Brooks Hyperion 3 Review
By David Salas and Andrea Myers
Brooks Hyperion 3Price: $139.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 8.2 oz, 241g (men's size 9), 7.4 oz, 210g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 37 mm heel / 29 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Lightweight Trainer
Pros: Inexpensive in todays market, Decently versatile
Cons: Upper fit is very snug, not as responsive as previous model for faster efforts
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Brooks Hyperion 3 is a lightweight neutral training shoe. The shoe is decently lightweight, being in the middle 8's ounces in a men's 9. The shoe uses DNA Flash v2, a nitrogen-infused midsole to create for a softer and more responsive experience. The shoe does add 4 mm of stack from the previous version. This does change the dynamics of the shoe from the previous version.
SIMILAR SHOES: Saucony Kinvara
PAST MODEL: Brooks Hyperion 2
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
David: The Brooks Hyperion 3 fits very snug in my Men's 9.5. The length seems to be okay, but the volume is very low throughout. The tongue is stretchy, but has decent padding. The volume through the midfoot and instep do make for a pretty tight fit when locked down though. I probably would go up a half size on that alone. The upper material is decently plush. For those familiar with the previous Hyperion lines, this model has a good amount more material on it. The upper feels like it went more towards being a daily trainer, than the speedy and nimble shoe of the Hyperion 2. There is a heel counter present, that is also highly padded. I did not have any issues from that. The shoe does feel like there is a bit of an identity crisis though. The materials don't feel like something I would expect out of a shoe that is supposed to go fast, and it can run a little warm. The lockdown also needs to be reworked for more volume throughout.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Andrea: The Brooks Hyperion 3 fits short in my usual women's 9.5. Brooks was nice enough to send me a women's 10 so I could properly test the shoe. Going up 1/2 size gave me enough length for my toes, but the toe box feels both lower volume and narrower as compared to Hyperion 1 or 2. The midfoot and rearfoot are normal to slightly narrow in width, and my feet just didn't feel as relaxed in Hyperion 3 as they did in Hyperion 2. I could feel pressure points behind my 1st MTP and in my medial heel, which I did not experience in Hyperion 2. The upper material is a thicker mesh that makes the shoe feel more like a daily trainer than a performance trainer and felt too warm for summer running. The gusseted tongue is made of a thicker elastic material that wraps around the dorsum of the foot comfortably. The tongue is additionally held in place by a large lace loop. The rearfoot features a rigid heel counter with a large amount of internal padding that wraps around the medial and lateral aspects of the heel, extending all the way to the lace eyelets. The padding pushed my feet forward in the shoe, which is what I think necessitated going up half size. I didn't experience any heel irritation from the heel design, but I did not like how my forefoot lined up with the rocker as a result of being pushed forward. While I loved the fit of Hyperion 2, the fit of Hyperion 3 is a miss for me due to the lower volume and narrower toe box, the excessive heel collar padding, and the thick upper.
Andrea's Typical Size: Women's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit Andrea well: Brooks Hyperion Max 1 and 2, Topo Cyclone 2, Nike Vaporfly 3, ASICS Novablast 4 and 5, PUMA MagMax Nitro
Shoes that have fit snug: Altra Escalante 4 (toe box width and volume), Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 2 and 3 (length), Saucony Endorphin Speed and Pro 1-4 (length)
Shoes that have fit large: Adidas Boston 12 (length), Adidas Adios 8 (length)
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Mild
How Flexible is the Shoe: Mild to moderate
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: No
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
David: The Brooks Hyperion 3 was a bit heartbreaking for me. It doesn't perform bad, but it takes away from some of the things I loved about the 2 and the 2 GTS. The shoe feels like it made moves towards being more of a daily trainer, and away from the light and nimble shoe I came to love. The DNA Flash v2 midsole does feel softer, though not quite as snappy as the previous model. The transitions of the shoe could be smoother too. The heel has some posterior heel flare that is noticeable. It extends the lever on the heel at initial contact, and can be a little slappy through the midfoot. I do think this is something that will have to see changes going forward with how it currently sits. The forefoot has a little bit of rounding and does provide a decent transition through toe off. The shoe is very neutral underfoot and relies a lot on its weight and midsole for its transitions. The shoe feels like a training shoe that can pick up the pace some, but lacks some of the top speed ease that the previous version had. Those looking for a snug lightweight trainer have it, but I am not sure I would reach for these on the track. I am thinking of this more on the daily training side with some fartleks or controlled tempo runs.
