Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 Review: Two Steps Forward, One Step… Sideways?

Introduction to the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

MEAGHAN: The Brooks Hyperion Elite hasn’t exactly had a glowing track record with our team. In fact, it’s been pretty harshly criticized in the past — remember Thomas’s review of the Elite 4? That one definitely made the rounds. So, let’s just say our expectations for the line have historically been… modest at best.

That started to change with a quiet but significant update. Brooks made a quick pivot and introduced PEBA-based foam in a variant of the Elite 4 — renamed the Hyperion Elite 4 PB — released just a few months after the original. It was a clear improvement and a step in the right direction.

And now we have the Hyperion Elite 5, which feels like a complete reset. According to the Brooks team, Des Linden played a significant role in shaping this version.

The upper now features a lightweight TPU-coated flat knit that’s pretty minimal. While the foam remains Brooks’ new DNA Gold, the midsole geometry has been completely overhauled. Instead of the traditional center cutout seen in most race shoes (and in the Elite 4 PB) to allow foam displacement, Brooks opted for side cutouts, orb-shaped cavities along the midsole, to give the foam more room to compress. The result is a much softer, squishier ride.

The shoe still uses the same SpeedVault Plus plate, but now it’s cushioned by a greater volume of foam. While the overall stack height remains the same (40mm in the heel, 32mm in the forefoot), the reduction in outsole rubber makes room for more DNA Gold underfoot. Speaking of the outsole, it now features SpeedTack rubber in a thinner layer, improving grip and contributing to the shoe’s lightweight build. My US W7.5 came in at 5.7oz.

THOMAS: There was a flicker of hope when Brooks released the Hyperion Elite 4 PB. Its new DNA Gold PEBA foam was a clear upgrade. For a moment, it felt like the company had finally found its stride for race day. But progress, like GPS directions, can be deceptive. You miss an exit, and for a mile or two, the app insists you’re still on track. Brooks may be in that stretch now — believing they’re headed for the finish line, when in fact, they need to reroute.

JON: The last time I even considered using a pair of Brooks for race day was in 2018. I had a pair of the Brooks Asteria — a racing flat with a dash of stability. The Vaporfly 4% was the only supershoe out, and it was incredibly hard to get, so I got the Asteria to see if it could replace my usual New Balance 1500s. It’s hard to believe this used to be an option compared to what I prefer today.

After being impressed with what Brooks has been doing the last couple of years, I was eager to try its latest and greatest race day offering.

What we like about the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

MEAGHAN: The first thing that stood out to me about the Hyperion Elite 5 was its weight, or lack thereof. The knit upper is highly breathable, with much of the forefoot constructed from an open-knit mesh that allows plenty of airflow. It’s great for the hot and humid days in Baltimore.

Fit-wise, the Hyperion Elite 5 runs true to size and wraps the foot with a secure, performance-oriented feel. The interior of the heel counter includes well-placed padding that adds comfort. One thing that really caught me off guard was the step-in feel — it’s surprisingly soft for a race-day shoe. There’s a plushness underfoot that I wasn’t expecting, and it made for a very pleasant first impression.

I took the Hyperion Elite 5 through a series of workouts — intervals, tempo efforts, and a progression run and I was able to hit all my target paces without issue. What surprised me most was how deceiving the ride felt. Out on the road, it didn’t give me that pronounced springy or energetic bounce I usually associate with fast shoes. But when I checked my splits post-run, I was consistently running faster than it felt. So I guess the shoe is efficient, even if the sensation underfoot doesn’t scream speed for me.

I’ve also logged a few easy runs in the Hyperion Elite 5, and it handled them well. Race shoes often feel too firm or aggressive for relaxed paces, but this one maintains enough softness that I think it works. It’s not overly harsh, which makes it great for workouts with varying paces.

THOMAS: The Hyperion Elite 5 caught my eye right away. The baby blue with orange-red trim feels straight off a Gulf-liveried Porsche 917K — how could you not look down and feel fast? The upper fits like it was made for me. Its open knit breathes well. The tongue isn’t gusseted, but it’s stitched down on the medial side, so it stays put. Brooks added a nicely padded collar around the heel, which finishes the fit. My pair, a true-to-size 10.5, comes in at 7.7 ounces, or 220 grams.

I ran intervals and tempos in the Hyperion Elite 5, and the shoe stays light through the stride and fits me just right. The ride has a touch of nostalgia to it — something that might appeal to runners who remember the feel of flats before the super shoes came along. Think old-school, but with a softer landing.

JON: Echoing Thomas and Meg, the upper and colorway are top-notch and caught my eye immediately. It’s a great callback to what we all used to race in. It looked great and felt like nothing in my hands and on my feet.

The upper breathed fantastically in the miserable, hot, and humid days of Maryland summer. The mesh wrapped snug around my foot and was comfortably soft, while the attention to detail in the heel collar and lacing gave me a great locked-down fit. There isn’t a ton of real estate in the toe box, but it wasn’t to the point of discomfort.

What shone the most was the ride and durability of the outsole. The 8 mm drop naturally pushed forward, having me land and lift off on my forefoot. I was able to push through a workout on the track and some tempo efforts on the road. I agree with Meg that it didn’t have the propulsive springiness that competitors have, but I was hitting the splits I intended to do, and the shoe was fun to run in. The midsole’s construction with the plate partially exposed offered a good balance of squish with some firmness.

