Brooks Hyperion Max 2 - Women's Review

The Brooks Hyperion line is made up of four slightly different shoes. The Hyperion Max 2 is the most well-cushioned of these four options, providing responsive rebound with enough protection to be worn daily. The Hyperion Max 2 is the transition shoe in this lineup — it isn't as expensive or powerful as the Elite model, but it offers more in terms of accelerated transitions and cushioning when compared to the base and GTS models.

Side View Cut in Half

Cushioning

With a 35 mm heel stack, it's no surprise that the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 offers more landing comfort than most propulsive shoes. This iteration's outsole and midsole are more forgiving, flexible, and comfortable than the previous Hyperion Max, elevating this shoe's standing.

Brooks added additional cushion underfoot this time, transforming the ride this shoe provides. The undercarriage of the Hyperion is still mostly firm, though, which allows for strong toe-offs, stride after stride. With an 8 mm drop, as measured by our in-house testing team, the forefoot rides at 27 mm above the ground. This additional underfoot cushion inhibits ground feel but allows runners to enjoy protective joint cushioning during punishing (and fun!) training runs. The DNA Flash v2 midsole is comfortable and noticeable at slower paces but seemingly takes a back seat when you start to ratchet up your speed. More often, I am seeing shoes that strike a balance between landing comfort and responsiveness, and the Hyperion is definitely one of those shoes. The Hyperion is the perfect workhorse for runners who want to see an uptick in their paces while executing their run in a shoe that feels comfortable underfoot.

Upper Comfort

As I said, the Hyperion Max fits like it is welcoming your feet into a portal of running comfort and leg turnover-promoting strength. Brooks left pillowy cushion and silky smooth textiles on the cutting room floor when it came to this shoe, and the result is fantastic.

The upper mesh of the Hyperion is breathable yet strong, striking a comfortable balance between these two qualities. The material used to construct the tongue and gussets is stretchy but noticeably durable, further adding to the Hyperion's balance of strength and comfort. The heel tab extends slightly high but is smooth and firm enough to avoid rubbing across the Achilles tendon. Wide-footed runners might find the fit to be a bit too snug, and a wide option is not currently being manufactured. I found the fit and feel of the Hyperion Max 2 to be one of the best in this season's lineup because of its shape, upper lock, and combination of textiles.

Stability

Runners who want to play with speed in a shoe that doesn't feel tippy will feel like the Hyperion Max 2 is made for them. Despite its relatively tall stack, the Hyperion feels incredibly snug and stable even when its wearer is pushing paces around corners and on descents.

The Hyperion's fit promotes serious stability thanks to its midfoot lock and secure heel cup. Designed to be a neutral running shoe, the Hyperion welcomes feet with an almost suction-like enthusiasm. The light thickness of the heel collar helps your heel stay in place, while the stretchy tongue gussets and thin, secure tongue hold your forefoot where it needs to be. If you are in the market for a shoe that allows you to run fast without a sky-high stack and paper-thin lateral edges, the Hyperion is one of my highest recommendations.

Responsiveness

The Hyperion Max is one of those shoes where the sum of its parts is greater than its individualized elements. This holds very true when it comes to its responsiveness. The full-length plastic plate embedded into the Hyperion is what makes it a propulsive shoe. The Pebax SpeedVault plate helps push you forward with each stride, while the rocker angle, which sits at 24.5 degrees, helps smooth out the power generated with each footfall. The overall feeling of the Hyperion is fast, but it comes with a side of comfort and a more average fit than many of the speed-based shoes on the market today. The Hyperion doesn't ride like a super shoe, which is part of what makes it such an enticing road running companion. Instead, it offers almost the same level of responsiveness as a super shoe but with the underfoot feel of a comfortable, highly-cushioned daily trainer.

Weight

The Hyperion Max 2 doesn't necessarily stand out in this metric. Despite being a speedy shoe, it isn't one that falls into the lightweight category.

At 7.17 ounces per women's size 6.5 shoe, the Hyperion weighs nearly 2 ounces more than the lightest shoes in the lineup. In the case of the Hyperion, though, I think the bit of extra bulk is well worth it. The additional 2 ounces provide seriously comfortable underfoot cushioning that isn't always a priority for speed-centered shoes. This might not fit the bill if you are looking for an ultralight road shoe. But if a light-ish hybrid shoe that can take you from tempo runs to recovery days sounds like a good match, the extra weight of the Hyperion is more than acceptable.

Traction

The Hyperion has a ton of elements all packed into one comfortable and responsive shoe. Unfortunately, wet traction seems to have been overlooked during the design process. My only caveat when it comes to rapid corner-hugging capabilities — that the Hyperion doesn't offer a ton of traction, making it slightly less suitable for wet roads or corners laden with gravel.

The overall traction is okay on wet straightaways but loses some of that confidence-inspiring luster. I executed plenty of damp-surface runs with success, but its smooth-ish rubber outsole is average at best. On dry surfaces, the Hyperion provides security and inspires confidence.

Should You Buy the Brooks Hyperion Max 2?

The updated Hyperion isn't the most propulsive shoe on the market, making it one I avoid recommending to runners who want the highest tech and fastest paces. The Hyperion strikes a balance between comfort and responsiveness that avid yet average runners will enjoy. As a pace-pusher myself, I love that the Hyperion offers a smooth roll, responsive pep, and a lighter-weight midsole. As a non-elite runner endeavoring always to do my best, the forgiveness that the undercarriage of the new Hyperion provides helps keep us running strong day in and day out.

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