Article by Renee Krusemark, Ryan Eiler, and Sam Winebaum
Brooks Hyperion Max ($170)
Introduction
Sam: The Hyperion Elite is moderately high stack height (30mm heel / 22mm forefoot) up tempo trainer and racer. It is very decently light for its stack and stout outsole at 7.5 oz / g. The weight is due in large part to its DNA Flash midsole foam, a nitrogen infused EVA also found in the Hyperion Elite and trail Catamount. It is plateless in being a single midsole foam with the stout outsole helping to provide a moderate rocker focused on the front of the shoe.
The upper is a stretch woven mesh with minimal overlays but with a stout higher heel counter.
I was curious to see how what is essentially a plateless version of the Hyperion Elite on a 5mm lower stack height would perform. I found the Hyperion Elite 1 quite firm, very very stable to a fault and not nearly as much fun as numerous competitors then or since.
Would making the Max lower stack and removing the carbon plate improve the ride and utility for what is not intended to be a marathon level stack super shoe but a lower slung faster training ride and maybe a plateless racer for those seeking a more old school riding very stable and superfoam enabled light shoe.
Or would the Max prove “dated” in performance as we first saw it at the Running Event back in early December 2021 and if memory serves expected it much sooner, with clearly, as with many 2022 introductions, supply chain issues affecting,