Andrea: I had high hopes for the Brooks Hyperion 3 due to how much I have enjoyed running in Hyperion 2. I have 300 miles on my original pair of Hyperion 2s and just bought a second pair. I use Hyperion 2 for easy runs, long runs, threshold work, and speed work on the track. Unfortunately, like the changes seen in Hyperion Max 3, Hyperion 3 is a very different shoe as compared to its predecessor and is no longer a do-it-all lightweight performance trainer. Hyperion 3 weighs a whopping 1.3oz more than Hyperion 2 in a women's 8, and the weight increase was very noticeable on my test runs. Hyperion 3 also gained 3mm of stack height in the forefoot and rearfoot, which reduced the ground feel and flexibility of the platform, making it feel better suited to easy miles. Hyperion 3 features a large posterior sole flare, which results in the rearfoot of the shoe feeling clunky and in the way of my preferred midfoot landing position, something that I never experience in Hyperion 2.
While both version 2 and 3 have an 8mm drop, version 2 never felt like an 8mm drop due to its more flexible platform and lower stack height. Hyperion 3 feels more like a 10-12mm drop shoe to me and I was very aware of the rearfoot during my test runs. While the shoe features a moderate forefoot rocker, I didn't feel much of a rolling ride because my foot was pushed further forward in the shoe by the highly padded heel collar. This resulted in my 1st MTP being further forward than the apex of the forefoot rocker, which made push off feel awkward and stiff. I only tested Hyperion 3 on easy runs because of how clunky it felt, but I did use it for some strides at the end of one run. It felt like trying to do strides in a stiff daily trainer, in which I felt like I was fighting the geometry of the shoe.
A couple of my test runs were on wet roads and I did not have any issues with traction, thanks to the high amount of rubber coverage in the outsole. I have 25 miles on my pair and there is mild wear on the exposed midsole and almost no wear on the outsole rubber. I would expect higher than average durability from the shoes, based on the higher than average durability I have gotten out of Hyperion 2, which has a similar outsole design.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
David: The Brooks Hyperion 3 is certainly a neutral shoe. There is not much going on in terms of stability. There is some gentle sole flaring, but nothing major. The outsole traction is decent, but does not feel like it firms the shoe up too much. The heel flare may actually take some of the stability away, since it creates a larger step in at initial contact. Though the upper feels too snug, it does provide a decent lockdown. The upper materials hold with turns as well.
Andrea: Brooks Hyperion 3 is a neutral shoe with minimal guidance features. The platform is relatively narrow, particularly in the rearfoot and midfoot. There is a very small heel bevel which is almost completely negated by the larger posterior sole flare, which may encourage an earlier rearfoot landing. The moderate forefoot rocker may help with forward guidance if a person's 1st MTP lines up correctly with the rocker, but the highly padded heel collar will tend to push the foot forward in this shoe. There is a slight varus rearfoot bias in the shoe, which tilts the rearfoot outward. This may provide mild resistance to pronation, which will be good for runners who need this, but bad for runners like myself, who already land too far laterally and do not need additional resistance to medial motion. I would definitely not call this a stability shoe or even a stable neutral shoe because there are no other significant guidance features.
Thoughts as a DPT: The Importance of a Good Heel Rocker
By David Salas, PT, DPT, CSCS
When choosing a shoe, it is important to make sure that it works well with your mechanics. When people design shoes, they try to line up the shoe with natural rocker points. These are points that are naturally rounded on your body to allow for ease of movement. In shoes, this is seen as a heel bevel and a forefoot rocker, normally. In some cases, you may seem some different changes in the geometry to bias certain sides or pathways of movement. One design that normally doesn't work well for the masses though is heel flare. You can think of a heel flare as an extension of the heel in the backwards direction. If it is beveled really well, sometimes the shoe can get away with it, but it can be difficult. Normally they don't go well. This is because that extension backwards can create an early initial contact. This can be problematic in multiple ways. The first is that it increases the lever arm that your ankle has to work through at initial contact. That will place a lot more load through your tibialis anterior, the main muscle responsible for putting the breaks on your ankle and keeping it from slapping the ground really hard. The second is that it can mess with your timing from a neurologic standpoint. If you are landing early, your body will have to make a lot of micro-adjustments that it normally does not have to. That can have larger implications than it sounds when we are talking about thousands of steps. This can result in differences in loading up the chain as well. Heel flares are not normally a good idea, but it is possible to get around if the shoe is largely rockered.
RECOMMENDATIONS
David: The Brooks Hyperion 3 was a bit of a let down for me, as I was very excited for it. I think some people will still find it will work for their needs, but I lost a speedy companion in the newer model. The shoe feels like it leaned toward being more plush all around, but is still less smooth and plush than other trainers out there. It feels like there is a bit of an identity crisis. I think I would look to streamline the upper first. The second thing I would do would be reworking the heel to make for a faster, not longer, transition at initial contact. I don't mind the extra foam, if the heel is quicker and the upper lighter. The current upper also needs more volume.
