The Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB is comfortably the best carbon plate running shoe Brooks has ever made, which is all down to the new DNA Gold PEBA midsole foam that makes the shoe lighter, springier, softer and faster than the standard Hyperion Elite 4.

While it can stand up to the best running shoes available, we’d still rate a couple of racing shoes ahead of it, such as the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris and Nike Alphafly 3. It’s great to see Brooks making top-class racers again though, and we’re looking forward to seeing the DNA Gold foam used in more shoes going forward.

Design & Key Stats

  • Price: £200/$250
  • Weight: 208g/7.3oz (men’s UK 9 / US 10)
  • Drop: 8mm
  • Upper: Lightweight mesh
  • Midsole: DNA Gold PEBA foam with 3D-printed Arris carbon plate
  • Outsole: Rubber covering forefoot and sides of heel

Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB review

How’s The Fit

Nick, Mike, Tom and Kieran have all found that the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB fits well in their normal running shoe size. The upper is comfortable and very lightweight, and holds the foot securely at the heel and midfoot when running at faster pacers.

The Run Test: Likes

The DNA Gold PEBA midsole is a major upgrade on the DNA Flash EVA foams used in Brooks’ past racing shoes. It’s softer and more comfortable over long distances, and provides a lot more energy return for fast runs.

We’ve tested the Hyperion Elite 4 PB with a variety of fast runs, including a 22-mile long run and a flat-out 5K, and it’s always impressed with its speed, and the foam continues to deliver a high level of energy return and propulsion throughout long runs.

You can now go into your key races and training sessions confident that a Brooks shoe is delivering a similar level of performance to the best racing shoes from other brands, whereas in the past the brand’s racers lacked the spring available elsewhere.

The outsole has also provide reliable grip during our testing throughout the British winter, and although it’s quite a narrow show the Hyperion Elite 4 PB has a natural and quite stable ride for a super-shoe, especially compared with very soft shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2.

The Run Test: Dislikes

Some of the team found that the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB wasn’t quite as soft as they like for long races and training sessions, compared with super-shoes that have a more cushioned feel like the Endorphin Elite or Nike Alphafly 3.

Brooks has also already given notice that the Hyperion Elite 5 will be coming out later in 2025, which might be worth waiting for. That’s because the Elite 4 PB has the same design as the standard Hyperion Elite 4 but with the foams changed, whereas the Elite 5 will be designed around the DNA Gold foam and might have an even better ride as a result.

Verdict And Alternatives

It’s taken too long, but Brooks now has a top quality racing shoe in its line-up, and we’re excited to test future shoes that use the DNA Gold foam. While it might not hit the heights of the very best marathon running shoes we’ve tried, the Hyperion Elite 4 PB is certainly an excellent option for shorter races.

If you prefer bouncier feel to your super-shoe, then it’s worth looking at the the Nike Alphafly 3 or Hoka Cielo X1 2.0, and the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 has a similar ride to the Brooks but with a touch more comfort and energy return, and it’s also a little cheaper.

Our top racing shoe remains the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, which has a more energetic ride than the Hyperion Elite 4 PB and is also a little lighter. The Elite 4 PB is certainly a racer to consider though, and that’s the first time we can say that about a Brooks shoe in several years.