Brooks Hyperion Tempo Review

A fast shoe with zip, speed, and cushioning

The Hyperion Tempo is one of Brooks’ speediest shoes. Whether you’re training for a 5k or a marathon, these lightweight, neutral shoes work well for racing or speedwork. They feature lightweight cushioning in the midsole with plenty of energy return.

PROS:

Speedy, fast ride
Lightweight with good energy return
Ideal for races or speed workouts

CONS:

Expensive for a niche shoe

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The name of the Brooks Hyperion Tempo shoe says it all!

The Hyperion Tempo is a neutral running shoe designed for tempo and marathon runs.

Using feedback from athletes, the Hyperion Tempo has been designed with a wider forefoot and nitrogen-infused foam in the midsole. This makes the shoe lightweight without sacrificing energy return. This responsiveness lets runners run faster.

The Hyperion Tempo is a road running shoe that will perform best on paved or hard surfaces. The outsole has strategically-placed high-wear areas, which makes the shoe durable without affecting its weight.

It has a stretch woven upper that securely locks your foot in place, without creating pressure points, allowing for a comfortable fit. The fabric is breathable and has micro-perforations to allow the air to circulate, eliminating hotspots while you run.

You’ll find that the Hyperion Tempo delivers the comfortable cushioning that Brooks is known for, right out of the box, while boosting performance noticeably.

Upper

The upper is made from woven mesh that hugs the foot, locking it securely in place.

The material does have some stretch to it, which allows your foot to move naturally, and there’s still plenty of space for when your foot swells.

Ample space in the toe box allows your toes to splay naturally. This makes for a comfortable run without any pressure points on the foot. Those with certain painful foot conditions might find these shoes ease pain substantially.

The upper fabric has an open-weave configuration. Perforations on the top of the shoe by the forefoot allow for greater ventilation on those long runs, eliminating hot spots and keeping your feet dry.

The lace-up closure is flat with printed overlays, which help to hold the shape of the shoe and keep the foot in place without creating pressure points on the bridge of the foot.

The Hyperion’s form-fitting anatomical tongue folds around the shape of the bridge of the foot. It’s thin and won’t bunch up when you lace your shoes. You’ll find that it won’t create hotspots while running, either.

The trade-off is that some may feel that the tongue isn’t padded enough to cushion the bridge of the foot.

It has a lightly-padded ankle collar to support the Achilles tendon and prevent heel slippage while you’re running.

The colors of the uppers are limited, and you’ll find that they’re very neutral. You can choose from either black, white, or grey upper with a blue, yellow or white sole. If you’re after something more eye-catching, you may need to look elsewhere.

Midsole

The midsole of the Hyperion Tempo features a nitrogen-infused DNA Flash cushioning.

The full-length cushioning is the same density from heel to toe; this is thanks to the nitrogen-infused foam. The nitrogen helps to strengthen the structure of the foam, so there are no high-wear areas or areas of the shoe that are less responsive.

The nitrogen infusion also makes the midsole plush and soft underfoot without the added weight that equivalent normal-foam cushions would have.

DNA Flash cushioning is lightweight, responsive and flexible, which keeps the runner moving for longer with less effort. It also helps to reduce fatigue, so you can increase the length of your runs.

The insole that tops the cushioning adds to the shoe’s plushness, and from the moment you slip your foot in, it’ll feel like you’re walking on clouds. The insole has a fabric liner that helps to keep your foot dry and eliminate odors.

You’re able to remove the insole so that you can replace it with your own custom orthotic insert if you need one.

To be extra clear: The Hyperion Tempo’s midsole is made from innovative lightweight foam. If you are looking for Brooks’ carbon-plate midsole shoe, this is not it. You are looking for the Hyperion Elite.

Outsole

The Hyperion Tempo doesn’t have a full rubber outsole, and you will see some exposed midsole.

That being said, there’s a lot of rubber that’s been used in the high-wear areas of the forefoot and heel. This makes the shoe more durable, and runners will get plenty of miles out of it.

There’s a vertical groove in the outsole that helps to have smoother transitions from heel to toe. The outsole’s rubber is textured, and has flex grooves that allow the shoe to bend in all the right places. This provides great traction, while allowing for really smooth transitions.

Hands-On Review by Chris Bachmann

Our product researcher and running coach, Chris Bachmann, had a chance to test out the Hyperion Tempo on some runs. Here are his thoughts:

The shoe has a great feel as soon as I put it on. The upper was soft and had a nice, wide toe box. The upper material was fairly thin, making it breathable. But it felt secure when I laced them up – not too tight, not too loose.

When I went running with them, I felt the cushion was on the minimal side. Great for me, as it’s a race or speed workout shoe. The drop was also a good height for races and fast runs. The cushioning in the heel was more noticeable. A little stiff at first, but improved after several runs. The outer sole was fine. No issues with traction on dry roads.

Overall, I really like this shoe. It’s comfortable with a nice step-in feel. For me, it’s a perfect combination of lightweight, comfort, and heel-to-toe drop. I felt fast doing intervals, and felt good after the run.

Summary

Brooks has done a great job on the Hyperion Tempo, and runners will find themselves wanting to wear it all the time. This shoe can be used every day, from tempo runs to training runs to racing in a marathon.

Even though it’s a neutral shoe, runners who overpronate or have medium arches will find running in this shoe to be a pleasure. With the thick rubber outsole on the forefoot and heel, both heel and forefoot strikers can use this shoe comfortably.

Runners who are looking to break their PRs will find that they not only run faster, but that the run remains comfortable and responsive. It’s likely that your levels of fatigue will decrease and you’ll be able to run faster for longer, bringing those PRs closer and closer.

At $150 dollars, runners will be getting a great shoe at a bargain.