“We’re Just Seeing the Tip of the Iceberg:” Inside Puma’s Long-Term HYROX Vision
Arriving at HYROX Las Vegas reminded me of the 2011 CrossFit Games: Reebok had stormed the venue, giving everyone the sense that our sport had finally become legit.
- The same was true in Las Vegas, although this time it was Puma in the spotlight.
Regardless, any thoughts I might have once had about HYROX having a shelf life, or being a short-lived fad like Tough Mudder, were no longer there.
I also had the chance to sit down with Stefan Popovic, Puma’s PR liaison for running and training, to discuss Puma’s involvement and their new HYROX shoe — the Deviate NITRO Elite HYROX — which was released the day before HYROX Las Vegas began.
Although this is the first year Puma is the title sponsor of the HYROX World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, in June, the brand first partnered with HYROX in 2017, before most of us had heard of it.
- The first event was held in Hamburg, Germany, and it had 600 participants, Popovic explained. In comparison, HYROX Las Vegas last month had more than 17,000.
Needless to say, today — with a full line of HYROX apparel and shoes and as the title sponsor of this year’s World Championships — HYROX has become “a key thing” for Puma, Popovic said.
HYROX has become “a key thing” because Puma recognized “how well received the concept was from Day 1,” Popovic said.
- “And this is me speaking from a personal perspective, but we see the potential for it to be as big as marathon running,” he added.
Part of the reason Popovic thinks this is the case is the mentality people in their 20s and early 30s have today.
- “Gen Z is obsessed with health and fitness. That’s the key definition of success for them. For me, as a millennial, success was always defined by having a great job that pays well… But for people under 35, success seems to be defined by how they feel. By their physical and mental well-being,” he said.
He added: “They’re willing to invest their money in their health and well-being, and this is the result of that.”
Further, HYROX gives regular gym-goers something to work toward, which he considers a game-changer.
- “My wife is a good example. She will go to the gym for six to eight weeks, and then something will get her out of the routine for three or four months,” he said.
This is true for a lot of people, Popovic believes, “and it’s because there is nothing specific you’re working towards.”
HYROX then provides people with a purpose, “the same way running does,” he said. “People are way more likely to stick to a running program if they sign up for a race.”
Finally, HYROX provides a sense of accomplishment for people of all levels, and it’s addictive.
- “Whether you’re wanting a sub-60 time, or you’re just trying to get to the finish line, when you cross the line, there’s that great feeling, and then you think, ‘When am I going to get that feeling again?’ That’s the thing that HYROX has. It’s a challenge, but an accessible challenge,” Popovic added.
The Deviate NITRO Elite HYROX
The Deviate NITRO Elite HYROX—which were tested by a number of PUMA’s elite HYROX athletes before going to market—take inspiration from the Deviate Elite 4, but offer some noticeable differences, the biggest visible change being the shoe’s outsole.
One of the challenges with the previous iteration of the Deviate Elite, Popovic explained, was that only part of the sole was covered with rubber to make the shoe lighter. This is good for running, but doesn’t allow for optimal, full-length traction on exercises like sled pushes and pulls.
As a result, the Deviate Elite HYROX sole has rubber from heel to toe, with a specially engineered lug pattern, which is “more effective in sled pushes and pulls, and tailors itself better to functional exercises,” Popovic said.
- “That’s one major update, but there are also some changes in foam density, and there’s also a full-length PWRPlate to give you more propulsion when running,” he added.
So far so good: Just two weeks after its release, the first round of inventory is already almost sold out, which Popovic said is “a testament to the reputation we have in the space.”
The Big Picture
Nine years into PUMA’s partnership with HYROX, Popovic couldn’t be more confident about their future together.
- “HYROX is such an inclusive community, and it’s a social occasion, too. It has the ability to open the door to fitness and wellness for many people, and we’re excited to work alongside that,” Popovic said.
He added: “I genuinely think we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg.”
