Brooks Hyperion Max 2 Review – Walking on High

Fit

The fit is true to size in both length and width. The upper construction is a very neat, engineered mesh construction that has a great degree of natural stretch that immediately allows it to wrap around the foot with a sock-like quality.

Tech

Nitrogen-infused DNA Flash v2 – This new midsole foam and geometry is designed specifically for faster-paced and race day models.

The Nitrogen-infused material, while similar to that used in the brand’s models such as the Ghost Max 2 and Glycerin is a little firmer and has a more controlled rebound to its feel in this shoe.

The new geometry of cushioning in the Hyperion Max 2 features 4mm of additional cushioning in the heel and 6mm in the forefoot. This reduces the drop down to 6mm.

Side Walls – extend up around the rear of the shoe and into the midfoot. These work in a similar manner to the GuideRails used in the brand’s GTS range of shoes (Adrenaline GTS and Glycerin GTS) and keep the foot central within the cushioning and in a neutral position.

RapidRoll rocker – the rocker shape in both the heel and forefoot of the shoe encourages a faster ground contact time and adds to the shoe’s fast rolling feel.

SpeedVault plate – a plastic rather than carbon plate runs the length of the shoe, sandwiched within the DNA Flash v2 foam. It’s situated higher in the rear of the shoe and drops down into the forefoot. As well as the stiffening nature of the plate, the dip again encourages a faster forward roll of the foot and enhances the toe-off for a propulsive feel.

Performance

I was very keen to get out on the roads in the Hyperion Max 2 at the earliest opportunity. As soon as they arrived, I pulled them on for a gentle 4-mile run.

First of all, I found the fit superb. The engineered mesh upper is fantastic. It’s beautifully designed with various sections of open weave knit to allow breathability but at the same time other closer knitted elements to give the shoe structure and support the foot. But it’s all put together in a way that allows for a little stretch so that it hugs the foot very well.

The tongue of the shoe is also excellent. The stretch feel to it allows it to sit well on the instep beneath the laces and if the laces are pulled closer together the tongue adapts to the width with a neat section along its length for a perfect fit.

I’ll give the laces a mention here too just because they are the flat type with small notches that fasten well and stay fastened. No double knots are required here, just a simple bow and that’s how they’ll stay!

Early Miles

At an easy jog, the shoe feels light and relatively firm. It’s a very stable firmness but it’s not one that you’d choose for more than maybe 30 minutes of easy running.

But, remember this is a performance shoe, it’s designed to pick up the pace in and as soon as you do you notice the difference. The shoe transforms into an instantly more responsive shoe with a nice ‘rebound’ that can now handle more miles. It simply needs to go quicker.

My run developed into a progression effort with each mile increasing in speed. Starting at around 7 minutes 30 seconds for the first mile I picked up each of the following three miles around 30 seconds each. By mile 4 I was at 6-minute mile pace and the shoe really felt at home.

Longer and Faster

My next run in the shoes was a tempo pace run of one hour in duration. After my initial warm-up mile, I picked up the pace aiming to try and remain close to 6 minutes per mile pace. I don’t worry too much about running exactly on target as the weather right now can be rather unpredictable and the wind has been so strong!

The shoe performed very well. It offers me a nice amount of ‘spring’ or energy return and remains very stable, something which I prefer in a shoe, especially as some lighter and faster models can become unstable at speed. 

A treadmill session followed which was 6 times a mile with two minutes jog between each mile. I was aiming for 5 minutes 40 seconds for each mile effort and hit this partly because once I set the treadmill speed, I simply don’t adjust it until each effort is done.

The shoe feels great once again and the straight-line stability and energy return are just what I require. I felt I was getting a great return from the effort being put into the shoe.

Comparisons

Similar shoes that are designed as faster-paced trainers or tempo running shoes are.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 – Priced similarly to the Brooks Hyperion Max 2, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 is a very popular and very well-established model with many loyal fans.

The Saucony sits a little lower to the ground but has a softer feel and responsive ride thanks to its PWRRUN PB midsole and nylon plate. The Saucony wins for some because it has a slightly softer overall feel and offers more flexibility. It feels a little easier to run straight away whereas the Brooks needs a few runs to soften up and feel a little more at one with your feet.

Mizuno Neo Vista - Is another very soft riding shoe that’s aimed at ideally at faster-paced running. The Mizuno is a much higher stack than the Brooks but feels more unstable because of this. I found the Neo Vista too soft for most of my running, reaching for it on those days when I’m easy yet want a little spring in my stride.

My Verdict

The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a very good shoe and one which I’ve now used for around a dozen treadmill interval sessions. (I tend to run most of my harder efforts on the treadmill)

This said, I have scored it 8.5 out of 10. If being super critical I think I would probably prefer it to be just a tiny bit softer and it’s because of this I deducted a point and a half as I feel most runners would feel the same way.

If you do like a firmer feeling shoe that’s fast and stable and can afford shoes for training, tempo running and racing, then the Hyperion Max 2 is the perfect model for that tempo effort running.

As always from Brooks, the fit of the shoe is superb and the overall construction is of a very high standard. Being priced as it is, it is also a competitive option in this segment of the market.