Brooks launch their first running shoe with a carbon fibre plate – Runner’s World (UK)
Brooks launch their first running shoe with a carbon fibre plate Runner’s World (UK)
When Des Linden crossed won the 2018 Boston Marathon, the blacked-out shoes on her feet caused eagle-eyed runners to ask what Brooks had planned for the future. All was revealed today at the Brooks’ innovation camp in Amsterdam as they revealed the Hyperion Elite – its first running shoe with a carbon plate. Linden received the shoe four days before the Boston Marathon and decided they were worth breaking the ‘nothing new on race day’ rule. She went on to cross the line in 2.34.59.
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Designed as a racing shoe, it’s targeting the runner who wants to go fast. With a considerable stack height, an 8mm drop and (according to Brooks) a wider base than the carbon shoes of competitors, the shoe claims to help runners run faster, but also prevent them from losing their form in the final miles of a marathon. A bold (and familiar) claim, but one they tried to back up, sharing findings from their lab experiments comparing the Hyperion Elite to the Nike Vaporfly 4%. Brooks found their own shoe to reduce deviation at the ankle better than the competition and credit this to the variable thickness of their carbon plate, which is 0.5mm thicker in the middle.
Built for race-day, the Brand were clear these shoes only have 50-100 miles in them. They’ll retail at £210, making the cost per wear pretty pricey, but not dissimilar to other carbon shoes on the market.
How do they feel on the run?
On the foot, they feel extremely lightweight. Weighing approximately 196g, they are the lightest shoe Brooks has made so far thanks to the brand’s new ‘DNA Zero’ foam. We’ve only tested these over a 400m sprint round a running track, but they do feel fast. The foam isn’t anywhere near as soft as that found in the Nike Vaporfly 4% or the Vaporfly Next% (which weighs in at 187g in a UK 8), and we’ll need to run more miles in the shoe to give an in-depth review, but it’s certainly a big step forward for the brand and adds another player to the ongoing shoe debate.
Hyperion Tempo
As well as the Elite, Brooks announced the launch of the Hyperion Tempo – a training shoe without a carbon plate. Developed after the Elite, the Tempo has a ‘DNA Flash’ midsole – a nitrogen-infused foam that has more energy return than the foam used in the Elite (the designers hinted the springer foam might be used in further generations of the faster shoe). Underfoot, the foam feels slightly softer and the propulsion less extreme, while still being incredibly lightweight.
In Brooks’ eyes, you’d train in the Tempo and race in the Elite. Described by Brooks as a ‘workhorse shoe’, the Tempo has a durability of 250-400 miles. With a similar stretch woven upper to the Elite, the shoe has an 8mm drop and a 3mm outsole. Tested by Brooks in the lab against the Nike Pegasus Turbo, Brooks claim the Tempo has better stabilising properties to reduce deviation at the ankle as the runner tires.
STEELE HAUGEN/MADRAS PIONEER
While we’ve not had a chance to run in the shoe yet, it’s definitely worth noting ultrarunner Mario Mendoza recently broke the 50K treadmill world record wearing the Hyperion Tempo. The Tempo will be on sale on 1 April 2020 and cost £140.
Catamount
The last innovation announced today was the Catamount – a new trail shoe named after a wild mountain cat. Taking inspiration from ultra races like Western States and UTMB, Brooks wanted to design a shoe that would go the distance. Designed with an air-mesh upper and a midsole made with the brand’s DNA Flash foam, the Catamount also has a rock protection plate and a 4.2mm outsole.
There’s some nice design touches – a space to write the name of the people who crewed for you and the fact that they are white, to allow the shoe to become discoloured and tell a story. Brooks have not yet announced when they will be on sale.
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