In my review of the Brooks Hyperion 2, it was clear how much Brooks has swayed me to be a believer with the Hyperion lineup. And with the introduction of the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 this past summer, this latest version of the model to another level. I spotted the shoe during the 5th Avenue Mile in New York City in September, where Josh Kerr defended his title and set a new course record in 3:44.3.
Despite its name, the Hyperion Max 2 isn’t your typical chunky, super-soft mileage shoe. The mix of a carbon plate and Brooks’ game-changing DNA foam gives it an insanely soft and responsive feel. In recent years, Brooks lost ground in the market for race and workout-specific shoes, but I think that the fall marathon cycle and well into 2025, Brooks will be a serious competitor. At its $180 price point, the Hyperion Max 2 lands squarely with established competitors like the New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Trainer v3 and Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 — a stage set for speedy trainers that often find themselves on the ride for longer distances.
This may be a hot take, but after running around 40-50 miles in the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 (workouts, tempos, warmups, cooldowns and long runs), I can comfortable affirming that the Hyperion Max 2 is easily among Brooks’ best carbon-plated shoes to date. And it can compete with any brands daily trainers so far this year.
Changes and Notable Features
The original Hyperion Max wasn’t a bad shoe in the slightest when it debuted in 2023, but the Hyperion Max 2 has taken Brooks to another playing field. The first thing on display when opening the box or looking in-store is the clean, vibrant orange-reddish color, contrasting with the sleek grey and big Brooks logo on the side. This is the best looking Brooks shoe to date.
But as you slip your feet into the Hyperion Max 2, you’ll notice the wide base with ample room and seemingly perfect-fitting upper. Your feet are granted foot enough room to lay flat at the base while also holding the top of your foot — neither too tight nor too loose. This definitely eased my nerves as I was initially skeptical about the shoe before taking it on a test drive.
Brooks labels this their “Max” line of shoes, but the stack height doesn’t necessarily show what we’d expected in a max stack shoe as the Hyperion Max 2 rest on a 36mm midsole. The heel is the high point, dropping to 30mm in the toe and just 2-3mm higher in the heel and 5mm higher in the toe. Moving from an 8mm to a 6mm drop, I personally enjoyed this change as it made the shoe feel more stable and promoted forefoot running. But this could shift some away from Hyperion Max 2 during easy runs.
Another addition, which has been my favorite in all of the Brooks I’ve tried this year, is the updated DNA FLASH v2 foam, which is touted as 10 percent more responsive than the original model — and you can feel it in the current version. Mixed with their rocker geometry, I often found myself amazed at how easy some paces felt.
The added weight on the Hyperion Max 2 somehow is less unnoticeable due to a balanced setup that has you thinking fast first, so the extra bulk is a forgotten afterthough. Finally, one slight change I’ve spotted in newer Brooks shoes is the updated premium materials with no price bump. On my runs — on dirt roads, trails or just at pretty impactful paces — shoes are put through the paces of wear and tear at a rapid pace, but Hyperion Max 2 (and other Brooks offerings) held up better than other brands. Brooks might have made a few small tweaks to the previous model but when brought together, this adds up to one of the better shoes across the board.
Personal Opinions
The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is one my most favorite shoes so far this year. The thick slab of midsole mixed with the carbon plate and overall fit is a green light inspire moving at whatever pace you want, seemingly forever. Coming from a runner who struggles with injuries (I’ve missed a whole season of collegiate track), the DNA FLASH v2 foam takes a ton of pressure off of the knees without compromising softness for responsiveness.
Performance aside, this is a great model for its price. With its lower stack height, it may be uncomfortable for some during easy runs in an era when chunky shoes rule the roads.
But I enjoyed the shoe and it can compete with the best of the best on the world stage, like the 5th Avenue Mile, And for only $180, your realized the value in each quality workout — plus the colorways are fire. The Hyperion Max 2 is perfect for anywhere from 5k to marathon, and if you don’t want a super-hard, snappy shoe, this could even be a solution to guide faster paces with no problem. And back to when I first put the shoe on, I had no intention of placing the Brooks Hyperion Max 2 as my shoe of the year contender.
Overall Thoughts
At $180, the Hyperion Max 2 is the perfect shoe for someone who wants a cushioned shoe to do easy runs, workouts, and races. The DNA FLASH v2 midsole is a catalyst of efficiency during quicker paces, while the cushioning takes a lot of the impact off your body. And while “Max” might not be the best word to describe the stack height or performance, this is still a great shoe. The colors are brilliant and I think this is a product that moves the needle for Brooks on the performance scale as we see what this shoe can achieve on a world stage.
THE BREAKDOWN
Specs for the Brooks Hyperion Max 2
· Weight: (9.1oz / 258g) and (8.3oz / 235.3g)
· Stack height and drop: 36mm and 6mm
· Important features: DNA Flash v2 foam, SpeedVault plate, mesh upper
· Price: $180
· Release date: June 2024
How We Tested This Shoe
· Men: Size 11.5 (9.1oz / 258g)
· Women: Size 8 (8.3oz / 235.3g)
· Running conditions: Easy runs, daily training, tempo runs on asphalt and gravel/dirt paths
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Brooks Hyperion Max 2 – Men
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 – Women
