Brooks Hyperion Elite 6

The Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 is a marathon race shoe designed for speed and comfort. At $275, it competes with models like the New Balance SC Elite v6 ($275) and the Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 ($275). Despite the fact that Brooks is calling the foam DNA Gold, just like in the previous version, it appears to us that just about everything about the shoe is different, and that is probably a good thing. The foam feels much softer to the touch, and the rocker geometry, both in the front and the back, seems a lot more aggressive. The upper and fit are completely dialed. The upper is made of a high-end, high-tech material that is very lightweight, and the fit is perfect, with an interesting heel-grip design. The ride was smooth, comfortable, cushioned, and decently soft. There was no fighting against the foam, and it worked well for both warming up and going faster than marathon pace. It’s right in the middle zone where it’s super fun and enjoyable to run in, but it’s not too soft or mushy to the point where you wouldn’t want to do a hard workout or fast race. If you are looking for a new race-day shoe and you want something that is soft and bouncy, comfortable, and good for time on feet, you will definitely enjoy the Hyperion Elite 6.