Brooks Hyperion Performance Review

Right as the pandemic was picking up steam in early 2020, a peppy, lightweight speed day shoe called the Hyperion Tempo was released to largely rave reviews. Three years later, the Brooks Hyperion is the spiritual successor to the Hyperion Tempo. But the running shoe world looks much different.

An easy way to illustrate the difference in the running shoe landscape is that Brooks now has a shoe called the Hyperion Max. That shoe has a bit more stack height than the original Hyperion Tempo, so in today’s world of rapidly increasing stack heights, most of us figured that was the Hyperion Tempo’s successor. But we were wrong.

The Brooks Hyperion actually deducts 1 mm of stack height from the original Hyperion Tempo. This is definitely Brooks zagging when the rest of the shoe world is zigging. Let’s see if Brooks’ gamble paid off.

Upper/Fit/Sizing

Annie: The upper design and materials seemed pretty straightforward overall. The bit of padding around the collar was more than sufficient, and I didn’t have any rubbing issues anywhere. The mid-foot and heel had great hold and fit snugly but comfortably.

My foot is average-to-slightly-wide-in-the-forefoot, and I found the toe box very accommodating in width. As for length, I had more than a thumb’s width of space at the front in my usual running size of a women’s 6.5.

I have to say, I was sometimes conscious of that extra length on the run and occasionally felt some very minor clown shoe vibes. So, if I were to base my decision on the forefoot fit alone, I might opt to try a size 6 in order to get a more nimble feel—especially since my personal use case for the Brooks Hyperion would always be shorter, sharper efforts.

But given how snug and secure the mid-foot lockdown already was in my usual size, I feared I’d be risking a slightly pinched arch in a half size down. So, I ultimately felt a tiny bit caught in between sizes. Drew, did you find that to be the case, or was it a nonissue for you?

Drew: I too felt the upper was longish but not enough to confidently tell people to size down. The upper on the whole is comfortable, though the very basic mesh made me long for the super thin woven upper of the Hyperion Tempo. I’m sure that upper wasn’t cheap to make but I loved it.

What I didn’t love was the slippy tongue. I had consistent tongue slippage in the original and was bummed to see that unwelcome feature make its way to the sequel despite a half-gusset tongue. Sigh.

Due to the snug fit of the midfoot and heel, the Brooks Hyperion won’t be a favorite among wide-footers. The forefoot is plenty roomy but if you’ve got junk in the trunk then you’ll end up mildly uncomfortable.

Outsole/Traction

Annie: Traction was solid, and I felt the outsole claw into the pavement when rounding corners (you’d think this was a Puma review…). And even with its generous amount of rubber, the shoe remained very light on foot. Did you find the grip much improved, Drew, or were you back to headlining at the Ice Capades like in the Hyperion Tempo of yore?;)

Drew: As Annie points out, the Hyperion Tempo’s achilles heel was its outsole. For three years, that’s been my go-to example of an outsole that just doesn’t work if there’s any water on the ground. Luckily, the Brooks Hyperion solves this with a more traditional rubber outsole. One large piece with a diamond pattern covers the forefoot while two oblong pieces cover the high wear areas in the heel. This is a huge upgrade in traction and much appreciated.

Midsole

Annie: The midsole had more give than I expected. My only other experience with DNA FLASH was in the Hyperion Max, which I liked very much but found to be on the firmer side (I’m guessing simply because of the thicker stack, but Drew may have more insight on that front). Here in the Brooks Hyperion, the DNA FLASH felt softer, but it avoided any mushiness due to its low-to-the-ground profile.

Drew: While I did enjoy the DNA Flash in the Hyperion Max, I still wished there was more of it. Unfortunately, the Brooks Hyperion does not solve that issue. It’s just a little too firm for long run days and there’s not quite enough squish for recovery or easy days. It works fine for speed sessions, but you can get a better overall ride from many other shoes at the $150 price point. Either Brooks needs to add more DNA Flash or soften up the DNA Flash formula. I’m not sure the correct answer but I imagine the Brooks shoe scientists are hard at work figuring that out.

Is the Brooks Hyperion worth $150?

Sort of. It’s the right price point given its value prop. But I’d rather grab the Hoka Rincon 3 at $125 or spend $20 more to get the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 at $170. Both those shoes have more/better cushion and fulfill the same use cases.

Brooks Hyperion Summary

Annie: While this is by no means a “versus” review, it’s impossible to resist drawing a few comparisons within Brooks’ own lineup: namely, on the lower end of the price spectrum with the Launch 10 ($110), and on the higher end with the Hyperion Max ($170).

The Brooks Hyperion certainly felt “fancier” than its more affordable cousin when it came to the DNA FLASH underfoot, but its ride flattened out a bit for me. In my case, this may have something to do with the Hyperion’s extra length, but I just didn’t experience the snappy toe-off I’d hoped for (and which the Launch 10 delivered). The Launch 10 actually managed to show me a little more personality while still leaving me firmly in the driver’s seat.

The things I liked most in the Brooks Hyperion and the Launch 10 kind of converge in the Hyperion Max: premium foam, light, snappy turnover, good grip—and it also brings to the table a better fit and more versatile (though not truly “max”) stack. It then becomes a question of whether you’re easily annoyed by a sometimes slippy tongue and if you find the higher price tag of the Max worthwhile.

As always, I imagine it will ultimately come down to personal preferences and how they marry with the amount of money you care to spend. But I’m super curious as to your take on all this, Drew, because you have tons of miles in all three and may be able to provide more context.

Drew: I’d easily take the Hyperion Max over the Brooks Hyperion as the extra cushion and better rocker motion make the ride much smoother. And as I said in the pricing section, I’d also choose different shoes for my speed work if given the choice.

That said, I wouldn’t go so far as choosing the Launch 10 over the Hyperion like Annie. That’s a bit too far for me. Regardless, the Brooks Hyperion is a solid, yet unspectacular shoe. Some people may love it, but I’m not in the habit of telling someone to spend $150 for something that’s ultimately fairly mid.