What This Hyrox Head‑to‑Head Smartwatch Test Really Measured
This Hyrox-focused sports watch comparison evaluates how the Garmin Forerunner 970 and Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro track race performance during the same high-intensity event, highlighting ease of use, in-race guidance, and post-race analysis for athletes facing repeated running and functional workout segments. To remove as many variables as possible, one athlete wore the Garmin Forerunner 970 on the left wrist and the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro on the right while completing a Hyrox race in 01:36:48 alongside a teammate. Both watches recorded the same one-kilometer runs and eight workout stations, from sled pushes to wall balls, under identical conditions. The result is a rare like-for-like race performance tracking test, not in a lab, but in the noisy, confusing environment where these devices are meant to shine—and where an unexpected winner emerged.
Setup and Race Modes: Hyrox Built In vs. Hyrox Workaround
Before the race even started, the two watches split in philosophy. Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro includes a Hyrox-specific workout mode in its native menu: pick “Hyrox” and the watch already understands the sequence of run segments and stations. That means structured tracking is ready from the first button press. In contrast, the Garmin Forerunner 970 does not offer a built-in Hyrox mode. To mirror the race structure, the tester had to install Roxfit, a third-party app that syncs with Garmin Connect and overlays Hyrox-style organization. Roxfit works well, but it adds extra steps and the risk of misconfiguration. According to Lifehacker, the Forerunner 970 “logged every segment as a run,” highlighting how easy it is to mis-set things when pre-race nerves kick in. Amazfit’s approach removes that risk: Hyrox is treated as a first-class race type, not a custom workaround.
In-Race Experience: Icons, Lap Buttons, and Mental Load
Once the Hyrox race began, differences in on-wrist experience became obvious. On the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro, small on-screen icons show which station is coming next, matching the event’s structured sequence of runs and workouts. When your heart rate is soaring and grip strength is fading, those visual cues reduce the mental load of remembering what’s ahead. The lap button flow on the Cheetah 2 Pro also felt natural for switching between one-kilometer run legs and stations, making transitions feel smooth even while fatigued. The Garmin Forerunner 970, despite being a more technically sophisticated device in many respects, felt clunkier to operate mid-race. Manual transitions were less intuitive, and without native Hyrox awareness, the watch treated the chaos as a set of generic intervals. Functionally, both tracked core metrics like heart rate well, but Amazfit handled the race’s stop-start complexity with more grace.
Post-Race Data: Zepp vs Garmin Connect for Hyrox Analysis
After finishing the race, the real test shifted to how each ecosystem handled Hyrox-specific analysis. Amazfit’s Zepp app organizes the activity around the event’s actual structure, laying out a clean timeline of alternating runs and stations with clear icons and segment labels. That layout mirrors how athletes remember the race: as a sequence of efforts, not a flat stream of data. Garmin Connect, paired with the Forerunner 970, required more manual detective work. Because the watch logged “every segment as a run,” the athlete had to cross-reference timestamps, heart rate spikes, and effort patterns to guess which intervals were sled pushes versus rowing or lunges. Roxfit still matters here—it is the official Hyrox companion app—but Amazfit users can treat it as an optional results hub. Garmin users, by contrast, rely on third-party structure both during and after the race to make sense of their effort.
Which Watch Wins Hyrox—and What It Means for Athletes
In a previous half-marathon comparison, the tester favored the Garmin Forerunner 970 for its reliable interface and deep running dynamics. Hyrox flipped that script. For this style of event—repeating 1 km runs with demanding stations in between—the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro came out ahead thanks to its built-in Hyrox mode, on-screen station icons, and clearer post-race analysis in Zepp. The tester still prefers the Forerunner 970 for traditional running, where its strengths in detailed metrics and long-term training insight shine. But for Hyrox race day, the verdict is decisive: the Cheetah 2 Pro delivers a better end-to-end experience. One practical note remains for athletes: pairing the Amazfit with a chest strap in future races could ensure heart-rate accuracy during movements like sled pushes and rowing, where wrist sensors can struggle. For now, Hyrox specialists have a surprising new favorite.
