Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB First Run: Brooks Finally Joins the Supershoe Race

Introduction

Brooks has been on the outside of the carbon super shoe conversation for a while. The Hyperion Elite 4 was a comfortable, well-fitting racer that simply lacked the lively edge of the very best plated shoes. The new Hyperion Elite 4 PB sets out to fix that with one decisive change: the DNA flash midsole has been swapped for Brooks’ new DNA gold, a 100% PEBA foam that works with a carbon fiber SpeedVolt race plate.

We took it out for a first spin, including a long marathon-pace session, a mixed-pace 10 miler, and a parkrun, and the early signs are strongly positive. This now feels like a shoe Brooks can genuinely race in.

Specs and Pricing

The stack height comes in at 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot for an 8mm drop. Weight lands at around 200g (7.1oz) in a UK men’s 8.5. Pricing is a bump up on the Hyperion Elite 4: $250, up from $220 previously.

Everything else is essentially identical to the Elite 4, and that is largely the point. The geometry was not redesigned for the new foam; Brooks simply put a better foam into a proven shoe.

First Run Details and Fit

Up top you get the same highly perforated, minimal and airy knit upper as the Elite 4, with a flat padded tongue and a minimal heel collar with just a small amount of internal padding for heel hold. Underfoot, there is a good covering of outsole rubber across the forefoot that is quite thick for a carbon racer, with less rubber in the heel, plus a large midfoot cutout trench.

Fit testers reported true to size in their normal running shoe size. It is a performance racing fit that is not the roomiest around, though slightly roomier in the forefoot than some rival supershoes. The thin, breathable upper is comfortable and flexible, and the shoe disappears on the foot. One minor quibble is the small strip of padding around the back of the heel collar, which can occasionally irritate the achilles area, though it caused no problems during long runs in testing.

Ride and Performance on the Road

The DNA gold foam feels soft, squishy and lively, working with the carbon SpeedVolt plate to deliver a strong energy return at pace. On a 22-mile marathon-pace session, the first half ticked along comfortably and the second half retained a light, bouncy feel when the pace lifted.

A consistent theme across testers is that this is a shoe with controlled energy: lively and exciting, but stable and predictable on each footstrike. It urges you to move faster without feeling harsh, and it copes remarkably well with slower miles too, remaining protective when landing further back in the shoe. Some found it more comfortable and slightly less stiff than comparable aggressive racers, and more stable on a platform than softer rivals when fatigue sets in.

Grip, Stability and Wet Weather

The outsole held up well in testing on slightly wet ground, with no issues even on twisty courses with plenty of switchbacks, and the shoe felt stable throughout. The platform is somewhat narrow, similar to other low-volume racers, but testers reported strong confidence in every stride, including in wet conditions, though most wet running was in straight lines rather than tight corners.

Early Verdict

The consensus from first runs: Brooks now has a good shoe here. It has the classic super shoe ingredients, PEBA foam, a carbon plate and a big stack, in a lightweight, comfortable package that is bouncy without being too squishy. The PB version improved on the Elite 4 massively: more comfortable, bouncier, lighter and poppier.

Testers see it working well from 5K up through half marathon distance, with one noting they would probably not choose it for their own marathon but would happily race everything shorter. For anyone who found the previous Hyperion Elite range lacking punch, this version changes the picture entirely, and it leaves Brooks competitive in a market it had been missing from. Whether it stands out against the very best carbon shoes on the market remains to be seen, but the performance is there: racing in it means you are not leaving anything on the table.

Conclusion

The Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB is a significant step forward. By keeping everything that worked about the Elite 4 and replacing the foam with DNA gold PEBA, Brooks has turned a pleasant but unremarkable racer into a fast, smooth, energetic super shoe that can hold its own on race day. Full testing continues, but on first impressions this is a cracking shoe and a real reason to consider Brooks for your next race.