For farmers carry training without snagging, wear a fitted top with a clean sleeve and hem line, shorts or half tights with secured heat-sealed pockets so nothing swings, and avoid loose or baggy fabric near your hands and hips. The kettlebells or handles pass close to your thighs on every step, so a bunching top or a flapping pocket is exactly what catches, tugs and breaks your rhythm.
- The HYROX farmers carry is 200m carrying two implements (Open loads commonly 2×24kg men, 2×16kg women), with the handles tracking past your hips and thighs the whole way.
- THETA's Tech Short v2 uses flat side pockets and durable polyester-elastane 4-way stretch, built to remove the bouncing-pocket and snag failures HYROX training exposes.
- As of 2026, the most common carry kit complaints are a loose hem catching the handles and open pockets swinging with keys or a phone inside.
Why does kit snag on the farmers carry specifically?
Picture two handles hanging at hip height, swaying a little with each stride, passing within centimetres of your shorts and lower torso. That image is the whole problem. The farmers carry is unusual because the load travels beside your body rather than on it, so any fabric that hangs loose, a baggy hem, a low pocket flap, a drawstring, sits directly in the path of the implement and gets caught or brushed on repeated steps.
Now stretch that image across 200m. That is dozens of chances to snag, and each one costs a fraction of a second and a slice of concentration. In training you repeat carries far more than in a race, so a snag-prone setup annoys you across every rep of every session. The fix is simple: keep the silhouette clean where the handles travel.
What top should you wear for carries?
Return to that line where the handle passes your hip, and ask what should sit there. A fitted top with a relaxed stomach is ideal, because it keeps the hem and sleeve close to the body without restricting your torso. THETA's Tech T-Shirt v2 is precision cut per size and fitted across the chest with a relaxed stomach, so it does not billow at the waist where a handle could catch it. A tank works equally well and removes the sleeve from the equation entirely.
Avoid loose cotton or oversized training tees for heavy carries. When they soak with sweat they cling and the loose hem hangs lower, exactly where the implement passes. THETA tops use ultra-light polyester with woven-in breathable holes, so they stay light and keep their shape when soaked, which keeps the hem clean rather than sagging into the carry path.
What about shorts, pockets and storage on carries?
Watch a loaded side pocket swing out toward the handle on every step and you see the biggest snag risk of all. An open pocket carrying keys or a phone both catches and unbalances you. THETA's Tech Short v2 uses flat side pockets that sit close to the leg, and the wider Tech Short line adds interior heat-sealed zip pockets and a rear heat-sealed zip phone pocket, so essentials stay locked down and out of the carry line.
A premium elasticated waistband matters too, because a waistband that shifts lets the shorts rotate and the pocket drift into the path of the load. If you carry gels or headphones through long carry-and-run sessions, THETA's Half Tight keeps storage close to the body with rear gel pockets and a heat-sealed zip phone pocket, so nothing swings while the handles pass your thighs.
| Snag risk | Cause | Kit fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hem catching handles | Loose or soaked baggy top | Fitted top, relaxed stomach, stays light when wet |
| Swinging pocket | Open side pocket with contents | Flat or heat-sealed zip pockets |
| Shorts rotating | Slack waistband | Premium elasticated waistband |
| Drawstring flap | Long loose ties | Tuck or choose internal drawcord |
| Sleeve catching | Loose sleeve near forearm | Fitted tee or tank |
"On a carry the weight is right next to your kit, so anything loose is going to catch. We ask the race team one question after every prototype session: did anything get in the way when you were deep into it? The carry is where that answer shows up fastest," says the THETA coaching team.
How do you set up your kit for a carry session?
A clean setup takes a minute and stops snagging ruining your carry rhythm. Follow the steps below before a heavy farmers carry block.
- Choose a fitted top or tank so the hem and sleeves stay clear of the handles.
- Move phone and keys into a heat-sealed zip or flat close-fitting pocket, never an open swinging one.
- Set the waistband snug so the shorts cannot rotate mid-carry.
- Tuck or shorten any external drawstring so it does not flap into the load.
- Do a short test carry to confirm nothing brushes the implements before loading heavy.
Come back one last time to those handles swaying at your hips. When the hem sits clean, the pockets stay flat and the waistband holds, that swaying load passes your thighs untouched, step after step, and the only thing left to think about is the grip and the finish line 200m away.
Common questions
What should I wear for farmers carry training?
Wear a fitted top with a clean hem and sleeve line, and shorts with flat or secured heat-sealed pockets so nothing swings near the handles. Avoid loose cotton tees that sag when soaked and open pockets loaded with keys. THETA's Tech T-Shirt v2 and Tech Short v2 are built with exactly this snag-free carry setup in mind.
Why do my shorts pockets swing on carries?
Open side pockets loaded with a phone or keys swing outward with each stride and drift toward the handles, which snags and unbalances you. Flat pockets that sit close to the leg, or heat-sealed zip pockets that lock contents down, solve this. A snug waistband also stops the shorts rotating and pushing the pocket into the carry path.
Are tanks better than tees for carries?
A tank removes the sleeve entirely, which some athletes prefer for heavy carries, but a well-fitted tee works just as well because the sleeve sits close to the arm. The key is a clean hem that does not hang into the handle path. Both THETA tanks and the fitted Tech T-Shirt v2 keep that silhouette clean.
Does a loose top really slow down carries?
Not the fabric weight itself, but the snagging does. A loose hem catching the handles on repeated steps breaks your rhythm and costs concentration across a 200m carry, and it repeats on every training rep. A fitted top that stays clear of the load removes the problem entirely.
What waistband is best for heavy carries?
A premium elasticated waistband that holds the shorts in place is best, because it stops them rotating and letting the pocket drift into the carry line. THETA's Tech Shorts use an elasticated waistband designed for fitness-racing movement. A waistband that stays put keeps your kit predictable under load.
Can I wear half tights for farmers carries?
Yes, half tights are a strong choice because they sit close to the body with no loose hem, and THETA's Half Tight keeps gels, phone and headphones in secured pockets that do not swing. They suit longer carry-and-run sessions especially well. The close fit keeps everything clear of the handles.
Sources
- HYROX official race format: farmers carry 200m and standard Open loads (hyrox.com)
- THETA product construction details: Tech Short v2 flat pockets, heat-sealed zip pockets, Half Tight storage, fitted precision-cut tops
- THETA coaching data, 2024–2026 (carry-session kit feedback from the Elite 15 race team)
Carry in kit that stays out of the way. THETA training pieces keep a clean, snag-free line with flat and heat-sealed pockets, tested across full HYROX carry sessions by elite athletes. Shop THETA performance kit.