The RW Takeaway: Incredibly light yet plush, the Hyperion Max is an alternative to shoes with carbon-fiber or nylon plates. Testers said it made them feel fast and race-ready.
Preceded by: Brooks Hyperion Elite 3, Brooks Hyperion Tempo
Tech: Nitrogen-infused midsole cushioning, curved sole for propulsion (called Speed Roll), lightweight model built for speed sessions
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Pros
- More lightweight than the Hyperion Tempo
- 4mm extra DNA Flash foam
- Same breathable upper as the Hyperion Tempo
Cons
- No carbon-fiber plate
- Tongue sometimes doesn’t stay in place
| Type | Road |
|---|---|
| Weight | 7.5 oz (M), 5.8 oz (W) |
| Drop | 8 mm |
Brooks is finally revealing a few additions to its Hyperion speed series. One is the cushy Hyperion Max, and it’s a real crowd-pleaser.
Rewind to 2019’s fall racing season. The RW gear team was in the throes of testing the hottest shoe releases before an Olympics year. Trailing Des Linden’s 2018 Boston Marathon win and speculation on what shoes she wore, Jeff Dengate ran the NYC Marathon in the Hyperion Tempo and I last-minute registered for the Philadelphia Marathon running in the Hyperion Elite. Results and assessments were divisive. While I finished seconds away from a PR, Dengate DNF’d and declared the Tempo’s midsoles too thin to support his six-foot frame.
The first Elite had DNA Zero foam, which was later replaced with the Tempo’s DNA Flash for a softer, bouncier ride. The Hyperion Max is the Tempo’s more cushioned, yet tenths-of-an-ounce-lighter, sibling. While their stretch woven uppers are the same, their rides are anything but. Brooks jacked up the Max’s midsole with four extra millimeters of nitrogen-infused DNA Flash for a springier but plusher ride. Inside word is this same foam will be in future Brooks Ghost and Glycerin models.
Testers said the Max is made for Sunday long runs, but it still feels fast. I can also see it as a plate-less, less-costly alternative to a true marathon racing shoe.
Testers’ Feedback
Rachel H. | Tester since 2022
Arch type: Flat | Pronation: Neutral | Footstrike: Heel
“This is a great shoe for faster runs. I wore them for a 5K road race and finished with a 19:06 time. I also wore them for a tempo workout with a two-mile warmup, three miles at 6:20 pace, then a two-mile cooldown at 7:30 pace. I plan on wearing them for tempos or fartleks and other road workouts. They’re okay to wear on a regular run, but I would not want to wear them everyday; I’d rather have more supportive training shoes for my easy runs. You can tell that these shoes are intended for quicker work.”
Teddy R. | Tester since 2022
Arch type: Flat | Footstrike: Midfoot
“What I like most about the Hyperion Max is how versatile it is. I could wear this shoe for almost every aspect of training. They were comfortable enough for runs up to nine miles and I could rip fast reps on the track with them. I liked how they were slim and quick, but still could be used as trainers. I often find that, with some daily trainers, it’s hard to do any faster-turnover work because they are too bulky and heavy. That was not the case with these shoes; they could do it all.”
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
