Brooks Hyperion Max 2 Review
The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a running shoe designed for everyday running but also offers some propulsion to make it easier to run quickly. This makes it ideal for steady long runs, marathon pace long runs, or long runs with pickups.
The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is designed as the training version of the Brooks Hyperion Elite v4, which is Brooks’ carbon-plated road racing shoe (review here). The midsole uses the same foam, DNA Flash v2, although it is 2mm thicker (36mm/30mm). The heel-to-forefoot drop remains at 6mm, but the carbon plate has been replaced with a Pebax plate. The Pebax plate gives the shoes less spring but allows for more foot function, which means the Hyperion Max 2 can be worn more frequently than the carbon-plated Hyperion Elite v4 without the risk of weakening your feet because the shoes are doing too much of the work.
The fit of the Hyperion Max 2 is superb. It wraps around the foot nicely, holding it securely onto the midsole without feeling restrictive in any way. The fit isn’t particularly broad, but it does seem to accommodate various foot shapes well while maintaining comfort. The heel cup is stiff and holds the heel onto the midsole. It is nicely padded, and the Achilles tab curves away from the Achilles. The tongue is very thin with minimal padding, yet this doesn’t seem to affect the comfort level. The tongue is gusseted on both sides and conforms well to the foot, which helps prevent it from moving around. The laces have ridges, making it easy to pull them tight, as the ridges prevent the lace from slipping back through the lace hole. The ridges also help keep the laces tied.
There is an additional lace hole at the top, which you can use to make the heel fit tighter or to butterfly lace the shoes. The knitted upper wraps around the foot, holding it well onto the midsole. Like most shoes with this level of stack height, your foot sits slightly inside the midsole to give you more stability and so the shoe can guide your gait. The curve/rocker is primarily at the toe, which encourages the runner to lift their heel straight up. This helps promote an upright posture and makes the runner light on their feet.
As you would expect from a shoe designed for quicker-paced running, the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 weighs in at 280 grams for a Men’s UK 8. This is very light, considering the level of cushioning in the shoes. Brooks shoes are similar in length to Saucony, Topo, and Altra. If you use Hoka, New Balance, Karhu, or Inov-8, we suggest trying half a size larger to get a similar length.
No running shoe is ideal for every speed or type of running. The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 has ample cushioning but may be a little too firm for most runners to use as an easy-run shoe. Although I like shoes that feel firm, I found that I was aware of the stack height, and the rocker wasn’t as smooth at slow paces. However, when you increase the pace to what some runners call a steady running pace and others call Zone 2 or Tempo pace, the Hyperion Max 2 comes into its own. If you want to cruise fast, then the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a shoe to consider. The rocker feels much smoother at a slightly quicker pace, and the midsole doesn’t feel as firm. The Pebax plate doesn’t give the shoes a springy feel; I wasn’t aware of the plate at all. What it does seem to do is help the midsole retain its structure. Many midsoles feel great after an hour of running but then start to get too soft, and you don’t get the same feeling of propulsion from then on—just at the point in a long steady run when you are getting tired and need a bit of help. The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 midsole retains its integrity, providing the same smooth, stable ride. After a two-hour run with some pickups, the Hyperion Max 2 was still performing as well as it did at the start of the run.
At faster paces, I found that I became more aware of the stack height, and the ride wasn’t quite as smooth. On short hills, the firm midsole was a little too soft, and I ran slower than I usually do in my more minimal road racing shoes. So, for me, the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 worked best on my steady runs and long runs with pickups. This is a great addition to my rotation of shoes, as I find that for these runs, a training shoe is a little too clunky for the quicker bits, but a racing shoe is a little too minimal and leaves me a bit too sore after the run. I also don’t want a shoe that gives me too much help. I want to be working my body so that I will improve, not just riding the shoes.
When using carbon-plated shoes, you often feel like you are getting some speed for free. Although the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a nice shoe to cruise along in at a quick pace, I did feel that I had to work in the shoes—ideal for training. If you are looking for a shoe that will give you an extra few seconds per mile for free or make it easy to keep cruising along, that isn’t really where the Hyperion Max 2 excels. It is a fast training shoe. The difference between my steady run effort in the Brooks Hyperion Elite v4 and the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is about 10 seconds per mile. Although I am running slower in the Hyperion Max 2, the training benefit I am getting from the session is greater as I am doing more of the work. The rocker helps improve my posture, and the high level of cushioning aids in recovery.
In summary, the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a great shoe for quicker training runs. The addition of the Pebax plate helps the midsole retain its integrity longer than in the previous version. It is versatile and cushioned enough for slower runs, although some runners might find it a bit firm at slow paces.
Other Considerations
Hoka Mach 6: Available in two width Men’s and Women’s. A more pointed toe box than the Hyperion Max 2 and softer ride. I felt like I rode the shoe more in the Mach 6 and the foam encouraged me to run quicker rather than smoothly holding good posture which is what it felt like in the Hyperion Max 2. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-mach-6-review/
Karhu Fusion 4: A lot bouncier. Less aware of the Fulcrum then I am in other Karhu shoes. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/karhu-fusion-4-review/
Topo Athletic Specter: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet room to spread and function in the shoes. A very similar shoe in that it is designed for use as a steady run training shoe rather than one that gives you speed for free. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-specter-review/
New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4: Firmer than the previous version with a lot more stack height makes this a similar shoe to the Hyperion Max 2. The ride is softer. There is more space in the forefoot but, not as much as in the Topo Specter. Like the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 and the Topo Specter the New Balance Rebel V4 is designed as a speedy training shoe. Ideal for steady runs, Zone 2 runs and Tempo runs. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-fuelcell-rebel-v4-review/
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