An antidote to the trend of high-stack, maximalist shoes, the Brooks Hyperion 2 is a lightweight, low-stack option for daily workouts. If you're looking for the flatter, more grounded feel of traditional running shoes, this is the shoe for you. Though it lacks the high-performance foam of models like the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB that would give it a more energetic ride, the DNA Flash v2 foam returns more energy than many other daily trainers, and with its lightweight build, it can handle some strides.
Our Verdict
The Brooks Hyperion 2 isn't suitable for marathon racing. Even as a daily trainer, it's better suited to shorter runs and up-tempo workouts. It lacks sufficient cushioning and softness for longer distances, and it isn't as responsive as high-performance marathon racers.
Impressively lightweight.
Poor overall energy return.
Overall cushioning is inadequate for longer distances.
Not the most stable shoe.
The Brooks Hyperion 2 is a daily trainer rather than a racing flat, but as a trainer, it's most suited to picking up the pace at shorter distances. It doesn't have enough energy return, but its lightweight design and low-stack grounded feel make for a smooth and controlled ride.
Impressively lightweight.
Poor overall energy return.
The Brooks Hyperion 2 has poor overall energy return. While it's okay for a daily trainer, its foam isn't efficient enough for a very bouncy, responsive ride.
Poor overall energy return.
The Brooks Hyperion 2 has okay cushioning overall. The underfoot protection is especially lacking in the forefoot, where the shoe can feel harsh or bottom out after a while.
Lacks cushioning, especially in the forefoot.
The Brooks Hyperion 2 has very good lateral stability. It's designed to be as lightweight as possible, so there isn't much excess in the outsole, which makes for a smaller platform, especially in the heel. The heel also feels quite soft for heavier runners or at faster paces, which compromises some lateral stability. However, its low stack height and relatively firm foam help compensate for those flaws and provide good stability and ground feel for a pretty controlled ride overall.
Low stack height.
Firm foam, especially in the forefoot.
Narrow outsole in the heel.
Heel feels soft at higher forces.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Oct 23, 2025:
We updated the Pros & Cons, Cushioning, 5K/10K Racing, Heel Energy Return, Heel Cushioning, Forefoot Cushioning, Heel Firmness, Forefoot Firmness, and Forefoot Energy Return boxes to align with the latest test bench and revised the side-by-side comparisons to keep the review accurate.
- Updated Oct 20, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.8.2, which updates our methodology for the impact force range used in our compression tests to improve their accuracy. This also affects all usage and performance usage boxes using those compression tests as score components.
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Updated Jul 30, 2025:
We revised the phrasing in the Cushioning, Lateral Stability, Heel Cushioning, and Forefoot Cushioning boxes to reflect the changes in the latest test bench.
- Updated Jul 30, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 0.8.1, which mainly updates the score components for the Marathon Racing and Lateral Stability usage boxes to improve accuracy.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the Brooks Hyperion 2 in men's US size 9 in the Illusion/Coral/Black colorway. Here's the label for our pair. You can also buy the shoe in several other colorways, depending on the region and gender, including but not limited to Alloy/Bright White/Black, Black/Ebony/Primer Gray, Crystal Seas/Diva Pink/Black, Cockatoo/Purple/Lavender, and White/Murmur/Sugar Plum.
The shoe only comes in standard widths for men and women.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Brooks Hyperion 2 is a lightweight running shoe designed to deliver comfort without added bulk, making it a great alternative for those who don't want to jump on the maximalist trend. Unlike higher-stack trainers like the ASICS NOVABLAST 4, it sits lower to the ground and offers a more streamlined design. This second iteration is a complete overhaul of the original Brooks Hyperion, with a new upper, new outsole, and new foam that add some versatility while keeping down the weight and making it more adept at speed-focused training sessions and intervals.
