The Brooks Hyperion Tempo is Brooks’ newest lightweight trainer. It saw a recent limited release alongside the Hyperion Elite, Brooks new long distance race day shoe. The two shoes are marketed to be used together but we’re focusing solely on the Hyperion Tempo since there are now rumors that the Hyperion Elite 2 will replace the Hyperion Elite sooner rather than later.
We tested the Hyperion Tempo on various runs including speed workouts, treadmill sessions, long runs, casual wear, and even a 10k race. So how does it perform as an everyday trainer? Read on to find out…
Cushion
Drew: The nitrogen infused DNA FLASH is a soft new cushioning tech that’s even softer than another nitrogen infused cushion, New Balance Fuel Cell. Like Fuel Cell, DNA Flash has a nice responsive bounce. It’s got this great combination of ground feel and comfort. That combination makes the shoe really versatile. I used it on both speed days and long run days. I even reached for them on off days as a casual shoe. The midsole is top notch and the biggest, brightest star of the shoe.
Jodi: This shoe is ALL about the cushion. The bit of bounce you get underfoot all while feeling like you’re wearing almost nothing was a really big surprise. I was able to grab these for back to back run days without paying for it which was a huge plus.
Traction
Drew: The outsole, on the other hand, is the worst part of this shoe. The rubber is durable but just too hard. It doesn’t wear down fast, so that’s nice, but the wet traction stinks. Any water on the streets or sidewalks and I was skating. It was bad enough that I had to avoid wearing the Hyperion Tempo on wet days. It’s not often I want a shoe to feature softer rubber on the outsole, but in this case, it’s 100% necessary. Although, as long as the ground is dry, you won’t have any issues.
Jodi: The rubber outsole should come with a huge sign that reads, “Caution: Slippery When Wet” because man was that a surprise! Prior to that unfortunate rainy day run I had actually been kind of bragging about how crazy good the traction was, in dry conditions obviously. You could actually hear the ridiculous grip just walking around. All of that was gone as soon as you added water to the equation. Each foot fall felt like you were simultaneously sliding forward and backwards. In a way I felt a deeper connection to Mario in Super Mario Brothers 3 whenever he warped to the Ice World level.
Support
Drew: The Hyperion Tempo is not focused on support but does supply a basic internal heel counter and sits your foot slightly inside the midsole. Exactly what you need from a lightweight, speed focused trainer (and nothing more).
Jodi: Drew put that rather eloquently AND succinctly. Good job, sir!
Materials
Drew: The barely there woven upper provides nice comfort and breathability. The upper has some reinforcement around the toebox to keep the woven material up off your toes and offer some protection in case you jam your foot into anything. There’s a felt-type material used for the logo and reinforcing the lacing structure. The tongue is mostly mesh and features a nice pillow of padding at the top to remove any lace pressure.
My only complaint regarding the materials is the laces are way too long. I had to tuck the tied laces back underneath the bottom lace loops to prevent them from dancing around too much while I ran.
Jodi: The materials had me a bit nervous at first because there is no real stretch to it. This can feel like instant death for a wide footer. But surprisingly the woven upper was comfortable and never constricting. And there are nice big holes punched in all along the toe box for even more air flow.
Fit
Drew: The Hyperion Tempo fits true to size and has ample room for wide footers. The upper, while not stretchy, is forgiving in its fit and should accommodate a wide range of foot shapes. I had a problem with consistent tongue slippage on my right shoe despite the laces passing through the tongue. If tongue slippage annoys you, know that it’s a possibility.
Jodi: The fit gets an A+ from me. My feet always felt securely in place. There weren’t any weird gaps, rubbing, pinching or any other kind of little issues that start out small, but quickly become super irritating as one’s mileage ticks upwards.
Overall
Drew: The Brooks Hyperion Tempo is available now at Brooks.com but will see a wider release on June 1st 2020 at retailers like Road Runner Sports and Dick’s Sporting Goods (6/1 UPDATE: available now). It’s a versatile, lightweight daily trainer that I would gladly wear for any run on any day that’s not rainy.
Jodi: I really enjoyed almost everything about the Brooks Hyperion Tempo. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy them as much as I did for a shoe that’s so lightweight. Usually, when a brand cuts down on weight, you can find yourself losing out on a lot of great features. But I’d say if you’re looking for a runner to do speedwork OR one that compacts into practically nothing to give you some extra room in your gym bag, I’d definitely recommend these. Just make sure that you check the weather forecast if you’re taking them outside.
Thanks to Brooks for sending a pair to test. Brooks was not given any editorial control of the review. This review is based on our weartesters’ experiences using the shoes for speed workouts, trail runs, treadmill training, long runs, casual wear, and more.
