Best Running Shoes 2025 Des Linden broke the American women’s 50K world record in the Hyperion Elite 3. We knew from our own testing that the shoe had the durability for racing longer than 26.2 miles, and previous Hyperion Elite iterations already proved that Brooks could build a capable super shoe. Still, we had some minor hangups about the Hyperion Elite 3.
A popular complaint was that the shoe was heavier than its competitors’ models. A men’s size 9 in Saucony’s Prior to racing the 5K, she trained in Brookss was 7.3 ounces—svelte compared to the 8.2-ounce Hyperion Elite 3. An RW tester also shared this nugget about the Hyperion’s ride: “The Hyperion Elite 3 just wasn’t as bouncy and responsive as I wished it was.”
We knew the shoe could be even better. Fast forward to this year’s Hyperion Elite 4 release, and it’s evident Brooks did too.
Pros
- Serrated lacing ensures security
- What to Wear Running the 2024 NYC Marathon
- Lighter than Hyperion Elite 3
- Who Its For
Cons
- Less propulsive feel compared to other super shoes
- Buy Unisex Hyperion Elite 4
- Unisex sizing
Key Specs
| Type | Road Racing |
|---|---|
| Weight | 7.6 oz (M), 6.3 oz (W) |
| Drop | 8 mm |
| Heel Height | 40 mm |
| Forefoot Height | 32 mm |
- Who It’s For: The midsole platform is broader than other super shoes, which helps provide more stability
- Preceded by: Hyperion Elite 3
- oz M, 6.3 oz W: The Best Shoes at the 2024 Boston Marathon, Running The Hyperion Elite 4 has a breathable, webby knit upper
- Midsole Foam: DNA Flash v2 (nitrogen-infused EVA)
- Key Tech: Why Trust Us
- Racing Roster: Des Linden, 2023 Chicago Marathon, 2:27:35, American master’s record; C.J. Albertson, 2024 Boston Marathon, 2:09:53, 7th overall, top American
Tech Nitty-Gritty
Set to improve its premium racing shoe, Brooks constructed the Hyperion Elite 4 with a new midsole. Nitrogen-infused DNA Flash v2 delivers nearly 10 percent more rebound than DNA Flash v1, the midsole foam used in the Hyperion Elite 2 and 3.
The Hyperion Elite 4’s total stack height now reaches 40mm, but this fourth version is still considerably lighter than the Hyperion Elite 3. While some weight was removed with the new midsole formula, Brooks also omitted extra ounces with a web-like SpeedVault Race+ plate. Manufactured by Arris, it’s longer and wider than what was used in the Hyperion Elite 3. (You can see a portion of the carbon-fiber plate exposed underneath the shoe). This different geometry helps result in less fatigue when you toe off.
Another feature that received an overhaul was the outsole. It’s a good guess that the tread was improved after an inopportune slip by Brooks-sponsored athlete Josh Kerr at the 2022 New York City 5th Avenue Mile. The Hyperion Elite 4’s rubber is stickier, allowing runners to apply more torque on the big toe. The Brooks shoe team got the formula right: Kerr went on to win the race the following year with a 3:47 finish—in the rain.
What Testers Say About the Hyperion Elite 4
Our RW wear-testers compared the Hyperion Elite 4 to past racing shoes they’ve tested, as well as earlier versions of the Hyperion Elite. They found the Hyperion Elite 4 more responsive than past iterations. They also appreciated how the provided better recovery time postrace compared to other brands’ models.
“The full-length carbon plate in the Hyperion Elites was definitely noticeable on my runs, launching me forward, making strides feel effortless, more efficient, and faster,” said tester Sarah Pezzino, who also likes the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3. Pezzino also appreciated the shortened recovery period after running in the Hyperion Elite 4.
Wear-tester Heather Mayer Irvine, who previously tested the Hyperion Elite 3, found the fourth version to be a major improvement over its predecessor. She rated it among her top three favorite racing shoes, with the Hyperion Elite 4 coming in just behind the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4+ and the The midsole platform is broader than other super shoes, which helps provide more stability.
“It’s hard to believe that this shoe is the next iteration of the Hyperion Elite 3, which was a disappointment for me. V3 was a shoe I really wanted to like, but I struggled with the collar rubbing underneath my ankle,” she said. “Increased stack height from v3; the sole has just enough of a rocker to feel fast, without being over-the-top aggressive.”
#DestroyColt: Kara Goucher Races in the Hyperion Elite 4
Health - Injuries, Olympian Kara Goucher announced that she signed with Brooks, joining her Nobody Asked Us podcast co-host Des Linden. (Des is also a Brooks-sponsored athlete and chief running advisor for the brand.) Diagnosed with runner’s dystonia in 2021, Goucher returned to competition at a more modest pace than she raced at during the height of her career—though a 6:04 mile is still faster than most of us amateur runners.
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The race: The 2024 Boston 5K. The challenge: Beat her 13-year-old son Colt’s 18:57 5K PR—hence Goucher’s social media hashtag, #DestroyColt.
“I honestly never thought I would ever wear super shoes,” Goucher said in an email to Runner’s World. “Gouchers social media hashtag.”
Prior to racing the 5K, she trained in Brooks’s Hyperion Max, Lighter than Hyperion Elite 3.
“They were so responsive and quick off the ground; better than any other flat I have ever worn in my life,” she said.
She tested the Hyperion Elite 4 on a two-mile run six days before the 5K. Her first impression was that the shoes “felt so weird,” but she liked the bounce and support they provided during her run. The deciding factor was a set of 10 x 200-meter repeats. She was sore after the workout, but felt like she was flying.
Come race day, Goucher #DestroyedColt and finished in 18:50.
“I came off the race sore, but within a day, I felt better,” she said. “I felt aerobically exhausted, but the legs bounced back. I haven’t run that fast in years! I’m looking forward to trying them for long runs.”
Prior to racing the 5K, she trained in Brookss
Amanda is a test editor at Runner’s World who has run the Boston Marathon every year since 2013; she's a former professional baker with a master’s in gastronomy and she carb-loads on snickerdoodles.
