REASONS TO BUY
Smooth comfort
Solid responsiveness
Stable
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy for a speed shoe
Middling traction
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 - Women's Review
We recommend this low-tech hybrid running shoe for smooth comfort, stability, and easy propulsion
While not the lightest shoe around, the balance between comfort and responsiveness of the new Hyperion is awesome for daily paces.
Credit: Prudence Amsden
RELATED: Best Running Shoes for Women of 2024
Our Verdict
The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is, potentially, the best thing that Brooks has going on right now. With an epic full-length plastic plate, an 8 mm drop, and a heel stack of 35 mm, this well-cushioned and propulsive shoe is a training daydream. Its stretchy gusseted tongue, notched laces, and midfoot lock culminate to create a shoe primed for speedy training runs. While not the lightest or most propulsive shoe around, the Hyperion Max combines all of our scrutinized elements to create a comfortable, wildly functional, and road-ready shoe for runners who want to PR in a plated max-cushion shoe. The Hyperion's balance of comfort and propulsive features cement it as one of our top recommendations for runners seeking a balance of landing comfort and responsiveness.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 - Women's | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Balance of Comfort and Responsiveness |  Best Overall Running Shoe for Women |  Best Value for a Women's Road Running Shoe | Most Versatile Road Running Shoe | Best Low-Drop Road Running Shoe |
| Price | $180 List $179.95 at Amazon | $140 List $139.95 at Amazon | $119.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $139.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $121.91 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Though it lacks the lightweight tech of super shoes, the balance between its responsive midsole and lateral stability makes this a powerful everyday trainer | This running shoe offers the performance technology and comfort needed to be your go-to shoe, no matter your running goals | Affordable and minimally-minded, the updated Kinvara is a great everyday shoe that is suitable for a myriad of running situations | For epic versatility in a single shoe, we recommend this lightweight superstar | With just enough midsole bounce to be speedy, the natural-feeling ride that the Vanish Tempo offers is perfect for runners who want a low-drop and uncomplicated running experience |
| Rating Categories | Brooks Hyperion Max... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Altra Vanish Tempo... |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Brooks Hyperion Max... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Altra Vanish Tempo... |
| Measured Weight | 7.17 oz | 7.36 oz | 5.44 oz | 6.27 oz | 7.26 oz |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 35 mm | 38 mm | 27 mm | 33 mm | 35 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 8 mm | 8 mm | 3 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm |
| Plate Type | Full length plastic | None | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 24.5 deg | 22.0 deg | 25.0 deg | 24.5 deg | 25.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 65.0% | 69.5% | 64.7% | 65.4% | 65.0% |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Racing |
| Upper | Mesh | Engineered knit mesh | Mesh | Creel jaqquard | Engineered mesh |
| Midsole | DNA Flash v2 | FF Blast Plus Eco | PWRRUN | Supercritical EVA | Altra EGO PRO |
| Outsole | Rubber | AHAR outsole | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | Extended heel pull | Finger loop | None | Extended heel pull | None |
| Sizes Available | 5 - 12 US, regular |
5 - 12 US, regular | 5 - 12 US, regular |
5 - 11 US, regular & wide | 5.5 - 12 US, regular |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
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.
Performance Comparison
We cut all of our shoes open to see what their midsoles are truly made of.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Landing Comfort
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, we are 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.
For track workouts and fartlek runs, the balance between comfort and pep in the Hyperion is prime.
Credit: Prudence Amsden
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.
The Hyperion offers strong propulsion, though it does weigh more than some of the lighter options.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
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 our highest recommendations.
For a speed shoe, the Hyperion is one of the more stable options. This makes it an enticing option for runners who want to find a balance between these two qualities.
Credit: Prudence Amsden
Upper Comfort
As we 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. Our testers 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.
The breathable and smooth upper of the Hyperion is more comfortable than many narrow, more aero-dynamically styled kicks.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
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 our lineup. In the case of the Hyperion, though, we 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.
With all of that cushion and a plate, the Hyperion is far from the lightest shoe we've tested.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
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. It's our 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. We 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.
The forefoot doesn't offer enough variation to be very grippy.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Should You Buy the Brooks Hyperion Max 2?
The updated Hyperion isn't the most propulsive shoe on the market, making it one we 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 pace-pushers ourselves, we love that the Hyperion offers a smooth roll, responsive pep, and a lighter-weight midsole. As non-elite runners endeavoring to always do our best, the forgiveness that the undercarriage of the new Hyperion provides helps keep us running strong day in and day out.
It isn't the most high-tech option out there, but the Hyperion brings together quite a few qualities that don't typically exist harmoniously.
Credit: Prudence Amsden
What Other Road Running Shoes Should You Consider?
Another recently updated shoe, the Puma Deviate Nitro 3, offers a similar bang for your buck in terms of price and ride similarities. The Deviate Nitro offers strong underfoot cushion, a more rigid, full-length carbon plate, and an agility-forward shape for runners who feel the need for speed. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is another standout shoe because of how comfortably smooth and propulsive it is. Much like the Hyperion, the Endorphin Speed offers strong transitions and flirts with being a super shoe without committing. The Endorphin Speed is much softer to the touch and slightly less stable but offers equal responsiveness.
—
Ally Arcuri
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