Brooks Hyperion Max 2
Men: 9.1 oz
Women: 8.3 oz
Drop: 6 mm
MSRP: $180
The Brooks Hyperion Max launched last year with version 1, a non plated shoe with supercritical midsole foam that felt great underfoot and seemed to be a blend of newer technology with an older sense of what a speed day shoe should feel like. While version 2 has some trait similarities, this is essentially a redesign of the Hyperion Max, with the Hyperion Max 1 now becoming the Hyperion 2.
The Outsole
While this shoe is built to be a speedy shoe, it has a fairly thick outsole that provides a lot of durability for the shoe so you can get full mileage from this speed trainer. The grip from the rubber provides plenty of traction for normal running conditions, and will keep you moving on concrete, asphalt or cinder path.
The Midsole
The midsole is built from nitrogen infused supercritical DNA Flash v2. This midsole provides plenty of cushion for everything from speedwork to your long run, which when combined with the size specific speed vault plate allows for faster turnover on the run. The DNA Flash foam provides extra resilience for the shoe as well to ensure you get as many miles as possible out of the shoe.
The Upper
The mesh upper provides a lightweight breathable option that has a very comfortable fit. While it is a little narrower than other Brooks shoes, the upper fits true to size. There is plenty of cushion around the heel collar and tongue to keep you running comfortably for hours.
Runners and Walkers
While the original Hyperion Max was a bit more of a do it all shoe that still favored easy running, I find that this version does lend itself a little more toward quicker up tempo running. It does run comfortably at any pace, but it definitely wants to go faster. The speed vault plate provides a bit more aggression in the way this shoe moves and while it is not as aggressive as the carbon version, it does provide a much more substantial roll through the front of the stride.
What I do really like about this shoe at any pace is the stability of the shoe itself. So many of the go fast shoes feel like the heel lacks stability to me when I’m not running; to the point that if I’m doing a harder interval workout and have full rest walk breaks, I almost feel the need to go harder in the break than I should in order to avoid feeling like I am going to fall off the side of the shoe. With the Hyperion Max you can walk just as comfortably as you can run in it. The stride feels nice and smooth for everything from a heel to toe walking stride, though to a sprint off the forefoot run.
If you are using this shoe as your only running shoe I think that it is fully capable of doing so, however, I think that it fits in better as a speed day shoe within a rotation. Within the Brooks line it would pair nicely with the Ghost Max (1 or 2 depending on when you bought them) for easy running, and the natural progression above this is the Hyperion Elite 4 for racing. I really enjoy this for my tempo and interval sessions and the ability for this shoe to run easy means that I can do my longer warm-up running and cool downs (not that you really cool down in Houston summers) in the same shoe I’m working out in.
The Gym
While many speedy shoes don’t do well in the gym because they are made with PEBA midsoles, I think that this is a shoe you can definitely get your runs or preferred cardio done in and then head straight into a lifting session. It has enough stability in the heel and through the entire foot that you can do your lifting session in it and have a great session.
If you do more HIIT workouts, I think that this might be one of the more ideal shoes to consider. The outsole isn’t so grippy that it will hold you in place, but the plate gives you plenty of spring for plyometrics and sprints.
Daily Life
As this shoe is built to fit a fairly special niche within the running world, it is available in limited colors, currently only two and they are unisex for men and women. It is a very comfortable shoe to wear in daily life, but I would say that if you’re looking for a daily shoe but like the aesthetic of the Hyperion Max 2, consider the Hyperion 2 instead. It comes in a wider range of colors, has a very similar feel in the midsole when standing and moving but comes in at a lower price point.