We can start this one of pretty easily and just say the Brooks Hyperion Tempo is easily one of the best shoes Brooks has made in a long time. I know the is very brave statement for us to make given the breadth of solid shoes Brooks puts out, but the thing that gets us here is that the shoe feels entirely new and very well thought out. From the ultra light upper to the new midsole, the Hyperion Tempo is the right amount of cushion and balance and just leaves us begging for more.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weighs in at 7.3oz or 207g for a US Men’s 9
- Has 26mm of cushion and an 8mm heel/toe drop
- All new midsole that uses their new ultralight responsive tech
- Retails at $150.00 USD comes in 2 colors for Men and Women
Run Test
Brooks is leaning really hard into the new Hyperion lineup and the Hyperion Elite was a bit of a strikeout for us but the Hyperion Tempo is really a totally different ball game. This shoe was meant to be the training counterpart to the Elite, meaning you use these for training and then on race days you switch it up. In our view, these actually turned out way better.
The first real game-changer here is the move to DNA Flash in the midsole. We have been talking about BioMoGo and Loft for a long time on Brooks shoes, but Flash is lighter and significantly more responsive while still proving ample cushioning. DNA shares some technical similarities to Skechers Hyperburst in terms of their tech and the use of nitrogen and needless to say this is simply one of the best midsoles on the market right now.
The shoe fits like a glove and it will feel a little narrow for some and might even run a little small for some, a lot of this will depend on foot shape and your sock choice. The toebox does give a bit and there is enough width for comfort over the miles. The mesh upper is breathable which again contributes to foot comfort over the miles. Lastly, they definitely feel super light on your foot which allows for ease of turnover and makes it easy to turn them on and off when you want.
If anything, the Hyperion Tempo showed us one thing… shoes can still be really fast without the use of carbon.
Construction: Upper
The Brooks Hyperion Tempo uses a stretch woven material with several toebox perforations that allow for breathablity. The laces are a little odd in terms of feel, but these things stay in place like nobody’s business. The heel holds you well and it has a really slight elf ear for easy on and off.
A look at the small elf heel and the padding on the cup That great thin and airy upper material Brooks Hyperion Tempo from the front Brooks Hyperion Tempo from the back
Construction: Midsole
As we mentioned early, the midsole is where the magic is. The Hyperion Tempo uses their DNA Flash technology which is a nitrogen infused EVA similar to that which a few other companies (Skechers) have moved to. This allows for much higher levels of cushion, 26mm in this case, while remaining still super responsive and not contributing dramatically to weights. This really makes the shoe.
Lateral midsole – rear Lateral midsole – front Medial midsole – front Medial midsole – rear
Construction: Outsole
The outsole sports two pieces of rubber, one on the toe and another on the heel, which allows for solid grip. They are super thin, so durability over time will be interesting, but even in the rain traction is not an issue.
Brooks Hyperion Tempo outsole over head
Style & Aesthetics
The shoe honestly doesn’t feel like a Brooks shoe given the new materials and design aesthetic, but it is still pretty solid looking. Currently, they are only available in two combinations, the white/black/blue and the black/blue combination and no sign they will be adding more, but we definitely still dig it.
Overall Conclusion
The Brooks Hyperion Tempo turned out to be just a fantastic shoe and will suit a wide range of runners. The stretch upper is nice and breathable and the new DNA Flash midsole technology combines a light weight with a really nice amount of bounce. This shoe works fantastic for most tempo and road runs and can honestly even be dialed up easily for speed days or even races. The only negatives will be that it suits a bit more performance oriented runners given it runs a bit narrow and lacks any sort of structure, but even if you are trending toward wanting to go faster or racing more, then the Tempo is a fantastic shoe. Our big hope is that they take all the learnings here and fix the Hyperion Elite to be just as solid.
Learn more on the Brooks website
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