The SpeedTack outsole is excellent, providing great traction and control. For how lightweight this shoe is, I saw minimal wear, which scored big points from me.

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What we don’t like about the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

MEAGHAN: My first run in the Hyperion Elite 5 left me a bit confused. Visually and underfoot, it felt like a completely different shoe from the Elite 4 PB, which finally felt like Brooks was heading in the right direction. So, experiencing such a dramatic shift with the v5 almost felt like a reset.

The Elite 4 PB had a firmer feel. It was light and snappy, though it lacked a bit of the bounce I was hoping for. With the Elite 5, it feels like Brooks may have overcorrected. The foam is soft, almost too soft, and offers far more ground feel than I’d ever want from a racing shoe.

To figure out what was bothering me, I wore the Elite 5 on one foot and the Elite 4 PB on the other. What I noticed is that the v5’s foam compresses much more, which for me leads to an overly squishy ride. Some runners might enjoy that ground feel, but I’m definitely not one of them.

I also ran into some issues with the new knit upper, specifically around the collar and heel. I typically like a knit upper, but this one lacked structure and didn’t provide the ankle support I needed. It felt loose on sharp turns, and I didn’t have the confidence to push the pace through corners the way I normally would.

THOMAS: Meg and I couldn’t agree on the cushioning. I said it felt firmer than the Hyperion Elite 4 PB. She said it was softer. Turns out, we were both right. I felt more ground contact as the foam compressed. Meg, who’s lighter, didn’t get that same feedback. What we did agree on was this: Neither of us liked how it felt.

My main issue is the ride. It reminds me of an old racing flat, lacking the spark of a super shoe. The foam is technically better, but it feels like a slab. There’s a little energy return, but no joy in the toe-off, which comes off flat and a little slappy. On race day, I want a shoe that responds — a foam that springs, a plate that pushes, or, in the case of the Alphafly, airbags that make every uptick in pace feel like a reward. This shoe doesn’t do that.

JON: The collar is just a tad too low profile for me. I was able to correct this by using the top eyelet and incorporating a runner’s loop, but I really had to pay close attention to how I tied the shoe since the tongue wasn’t long enough. If there wasn’t an extra eyelet, I would be way more worried about ankle stability.

The ride doesn’t really come close to a pair of Alphaflys, and if you don’t want something with more ground feel, this isn’t the shoe for you. The workouts I did in this one had fast efforts sandwiched between easy miles. It felt great whether I was shuffling along or picking up the pace. That said, this wouldn’t be my pick for a marathon, but I would gladly use it for a half-marathon or shorter.

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Final thoughts on the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5

MEAGHAN: Brooks has been making some impressive strides over the past couple of years. A few of my favorite max-cushioned trainers have come from the brand recently, and that gave me hope that their race-day offerings were on a similar upward trajectory. I really wanted to fall in love with the Hyperion Elite 5, and while there’s a lot to like, it ultimately didn’t earn a top spot in my rotation.

If I had to choose between the Hyperion Elite 4 PB and the Hyperion Elite 5, I’d personally stick with the 4 PB. It just aligns better with what I’m looking for on race day. That said, I can absolutely see the Hyperion Elite 5 resonating with a different type of runner, especially those who prefer a more traditional, racing-flat feel with a closer connection to the ground.

I got to see a prototype of the upcoming Hyperion Elite 6, and I have to say: I’m very intrigued. It looks like Brooks is continuing to refine the line in a promising direction, and I’m excited to see how it continues to evolve.

THOMAS: As I write this, a Smiths lyric loops in my head: “You just haven’t earned it yet, baby.” Brooks has long held its ground in daily trainers, but race-day shoes are a different game now — faster, lighter, more competitive — and Brooks is falling behind.

Today, there’s a race-day option for almost every kind of runner. The fast and efficient can pick from the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, Puma Fast-R 3, Nike Alphafly 3, or the Asics Metaspeed Sky and Edge Tokyo. Midpack runners have strong choices too — Saucony’s Endorphin Elite 2, the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0, or New Balance’s SC Elite v5. These are shoes designed to elevate the experience, whether you’re chasing a podium or a personal best.

The Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 isn’t a bad shoe. It just doesn’t belong in that top tier. Not yet.

JON: I remember talking to Meg and Thomas when we first got this shoe and I hadn’t started testing it yet. When I asked how it felt, they looked conflicted, which reflects in their verdict. Thomas was quite surprised when we talked at a group run when I was wearing these, and I told him how much I enjoyed them.

Current-gen super shoes have been sink or swim for me. The outsole has a tendency to wear down prematurely for me in the heel area due to my stride, gait, and size. I’ve had to retire shoes way too early because of this. Once the outsole goes, these supercritical foams just melt away. A pair of the Alphafly 3 will wear down in a fraction of time compared to a pair of Alphafly 1s I still have (with 3 times as many miles on them). I’m not blind to the fact that I am an outlier due to my size, but something shifted in the last few years. Thankfully, this isn’t as much of an issue with trainers or trail shoes, but it’s frustrating because of how common this has become for me in the racing shoes department.

The Hyperion Elite 5 was a massive surprise for me. Having something that is fast, lightweight, and durable is a dream come true. I liked that it has more of a ground feel and reminded me of what I used to run races in before 2019. This won’t be my first choice come race day, but it will stay in my rotation.

You can pick up the Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 for $275 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the button below.

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