The Hyperion Max 2 has delivered multiple innovations that elevate the shoe into the attention of the ever-growing running community. Read below to find out what Education and Product Specialist Daniel Roscoe believes are the most important factors when considering this shoe.
There is no denying the running community is in love with the concept of plated shoes.
The question is to carbon or not to carbon? My belief is that carbon plates aren’t as effective for the average runner as they think or hope they are.
This is a shoe that brings the fun and energy of a high-tech running shoe yet delivers it in an approachable and accommodating way.
Carbon is cool and Brooks is a player in that space with Hyperion Elite 4, but that is not our focus here. Our focus is the all-new Hyperion Max 2.
This shoe is designed to be an elevated training tool that can cross over as a race day option. Like the Ghost Max 2 it has many protective features built in but it has the distinction of also utilising some of our best technology to go fast. The purpose? To allow you to train at race pace or faster while still building volume into your training plan.
The protective features are a higher stack height with a lower offset and a shoe assisted transition. That is to say the shoe is assisting you to transition through your gait cycle rather than relying on your musculature to do the work. It does this through an elevated toe spring and a heel bevel. The primary driver of this mechanism is the speed vault plate. These three features combine to form our rapid roll system. Rapid roll helps you transition quickly to facilitate faster running pace. Initial contact > rapid transition through midstance > amplified toe off.
The Speed Vault plate is made of Pebax. Pebax adds forefoot stiffness but it is more flexible than carbon. This means for your weekend warrior patient that has a history of achilles complaints and calf tightness, the shoe is going to be much more tolerable on their body but they will still feel like they are wearing a faster shoe because they are! It is worth noting the orientation of the plate. You will see in the image below that the plate is higher up in the rearfoot. The purpose is for an even distribution of load in someone that is heel striking. The plate rolls forward to assist accelerating the transition and then scoops back up to provide that stiff efficient toe off. This is different from many competitors that have a simple plate that is flat throughout the midsole.
Hyperion Max 2 features an updated, energetic midsole foam called DNA Flash v2.
The difference between this foam and DNA Loft is that Flash v2 is a much faster and more dynamic foam. The speed in which it rebounds is very fast and this gives the shoe a more dynamic and responsive feeling underfoot. Even compared to DNA Flash v1 it is 10% more energetic. We have added TPU into the compound to achieve this and also slightly lowered the density to help reduce the weight. So the new midsole is lighter and 10% more energetic and because we have increased the stack height to 30:24mm there is a greater amount of cushion too. (Total stack 36:30)
The last update I wish to highlight is the new RoadTack rubber outsole. RoadTack is 50% more abrasion resistant than the previous rubber. That’s a lot more durable.
This rubber will be featured on the majority of our shoes moving forward.
It is also lighter and made from 20% recycled content all while delivering equal traction and equal rebound compared to its predecessor
Hyperion Max 2 is a shoe to elevate your training. It is also for race day. If you have a patient that has a history of calf and achilles issues, the speed vault plate is going to be much friendlier on these tissues but still deliver the elevated performance characteristics expected of an innovative, technical running shoe.
Written by Brooks Australia Sales, Education & Product Specialist, Dainel Roscoe.
