, the question of how to manage your grip across formats that each put different demands on your hands.
This guide covers six major fitness race formats, what each one demands from a grip perspective, and how the right glove gives you an edge across all of them.
DEKA FIT — 10 Zones, 5km of Running
DEKA is Spartan’s answer to functional fitness racing. DEKA FIT combines ten zones with 500m of running before each, covering 5km of total running and a full-body assault on your grip and conditioning. The ten zones include Ski Erg, Farmers Carry (60lb per hand for men, 40lb for women over 100m), Sled Push and Pull, Rowing, Dead Ball Overs, RAM Burpees, Med Ball Sit-Ups, Box Step Overs, and Air Bike.
The Farmers Carry and Sled are where DEKA grip demands concentrate. DEKA also offers DEKA STRONG (no running, gym-based), DEKA MILE (1 mile of running), and DEKA ULTRA (five full circuits, 25km of running). The longer the format, the more grip fatigue compounds.
Glove verdict: High value at Farmers Carry and Sled. A lightweight racing glove works across all DEKA formats without adding weight for the run intervals.
TRYKA — 8 x 800m Runs With Functional Stations
TRYKA is an Irish-founded hybrid race that launched in the UK in 2025. Eight 800m runs, each paired with a functional fitness station, finishing with a 40m sprint. For beginners, the TRYKA 500 uses shorter 500m runs and modified workouts.
The eight TRYKA stations: SkiErg, Farmers Carry, RAM Thrusters, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Rower, Walking Lunges, and Burpee Broad Jumps.
If that list looks familiar, it should — TRYKA shares several key stations with Hyrox, including the Sled Pull and Farmers Carry, the two grip-critical stations where chalk-dependent athletes most commonly lose time. The longer 800m run intervals also mean more time for chalk to sweat off between stations.
Glove verdict: Near-identical grip demands to Hyrox. Gloves are especially valuable on the Sled Pull rope and Farmers Carry handles.
ATHX — The Two-and-a-Half Hour Full-Day Test
ATHX is a ~2.5-hour continuous competition across three scored zones: a Strength Zone (1RM press, 3RM squat, 5RM deadlift), an Endurance Zone (alternating running and rowing), and a MetCon X Zone. The MetCon X is where grip matters most: Ski-Erg, Ground to Overhead, Sandbag Carry, Box Jump Overs, Dumbbell Walking Lunges, and Burpee Broad Jumps — all under a 25-minute cap.
By the time you reach the final zone, your hands have already been through two hours of work. Athletes compete at Lite, ATHX, and Pro levels individually or as Same-Sex Pairs.
Glove verdict: You’re arriving at the most grip-intensive zone at maximum fatigue. Gloves that maintain consistent grip under accumulated sweat and effort are a genuine advantage in the MetCon X.
Xenom — The Decathlon of Fitness
Xenom launched in February 2026 with a CrossFit Partner Event Series License — ten fixed events across two full days, testing one-rep maxes, gymnastics, conditioning, and endurance in sequence. Athletes compete in Elite, RX, and Compete divisions.
The ten events include: 1RM Snatch, Wall Walks and Rope Climbs, Max Cal Echo Bike, Barbell Cycling, 2,000m Echo Ski and 3,000m Run, Toes-to-Bar and DB Hang Snatch and Muscle-Ups, 5RM Rhino Pull, Burpees and Echo Ski and Echo Bike, Heavy Clean Ladder, and HSPU with Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups and DB Lunges.
Grip demands at Xenom are constant and varied — rope climbs, barbell cycling, Echo Ski, and heavy cleans all punish the hands across a two-day format.
Glove verdict: Rope climbs and barbell cycling require dexterity as much as protection. A minimal, close-fit glove with targeted silicone grip lets you feel the bar while protecting your palms across the full two-day weekend.
Deadly Dozen — 12 x 400m Track Laps With Stations
Built on an athletics track, Deadly Dozen has a deceptively simple format: twelve 400-metre laps, stopping after each for a functional exercise station in the centre — 4.8km of running total, with twelve stations including Farmers Carry, Deadlift, Lunges, and more. The Deadly Sprint halves the run distances but keeps the same weights.
Athletes can race solo, share stations in pairs, or compete as a relay team. A global leaderboard makes it one of the most directly comparable events to measure yourself against.
Glove verdict: Twelve laps, twelve stations — cumulative grip fatigue is a real factor in the second half. The Farmers Carry and any pulling or carrying stations are where gloves pay off.
The Hybrid Games — 10 Stations, 600m Runs
A UK-based hybrid fitness event with a format that will feel instantly familiar to Hyrox athletes — but with ten stations and shorter 600-metre run intervals. The ten stations: 50 Cal Assault Bike, 100 Wall Balls, 1,000m Row, 80m Burpee Broad Jump, 50 Dumbbell Snatch, 100m Walking Lunges, 200m Farmer’s Carry, 60m Sled Pull, 1,000m SkiErg, and 60m Sled Push.
The Dumbbell Snatch and Farmer’s Carry are particularly demanding on grip, and the Sled Pull rope is as abrasive here as in any other format. Shorter run intervals mean less recovery time between stations.
Glove verdict: Ten grip-intensive stations with minimal recovery. The Sled Pull, Farmer’s Carry, Dumbbell Snatch, and SkiErg all benefit from consistent grip across the full block.
The Common Thread Across Every Format
Look at the station lists across DEKA, TRYKA, ATHX, Xenom, Deadly Dozen, and the Hybrid Games, and a pattern emerges: every major fitness race format includes pulling, carrying, or repeated handle contact as core stations. The implements change — rope, kettlebell, barbell, sandbag, dumbbell — but the grip demand doesn’t.
What also doesn’t change is how grip fails: sweat, fatigue, abrasion, and accumulated wear across multiple stations or multiple hours. A glove designed for one race works across all of them, because the problem it solves is the same.
The Gloovz Range: Built for Fitness Racing
Racer 1.0 — Hyrox Racing Glove
Our flagship racing glove. Featherlight construction, breathable mesh backing, and targeted silicone grip at the key contact points for pulling, carrying, and handle-based stations. The cutaway wrist design keeps your watch visible throughout. Built to be forgotten — so you can focus entirely on your race.
Best for: Race day across any hybrid fitness format.
Racer 1.0 + Airflow Bag Bundle
The complete race day setup. Racer 1.0 gloves paired with the Gloovz Airflow gear bag — designed to carry your kit from check-in to the start line without adding bulk.
Best for: Athletes who want a complete, optimised race day setup.
Browse the full Gloovz range at gloovz.com/collections/all