While most of the market has been tending towards bigger and flashier shoes, the Hyperion lineup is focused on keeping things light and simple. The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is the higher-stack, more cushioned alternative to the Hyperion 2, with a nylon plate for better stability. Rounding out the lineup is the support-oriented Brooks Hyperion GTS 2 (the GTS stands for "Go-To Support"), which includes GuideRails technology to prevent excessive leg rotation, and the competition-oriented Brooks Hyperion Elite 4, which is intended to be the lineup's high-performance racing model.
For other options, check out the best running shoes we've tested.
Both the Brooks Hyperion 2 and Brooks Hyperion Max 2 are intended for faster-paced workouts, but they approach that goal in different ways. The Hyperion 2 is a more traditional shoe with a lighter weight and lower stack height that makes it well-suited to faster and shorter runs. Meanwhile, the Hyperion Max 2 has a less traditional geometry and falls a bit more into the super trainer category, with a pronounced rocker and nylon plate. It's notably more cushioned than the Hyperion 2, making it the better option for longer efforts.
The Brooks Hyperion 2 and the HOKA Mach 6 are both lightweight trainers adept at picking up the pace. The Brooks is the lighter of the two, making it feel more agile, but the HOKA has better energy return and feels more cushioned underfoot, making it a bit more well-rounded.
The adidas Adizero Evo SL is better overall than the Brooks Hyperion 2, offering more versatility for different kinds of runs. It delivers significantly better energy return, making for a more responsive ride when picking up the pace, and its more cushioned midsole makes it a better fit for longer efforts as well.
The adidas Adizero Adios 9 and the Brooks Hyperion 2 are both lightweight trainers that embrace the low-stack heritage, but they differ in execution. The Adios 9 is the lighter and more stripped-down option, sitting closer to the ground with a firmer, more energetic Lightstrike Pro midsole that makes it feel sharper and more responsive when picking up the pace. It's an all-in, well-executed speed tool that excels for intervals and short races. The Hyperion 2, on the other hand, is more of a traditional lightweight daily trainer. It's heavier, not as energetic underfoot, and prioritizes durability over raw performance.
We've recently started buying and testing running shoes with a very data-oriented approach. While we're just getting started, our methodology already has dozens of tests to help you make the right purchasing decision for your needs. Not only do we use high-end equipment to gather objective data, but we also order multiple sizes of the same shoes for team members to be able to log in miles. This real-world testing is done at various paces and conditions, and with different types of workouts, to cover all the bases. This allows us to verify our results and ensure they align with what you might feel with a specific pair.
Test Results
The Brooks Hyperion 2 is an impressively lightweight shoe. Despite adding an extra advertised 4mm to the midsole compared to its predecessor, this second iteration is even lighter, with a new lightweight mesh upper.
Note: In order for our 3D scanner to detect the nitrogen-infused foam on this model, we had to use scanning spray, which appears as white residue on the 3D model. This doesn't reflect the shoe's color or texture in a completely accurate way.
The heel doesn't have good energy return. The shoe isn't really suited to longer distances, where efficiency is key.
The forefoot offers a bit more energy return than the heel, making for somewhat springy toe-offs, but you won't have the same propulsive feel as a modern-day racing shoe like the Nike Vaporfly 4.
The shoe's heel is somewhat cushioned. Compared to other shoes, it doesn't offer much protection underfoot at low and high forces, but at medium forces (where most runners fall into), the cushioning is quite decent. This means the heel will offer sufficient protection from the road for most people, especially for shorter daily runs.
The cushioning in the forefoot is mediocre. It's notably firmer in the forefoot than the heel, so it's much less forgiving and protected for mid and forefoot strikers. That said, if you prefer a shoe with more ground feel, this level of cushioning might not be a dealbreaker.
The heel is quite soft at low forces, meaning mid and forefoot runners or lighter heel strikers will feel the foam deforming. At higher forces, it's still less firm than models like the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4, making for a softer, albeit somewhat less stable, feel underfoot for heavier heel strikers or when picking up the pace.
By contrast, the forefoot is super firm, so it's very stable and controlled for forefoot strikers at all intensities. However, it's likely too firm for those who prefer a softer feel underfoot.