In the Hyperion Max 2 Brooks keeps its trademark comfort but adds up-tempo potential into the mix.
Brooks is a running brand that certainly has one area of the running shoe market pretty well sewn up. You go Brooks if you want a no-nonsense option that puts comfort and protection over everything else.
Where it lags behind the competition is when it’s time to increase the speed. It might have one of the quickest British track runners wearing its shoes, but as far as getting the masses in them, Brooks has got some work to do.
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is a stable and super-comfortable running shoe that’s well suited to quicker runs and is now better equipped to protect you during longer training efforts too.- Supremely comfortable upper
- Great choice for up-tempo runs
- Comfortable for longer efforts
- Heavier than Hyperion Max and rival shoes
- Firmer feel won’t be for everyone
- Doesn’t better immediate competition
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The Hyperion Max 2 is a shoe that wants to be on your feet when you want to go faster. It’s just doing things a little differently to most of the competition. Brooks has made some changes from the Hyperion Max 2’s predecessor. But do they make the Max 2 one of the best running shoes for picking up the pace in? I’ve been lacing it up to find out.
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 features
To make the Hyperion Max 2 a better fit for faster days than its predecessor, Brooks surrounds your feet with a thin mesh upper that wraps close and snug and gives you that reassuringly secure fit and pleasingly low-profile look.
The laces and skinny tongue help to keep the overall weight of the shoe down, though it has jumped from the OG Max. My UK size 8 weighed in at 256g, so while it still isn’t a heavy customer to go through the gears, it’s a shame it’s put on a bit of extra bulk.
Below that upper now lies a bigger stack of Brooks’ DNA Flash v2 cushioning technology. It’s an upgrade in bounciness from the first version that appeared in the Hyperion Max. It’s not the latest v3 version or the softer, plusher DNA Tuned foam nestled inside the new Glycerin Max, however. It’s a 6mm drop shoe, which should make it well suited to runners who land on the middle or front of their foot.
There’s more bouncy albeit firmer foam compared to the competition, with Brooks adding 4mm at the heel and 6mm at the forefoot. A nylon Speedvault plate has also been added to give some of the pop and propulsion promised by the Speedvault+ carbon-based plate used in Brooks’ pricier and more marathon-friendly Hyperion Elite 4. That’s matched up with its RapidRoll rocker that’s all about getting you turning your feet over faster.
That new plate is visible from the outsole where the rubber keeping you well grounded is mainly focused at the front of the shoe, with areas to protect further back as well.
Brooks Hyperion Max 2 performance
Having spent time in the Hyperion Max I knew it was one that worked best for up-tempo runs. But it simply didn’t stand out from other shoes that did the same thing. With the Max 2, Brooks has taken its up-tempo trainer and racer in the right direction.
On my first run, the move to the newer version of its DNA Flash cushioning technology clearly paid off. Even if it doesn’t give you that same lively, bouncy feeling underfoot that similar shoes like Saucony Endorphin Speed, Hoka Mach 6 or Asics Magic Speed give you. You’re getting a more conservative level of bounce here. But with that rocker and added plate also in place, there’s plenty of pop when you speed things up. It came to life on a track session where everything that’s packed into the Max 2 clicked into gear.
For a shoe of this kind it’s also a very stable one. If you’re wary of a wilder-feeling training partner, the Max 2 will appeal. That more stable feeling is welcome when you need to slow things down during runs as well. It’s not the kind of shoe I’d turn to for easy running days. But when I did need to ease up slightly it wasn’t an awkward customer.
I appreciated the added level of cushioning, both at the front and at the heel. That combination makes the Max 2 far more comfortable to use for big 10-mile runs. The outsole here is great too. It’s not full of rubber down below, but there’s more than enough to soak up regular runouts and also gripped well during a rainier run.
Conclusion
The Hyperion Max 2 is still one for faster running days and is now a more memorable shoe than the first Max. Is it the standout one to cater for a mixture of runs? Not necessarily, but it’s more in line with the competition and it’s by far my favourite new Brooks running shoe.
If you prefer a firmer albeit still energetic and lively shoe for your training, then there’s a lot to like. Brooks now has a great-looking, no-nonsense training shoe for faster runners and hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
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