Andrea: I agree with David that Hyperion 3 is a disappointment, after putting so many miles on Hyperion 2 in the past year. While Hyperion 2 is a versatile lightweight performance trainer that can handle any pace, Hyperion 3 is heavier, with a plush and ill-fitting upper that feels like a daily trainer, and a clunky ride that only feels suited to easy paces for me. Brooks says Hyperion 3 is still a lightweight performance trainer, but nothing about the design changes make it seem like that was the goal. My advice for version 4 would be to return Hyperion to its roots as a lower stack, truly lightweight performance trainer and forget about this footwear industry trend of adding midsole stack to every shoe and calling it an update. More midsole material is not always better, especially when dealing with non-plated, lightweight performance trainers, which often rely on lower weight, platform flexibility, and ground feel to provide performance benefits.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
David: The Brooks Hyperion 3 is a lightweight neutral training shoe for those that want a snug fit and decent cushion for the weight. The Hyperion 3 does differ from the 2 noticeably, and those that wanted the snappy and grounded feel of the previous version do not have that here. This version does feel a little smoother at slower efforts. It does feel like it is moving more towards the daily training side of things. The shoe does still have some versatility, but not as much as the previous version did.
Andrea: The Brooks Hyperion 3 is a lighter weight daily trainer with a plush, lower volume upper that fits short. If you love Hyperion 2 like I do, be warned that Hyperion 3 is nothing like its predecessor and is more suited to slower paces. Hyperion 3 is also notably similar to Brooks Launch 11, which is $20 cheaper and 0.5oz lighter than Hyperion 3. I actually liked the ride of Launch 11 for easy miles, but found the toe box to be even narrower than Hyperion 3. As long as you have a narrower foot, I would recommend Launch 11 over Hyperion 3 if you are looking for a lighter weight, neutral daily trainer.
GRADES
David
Fit: C (Very snug throughout the midfoot and instep, lower volume throughout, upper feels too plush for a speedy shoe)
Performance: B- (Heel transition needs to be better. Midfoot and forefoot is ok. Cushioning decent for the weight. Not as versatile as it could be.)
Stability: B- (Not great, not horrible. Very neutral throughout. The upper lockdown is secure. The heel makes for some instability in the midfoot through loading response and initial/mid stance)
Value: B (If it works for you, the price is still not bad for the weight. It still has decent versatility.)
Personal: C- (It's too snug through the upper and the ride isn't smooth or versatile enough for me to look the other way.)
Overall Design: C+
Andrea
Fit: C (Upper too warm and thick, excessive heel collar padding pushes foot forward in shoe, making it fit short and affecting alignment with forefoot rocker. Forefoot narrower and lower volume than v2. Overall poor fit and design, particularly for a shoe marketed as a lightweight performance trainer.)
Performance: C (Posterior sole flare results in a clunky rearfoot, reducing the shoe's utility to easy paces. Feels heavy and warm on foot. Not a versatile performance trainer like v1 and v2.)
Stability: [neutral] B- (A neutral shoe with a noticeable rearfoot varus tilt. Muted forefoot rocker and needs a better heel bevel.)
Value: B- (There is no reason for this shoe to be $140 when Launch 11 is $120, half an ounce lighter, and with better rearfoot geometry.)
Personal: C- (Brooks took once of the best lightweight performance trainers (Hyperion 2) and completely ruined it. I don't even like doing easy runs in Hyperion 3 due to poor fit, weight, and geometry.)
Overall Design: C
SHOP | SUPPORT DORBrooks Hyperion 3Price: $139.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
*Using the link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
Check out Gear We Love
Naked Belt The best way to carry your phone and goods on the run. No bounce and various sizes for waist.
Saysky Running Gear: We were really taken aback by this Scandinavian company's ultra-thin, durable performance clothing
Skratch Recovery, Coffee Flavor: Mental and physical boost post run. Coffee flavor is excellent and goes great straight into a fresh brewed cup
goodr Sunglases: Run in style with goodr's super fun sunglasses.
Feetures Socks: Massively grippy socks that will make you feel more one with the shoe
Amphipod Hydraform Handheld Water Bottle: Perfect for long runs when you need hydration in the summer
Trigger Point Foam Roller: Help get those knots out post-run and feel better for tomorrow
Ciele Hat: Our team's favorite running hat of choice!
Fractel Hats: Our team's wider fitting running hat of choice!
FURTHER READING
HOKA's long-distance performance shoe.
A super stacked trainer.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
Thanks for reading!
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunning
LinkedIn: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
Pinterest: Doctors of Running
PODCAST
Check out the Doctors of Running Podcast to find more reviews, interviews, and running features from the team.
Visit our Podcast Page
Find us on Apple
Find us on Spotify
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
NEXT: HOKA Mach X 3
