If you’ve run in previous versions of the Brooks Hyperion Elite, you’ll know the line has always been about balancing speed and control, offering that classic super shoe feel, without going overboard.
The Hyperion Elite 5 builds on the Hyperion Elite 4 with a much-improved underfoot feel, softer and snappier DNA Gold foam, and a ride that feels lightweight and 'mostly' efficient at pace.
But while it delivers in so many areas, there’s one key issue that keeps it from being a perfect race-day pick for me.
Here’s my full breakdown after testing it across tempo sessions and faster runs at a threshold pace.
Key Specifications
- Price: $275 at BrooksRunning.com / DSG / Sportsshoes.com (UK)
- Weight: 7.2 oz (204g) for US(M)9
- Drop: 8mm
- Upper: Full TPU pressed mesh upper with silicone lace sheaths and a minimal, race-day fit
- Midsole: DNA Gold PEBA foam (Brooks’ softest and highest energy return yet). Arris® SpeedVault+ carbon plate tuned by shoe size for weight and stiffness balance
- Outsole: Lightweight rubber coverage with midfoot cutout to expose the carbon plate
Sizing and fit
Fit is true to size with a medium width that should work well for most runners.
There’s enough structure through the midfoot for a locked-in feel, but the heel fit is where things start to unravel.
Breathability is excellent, your feet stay cool even during hard sessions, and the lightweight upper disappears on the foot in a really nice way.
There's also plenty of padding on the inside of the collars and heel counter but the tongue is on the short side.
But that heel lock issue definitely affects the overall fit and performance on the run. I'll go into more detail on that, in just a moment.
Performance review
Let’s start with the good news: the underfoot feel is much improved over the previous version.
The new DNA Gold foam finally gives the Hyperion Elite the soft, springy feel you’d expect from a race-day shoe in 2025.
Alastair Dixon
It’s responsive but also cushioned enough to protect your legs on longer efforts. I’ve found it to be much more forgiving than the DNA Flash midsole in the Elite 4.
The ride feels smooth and stable, especially for a carbon-plated shoe. There’s enough bounce to keep your stride snappy, but it doesn’t feel overly soft or wobbly, so it works well if you prefer a grounded, controlled ride.
I really like how the ARRIS Speedvault plate and DNA Gold foam work together to give you that forward roll without the aggressive rocker you get in some of the beefier stack racing shoes like the Alphafly 3 and the Cielo X1 2.0 (both highly rated by me, but aren't be for everyone).
For me, this shoe works best between 10K and half marathon distances, though you could certainly stretch it to the marathon, if you’ve got strong form and don’t need a more plush ride.
I was consistently running faster splits than expected in my tempo sessions; there’s an efficiency to this shoe that rewards a quicker cadence and midfoot strike.
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But here’s the issue: the heel lockdown just isn’t good enough for a shoe at this level and it's so disappointing because it could so easily be fixed, and if this issue did not exist, it could so easily be on of the greatest running shoes of 2025.
I have noticeable heel slippage when running fast. I tried to fix it using the racer’s loop heel lock lacing method, and while it did lock my heel down much better, the tongue is too short to support it, meaning you can either suffer the lace biting into the top of your feet, or put up with lost energy through heel slippage.
That’s a big miss, and unfortunately, it leads to a sloppy fit at the back of the shoe, which you really feel when trying to hold race pace or taking turns. Energy loss is real when the rearfoot isn’t locked in.
Alastair Dixon
It’s frustrating because the rest of the upper feels spot on. It's light, breathable, and conforms well. If Brooks can fix the collar shape and extend the tongue in the next version, they’d be well on their way to having an epic super shoe.
Traction and grip have been solid for me, and the outsole rubber placement seems smart.
The cutout through the midfoot also helps keep the weight down without compromising grip where you need it. I haven't noticed any instability or odd transitions.
Alastair Dixon
My verdict
The Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 is a strong evolution of the Hyperion line. It fixes the underfoot feel completely, DNA Gold is a real upgrade, and the shoe delivers a smooth, light, and efficient ride that feels quick across a range of faster efforts.
It’s stable enough for runners who don’t love the high-stack, wobbly feel of other supershoes, and it stays lightweight enough to make it versatile from 10K up to marathon efforts (if the fit works for you).
But... the heel lockdown just isn’t up to the standard the rest of the shoe sets, and because of this hiccup, I have to recommend these other carbon plated racing shoes instead. If you have a more aggressive heel-to-toe stride, or rely on a secure heel fit at pace, you’ll likely find this frustrating.
It’s not going to replace my main marathon racers (the Endorphin Elite 2 and the Hoka Rocket X3), but it is staying in my rotation for shorter high tempo and progression runs.
If you’re a midfoot striker with a high cadence who likes a lower-profile super shoe with some pep and a touch of forgiveness, there’s a lot to like here, as long as your heel stays put. You can pick up a pair for $275 at the recommended running stores below:
