• Weight: 221.1g (women's size 7)
  • Stack height: 40mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot)
  • Heel-to-toe drop: 8mm
  • Type: Road

Buy unisex

    The shoe

    For several years, Brooks has wanted us all to live by its slogan and 'Run Happy'. But now, with the Hyperion Elite 4, Brooks wants us to Run Happy and Hard.

    The latest iteration of the Hyperion Elite range, this is Brooks’ fastest shoe yet, engineered to help you clock your quickest times for the 5K up to the marathon. In many ways, Brooks ripped up the rule book when it moved from the Elite 3 to the 4, as the new edition presents as an almost entirely different shoe with its lighter weight, redesigned carbon plate and brand new upper and midsole foam.

    What everyone's reading

    So how did the Elite 4 fare when I took it for a spin during a wet-weather interval session and a Mediterranean road half marathon?

    Winning potential

    Let’s first set the scene and consider what the Elite 4 has already accomplished. Des Linden – a long-standing Brooks athlete and the women’s winner of the 2018 Boston Marathon – laced up in a prototype of the Elite 4 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, setting a US Masters record of 2:27:47 in the process. Not bad at all. And, last year, 1500m World Champion Josh Kerr also won both the 5th Avenue Mile in New York City (3:48) and the San Diego Holiday Half Marathon (61:51) while wearing this shoe. From these elite results alone, you could tell that Brooks was on to something – and it’ll be interesting to see how the Elite 4 performs on the world stage in the coming months.

    The Hyperion Elite 3, but transformed

    Back to the nitty gritty of the shoe itself. While the 8mm midsole drop remains a constant between the Elite 3 and 4, the fourth edition is 8.5g lighter than its predecessor – and I for one could certainly feel (and welcome) the difference on my feet. Another noticeable change is the new upper, made from a breathable, stretch woven upper – a barely there, almost waxy material that helps it to feel more like a super shoe at least. And let’s not forget the new nitrogen-infused midsole foam, which deserves a section in itself…

    Punchier midsole foam

    Enter DNA Flash v2 supercritical nitrogen-infused foam. It may not roll off the tongue, but it does help you to roll through your feet with more speed as you run – so it is supercritical in making the Elite 4 Brooks’ fastest shoe so far. Compared to the original DNA Flash, used in the Elite 3, Brooks claims that the v2 foam increases energy return by nearly 10% – and it did feel bouncy, supportive and plush when I wore it for the Barcelona Half Marathon this month. If you want to get through a longer race quickly but comfortably, this could be a great choice for you.

    Full length carbon plate

    This is Brooks' first shoe to feature a full length SpeedVault Race+ carbon plate, which is another decent upgrade on the Elite 3. The brand quite literally shows off this new technology, too, as a section of the carbon plate can be seen peeping out from the midsole.

    When worn, though, the shoe seems to lend itself more to vertical oscillation than forward propulsion, as I didn't find the toe-off quite as snappy or aggressive as that of a Nike carbon-plated shoe, for example. This was particularly evident during the mostly-flat Barcelona Half Marathon, where I ran a time (1:27) around three minutes slower than my PB (1:24), which I achieved in a Nike shoe with around the same fitness level. I was feeling a bit run down in Barcelona, so can I 'blame' this for my slower time? Was it just not my day? Or could my footwear have played a part? It's difficult to determine an exact cause, but worth thinking about all the same.

    a woman wearing a medal
    The Barcelona Half Marathon – 13.1 miles later

    Good manoeuvrability

    An issue with many super shoes is that they only seem to operate well when you run in a straight line, but the Elite 4 allowed me to turn corners quite easily without compromising speed or my ankles. The shoe also coped pretty well when I wore it for an interval session in the build-up to the half marathon on wet pavements, offering just enough grip to keep me upright and in control.

    However, by the time I'd taken the Elite 4 for a third, slightly easier run post-interval session and half marathon, it was starting to feel a bit flat – so I wouldn't rely on it as a bouncy, responsive shoe for too long.

    Edgier appearance

    The Elite 4 does have an eye-catching, 'fast' look to it, with bold dashes of black and orange offsetting a slick white canvas. However, it’s not so brash as to go too big on the sharp, daring geometry that has become synonymous with super shoes from other brands. In other words, the Elite 4 still looks like a 'normal' running shoe with its friendlier, softer edges, which makes it a nice option for those who prefer the traditional shoe aesthetic.

    How does the Hyperion Elite 4 fit?

    I have a narrow female foot, and in order to get a snug, locked-in fit had to tighten the laces to the point where the eyelets on either side of this unisex shoe were almost touching. This didn’t affect comfort or performance, but it did make attaching the plastic chip to my laces for the half marathon somewhat challenging. I also found the toe box very roomy. It would be interesting to see how, say, a male with a wider foot would find the fit of the Elite 4. Perhaps a little too tight around the top of the foot, but just right around the toes? A classic Goldilocks porridge situation.

    RW verdict

    Brooks says it wants to support every runner – from track sprinters to trail ultramarathoners – which is a broad ambition. With that in mind, you could argue that Brooks is spreading itself a tad thin: while it excels in offering dependable, supportive running shoes for everybody, no matter what their distance, terrain or ability, it isn't quite the best in all areas.

    As such, I wouldn’t say that the Hyperion Elite 4 is the fastest, most propulsive or most outlandish carbon-plated shoe on the market – but perhaps that is okay. (After all, while it’ll still set you back, it’s not the priciest carbon-plated shoe out there either.) The Elite 4 succeeds in giving you a quick but comfortable ride on the road, and is therefore a brilliant choice for runners in search of a safer, sturdier super shoe for races or harder sessions.